Northern Israel: Days 1-5

Leaving, we watched the sunrise over Mt. Rainier. It was really something amazing...we were so close---truly stunning.

We are back in the land of internet. For a few hairy moments up Mt. Hermon, I wasn't sure we were going to make it. We were up in the parking lot and in the middle of a cloud and couldn't see three parking spaces away, let alone how to get out of tke parking lot or where the heck we were going. Getting down the twisty turny road was done by watching 5 feet ahead. I had an anxiety attack and Adam nearly died laughing. Lissa (my mama) managed to not "hiss" at my father, as is her usual pattern when he drives in a manner she doesn't like...which was a miracle.

Here are just a few pictures-click to see the larger ones.

Buying Bakhlava in the Haifa Wadi.

It was kinda surreal...we went down in the day after the festival of festivals. for the first time ever i saw the wadi totally shut down...no one was moving...and the only thing open was this store. Usually, this quarter--the arab area, is crawling with people, teeming with life, cars and yummy tasting eats. This sunday....silence.

The old City of Akko--a world heritage site. Adam climbed up the city walls to get this photo near the land gate. Akko, also known as Acre and Akka, was a penal colony for the Ottoman Empire and was entirely walled in-with only an entrance by sea and one by land. For many years there was no running water into the city.

The bunker at Mt. Ben Tal . High atop a windy mountain in the Golan, lies this bunker. To get this shot A had to wait out about 200 18 year olds on birthright israel. WHEW.

Orthodox Capernum, Sea of Galilee. Capernum is where Jesus and Peter were said to have lived.

Nimrod's Fortress, Golan Heights, right before the clouds blew in obscurring everything more than 5 feet away.

And finally, coming home today...it was STUNNING. This photo is taken atop the Mt. Carmel ridge looking north. The ridge line in the distance in the photo is the Lebanese border.