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Heading out of Jerusalem and going to Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee! On the way, we stopped at a Full-scale replica of the Desert Tabernacle that Moses' people carried with them while wandering for 40 years.  Another stop: Qumran, where most of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found! See me in a cistern (used for water storage).  The edge of Qumran with the Dead Sea behind me.  See one of the caves that held Dead Sea Scrolls!  I got within a couple hundred feet of that cave, but decided to turn back when I saw the sign requiring "Rappelling Equipment"!  The view from that trail!  Jericho: The oldest (8,000 BC) and lowest (875 feet below sea level) city in the world! Home of the traditional Mount of Temptation. See me next to a 4,000 year old city wall!  The Tree of Zacchaeus: A rich, but short, man named Zacchaeus climbed this sycamore tree to get a view of Jesus as he entered Jericho. Jesus saw him up there and called him by name!  Guaranteed no solicitors will knock on your door when you live in the side of a cliff! (I think it's a monastery.)  The winter palace of King Herod outside Jericho. To appreciate the size, view the trucks at the top left.  Beit Shean (pronounce "bait shawn"): This city held 40,000 people in 500 AD and was destroyed in an earthquake in 749 AD. It was the largest for linen in the Roman Empire. The sidewalks were roofed and paved with mosaics. This is a 20 foot wide model of how the city used to appear. No, the city didn't have giant gold nuggets, you're just seeing leaves from the tree over the model!  This amphitheatre has been restored and is back in use!  The main road led to the Temple to Dionysus (Goddess of Wine).  The Gym.  These pillars supported the floor of the bathhouse. The vertical vents in the far wall allowed steam into the room!  A toilet system with running water (keep your feet up)! For you and your closest 39 friends!!  A lone tree at the top of the hill sparked my curiosity. Wished I had time to climb up there.  So many things to experience!    We've arrived at Tiberias. My hotel room is 40 feet from the Sea of Galilee (see the view from my room)! You'll have to use your imagination to see me barefooting across the courtyard and jumping into the Sea of Galilee for a before-dinner swim!  Click here to go to Day 6! |