Part 3: The Galilee

Our breakfast was very...unique. There was a peas/carrots quiche, four types of fresh yogurt, curds, honey, rye bread, a salad bar, and three types of semi-raw fish. With the skin still on it. They had a poached-eggs consistency. I did try it but its not something I'd eat again. :) I wish I had pictures, but I didn't manage to snap one at the hotel. After breakfast, we took the bus from Nazareth to the beautiful resort town of Tiberias. Tiberias, named for the Roman emperor Tiberius, was the ancient capital of the king Herod Antipas, who ruled over the Galilee. Now in peak season, this resort would be bustling with people, but we had arrived in the offseason, early in the morning. This was part of the view we got as we walked down to the seaside...

The boat we traveled on was supposedly a replica of an ancient Galilean fishing boat. 

Now, while touring Israel can be a deeply spiritual experience, you can't escape the commercialization of religion there either. Our Israeli boat captain was selling Holy Land maps, Galilee stone pendants, and Israeli dance CDs. He also had a recording of every country's national anthem and their flags. For instance, if you are part of a Dutch group, he immediately hoists the Dutch flag and plays the Netherlands anthem. When a group from France follows, he does the same with the French flag and the Marseillaise. Isn't that clever? :P

This is just one of the spectacular views from the boat. We were traveling from Tiberias to the northern shore of the sea and were surrounded by these views. I really wished I had a panoramic feature on the camera to give you guys a good idea of what it was like. Just try to imagine a view similar to this all around you. BTW, the buildings in the picture are the docks of Tiberias.

Catholic church on the mount, built by Mussolini
yeah, really, the Italian dictator

When we got off the boat, we visited four sites. The first was the Mount of Beatitudes. Although its impossible to know whether this really is "the" mount, it gives you a good idea of what it would have been like. Jesus standing near the summit, with massive crowds standing on the hillside like a reverse amphitheater. The Galilee is absolutely gorgeous, and the Catholic monks keep everything in beautiful condition.

After that, we travelled to Tabgha, or the Church of the Multiplication. It's on this hill that Jesus supposedly multiplied the loaves and fish and fed the five thousand.

The stone on which the miraculous meal was supposedly laid

Then, we visited the site next to the sea where Jesus met Peter after the resurrection and had supper. Obviously, the exact locations of these events are unknown, but its still worthwhile to grasp what it would have looked like. You still get a sense for the land and geography of the place Jesus lived in for 33 years.

An adjacent compound to Peter's

By far, one of the highlights of the entire trip was visiting the ancient town of Capernaum. Peter and other disciples were born here and Jesus lived here for a while. And the best part is that the entire town has been preserved. It's a small fishing village consisting of maybe 200 people. We're talking about family compounds built out of stone with plenty of small rooms to house all of the cousins and family members. These compounds have central courtyards which would have been a family gathering area. It would be covered with palm leaf thatch. It was in Peter's family house/compound that Jesus healed the paralytic man who was lowered through the roof. Just imagine everyone gathered together in that courtyard and the men lowering the man through the thatch to get Jesus' attention. Guess what? We went to the very spot where Peter lived! From the first century, early Christians preserved Peter's house. Even when in ruins, Christians still built a basilica over it to mark the spot. In modern times, the Church removed the basilica and built a sort of raised prayer room with glass in the middle through which you can look down into the house. It's a trip-defining moment to look down into there and see the place where you know Jesus would have slept, the place where he healed Peter's mother-in-law, the place where he would have based his Capernaum ministry out of. When you stand there and look around, it is easy to rebuild the broken walls in your mind's eye; suddenly the town rises up in your imagination. I'm sure you've imagined scenes from the Bible. But it's a totally different thing to stand on the ground and see the houses Jesus would have seen.

This is a Byzantine-era synagogue, built over the ruins of the synagogue Jesus would have preached in.

Can you see the little teeth and the eyes? :P

All of that before lunch! For lunch, we went to a seaside restaurant and were all served St. Peter's fish. Here's the preparation. Step 1: Catch the fish. Step 2: While it's still fresh, clean it out and then take the whole thing and dunk it in oil. Step 3: Serve with rice and lemon. :) Fresh fish freshly cooked tastes absolutely delicious! I'm firmly convinced that the reason people don't like fish in the US is because we all eat these smelly frozen pieces with little to no taste. :) Wait until you've tried something fresh.

This is the Jordan river. After lunch, we visited this site where people get baptized in the hundreds. The "river" is more like a stream and its horribly dirty. Still, its worth seeing.

After all of that, we still visited one more site. Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration. Luke 9:28-36 says:

²⁸ And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, that he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up into the mountain to pray. ²⁹ And as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment [became] white [and] dazzling.³⁰ And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah;³¹ who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.³² Now Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.³³ And it came to pass, as they were parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.³⁴ And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.³⁵ And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye him.³⁶ And when the voice came, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen.

The grand Franciscan church contained beautiful paintings.
The largest depicts Jesus with Elijah and Moses beside him
while the disciples look up at them.

Here, I learned about a Messianic prophecy I didn't know before. In Jeremiah, God says that he will send one who is like "Tabor among the mountains of the North". Tabor is known as the chief of the Galilean mountains and it definitely is the highest. So when Jesus chose Tabor to reveal himself in glory, he wasn't just any place. The location was symbolic.

So...after a full day, we wrapped up our travels in the Galilee. Next, I'll write about our adventures in Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Hope you enjoyed the read! :)