During our marvelous month in Israel, thanks to American Associates of Ben Gurion University of the Negev, we spent several days at the beautiful Vered HaGalil “Rose of the Galilee” horse riding ranch in the mountains of the Galil- a place I’d longed to visit since I was in the Israeli Army in the 80s!
After a morning coffee on our lovely balcony, we drove to Nazareth– via Craaaaaaaaazy Cana, a town with The Most Insane Traffic In The Known Universe! According to Christian tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine there, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine. We, however, got to experience Another miracle in Cana, just getting thru the traffic in one piece! As we were mired in nutty bumper-to-bumper mayhem for a LONG time, with cars literally pointing in every single direction (& with Elisse hyperventilating at the thought of our rental car getting banged up!), we got to not only enjoy the antics of wacky drivers, fearless pedestrians, and a Complete And Total Lack of Signage, but to enjoy the myriad sights of Downtown Cana, including such stores as the “First Annunciation Souvenir Store” and “First Miracle Coffee Shop”…
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| Cana: First Miracle Souvenir & Coffee Shop |
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| Cana: Stuck in traffic! |
Some researchers identify Kafr Cana with the Kana mentioned in the ancient Egyptian Amarna letters (from about 4,000 years ago), and in the center of the village are a few remains of ancient buildings and burial caves. During the Roman-Byzantine period (1000-2000 years ago), there was a large Jewish community here, but by the Mameluke period (about 800 years ago) most of the residents of Kafr Cana were Christian, although there was still a Jewish community. Today the majority of the residents of Kafr Cana are Muslim.
Once in Nazareth, we found Nazareth Village, a living museum of Galilee life 2000 years ago, and spent a fascinating day enjoying and learning about life as it was lived at that time. Nazareth Village offers a unique synthesis of historical, archaeological, and ethno-archaeological science applied in reconstructing a First Century Village in the natural landscape of Nazareth, preserving the ancient landscape for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Archaeology proved the land had been quarried and farmed in the Late Hellenistic- Early Roman Period (2nd Century BCE to 1st Century CE), and discoveries included 3 ancient watchtowers, a wine press, stone quarries, farm terraces and a spring-fed irrigation system carved from bedrock. We visited the weaver, turned the olive press, hiked up the hillside watching the animals graze among the spring flowers, and stomped a little in the wine cellar! Dan, who is Christian, truly enjoyed exploring this place, and I loved sharing this facet of my amazing little country with him… It would be such fun to be able to return and participate in the grape or olive harvest and the making of olive oil and wine in the ancient way!
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| Dan, the 2000 year old carpenter! |
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| At Nazareth Village |
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| Spinner/Weaver, Nazareth Village |
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| Dan, grinding! |
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| Elisse, grinding! |
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| Nazareth Village |
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| Spinner/Weaver Nazareth Village |
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| Dan, with a Very old olive tree Nazareth Village |
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| Elisse: Barefoot in the ancient wine press! |
Nazareth began as a small Jewish village about 2,000 years ago, and became a stronghold of Christianity in the Byzantine period, just a few hundred years later. Nazareth is the cradle of Christianity, the city where, according to tradition, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the place where Jesus is said to have spent his childhood and youth. Pilgrimages led to the building of the city’s first church- the Church of the Annunciation at the traditional site of Joseph and Mary’s home. Many more churches were built throughout the city, and were destroyed and rebuilt with the changes in Muslim and Christian rule over the centuries. In the 19th century Nazareth attracted renewed interest and Christians returned to live in this city and rebuilt churches and monasteries. Today Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel and has about 30 churches and monasteries, as well as mosques and ancient synagogues.
