Day four Cana, Nazareth, tiberias
We loaded up one van with our luggage and the other van with 17 people. We dove through Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle-turning water into wine. The were several shops with names like "First Miracle Wine Shop " then we drove to Nazareth. Mary grew up there and the Holy family lived there after their stay in Egypt. We went to The Church of the Annunciation over the site where Mary was told she would bear God's son. Meir was telling us about how people think that Mary and Joseph went to Bethleham to pay taxes during the census. He said if it was just about taxes they would have sent someone else to pay them. Mary went so she could be counted among her people of Judah so that prophecy would be fulfilled. The church was amazing!!! Mass is still held there and one was going on while we were there. Many countries gave gifts to the church with their version of the story and it was interesting to see what they gave. The one from Japan had a Japanese woman and child. :)
The church had these amazing doors with pictures depicting stories in the Bible. One of them was Noah and the dove bringing the olive branch. He said it was a dove because they can land on anything and it was an olive branch because they are nearly Impossible to break off if they aren't completely dry.
We also went to the church that is on the spot where the family lived -st. joseph's church. The family lived in the house above ground and his workshop was below that then there was a cave under the whole area for the basement. Nazareth has about 55,000 people that are 50/50 Muslim and Christian. Their is a new part of the town called Nazereth Illit that is for Jews. I saw the most Christmas decorations in Nazerethh and some one wished me Merry Christmas!!
We drive pass a lot of Kibbutzes. Kibbutz are like communes where people work the agricultue land together and don't get paid but get all their needs met. To join you must live there a year and then people vote. If the don't get a majority the first year you get another year. If you don't pass the second year- you are out!
We see a lot of Israeli soldiers on the roads and at bus stops. He said that they used to hitchhike all the time until terrorists started dressing as devout Jews, picking up soldiers and killing them. Soldiers are no longer allowed to hitchhike.
We went to Yardenit - the place where it is said that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. There is also a site across the border in Jordan :)
Apparently it is a big deal to buy diamonds here so we went to a shop. Some of us were not into diamonds so we went looking for an ATM. I finally have shekels! We had lunch at McDonalds-real beef burger. No cheese because it was kosher-but it was still great!
We rode in this train thing pulled by tractor to Beit Shean or Beth Shean-very cool excavation site!! We are touring ruin and I feel something hit my head. Didn't know if it was a bug, debris etc. My friend checked it out it was bird poop! Twice in one week! She tried to get it out of my hair :)
We drove along the Jordan river to Jerusalem. So weird driving through the West Bank. Barbed wire everywhere. There is a fence along the Jordan border and another fence quite a bit away from it and the space between is a battlefield area. It is full of mines to stop terrorists from crossing the border that way.
The people in our group continue to entertain! The hong kong couple is on their honeymoon and are Super cute. When I ask why they chose Israel he aid because it is warmer than Europe :). Continuing to enjoy the terra haute family. Normally when I tell people I've eaten guinea pig and loved it I get looks of horror. Aaron said he has been to Ecuador too and enjoyed eating Guinea pig :) Alabama makes us laugh constantly. She sais Israeli men are so hot she wants to make a calendar. She said "i think it is impossible for Israel to make ugly men! She's not wrong!! mrs. Kim talked to me quite a bit they are Christians and live in France. Mr. Kim works at a nuclear facility- is from Korea so just says he is an engineer at boarder crossings :) Bill, the guy from New Zeland lost his wife unexpectedly 13 years ago. They had always talked about coming and now he is here. He is .... A little mentally impaired... It is sweet to see his reaction to everything here. He is so moved by all of it!
We loaded up one van with our luggage and the other van with 17 people. We dove through Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle-turning water into wine. The were several shops with names like "First Miracle Wine Shop " then we drove to Nazareth. Mary grew up there and the Holy family lived there after their stay in Egypt. We went to The Church of the Annunciation over the site where Mary was told she would bear God's son. Meir was telling us about how people think that Mary and Joseph went to Bethleham to pay taxes during the census. He said if it was just about taxes they would have sent someone else to pay them. Mary went so she could be counted among her people of Judah so that prophecy would be fulfilled. The church was amazing!!! Mass is still held there and one was going on while we were there. Many countries gave gifts to the church with their version of the story and it was interesting to see what they gave. The one from Japan had a Japanese woman and child. :)
The church had these amazing doors with pictures depicting stories in the Bible. One of them was Noah and the dove bringing the olive branch. He said it was a dove because they can land on anything and it was an olive branch because they are nearly Impossible to break off if they aren't completely dry.
We also went to the church that is on the spot where the family lived -st. joseph's church. The family lived in the house above ground and his workshop was below that then there was a cave under the whole area for the basement. Nazareth has about 55,000 people that are 50/50 Muslim and Christian. Their is a new part of the town called Nazereth Illit that is for Jews. I saw the most Christmas decorations in Nazerethh and some one wished me Merry Christmas!!
We drive pass a lot of Kibbutzes. Kibbutz are like communes where people work the agricultue land together and don't get paid but get all their needs met. To join you must live there a year and then people vote. If the don't get a majority the first year you get another year. If you don't pass the second year- you are out!
We see a lot of Israeli soldiers on the roads and at bus stops. He said that they used to hitchhike all the time until terrorists started dressing as devout Jews, picking up soldiers and killing them. Soldiers are no longer allowed to hitchhike.
We went to Yardenit - the place where it is said that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. There is also a site across the border in Jordan :)
Apparently it is a big deal to buy diamonds here so we went to a shop. Some of us were not into diamonds so we went looking for an ATM. I finally have shekels! We had lunch at McDonalds-real beef burger. No cheese because it was kosher-but it was still great!
We rode in this train thing pulled by tractor to Beit Shean or Beth Shean-very cool excavation site!! We are touring ruin and I feel something hit my head. Didn't know if it was a bug, debris etc. My friend checked it out it was bird poop! Twice in one week! She tried to get it out of my hair :)
We drove along the Jordan river to Jerusalem. So weird driving through the West Bank. Barbed wire everywhere. There is a fence along the Jordan border and another fence quite a bit away from it and the space between is a battlefield area. It is full of mines to stop terrorists from crossing the border that way.
The people in our group continue to entertain! The hong kong couple is on their honeymoon and are Super cute. When I ask why they chose Israel he aid because it is warmer than Europe :). Continuing to enjoy the terra haute family. Normally when I tell people I've eaten guinea pig and loved it I get looks of horror. Aaron said he has been to Ecuador too and enjoyed eating Guinea pig :) Alabama makes us laugh constantly. She sais Israeli men are so hot she wants to make a calendar. She said "i think it is impossible for Israel to make ugly men! She's not wrong!! mrs. Kim talked to me quite a bit they are Christians and live in France. Mr. Kim works at a nuclear facility- is from Korea so just says he is an engineer at boarder crossings :) Bill, the guy from New Zeland lost his wife unexpectedly 13 years ago. They had always talked about coming and now he is here. He is .... A little mentally impaired... It is sweet to see his reaction to everything here. He is so moved by all of it!
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