Israel > Holy places at Lake Galilee

Fortunately, there is no mosque by the Sea of Tiberias. I wake up instead from the wake-up call. Sleepily, I walk to the bathroom. I turn on the shower. Because of the strong water pressure, the showerhead flips backward. A powerful jet sprays across the ceiling and into the bathroom. Everything is wet. Quickly, I turn the showerhead back toward the tub so I can wash myself. With an extra towel, I manage to dry the floor a little. Today, I explore the surroundings of the Sea of Galilee by bus. Here, Jesus lived for three years after being driven out of Nazareth. At Kibbutz Ginnosar, I board a boat for a cruise across the lake. At low tide, fishermen once discovered a ship here dating back to the time of Jesus. The salvaged ship now rests in the nearby museum. I sail along on a replica. I sit on the foredeck and let the wind rush past me. The lake lies calm and still. All around, I see the faint outlines of the mountains of Israel and Jordan. Back on land, there is time to buy souvenirs and drink coffee. I decide to use the time for a walk outside. I stroll back to the main road. At a gas station, I buy a drink. Via a green-trail footpath, I walk back. The path runs behind a hotel. Eventually, I end up back at the lake, but on the opposite side of a fence. I have to search carefully to find my way off the hotel grounds again. Just in time, I make it back to the bus. We continue to Capernaum. Jesus lived here for several years after being cast out of Nazareth.

Israel - On the foredeck during the boat trip on the Sea of Galilee

I visit the remains of an old synagogue where Jesus once taught. Peter also lived here. The ruins of Peter’s house are overshadowed by a modern church built over it. It looks a bit like a spaceship. From the inside, though, the church is beautiful. A glass floor panel gives a view down onto the remains of Peter’s house. A little further along the Sea of Galilee lies Tabgha, where Jesus fed his followers. Five loaves and two fish were enough to feed the 5,000 present. Today, as with all the holy sites connected to Jesus’ life, a church has been built here. The church features beautiful mosaics. For lunch, Dafne has arranged a special restaurant where we can eat fish. When I arrive, I see a large tent full of long tables. I am guided to the garden where more tables are set up. The menu is either fish with salad, or just salad. I choose the relatively expensive salad bar. Everything here is geared toward serving the meal as quickly as possible. Likely, they assume every guest only comes here once anyway. Not much of a success. In the afternoon, I visit the Church of the Beatitudes. This church stands on the site where Jesus addressed his followers on the Mount of Beatitudes. A beautiful and impressive church that draws many pilgrims. Finally, I go to the baptismal site of Yardenit on the Jordan River.

Israel - Believers being baptised in the Jordan River

The original baptismal site of Jesus lies further south along the Jordan, but that is now in Palestinian territory. To make it possible for Jews to be baptized, Yardenit is used instead. To get to Yardenit, Viraz drives the bus along the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. I pass by the Golan Heights. Dafne explains that in the past, shots were fired from the Syrian hills of the Golan Heights into Israel. She reacts sharply when someone comments that Israel took the Golan Heights from Syria. She stresses that it was an absolute necessity. At Yardenit, I see several dozen pilgrims entering the water. They are dressed in white robes. The baptism involves being fully submerged in the Jordan. Fences in the river prevent them from drifting away with the current during the ritual. I sit on a bench by the riverbank and watch this extraordinary sight. If it didn’t have such a symbolic meaning, I think it might have been fun to go into the water here myself. Back on the bus, Dafne announces an extra stop at a date factory. As we drive there, I see that we pass by the hotel. I’ve never cared much for factory shops. To me, these stops seem mostly aimed at commission for the driver and guide. I decide to walk back to the hotel on my own. It’s only a short 15-minute walk. At the hotel, I order a beer and sit in front of my apartment. When the others return, several join me. Everyone brings some nuts, chips, or cookies, and together we create our own little Tabgha. We stay there until it’s time for dinner.