Walking around Nazareth with our little tourist map, we found the Basilica of the Annunciation, and strolled thru their wonderful art-filled courtyard and archaeological site. On the lower level of the church is Mary’s Cave, where, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin Mary was visited by Archangel Gabriel and told she would give birth to Jesus.The first church was built by Jerusalem’s Deacon Conon during the Byzantine era, approx. 427 C.E. Many churches on this site were built, destroyed, and rebuilt; the current basilica was erected in 1969, designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Muzio (1893-1982), leader of the “Novecento Italiano” architects, and most famed for “Ca’ Brutta” in Milano, and built by the Israeli company Solel Boneh; it remains one of the grandest churches in the Middle East.
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| Unfortunately, Nazareth has now been taken over by Muslims, who have erected hateful, anti-Christian signs, literally in front of the Basilica of the Annunciation. To say we found this disturbing is an understatement. |
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| Art at the Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth from around the world |
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| Beautiful art at Church of the Annunciation… |
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| Archaeology beneath the Church of the Annunciation |
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| Archaeological dig beneath the church |
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| Chuch of the Assumption, Nazareth |
We then had a splendid dinner of “Nouvelle Nazareth” cuisine at the elegant and beautifully restored Al Reda Restaurant, 23 Al Beshara St., just up the street from the Church: Lamb Shoulder with Artichokes and Fareeka (local wheat that is picked green, specially dried, and cooked like rice in the traditional manner); local Nazareth Sausages; Kubeh, and Bedouin Coffee! After dinner Ahmad Darawshi gave us a wonderful tour of the gorgeous rental apartment (Tel: 04-6084404) above the restaurant in this 120-year old building, with a balcony overlooking the city and the Church of the Annunciation next door; this is truly THE place you want to stay if you are going to Nazareth!
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| Dan, in front of Al Reda, Nazareth |
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| Kubeh & Israeli wine: Al Reda, Nazareth |
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| Delicious, traditional “Nouvelle Nazareth” appetizers! Al Reda Restaurant, Nazareth |
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| Bedouin Coffee: a wonderful finale to a delicious dinner! |
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| Ahmed & Dan, on the balcony of the rental apt. above Al Reda |
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| The lovely rental apt. above Al Reda Restaurant THE place you want to stay in Nazareth! |
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| Dan on the apt. balcony: what a view! |
Our next adventure in the Galil was another one I’d wanted to do for decades: soak in the ancient Roman hot springs at Hamat Gader! Hamat Gader is above the south-eastern shores of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), and includes a 40 acre tropical park, spa, crocodile farm(!), and restaurants, as well as the ancient Roman Baths, the hot mineral water pools with wonderful water jets that relieve neck, shoulder and back tension, a luxurious bubble pool, and a hot water waterfall! We spent a few blissful hours soaking in the pools, and then enjoying the gardens and archaeological park…
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| Elisse in the Hamat Gader hot springs pools |
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| Ruins of the Roman Baths, Hamat Gader |
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| Do I look happy?! I’M HOME!!! |
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| Roman Baths, Hamat Gader |
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| Fascinating White-Floss Silk Tree at Hamat Gader gardens |
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| Close up of the fascinating Silk Tree
To get to and from Hamat Gader, we had a beautiful drive thru the Galil, driving totally around the Kinneret! We stopped at the ruins of Korazim, at the Korazim National Park, which we’d seen from afar on horseback… |
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| Dan, Korazim |
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| Elisse, at the Synagogue at Korazim |
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| Dan, under the arches, Korazim |
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| Dan, Korazim: millstone |
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| Korazim |
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| Hi! |
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| Bottlebrush Tree! I want this at the Elkhorn Inn! |
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| Kibbutz HaOn |
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| Kibbutz HaOn |
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| 1914 Memorial to Turkish Airmen, HaOn |
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| HaOn |
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| Kibutz HaOn |
With two maps- one in English and one in Hebrew- in my lap, we often went looking for unusual things along the way; driving through the lush kibbutz banana fields of the Galilee, we found the Turkish Pilots Memorial in HaOn, a monument commemorating two Turkish pilots whose plane crashed here on Friday, February 27, 1914.
Next: Armageddon (Meggido) & Haifa!