Written Wednesday June 24; posted online June 27 .
1) Eschewed my “be an authentic traveler” philosophy; embraced my inner tourist and paid to join a tour to Nazareth, Galilee & Jordan River.
2) Realized my mistake as soon as I was on the bus and remembered what it was like to visit abroad in such a manner: like going to a zoo and having no choice which animals you’re going to see and in what order and how long you get to stay there. Ride, stop, snap photos. Ride, stop, snap photos. Ad naseum.
3) Nazareth. No village are we here to see, I soon discover, but instead the big, big churches erected in spots where legends say major Biblical events occurred. I refused to take pictures of them other than their information signs – sick of big religious buildings am I. Did take a couple shots, though. The first is the kind of ancient-looking building I want to explore, rather than these gigantic “beautiful” monuments in honor of what is – for many – sacred. I’m beginning to find it saccharine. The second is an ironic billboard right in front of the Basilica. Head to head with some of Christian billboards around Elkhart, I think it compares reasonably well in marketing religion. Sure, Crossroads clearly wins when it comes to cleverness, but I think the direct approach deserves some props.
4) Cana – where Jesus turned water into wine. Or, rather, a church commemorating the event. Not so many tourists as in Nazareth, thankfully. But just another building. Maybe, to appreciate this sort of tour of ancient places/events by the modern buildings built there one needs to be either A) an architecture student, or B) of the persuasion that buildings can capture the essence of spiritual history. I was raised in a tradition that played down physical structures and emphasized the person as temple in which God dwells. Maybe if I’d have been raised in the another tradition I’d find more meaning in these structures (note, again I’m not referencing my current religious beliefs – just how I was raised).
5) Sea of Galilee. Can’t wait to touch something real – to put my feet in the water of such a famous place. Oh, wait, we’re at another bloody church. This one is marks a stone that legend says is the stone upon which Jesus multiplied the fish and bread. As buildings go, this one isn’t too bad – got some plants and a koi pond. But I want to go to the Sea. Driver says we’re going there soon.
6) Sea of Galilee. What?! Another dang building? You’ve got to be kidding. Turns out that on the way to our actual stop on the Sea we stop again at a religious site – this time what is believed to have been the house of Simon Peter where Jesus probably spent much time. There’s a very modern looking church that I didn’t even think of walking inside. Cool beans, there’s also some ancient ruins that may not quite date back to Jesus (though there’s thought that parts do), but at least go back to the late Roman Empire. Some shots:
7) Sea of Galilee. Finally! We’ve stopped for lunch and then some wading in the water that was featured so prominently in the New Testament. And – yippee – it’s my first picture-worthy meal of the trip (unlike Japan and S. Korea, where I promise I photographed more meals than anything by a degree of like ten or so). Check out the most-excellent lunch, eaten not 20 yards away from the water it supposedly swam (and I’m happy to believe what the retaraunteur says).
8) There was another stop after lunch that was pretty cool – the River Jordan near where legend says John the Baptist baptized Jesus, but rather than bore you with those pics I’ll share the a couple of shots of some cheap touristy fun that a fellow passenger and I had at a rest stop when we saw a camel to be hired for short rides for only 10 shekels (like 3 or 4 bucks).
