2 Go Day Tripping

Ok, they were not all day trips, but "2 Go Masada/Tiberias/Safed/Akko" would not fit.

Restated, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, we spent roughly 5 days total in the Dead Sea region, the Sea of Galilee region, the mountain town of Safed, and the timeless walled city of Akko.

From Jerusalem, we went on a hostel arranged tour with other travelers that, in a whirl-wind 12 hours (beginning at 3:30 am) took in a great many sites in the Dead Sea region and the West Bank. The day began with a pre-dawn ascent of Masada, an elevated fortress that sits high above the desert. We were there in time to watch a beautiful sunrise over the Dead Sea and Jordan.

Another highlight was our float in the Dead Sea. Filled with salt and minerals and, as a result, a 33% solid substance, you find that your body is amazingly buoyant in the water. Like floating on a raft. While the water is rather slimy (though it looks clear and beautiful), the sensation of floating really is remarkable.

From Jerusalem, we headed north to the town of Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. We used Tiberias as our base for exploring the considerable holy sites that sit on the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus did much of his preaching and miracle working (you know, walking on water, etc...). To explore the area, we rented bikes and cycled around. Our first stop was Tabgha, which plays center stage to 3 particularly significant happenings from the bible: the multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes; the Sermon on the Mount; and Jesus' post resurrection appearance to some of his disciples where he charged Peter (who became St. Peter, after which the extraordinary cathedral in Rome--Vatican City--is named) with leadership of his church. Each of these episodes is commemorated with a small church.

The interior of the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. The mosaic floor depicts the bread and fish--Jesus is said to have taken 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread and multiplied them to feed 5,000 people--while the rock at the top of the photo is said to be the very rock upon which the original fish and loaves were first placed.

A view over the Sea of Galilee from the Church of the Mount of Beatitudes, marking the area from which Jesus is said to have delivered his famous Sermon on the Mount ("blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.....").

Following our 2 days in Tiberias, we traveled to the mountain, mystical town of Safed. Home to a thriving artists' colony, and boasting a rich heritage of Jewish theological history, Safed is a very attractive and pleasant town. It is home to a number of storied Synagogues. Here, the lintel to the ark of the Caro Synagogue can be seen.

From Safed, we traveled west to the Mediterranean coast and the old, walled city of Akko. Having been left to its original Arab population, Akko has largely been passed over for tourist development and, as a result, is wonderfully preserved and authentic. One of the drawbacks, though, of this lack of development is the dearth of good, cheap accommodation. Nevertheless, it is an attractive, timeless city with plenty of charm. To the left, a view of the walled city from the harbor. To the right, a load of cod fish, freshly brought in from the sea that very morning.

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