First things first on Friday - we checked out of our great resort facility, and headed back around the north end of the Sea of Galilee, with a view of Jericho in the distance.
We arrive at the Jesus Boat Museum for a great adventure! Here are the preserved remains of a 1st century fishing boat such as Jesus might have crossed the Sea upon. WE hear how it was discovered in 1986, excavated, and preserved. They had a complicated process just to move it, as all the wood was the consistency of wet cardboard. After it was moved and placed into a tank of water (salt, of course), they found it inundated with parasites. No problem! They just put a bunch of hungry tilapia fish in the tank.
After viewing the museum, we boarded a 50 foot replica of the boats of Jesus' time, and sailed upon the Sea of Galilee. What a powerful experience, with a reading of Matthew 14. A boat crewman demonstrated how fishermen of the time cast their nets. Of course the young man remarked that they fished naked in that day, but he did not oblige us in that way. He did sing for us, and they raised the American Flag, and played our anthem.
Mike talked about life on a kibbutz, the first of which was in 1909 ... We drove on around the Sea, passing through the city of Tiberius, which was bustling with pre-Sabbath activity ( Sabbath is from Fri Dark to Saturday Eve)
We stopped at the place where the Jordan River emerges from the Sea of Galilee. There is a facility set up for those seeking an experience of being baptized in the Jordan, though the spot Peter probably baptized Jesus at is thought to be farther down the Jordan, in territory not always safe nowadays. Stepped in the Jordan again.
Stopped for lunch, with berry gelato for desert!
Continued to drive down the Jordan Valley, able to see Jordan on the other side of the river, across the security barbed wire fence. As we went, there was a major shift in the landscape ... it became flatter and dryer, and no more volcanic stone as we reached the end of the Golan Heights. We could see the Mount Gilboa, where Saul called upon the Witch of Endora to help him defeat the Philistines (he lost) and heard David's eulogy to Saul (last chapter 1 Samuel, and 1st chapter 2 Samuel)
Date groves, dry, rocky, and dusty ...
We have a view of Jericho, a small oasis which is 850 Feet below sea level. It is said to be a site used by humanity since the neolithic age, as pottery has been dated to the 6500-7500 BC range (oldest known city on planet per our guide)
Then we get an unplanned stop at the River Jordan. There is a new facility recently opened at the place believed to be where Jesus was really baptized on the Jordan. It is also close to where the Israelites crossed the Jordan to enter the Promised Land.
This is a recent set-up as a lot of cooperation was needed between Israel and Jordan ... the boundary between the two countries runs down the middle of the river, so there are armed guards on both sides of the river. It is a nice set-up, and I step into the Jordan a third time. Right across the ~30ft wide river is a monastery (Russian Orthodox?) , and on the Israelite side is a Greek Orthodox Monastery. This area was off bounds as unsafe for many years. Barbed wire and signs warning of land mines line the roads. (Yes we were careful)
Directly down the road, we turn right/west and head out of the Jordan Valley, up into the mountains towards Jerusalem (at 2500 ft above sea level). We are driving parallel to the Jericho Road, and see Bedouin camps along side the road (there are about 180,000 Bedouins in Israel, they are not citizens). They are no longer very mobile, living what looks to be pretty destitute lives, but they are doing it their way, as Frank Sinatra sang.
We stop for a photo op. of Israel as we begin driving through the city, and proceed to our hotel for check in. What a powerful feeling as we entered thid holy city, which Ithink we all felt.
Dinner is a little later, at 8pm ... a Sabbath Dinner as guests of a Jewish family in their home. We are welcomed, and fed till we can eat no more! We arrive back at our hotel at 11pm, exhausted but satisfied.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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