Flora, Fauna and Food

One of the things that is interesting, when you travel to a foreign country, is the differences (or similarities, I suppose) in vegetation, animals and food. I love all three, so I tried to capture some of each.

Mid-march is spring in Israel, the way it is for most of us and (landscape permitting) there were flowers everywhere.

Below are the first efforts of an unknown species of tree warming up to spring weather.

Of course, everyone likes flowers and Israel does not disappoint.

 

I was not expecting to see much in the way of wildlife, so when we were in Capernaum, I was delighted when a family of Rock Hyrax decided to sun themselves on the ruins.

I consider myself a “birder” and define that as someone who has a little bit more than a casual interest in birds, so I did my best to take as many pictures of the different species as I could find. One thing though that became immediately apparent was that picture taking was going to take a backseat to trying to absorb the sights, smells and story of the Holy Land with my mind and my five senses. For some, I’m guessing that a camera becomes an extension of their own eyes, but for me, it acts as a filter of some kind. Maybe barrier is more accurate a word. Instead of just letting the sights and sounds wash over me, I think (however briefly) about composition and focus.

Most of the pictures I did get were taken on the fly. If I had limited myself to each time Marlin said, “OK, we’ll stop here for a minute or two and you can take some pictures”, I wouldn’t have a tenth of the 577 pictures, I actually got. I’m just guessing, but I would say that he’s not the “photographer” of the family.

Of the dozen or so species that I actually saw while in Israel, I only managed to capture four on camera. The one above is a hooded crow. The first one below is a turtle dove and the second one I have not yet been able to identify. And, of course, how could I not take a picture of a native sparrow that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 10:31 saying, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

And then an unexpected aspect of animal life in Israel, especially in the old city of Jerusalem, was the amazing number of feral cats. Cats were everywhere and when I asked about them, I was told that at one time they were considered a nuisance and so they were killed off (as much as possible) and very shortly after that, the rat population exploded. It’s a well-known fact that cats are much preferred by most people (my young Buffalo cousins to the contrary) and so the cats were encouraged once again and while I saw many of them, I saw nary a rat.

The cat directly above was eating some canned cat food that some cat lover had just dumped in the middle of the walkway for any cat to find (or tourist to walk in, I suppose).

 

Finally, I have to comment about the food. I admit that I was all psyched up to actually lose weight on this trip because I thought I wouldn’t be able to find anything that I liked to eat. Oh boy was I wrong! The food was amazing. Sure, there was meat and eggs and dairy (yogurt to die for), but the fruits and vegetables were out of this world. And the ways in which they prepared them, kept me coming back for more. I must have eaten my weight in eggplant. There were fresh figs and dates and several varieties of olives. I could go on, but I am already missing the food so much, I would just make myself hungrier. I wish now that I had thought to take a picture of the tables of food that were served at the hotel where we stayed in Jerusalem. That would have given you a more accurate idea, but sadly the only picture I took was a lunch stop in some nameless place.

These were just the vegetable dishes that were served. The meat and pitas, etc. were served from a different table. And remember, this was an average lunch stop. These people weren't necessarily trying to impress.

I wish these blog postings were coming faster for you, but as you know, I'm back in the States and playing catch up with my "real" life. I will post something on facebook each time I update this blog. I think that will work for most of you.

Shalom/Salaam

 

Only two days left

Today we went to the Temple Mount.

The picture below was taken on Tuesday when we were on the Mount of Olives. The Temple is in the background. There was quite a wind and it had kicked up a considerable amount of dust. That's why there appears to be a haze in the background.

I did this mostly to prove that, yes, I really am here.

We also went to the Wailing Wall.

I'll say more about those two places later, but the pictures you are really going to want to see are the ones I took when we visited a Palestinian refuge camp in Bethleham. I'll try to download one tonight and the rest when I get back.

 I wish I was faster at resizing the photos so that they would upload quickly, but I'm not. We have a 6 a.m. wake up call and I should get up 1/2 hour before that, so I have to quit for now.

Pictures--maybe

I'm going to try to post a few pictures. This is a picture of the ruins of Herod's palace at Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. The large area in the center with the water is where his swimming pool once was.

This is one of the elaborate mosaics on the floor (at or near) the Roman bath at Herod's palace. [this is especially for my mosaic loving friend, Karen]

 This is a bird that is about the size of a crow and probably as common [this is especially for my bird loving friend, Norma]

I'm too tired to continue. More pictures tomorrow...maybe.

Extra thoughts

I'm going to add to this page from time to time as I think of things that have no good place chronologically.

Caesaria-this is where we toured on the first "official" day of the trip just after we had picked up the main group from the airport.

I was amazed to find that Jerusalem was not the "go to" city in Israel 2000 years ago. Jerusalem was where the Temple was located, to be sure, but the real place to be was Caesaria. Jerusalem was hot and dusty. Caesaria was cool and cosmopolitan. Caesaria was the place of government. Jerusalem was the religious center full of people who had a range of ideas about how things ought to be.

