Haifa, Israel

The Diary of Sonsy Lass
Alex & June Laidlaw
Sat 16 Jun 2012 18:38
32:49.60N 35:01.5E Back into to culture big time, as you can imagine we have a lot to pack into our first 3 days in the north of Israel. The first trip we were off at the crack of dawn to Nazareth and the visit to the basilica of Annunciation. This is a magnificent building with an impressive interior all built around the grotto where it is said that the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would bear a child. It is also said that this is where Jesus spent his youth. From Nazareth we proceeded to the Jordan River which is the main baptising area . Jesus was actually baptised further up the river by John the Baptist. Unfortunately that place is a little too close to the Jordanian border, so the baptisms had to be moved for safety a little further down. The new site heavily promotes baptisms.The sight of the Jordan river and its impact on Christianity is profound but to see this sleepy greenish meandering water does not really hit the mark, especially with the competition between the pilgrims being baptised and the very large river rats. The next stop was a beach where the Jordan River actually runs into the Sea of Galilee. This was a spectacular sight with the sea stretching below the infamous Golan Heights. In Biblical terms, this area is hard to comprehend when it is crammed into such a very short time. For our lunch stop we enjoyed a delicious lunch in a very impressive kibbutz. During our trip the guide gave us some insight into the complex series of events that are associated with the forming of the state of Israel. Complex is an understatement. Tempered with adversity, political intrigue and a certain amount of injustice, Israel is most definitely flourishing. Back at the marina we had a BBQ party which was hosted by the yacht club. The food was outstanding, the wine flowed and the entertainment was terrific, bringing about another very light night.

Blog Entries

2016
Nov 2016
2015
May 2015 Feb 2015
2014
Dec 2014 May 2014 Apr 2014 Mar 2014 Feb 2014 Jan 2014
2013
Dec 2013 Nov 2013 Oct 2013 Sep 2013 Aug 2013 Jul 2013 Jun 2013 May 2013
2012
Jul 2012 Jun 2012 May 2012
2011 2010