Adventures in Israel, part 3

Day 3

It’s 5:15pm in Israel as I’m typing this.  We just got back to out hotel after a full & busy day.  I ate a fish with it’s head still on it today.  I saw the “river rats” at the Jordan River that the Duggar girls warned me about on 19 Kids & Counting.  I’m drinking a glass of pomegranate wine & my mom is talking to my Aunt Libby about baby Henry Rhodes Matthews who was born this morning (or yesterday…not sure with all the time & day changes).  What more could I ask for?  This has been a good day!

We started our day by driving north to Mt Arbel.  Nothing significant happened there but it was a great place to start the day!  We hiked up to the top & looked over the cliffs over all of the region of Galilee.  We saw the city on the hill that Jesus was probably referring to on the Sermon on the Mount.  Across the Sea of Galilee we saw the Golan Heights.  I felt like I was at the Grand Canyon (but greener) looking over the cliffs & trying not to fall off.  Super pretty! 

On top of Mt Arbel

Driving down the mountain we saw lots of olive groves, fruit trees & grain fields.  Israel is so green!  It’s easy to understand why Jesus used agricultural & farming terms in His parables!

We drove through Magdala where we saw excavation sites for “Mary of Magdala’s Hometown”.  We drove from Mt Arbel to the base of the Mt of the Beatitudes to Peter’s Primacy--where Jesus commanded Peter, "feed my sheep".   I’d shed my outer layer while on Mt Arbel & when I got off the bus at Peter’s Primacy I hear everyone say…”where’s Holly?  This is a holy site!”  I know, I know!  I’d already re-layered!  Goodness, sometimes it's hard to be holy.  Holy site=covered knees & shoulders.  Peter’s Primacy is on the north end of the Sea of Galilee, where most Bible scholars believe most of the Jesus’ ministry took place.  Why?  Because this is where most of the fish are & Jesus called fishermen to be his disciples, so this is the area the fishermen must have been!  God is so smart!  The Sea of Galilee is beautiful!  This morning it was so calm & peaceful—hard to believe there could be a storm there!  We learned later—while on a boat on the sea that storms are more prevalent in the afternoon.  While on the water we could look around & see almost every place Jesus’ ministry took place.  How small this region is surprised me! 

Peter's Primacy--I'm so holy!  :)

Katie Coyle & I on the Sea of Galilee

After our boat ride we went to Capernaum—the city of comfort.  We saw the synagogue where Jesus performed miracles and saw the Catholic Church that sits on top of the Byzantine Church that sits on top of Peter’s house.  (How did the Catholic Church get dibs on building on top of all these places?)  They know it was Peter’s house because there was a group of Christian’s who lived there consistently for 300 years after the time of Christ.  They met there & had to expand & even tear down some of the walls because the gathering got so big.  The first home church!  Maybe we should tear down part of the Martin’s house to be more like the early church!  Just kidding.  :)

Synagogue at Capernaum

Then we drove east across the Jordan River & started going south into the Golan area.  We saw where Jesus cast the demons out Legion into the herd of swine.  We went to Ein Gev Fish Restaurant who must have the monopoly on serving lunch to tour groups—it’s the place where you eat the fish with it’s head still on it.  It’s Talapia, aka St. Peter’s Fish.  I just tried not to look at the head.  It wasn’t too bad.  I only ate the middle.  Getting too close to the head or tail kind of weirded me out.  I mostly loaded up on pita & hummus. 

St Peter's Fish

Then we drove south west to the Jordan River to Baptism World—super cool to see people of every tribe, tongue & nation getting baptized where Jesus did!  I didn’t get baptized—several people in our group did—to be honest, I’d decided not to do it when I saw the 19 Kids & Counting episode where the Duggars go to Israel & the girls talk about how gross the river rats are.  We saw some & decided they are nutria.  So gross.  And HUGE cat fish!  I just knew as soon as I would get in the water one would bite my toe.  I was close enough to the Jordan!  It was awesome seeing people get baptized though—and hear all the different languages & people around us!

Jordan River nutria.  Gross.

Whew…almost done…ok after the baptisms we drove back north—making a complete circle of the Sea of Galilee in one day—back to our hotel.  I’ve now heard all about little Henry—my cousin-in-law, Oak is a rockstar from what I’ve heard!  Congratulations to Oak & Adam!  Henry is precious!

Tomorrow—the Sabbath—we’re staying mostly outdoors.  Nothing holy.  I’m thankful—it got warm today—it’s hard to be holy when it gets hot outside!  :)

Shabat Shalom!


PS I'm not proof reading this before posting.  Sorry for any typos or things that don't make sense.  Do your best to figure out what I mean.  :)

PPS My mom's & the other woman's suitcases were at the hotel when we arrived last night!  PTL!