FIRST DAY IN TEL AVIV
Our group has arrived safely in Tel Aviv, the city meaning "new beginnings." Indeed, we are excited for the new adventures that lie before us. After our first night's sleep at the Crowne Plaza near the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, we awoke to bright sun and stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea just 50 yards from our hotel room windows. After a morning tour of Simon the Tanner's home in Joppa (also where Jonah sailed from when heading to Ninevah) then we enjoyed the Roman theather, hippodrome and baths at Caesarea Maritime. We dabbled our toes in the surprisingly warm Mediterranean waves crashing up on the beach there and linged awhile at the beauty of the place-- the home of Pontius Pilate and Herod the Great. From there we headed by bus to Nazareth for a 360 degree view of the Jezreel Valley and Mt. Tabor from the glorious mountaintop point of Mt. Precipice. Our guide, Andre, is from Nazareth and is Palestinian Israeli Christian (Greek Orthodox). Each conversation with him we have been learning an incredible amount about an area rich in signficance, history, and constant turmoil. We are grateful for his gracious spirit and wonderful sense of humor.
SECOND DAY EN ROUTE TO THE SEA OF GALILEE
Upon arrival in Tiberias, we were greeted by a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee (which is actually a large enclosed lake). The winds have been wippng up off the water ever since our arrival, so we can appreciate how storms can suddenly begin to torment such a body of water and perhaps boat caught out far from the shore. Tonight we have dabbled in our first excursion to an internet cafe to update this blog, and we are soaking in the lively nightlife in this small coastal town where bustling shops and internet cafe stay open to welcome the locals and tourists alike until the wee hours of the morning.
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