Galilee Week One

Haha, so I just got back from my pilgrimage through Galilee and I have to admit that it was most enlightening. There's just something about walking around where Christ lived and worked so many miracles that really gets to me. Things just seem so much more real when I can see exactly where things happened. Let me just dive in here and see what I'm talking about.

We live on a kibbutz next to the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We live in little three room apartment-like things that we share between four people. Well, normally four but we got lucky and only have to share with three. Both of my roommates are great and I am excited to get to know them both better. The food's good and it really doesn't get better than having the beach right outside. Field trips, bonfires, and some classes take up most of my time here.

On our way up we had two really cool stops. One was Caesarea, where Paul had his showdown with King Agrippa. There they had some cool old ruins with a beachside track for chariot races and some old places to walk through. Voilà un pic



The other really cool place was Nazareth. We saw a couple absolutely beautiful churches to designate where Mary saw Gabriel and other parts where Christ grew up. There was also a well where pilgrams would drink out of, which supposedly was used by Mary and Joseph when they lived there.
-Side note At another site we saw the old water tunnel where James Mitchell's The Source was based off of.

The next day was absolutely amazing. We saw a bunch of parks and such, one of which was Caesarea Philipi where Peter testified to Christ his belief in Him. This day marked the day where I took one of the best pictures I have ever taken. This bad boy looks photoshopped it's so crazy, I took it on top of the ruins of Nimrod's castle. At least I think so, I'll let you all decide for yourselves. I call it-Dookie Almighty!



One of the coolest things here is the ability to read scriptures on site. One that I never thought I'd be able to do though was a couple from the Sea of Galilee. The following day we took a boat ride crossing the sea from our kibbutz to the Mt of Beatitudes. On the sea I had the chance to read stories of Christ walking of the sea and Him calming the sea on another account. It was a powerful experience.

The Mt of Beatitudes was equally breathtaking. We had a wonderful lesson on the hill. They had beautiful gardens on top with a giant church built on top. Afterwards we climbed down the side of the hill. I took a picture walking away, trying to imagine the Savoir at the base talking up to a huge multitude as they stood taken back at the authority Christ spoke with.



Those were the biggest things field trip wise that we saw. Another note worthy issue is that we all got attacked by a terrible plague. Some 12-24 hour bug that causes violent vomiting. The nurses here have no idea what exactly is causing it, but man we're all dropping like flies. I'm glad I haven't gotten it....yet. I figure my stomach has been in such knots lately the last thing it would need is another bug.

Well I am thoroughly exhausted and am ready for bed. But this has been great, it's the first time I wrote something about these huge field trips while still in the middle of it. Woot, go me!