You could almost feel the ghost of Herod the Great wandering the ruins with us, still so proud of all that he had created there. Echos of Roman soldiers and the clatter horses hooves seemed to linger the air. Here is where the Apostle Paul appealed his case to Caesar and set the course of his life toward Rome.

The waves of the Mediterranean sea make their way relentlessly across the remaining ruins of the walls of Herod's palace and swiming pool. What a sight it all must have been when at it's hey day. Phillip, the evangelist, lived in Caesaria and this was also the place where Cornelius, the centurion, and his whole family was saved when Peter presented the gospel to them.

OK. Bedtime. More later.

Oh, for one more night in Nazareth

This is the post that "once was lost, but now is found" (insider Christian joke). Anyway I think I wrote it on Wednesday the 14th.

OK. I have limited energy and limited computer battery time, but here goes...

The last two days have been rainy. Actually the last several months in Israel have been rainy and that has been a tremendous blessing for the country which has been experiencing a drought for the last eight years...but it cramps your style a little when you are touring "the land". However, for the most part, we have been coping well.

Today we hiked up Mt. Arbel. It's a small mountain (too tired to come up with a better term) that over looks the Sea of Galilee. The view was amazing and for the first time I really felt like I was in a place where Jesus was. Nothing mystical, but I could just imagine Him walking the pass between the mountains in order to make His way down to the the villages along the lake shore.

Rain had turned the clay terrain to the worst kind of mud and my wonderful hiking boots with the really gnarly treads filled instantly with about 5 lbs of muck in each. Everyone did their best to help everyone else and as a result, no one fell and the only damage was easily rinsed away when we got back down the mountain. We had time to just sit and take in the sights and take pictures of the flora and fauna and, if you are reading this, I prayed for you specifically.

After our mountain top experience we also visited the Mount of Beatitudes where we read Matthew 5-7. We went to the Church of Multiplication, a few miles down the road, and Marlin gave a really insightful teaching on Mark 6:30-44. From there we visited Peter's Primacy and were able to get as "close" to the Sea of Galilee as we wanted. I (praise the Lord) had remembered my little plastic bottle and so I scooped up some of the Sea to bring home with me.

We ended the day at Capernaum, which towards the end of His life, was basically Jesus' home base and the home of Simon Peter. We saw some rock badgers crawling around the ruins and I was able to take pictures of a couple of different species of birds.

Saint Patrick's day in Israel

The pace of this trip is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I feel like I’m holding on by my fingertips.

I had an amazing blog entry for Wednesday night and while I was typing the last sentence, the computer shut down and I lost it all. Last night there was no internet connection. My phone says the SD card is damaged, so technology is working against me.

It is almost impossible to tell what day it is without looking at the tour schedule. The disorientation is acute. I will start with what we did today and try to work backwards to catch you up. I want you to know that it is also vital for me to maintain this blog. It is my only hope to be able to remember some of the finer points of this once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Today we walked the road to Jericho. Unless something else tops it, this might be the highlight of the trip. It was so cool to walk on the same path that Jesus and the Disciples and travelers for centuries have traversed going from Jerusalem to Jericho. The closest landscape that I can compare it to is the Grand Canyon. But add to that Bedouins, herds of goats and sheep, and the occasional donkey and you still have to be here to understand it. The wild flowers that defy the elements to grow there punctuate the barren rocks with colors beyond description. I take as many pictures as I can trying to capture what my mind can barely process.

The biggest “adventure” of the walk came at the end when, because of the plentiful amount of rain this spring, the usual egress to where our bus waited was cut off and we had to get help from one of the Bedouin boys to find an alternate way to cross a wadi  that for years has been dry.

Our teacher, Marlin Vis, is amazing. He’s a tall, lean man with the energy of a guy half his age. He is forceful and direct yet humble in a way I have rarely experienced. His passion and love for this land and its story is contagious. He teaches, but does not lecture. His wife is the tender side of him. Her attention to detail is part of what is making this trip run so smoothly. They make a beautiful team.

After the Jericho walk (which took about 3 hours), we visited the city briefly and did a little shopping, then we went to Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. All I could think about was how my best friend, Norma and her husband and I went to see the exhibit when it came to Grand Rapids several years ago. I had no idea then that just a few years later I would stand in the actual place where this discovery was made. It gave me a chill.

We ate lunch at a cafeteria located on the site and then set off for a spot right on the Dead Sea (about five minutes away) where we could swim. More than not being an early riser, I do not like to get wet, unless I have to. I did not swim in the Dead Sea. Many in our group did and I took pictures.

On the ride back to the hotel, as we neared Jerusalem, we stopped at several scenic over looks to try to get a sense of the geography and the positions of the different cities in relationship to each other. The temperature dropped and the wind came up and it was suddenly very chilly.

We celebrated Mary Huizen 71^st birthday with a cake at dinner tonight. What a present this day has been for her and the rest of us.

Tomorrow we are getting up at 5 a.m. in order to walk the Villa Dolorosa before the crowds get too thick. Then we come back to the hotel for breakfast and leave again to walk through Hezekiah’s tunnel. We hope to end the day with the Israel Museum…I just hope to end the day. And on that note I should get to bed.

