Pics of the last couple of days

Boy, it appears readership has totally dropped off! Life is either a lot more interesting in the States, or since my friends have left, it's a lot more boring over here. But that's OK - my time here is winding down, and this blog's life is winding down with it, I suppose.

Today was a lot of traveling, not much interesting. I successfully made my way to Cana, without GPS (since it had no idea where that was), but once there I couldn't find the wedding church that is the main place to see. I didn't look too awfully hard - all the Christian sites apparently close at 12, to reopen at 2 (siesta?), and it was nearing 12. So, I decided to head back to Tiberias to drop off my car and take the bus back.

On the bus I was rather horrified to find out that bus 431, which I had taken three times previously from Tiberias to Nazareth, was only going to Nazareth Ilit (upper Nazareth, and about 2 miles from where I wanted to be). I was about to get off the bus and figure something else out, when the guy behind me explained that I could take that bus, then catch a local bus down to the Old City. Thank goodness for him! He sat by me and we talked all the way (despite my growing motion sickness - it still gets to me!). And already we're friends on Facebook. My mom thinks I'm a social butterfly because I keep meeting people here. If only she knew! But I'm glad to be making friends, and I've been truly blessed with the people the Lord has put in my path.

So, here I am, back in the Fauzi Azar. I opted out of dinner, since everything here is shut down (they actually keep the Sabbath, Sunday, here! Amazing! Rather inconvenient for me, but amazing!). I had a piece of cake from upstairs, and will go to bed early to go on a nice little hike early in the morning. Hopefully be back for breakfast. I should be.

So, here are the pics from the last couple of days. One of the places I hadn't known about previously is a charming little Greek Orthodox monastery a little further up from Tabgha and the Church of St. Peter's Primacy. I don't know what specific event it celebrates, but it has quite the history. Apparently, a church existed there anciently (around the 3rd or 4th century), but was destroyed in an earthquake in the 10th century. After that, it remained in ruins until the 20th century. After excavations determined it was, in fact, an ancient church, a monk began rebuilding it in the 1960s. Now it is a nice little church right on the shores of the Galilee. It has free-range chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks in abundance. But what was really fun were the peacocks! The others are in a large, fenced in garden area, but the peacocks roam free and don't seem much bothered by people.

So, enjoy the photos!

The view from the balcony of the church in Tiberias. The view of the Sea of Galilee continues to the right, covering the whole Sea.

The hymns.

The Greek Orthodox Church on the shore.

Inside the Church of St. Peter's Primacy; I suppose this is the rock where he obtained his name, "Peter." (Matt 16:18)

The view from the church at the Mt. of Beatitudes.

View through a side gate that I found fascinating.

The church at the Mt. of Beatitudes.

Peacock at the Greek Orthodox Church (sorry - it's out of order; I visited again this morning).

Another peacock.

It seems every plant here is thorny! This lovely bush of flowers has secret little thorns waiting to get you. See them?