After an understandably late start (jet lag is a bitch) and a quick bowl of what C used to refer to as "cereals," we were off, headed north of Tel Aviv to Megiddo. As I previousy noted, Revelations tells us that the armies of good and evil will amass at Megiddo to fight the final battle at the end of time. Good spot. Megiddo sits on top of a mountain (hill actually), overlooking an expansive valley below. On top, you find the remains of what they say are at least 25 fortified cities built one after the other following the inevitable destruction of the predecessor. Supposed to be easy to defend, given its position, but that's obviously not the case. Despite the superhighway and McDonalds that litter the landscape, it's easy to imagine the big fight taking place there. Whatever. Best of all, they sold Diet Coke in the souvenir shop! And but for some pushy Germans, a pleasant trip despite the heat.
Onward to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on the water, etc. Galilee is a landlocked sea in the northeast corner of Israel. Beautiful from afar, a little dirty up close. No miracles sighted. However, we stopped at Yardenit, a lovely spot on the River Jordan "near," the signs say, where Jesus was baptized. Heavily touristed, with cafes, souvenir shops selling ghastly kitsch (small bottles of anointing oil, empty plastic jugs to fill with dirty Jordan river water to take home (don't worry, I didn't succumb)), and an assembly line like something you'd see in a sausage factory in which tourists, in special white gowns or street clothes, stroll down gently sloping ramps into the river to be re-baptized. I swear one group, overcome, broke into Kumbaya.
Returned on incredibly clogged highways to lovely Tel Aviv, where we will spend the night watching DVDs of C's favorite t.v. show, Forensic Files (celebrating clever ways of committing murder).
To my beloved, and highly stressed, Jerusalem tomorrow.
Onward to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on the water, etc. Galilee is a landlocked sea in the northeast corner of Israel. Beautiful from afar, a little dirty up close. No miracles sighted. However, we stopped at Yardenit, a lovely spot on the River Jordan "near," the signs say, where Jesus was baptized. Heavily touristed, with cafes, souvenir shops selling ghastly kitsch (small bottles of anointing oil, empty plastic jugs to fill with dirty Jordan river water to take home (don't worry, I didn't succumb)), and an assembly line like something you'd see in a sausage factory in which tourists, in special white gowns or street clothes, stroll down gently sloping ramps into the river to be re-baptized. I swear one group, overcome, broke into Kumbaya.
Returned on incredibly clogged highways to lovely Tel Aviv, where we will spend the night watching DVDs of C's favorite t.v. show, Forensic Files (celebrating clever ways of committing murder).
To my beloved, and highly stressed, Jerusalem tomorrow.
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