Our Israel Trip- Days 1 and 2

On Tuesday, February 21' Linda flew in from Montgomery to join us on our upcoming trip to Israel. We left at 7am on Thursday,February 23, for the Athens airport, flying El Al Airlines. Our flight did not depart until 10:30, but El Al security is very tight. They have a separate interrogation area, and talk to each individual sparately to see if their stories line up with each other.It was very nerve wracking. At 11:30 we arrived at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Getting through passport control took over an hour. We immediately connected with our guide, Nasser Elias( an Israeli Arab Christian) and our driver for the next week, Moffitt(a Muslim father of five). We went and had lunch in an Arab restaurant in the Old City (biblical city of Joppa where Peter received the vision concerning the eating of unclean animals). The cuisine was typical Lebanese- pita bread, hummus, lamb and chicken on skewers, and about ten different sauces to dip our bread in. The sights and sounds of the marketplace were marked by the Muslim calls to prayer. After a short tour of Joppa and Tel Aviv we drove to our hotel for the night, the Marina Tel Aviv. After dinner, Linda and I took a walk along the boardwalk area, and down along the shore. It was a popular promenade with a lot of families and couples out strolling, and many joggling. There was an outdoor workout station, which upon first sight appeared to be a playground for children. There was even a large digital scale on the sidewalk. Physical fitness was obviously highly valued.

The following morning , after breakfast, we left to drive along the coastline for a visit to Caesarea to see the vast archaeological excavations, including the Roman theatre and aqueduct. Most interesting to the boys was our visit to Megiddo, an ancient city along the Via Maris, there was a large tunnel under the rock with hidden water sources. They were able to go down the steep stairwell, and through the tunnel. We just finished reading, "Beyond the Desert Gate" in our Sonlight curriculum, so they were able to relate better to what had been described in the book concerning the Roman Occupation and the Fall of Jerusalem. That afternoon we continued on to the Sea of Galilee and the Tiberius area, where we would be spending the next two nights. We stayed at the Leonardo Tiberius Hotel, where many of the guests were rushing around to get last minute preparations dome before the sunset and Sabbath began. As we walked along the boardwalk, Orthodox Jews, with their flying black coats, and young men with their long side curls were rushing to get to the synagogue before they closed the doors. One of our four elevators was designated the Sabbath elevator and would go to the first floor only, with no need to push a button. There was also a large basin full of Sabbath candles to light as you entered the restaurant area. One side note. In Israel the McDonald restaurants are kosher, so no dairy is served alongside meat. No cheeseburgers are available. You could leave the store and go the McDonalds on the other side for a milkshake.We enjoyed a lightshow and an ice cream, and then returned to our hotel for the evening. Tomorrow...our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.