APR.23rd -- HAIFA, ISRAEL

We arrive in the port of Haifa, Israel at 6:00 AM and have another early excursion.
Missed the sunrise.
Haifa (pronounced HIGH-FAH) is the third largest city in Israel and it is also Israel's largest port.

Our view of the city just before dawn

FYI-- Temperature is:  66°F/11°C °😀😀🌤🌤
No rain today.
It is day #109 of our World Cruise.

We have a half-day excursion today...6 hours...and the excursion is called "Nazareth and The Sea of Galilea".
We meet in the Seven Seas Lounge and get our tour ticket and head out to the bus.  It is about 7:45 AM.  We meet our tour guide, Shai (pronounced SHY) and away we go.  It is about 1 1/2-hours drive to Nazareth.
Nazareth is the boyhood home of Jesus.

Our first stop in Nazareth is the Basilica of Annunciation and is one of the holiest Christian sites.
This is a church built to commemorate the Angel Gabriel's appearance to Mary to tell her (announce) that she would conceive and bear the Son of God.
The scriptures read...

...the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."

On the front of the church is written in Latin "VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST ET HABITAVIT IN NOBIS.  This means...THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.
The church was built on the site of Mary's home.

The front of the Church

Statue of Mary in the courtyard

Barry standing at the front door

People lined up to go in and see the remains of Mary's house

Beautiful altar in the church

Ceiling dome visible on the second floor

The dome on the second floor represents an inverted lily.  An image of Mary's purity.

There is a spiral staircase going from the main floor up to the second floor.  Around the walls of the upper church are representations of Mary, presented to the Basilica of Annunciation from many countries ... I believe our guide said that there are 70 of them.

USA's 

Canada's

We leave here and get back on the bus.  We drive through Cana (and are told the story of the Wedding at Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine) and are on our way to the Sea of Galilea.
The Sea of Galilea is really a misnomer...it is actually a lake.
The Sea of Galilea is the lowest body of sweet water in the world.  Leaving Nazareth we will be descending 2000 feet.

Our next stop is the Mount of Beatitudes and this is the location that Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and gave the crowd gathered there the 8 beatitudes or blessings.  It is believed that there were 5000 people there.

The eight blessings are:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

When we get to the Mount of Beatitudes, there is a path to the church.  The grounds here are absolutely gorgeous and even though there are a lot of buses and tourists, it is quiet and tranquil.
The pathway up to the church has large rocks along the edge of it and they are  etched with one of the blessings.  The Church is 8-sided to commemorate the 8 beatitudes or blessings.

Just inside the door, a painting of Jesus giving the sermon

Domed ceiling is gold

Beautiful altar

That is the Sea of Galilea in behind

We leave this beautiful spot and head down.  We pass the Church of the Multiplication (of Loaves & Fishes).  This is were Jesus turned 5 loaves & 2 fish into enough for 5000 people.
We also pass the Golen Heights -- the site of the 1967 Six Day War -- where Israel seized this area from Syria.
We are cross the Jordan River and are on our way to the Little Jordan Baptismal Site.  This site commemorates Jesus being baptized by John (the Baptist).  It is not the original site.

Sign just outside the front door 

Sign over the front door

Jordan River

Quiet, calm & peaceful

When we arrived here there were no other buses in the parking lot.  So, it was a lovely interlude.  Barry and I walked around and sat by the water and had a cup of coffee.  And...bonus!!!...I found a Pandora charm in the gift shop.  It is red Venetian glass with the Nazareth cross etched into it.  Fabulous.  From here we drive back to the pier.  It is about a 1-hour drive.

Barry & I just loved this tour today.
After the crowds of yesterday, this was wonderful.  This is our last tour in the The Holy Land...our excursion tomorrow is Tel Aviv & Jaffa.

Another bit of "pretty".

However, I got to say, after seeing all the holy sites, the buildings & the Churches and hearing the stories...it leaves you feeling, not religious or holy or anything, but you feel different.  Hard to explain.

See you tomorrow.