Our first stop took us to Megiddo, the city that has been destroyed and rebuilt 25 times! That means it's arguably the most complicated and interesting archaeological site in Israel. It sits the Valley of Armageddon, a key location for farming and trade, which is why people are constantly fighting over its control throughout history. It was an incredible depiction of a tell! When we started at the bottom, we were at the 2nd(ish) century, and by the time we reached the top, we had spanned a thousand years!
A sacrificial altar from the Late Bronze Age (before King David)
Feeding trough (manger) for animals in the storehouse
This is probably the same type of manger Jesus was born in
For lunch, we went to the Druze village of Daliat El-Carmel for a traditional falafel and schnitzel meal. Falafel is basically ground chickpeas and spices rolled into a ball and fried (very good), and schnitzel ~seems~ like ground chicken breaded and fried (less good IMHO). I also tried Druze coffee which someone on the trip compared to Turkish coffee. It was very thick and very strong so they put it in espresso cups. By day 12, I needed any pick-me-up I could get! The Druze people are a unique ethnic and religious group that incorporates aspects of Islam, Hinduism, and Greek philosophy into their belief system. The group started as an Islamic sect before breaking off into their own religion around 1000CE.
Our last stop was Caesarea, the Vegas of the ancient world. I was really bummed because it was POURING when we got there, so we didn't get to explore much. That said, we still learned a lot about its history and why its such an important place in the history of Israel. It was the first man made port in the area built by Herod to provide a place for ships to dock in the Mediterranean. Knowing that sailors would need a place to stay during the winter "off-season," Herod built a city full of fun and games to keep them entertained. Because of this port, Herod's sailors are able to load their boats more efficiently with items to trade, so they arrive at the market a full month before the competition. That means they get to set the prices! This port was a huge accomplishment and ingenious way to keep the land of Israel at the forefront at the time! Caesarea also become the location where Cornelius, the first non-Jew to become a Christian, professed his faith in Christ - a turning point in Christianity as well.
And that's all! We all made it home safely and now get to process the massive overload of info from an amazing trip of a lifetime! I will never look at my Bible the same way again, and I'm so thankful to have walked where Jesus and His bloodline walked.
Our last stop was Caesarea, the Vegas of the ancient world. I was really bummed because it was POURING when we got there, so we didn't get to explore much. That said, we still learned a lot about its history and why its such an important place in the history of Israel. It was the first man made port in the area built by Herod to provide a place for ships to dock in the Mediterranean. Knowing that sailors would need a place to stay during the winter "off-season," Herod built a city full of fun and games to keep them entertained. Because of this port, Herod's sailors are able to load their boats more efficiently with items to trade, so they arrive at the market a full month before the competition. That means they get to set the prices! This port was a huge accomplishment and ingenious way to keep the land of Israel at the forefront at the time! Caesarea also become the location where Cornelius, the first non-Jew to become a Christian, professed his faith in Christ - a turning point in Christianity as well.
The rain let up just long enough to get this picture on the coast of the Mediterranean!
The national park is reconstructing the port entrance!
Guess I'll have to come back to see it all finished!
And that's all! We all made it home safely and now get to process the massive overload of info from an amazing trip of a lifetime! I will never look at my Bible the same way again, and I'm so thankful to have walked where Jesus and His bloodline walked.
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