Friday, September 20
So, today we got on and off the bus no less than a gazillion times. I’m not even sure I can recount what we did. Especially since the guide added some things and moved some things around. I will try and remember as accurately as I can.
We started the day at Kinneret Kibbutz who own and operate the hotel where we’re staying here in Tiberius. It was interesting to hear how the Kibbutz has evolved since it started operation in the early 1900s. It started as a pure communal community, with all meals being held in the dining hall, and everyone working at something on the Kibbutz and sharing in the fruits of the collective. But now it sounds more like my condo association. Each of the 400 members put the same amount in to the administration and running of the kibbutz, but they are free to work off the kibbutz, own their own cars, they must pay for services, etc. It’s seen by many to be just a cheaper way to live. One of the things that will stay with me is that after showing us the bomb shelters throughout the kibbutz, they told us that each new home being built in Israel must have a bomb shelter room, reinforced concrete, to meet code. Imagine living in that fear.
We then went to the “alternative site” of the baptism of Jesus on the Jordan River. Turns out the “real” spot is in Jordan. So the stop became a place to try letting the fish give us a pedicure (they eat the dead skin off your feet). I could hardly stand to put my feet in the water long enough to get a toe picture taken never mind standing in it for long enough to have the fish peck at my feet.
Next it was off to the Golan Heights to visit a winery there. Turns out it was their semi-annual sale in preparation for Rosh Hashanah that is next week. So the place was chaos and the wine was literally rolling out by the cart load. We were able to try all their wines to the tunes of a 5 piece band that could have been playing in New Orleans. It was a little surreal. Most of our group bought at least one bottle but of course you know I didn’t. I have to admit when I looked at the map and how close we were to Syria I was a little nervous, and then we saw tanks at a round about, which the guide said where there in case of a missile attack. But he said not to worry as G Adventures would not send us into a situation where there was danger.
Then off to Capernaum, a Roman city where Jesus spent much of his time teaching and living with Apostle Peter for 3 years. The site they believe to have been St. Peter’s home has a modern church built over top of it, and next to it was a synagogue thought to have been built from stones from another site and brought to this site in the 4th century. (Perhaps as a tourist destination?)
And then we went to St Peter’s Primacy, or Mensa Christi, or Church of Multiplication where Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves of bread and where we had access to the Sea of Galilee.
We had one last church to top off our day and that was to the Church of the Beatitudes which is up on a hill with beautiful views of the Sea of Galilee and where it is believed Jesus gave his “Sermon from the Mount” speech.
We were “churched out” and it was over 100 F so we were really glad when the next activity was a delightful 45 minute boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was quite breezy but the air felt lovely after the warm day of visiting churches. Our guide initiated a dance lesson for us, by the boat’s captain and we all danced to Hava Negela.
Next it was a stop at a diamond distributor to learn about diamond production, and more importantly for the shop for us to see their huge show room and salespeople ready to pounce on us. I walked right through and out the exit.
Tonight in the dining room at the hotel we celebrated the birthday of our only male fellow traveller. His partner had let us know that it was his birthday and he didn’t want to make a fuss so of course we did.
That’s it in a nut shell. Off to pack. And once again, I hope I haven’t butchered all the Biblical references with my lack of education on the subject.
Lois' Adventures 