DAY THREE in Israel: February 9, 2017

It  was nice to get up this morning and NOT have to take our luggage with us.  After breakfast, we headed out in our bus for the TEL DAN NATURE RESERVE.  Dan is where the children of Israel fell to the depths of pagan worship. We walked quite a way on a trail, and it was quite beautiful. 

Jordan River

Part of the trail was a bit treacherous (wet rocks) but we finally came to an open area with ruins.  We stopped while Hanna told us about the site. About 931 BC, Jeroboam deliberately created a counterfeit replica of the religion Moses revealed in the Wilderness. He set up two "Jerusalems": One in Bethel and one in Dan. Here is the worship site he set up in Dan to compete with the real Jerusalem. The basic philosophies of the Samaritans where Mt. Gerizim is the real "holy mountain" not Jerusalem, had their origin in Jeroboam. This is why we call the Samaritans, "Neo-Jeroboamites". Jeroboam's famous quote, "Its too far for you to go to Jerusalem", was the foundation of the Samaritans making Mt. Gerizim as their holy mountain 200 years later. 

After Hannah explained this to us, Pastor Mike Chorey INSISTED on speaking and he took up a bit too much of our time.  Here are pictures of the ruins in this area: 

The Eastern Bronze Age gate is being excavated and reconstructed.

I think we walked out using a different trail or maybe it was a continuation of the same trail we walked to get to this spot.  On the way out we saw

Abrahams Gate (uncovered in 1979) and was  opened to the public in 2009.  (I think this is the gate, but I may be wrong)

The ancient structure from the Canaanite period of the Bronze Age is made of mud and is thought to have been built around 1750 B.C.E. The authority named the archaeological site for Abraham, the first patriarch of the Jewish people, indicating that it dates from the period of Abraham.
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/4-000-year-old-abraham-s-gate-reopened-to-public-after-painstaking-restoration-work-1.272305. Read more about it here  http://www.haaretz.com/4-000-year-old-abraham-s-gate-reopened-to-public-after-painstaking-restoration-work-1.272305   We only had a couple of minutes here, since we were running out of time.

Then we went to Caesarea Philippi, but I do not recall the significance of this site other than that it has access to a path and stairs up the hill to THE GATES OF HELL.  

 Caesarea Philippi - Caesarea Philippi was an ancient Roman city in Israel,

 I don't recall why Hanna asked Craig to pose like this: 

 Some of our group climbed up to THE GATES OF HELL. but I chose not to. 

   We had lunch here:

 I think I had a falafel, which came with several small plates of salads.  I shared with Peggy.

I cannot find any information about LEBANIS RESTAURANT online !!!  I would like to write a review for TripAdvisor

After leaving there, we went to this spot.  I think it is where Jesus taught.  The Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount and The Lords Prayer.  I would have liked to write a review for TripAdvisor.

 I do not know what this building is.  It was fenced off.  The closest picture I can find online is of a guest house, but I am not sure it is the same picture, if it is, the pic was taken from the other side of the building. 

There is a geocache hidden here, but it was beyond the fence, so we really could not search for it. 

And then we went to this area.  (TABGHA)  We followed Craig right down to the beach.

passing the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter which is a Franciscan church located in Tabgha, Israel, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It commemorates, and allegedly marks the spot, of Jesus' reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles.

Craig spoke on the beach

Our group did not go into the church but Peggy and I peeked inside. 

          The church contains a projection of limestone rock in front of the present altar which is venerated as a "Mensa Christi", Latin for table of Christ. According to tradition this is the spot where Jesus is said to have laid out a breakfast of bread and fish for the Apostles, and told Peter to "Feed my sheep" after the miraculous catch, the third time he appeared to them after his resurrection. (John 21:1-24)

You were supposed to pay one shekel to use the ladies room.

but I did not see a place to pay, which was OK, since I did not have a shekel with me.

     Once again, we did not have time to find a geocache.  We risked Hanna's wrath!!!  I wish I had a picture of her "pointing" Peggy and I into the bus. 

And then it was on to CAPERNAUM (The Town of Jesus).  Capernaum was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It had a population of about 1,500.  Capernaum was the center of Jesus activities in the Galilee and his town during that time. Jesus taught in the local synagogue. It was also the home town of the apostles Peter, James, Andrew and John, and the tax collector Matthew.

There  are some magnificent ruins here! 

THIS IS  a young man in our group impersonating Zaccheus in the Sycamore tree.  (I think his name is Josh)

And then it was time to head to the spot on the Galilee where we would board a boat for a ride on the Sea of Galilee.  Our particular boat was named FAITH

Sea of Galilee Worship Boats holds the unique distinction of being the only Sea of Galilee sailing company that is owned and operated by a Jewish Israeli believer in Jesus.

 DANIEL CARMEL. He sang and gave his testimony and offered CDs of his music along with some pendants for sale. 

The boat trip was fantastic.  It was dark when we ended the boat ride and headed back to our lodging at the kibbutz.  Supper was better tonight, no Chinese food.