Greetings from Galilee P.2

I'm getting a little tired of playing catch up with these blogs, so these last two aren't going to be as exciting. My camera has also decided to no longer function properly as well, so pictures will no longer be as central either. Sad story I know. Anywho, shabbat in Galilee was really awesome. First our group got to stay on the kibbutz until late afternoon, so it was nice to just sit on the beach and bask in nature. In the late afternoon we finally headed out to our church services in Tiberias. On the way we stopped at another 'possible site' of Jesus baptism. The spirit of the place was really peaceful and our group had a good time singing hymns. The best part was Kara reading the baptism account in Hawaiian Pidgin though.

Warning: You may not be able to read this if you're not Hawaiian. Thank goodness Kara could translate it for us.

Moon and I in the Jordan River. If you look closely I am still wearing my Jesus sandals. Woot!

Once we got to the meetinghouse and started church, it finally hit me that I was in Galilee where Christ lived and grew up. It's funny how you can spend so much time in a place before realizing where exactly you are. Maybe I'm weird, but it took a little while for that fact to sink in. Church was amazing, and there was an incredible view overlooking the sea where we took lots of pictures.

Kara and I overlooking the sea of Galilee.

Sunday was spent inthe Jezreel Valley and then swimming at Gan Ha-Shelosha. Mt. Tabor was my favorite stop of the day. This is the mountain that they believe was the mount of transfiguration. They have a beautiful church at the top and some gorgeous grounds. We even got to watch a little part of a ceremony which was fascinating. The taxi ride to the top and then back was pretty intense as well. Try playing jello in the backseat of a van taxi with switchbacks every few yards. You haven't really played jello until you've done it on your way down Mt. Tabor. Swimming at Gan Ha-Shelosha was more of a sunbathing experience for me, but everyone else had fun getting warm in the natural springs.

A view of the church on Mount Tabor.

Some people in my group bathing in the man-made waterfall.

After another day of classes, we began our final days of field trips before heading home. The first day we went to upper Galilee where we saw...yep you guessed it...more ancient ruins! Climbed atop yet another tell, found some more blooming flowers, and finished the night off with a class bonfire where we learned all sorts of unknown facts about eachother. Let's just say secret talents and suppressed childhood memories were exposed. All in good fun though.

Moon and I amongst the flowers.

Miriam and I making sad faces. Maybe it's because Keri wouldn't give us a demonstration of her pole dancing skills. Or we were devastated by another one of Blunck's tragic childhood tales.