Today we started off exploring the place where Jesus apparently spent a lot of his adult years. It begins when after his Baptism, he goes back to the Galilee from his time in the desert. In this early period he preaches around Galilee and recruits his first disciples who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early church.
Again, who knows if this was actually true. When we did visit we got told one of the rooms in the ruins was his. The architecture was delightful ..How preserved it has been from so many years ago.
My biggest highlight from this morning was rolling down the hill with Mrs G in her wheelchair! What a site it is! I’m holding on the back.. She loves it! So much laughter! It was such fun. I must get someone to take a video next time!
After we jumped back on the bus and drove further north.. We went to a place called Gejah. Israel and Lebanon share this part of the land, you can imagine the conflict there!
From 1985 -2000 Israel and Lebanon had massive conflict. In 2000 Lebanon “Hezbollah” (like an army of Lebanon), kidnapped 3 Israeli soldiers , they were found dead by Israeli military. The conflict kept on until 2007, Israel withdrew.
Today we drove through it towards a place that use to be Syria. In 1967 there was war between Israel and Syria. Israel defeated Syria and took over the Golan Heights. Then in 1973 Syria tried to take it back and the Israelis fought up hill defeating Syria once again.
We also went to “Canaanite gate” Around 1500 B.C To enter a fortified enclosure that surrounded the temple and palace, back then the visitor had to pass through a gate and a narrow passage. The L-shaped form of the passage had both defensive and ceremonial origins. In times of war, when the city was under siege, the angle of the passageway prevented invaders from hoisting a battering ram to destroy the gate. In times of peace, a visitor was not afforded direct access to the temple or gate. This was revealed only in 1979. It was an incredible site to see.
After we had a local lunch, fish from the Galilee then got on a boat! It was called the “Jesus boat” 😂
Apparently in 1986 a boat was discovered. There’s actually no link that it was Jesus’s boat as I’ve just done a bit of research but anything to get tourists right! It was a boat found in the 1st century AD. Now it’s called the Jesus boat!
We drifted along until we reached our hotel. What another incredible day today has been!
This was where Jesus lived. Underneath is Old Syria that is now called the Golan Heights.
This is Lebanese, Sharing parts of it with Israel. The Canaanite gate, still being uncovered.
My world in a diary 