I love you all and hope you are well.

Tuesday, March 13

8:46 p.m. Israel time

A little about my schedule...we start the day at 6 a.m. For those of you who know the kind of schedule I maintain when I'm home...I want you to quit laughing right now! Breakfast is at 6:30 and we hit the road by 7:15.

We tour till about 5:30 p.m. Refresh our selves in our respective rooms for about 45 minutes {where I take a desperate 20 minute cat nap}, then we meet for reflections and prayer. What that means is that we talk about our impressions of the day. Each one has an opportunity to speak, but no one challenges the other or criticises. No pressure. Just a safe place to tell of the feelings and thoughts of all that the day brings up. We close in prayer, thankful for safety as we travel, protection for our loved ones back home and God's help to be a positive influence with those we come in contact with each day.

Dinner is a sumptuous buffet served at 7 p.m. Eating and continuing to make new friends and share our lives with each other can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. After that, I try to hit the computer to update you and then head to bed, knowing that I will wake up around 2 in the morning, unable to sleep for at least an hour or two. When I do finally fall asleep. 6 a.m. comes awfully early.

Today the weather changed our plans a bit. Instead of hiking Mount Arbel and some of the sites around Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, we drove for about 90 minutes to Gamla. (which is Hebrew for camel) When you see the picture (provided I can upload it,) you will see why it's named Gamla. The landscape looks just like a camel's hump.

To get to our next stop, we drove through the Golan Heights. I had my nose pressed to the bus window. I can't seem to get enough of the scenery. We stopped at one point to see that Syria is only a stones throw away. Suddenly reports on CNN take on a whole new meaning. There is a huge military presence in the Golan, as you might imagine. And while it wasn't as obvious as I thought it would be, we still saw groups of Israeli soldiers on maneuvers in military tanks.

However, I must tell you that I have never felt safer. We heard that 18 people were killed in the Gaza Strip Monday night, but there is no sense of tension in the air, at least in the places where we are traveling.

Finally we arrived at Ceasarea Philippi. It was in this region that Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was and Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ. (Mark 8:27-38)

We had a fabulous lunch and then went to Tel Dan, an archelogical dig. Tel Dan is mentioned in the book of 1 Kings 11:1-18, 26-13:34.

And I just ran out of energy....

I am so sorry, but I've tried a couple times to post pictures and this computer connection is just too slow.

Karen, the people here come in all sizes. I will post pictures if ever I can. But I think the olive oil balances out the veggies, if you know what I mean.

I think today is Tuesday...

It wasn't Tuesday---it was Monday

I hope you're all not as frustrated as I am with this whole international internet situation. This might be more trouble than it's worth. My friend, Shawn Melton, is probably already preparing his "I told you so" speech, but I'm going to keep trying as long as it's not too inconvenient.

Today was our first big day of touring. Caesaria, Meggido and Mt. Carmel. Wow. This is causing me to read my Bible with a whole new emphasis. Place names are suddenly popping out to me like never before.

The group of people that I'm with (25 of them) are all amazing. There are three groups basically. A group from California, a group from New York state and a group from Michigan. I have already been made an honorary member of the New York contingent. The way we act, you would think we had known each other for years.

Tonight I am sleeping in a hotel in Nazareth, the place where Jesus spent His boyhood and early adult years. I never realized that the city was laid out on the side of a hill. Quite amazing really.

The weather has been perfect. I'm only guessing, but I would say it got into the low 60's today. Pastor Jeff's back pack is great. I've been able to carry a lot of stuff around without a sore back or shoulders.

Another great surprise is how wonderful the food is and how much I like it. Tons and tons of vegetables and prepared in very tasty ways.

OK. This isn't all I have to say, by any stretch, but I'm going to post this now and return to it later, if I'm able.

Technical difficulties

Oh boy! Could it be that the translation and connectivity problems are solved? I sure hope so.

You'll forgive me, but I'm having a hard time remembering what day it is. I think it's about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, here in Jerusalem. Went to bed a little after nine, hoping I would sleep through the night and wake up completely in sync with my new environment....yeah, right.

And what wonderful computer skills did I use to "fix" my technical problems? Probably the one used most frequently with the greatest success, I shut everything off and waited a few hours. Amazing how that one works.

OK, well there's not much to report at 2:30 in the morning. I'm going to try to go back to sleep and try this again when I have something new to report.

It's amazing how comforting and encouraging it is to know I have so many people back in the States who are backing me up on this adventure with prayers and kind thoughts. I love you all.

Into the Unknown

Still home and surrounded by all that is familar, it's hard to wrap my brain around the fact that, in just a few days, I will be half way around the world and completely out of my element.

How much time and how much internet access I will have is very hard to say, at this point. But so many people have asked if I'm going to blog this trip that I thought I would set something up and give it a try. So check back here from time to time. If I can, I will post something. Otherwise I will just have to let you know what I know when I get back.

I will say this...when I was singing in a rock n' roll band, the more enthusiastically the audience clapped, the better we played, so if I do get a chance to write, your responses will be a great encouragement to me.