36 Hours

36 hours of discovery and fun with a friend from the states. Dale was here to visit friends in East Jerusalem, Shfar'am, and Abu Qash. On the way we sidetripped to Nazareth and Kfar Kana. Lot's of fun, lot's of laughs, lot's of photos. From hotel window in Nazareth overlooking the Jezreel Valley

Nazareth YMCA. Here we met Samer who was very involved in MVP, Moderate Voices for Progress. MVP was a joint program between the Y's in Israel and CT. You might remember that I hosted a young woman in my home for a week through this program that brings Jews, Muslims and Christians, Arab and Israeli, from Israel and Palestine to the states to foster relationship and communication.

YMCA, Nazareth

Mary's Well. Grotto inside of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Gabriel.

Outside of St. Gabriel's Church.

Inside the Old City of Nazareth.

The Synagogue Church. Tradition has it that this is the place where Jesus was taught as a child and where he returned to read from scripture, Luke 4:16-21.

Below is the Basilica of the Annunciation.

Traditionally, this is the site of the home of Mary and the scene of the Annunciation. Luke 1:26-38. This is the largest basilica built in the Holy Land consecrated in 1969.

Priests having a service.

Side altar. The Grotto itself is not open currently, due to open in March.

There are many side altars and chapel off of the main basilica. There are also mosaics, paintings and statuary images of Mary and Jesus. This one above is from China.

And Japan.

Laundry day in Nazereth.

This is Dale right after we were given a drink of Holy Water from Lourdes. Our friend Sharli and his bride received this Holy Water bottle from Lourdes. We were very surprised when he said, here have a drink. So he gave us a little sip. I'm feeling much better already and as you can see from Dale's face, she's feeling it!

From a balcony in Shfar'am and Arab village northwest of Nazareth. We are overlooking Haifa. This is where Sharli lives.

Off to Kfar Kana - Cana from the New Testament where Jesus performed his first miracle. John 2:1-11. Jesus went to a wedding at Cana and changed water into wine.

Of course I bought a small bottle of Cana wine.

Ruins underneath the Wedding Church. As in all of Israel Churches, Mosques and Synagogues are built one on top of the other.

Inside a courtyard in Cana.

At every junction on the highways there were strawberry stands. And, the were yummy.

Safed - above an alleyway. Below a courtyard. Safed is the spiritual capital of Jewish Mysticism, Kabbalah. It has also become a very rich artist's colony.

There are lots of old alley ways and tiny Synagogues. I have been here before so I didn't take many pictures here plus it was almost time for Shabbat to begin the town was closing up for Shabbat.

A night photo taken from a home in East Jerusalem.

Ramallah. This is the gate to the Palestinian Authority compound,home of Fatah. To the right of the building is the headquarters where Abbas is. To the left is the grave and museum of Arafat.

Grave of Yassir Arafat.

This a museum for the Fatah party and Arafat. As you can see there is snow here in Ramallah also. It looks a little eery because there was steam rising from the snow as it had gotten warmer. The museum is not opened yet.

Someone's donkeys had gotten loose and were rummaging through garbage. They were not afraid of us. One looked up at me as if to say, "oh, you."

Jackpot!!!!

Ramallah snowman.

City center of Ramallah. We travelled through Ramallah to visit friends in Abu Qash and Arab village home of Bir Zeit University where are friends are professors.

Back in Jerusalem. The Old City and Jerusalem at night.

I need a tripod.

A note: Please don't ask me if I felt safe. I have Israeli friends and Palestinian friends who I trust will not take me to places of harm or danger. It is all a matter of which side of the fence you are sitting on.