Galilee, the beginning.

Ooh boy, talkin about Galilee. Well we left the Moshav on the 29th and travelled up to Aphek, one of the cities that Paul would have been escorted through on his way to Caeserea to be shipped off to Rome. There really wasn't much to see there as I recall. On our way to Caeserea we dropped off at the HaAretz Museum which had a lot of displays of really neat archaeological findings, such as clay sarcophagi and big swords. There was also a glass section (some of the earliest glass, as well as pottery, was developed here) in the mueseum, which I would have expected to be filled with ancient glass that they found amongst the Tels (archaelogical treasure-troves). But instead it was filled with all sorts of modern artsy glass things. Jewish people, at least here in Israel, have an odd obsession with strange modern art pieces. Sad to say, most of them are horrendously ugly.

We finished up the day in Caeserea Meritime, which made the whole thing worth it for sure. It was a real roman city, with beautiful architecture and all the luxory Herod the Great could have wanted. Well maybe not. This rather large tourist attraction included a Hippodrome, a Theatre, a temple to Hera (which was no longer standing), and the remains of an ancient man-made bay. Herod stacked large stone blocks in the water in order to create an artificial harbor, since the natural coast afforded none. They had a pretty well-designed presentation. Anyway, that was the first day of our Galilee trip...and there's plenty more to tell and so much homework to do and so little time until Egypt. Scrap! Pray that everything comes together :)

P.N.