We leave the Ha'on Kibbutz today and spend our last 3 nights back at the David Citadel (same hotel as the first 3 nights) in Jerusalem. We're excited to get back to a little luxury!But to be honest the kibbutz experience definitely grows on you. It was character building; not a 5 star Ritz, a little more like a hostel, camp, or, more correctly (what it actually is...) communal living.
The kibbutz location was a gorgeous setting on the Sea of Galilee and as a working ostrich farm we've been enlightened, everything you never knew about ostriches!
Yesterday we traveled to Dan, and went hiking just a stone's throw from Lebanon, Israel's northern border. Dan shows the ruins of the ancient city where Jeroboam instituted idol worship. When "Dan to Beersheba" is referenced in the Old Testament it identifies the territory of the Hebrew kingdom.
In Caesaria Philippia we saw ruins from different layers of historical periods. Fascinating! The Greeks and Romans built pagan temples here to Pan (their god of nature). Caesaria Philippia is also the place where Christ asks his Apostles "Whom do men say that I am?"
A hike in Wadi Banias led us to an impressive waterfall that was the inspiration for the 42nd Psalm! We drove to many great lookouts around the Golan Heights and borders of Syria and Jordan. It feels like every valley here is a site from battles fought or miracles performed. It's all a little overwhelming at times!
By lunchtime yesterday Paige was quite famished; luckily there was a Druze settlement (the Druze are a small sect of Muslims living on the border of the Golan Heights and Syria) that our fearless driver, Jack, knew where to get Druze Tacos! They weren't anything like a taco and we aren't sure what they were but when you are hungry anything works! Jack and Garland make a great team! They must get tired of traveling with our goofy crew 24/7 but they've been wonderful!
Last night it was inspiring to walk down the piers on the kibbutz, read from the New Testament, glance around at the Sea of Galilee and just take in what a special place this is. I feel really lucky to be able to be here and experience the Holy Land.
