Caesarea by the Sea

the first thing we did on our first full tour day was visit Caeserea Maritima, or Caesarea by the Sea.

an aerial view of the ruins that i took from the plane....or wikipedia, whatevs.

there we sat in the renovated ruins of the theater that Herod the Great built to the highest standards of the day. (you can see it in the bottom right of the aerial photo above) it is still used for concerts today. the foundation is old, but the seats are new. the theater is believed to be the place where Herod Agripa I was smote by God and eaten by worms (Acts 12.19-23).

backstage at the theater

this archway is called a vomitorium in Latin.

derived from the Latin word which means to spew forth.

many people could push through it at once.

this town was a significant site in the spreading of the gospel. Peter visited Cornelius here (Acts 10). Paul gave his testimony to Felix, Festus, and King Herod Agrippa II (Acts 24-26).

the Caesarea harbor is now under water, but the ruins still speak to the building style of Herod the Great. i think that was one of the most fascinating things to see throughout the country. Herod built many things and by no means did he do it small. the foot print of the palace by the sea was extravagant as were many of his other buildings. he had a personal pool in the courtyard of the palace. and located right next to the palace was a place for chariot races, a hippodrome i think is what it was called. (in the aerial pic above it is the long narrow pill shaped area near the coast.)

the palace would have been to the left in this picture

Herod's pool, or what's left of it

this is original tile that was uncovered, the tile work is beautiful

long after the Herods, the crusaders lived in Caeserea and were taken over by Muslims who destroyed the city. if only these ruins could talk, i can't even imagine the stories that they would have to tell.

the wheels on the bus

starting at the airport we rode on this purple bus the whole time we traveled in Israel:

there were often 2 or 3 more at the places we stopped as Pilgrim and Sar-El Tours are popular tour companies. our group was small so we each had our own seat. i met the bus driver, Zion, at the airport as he so kindly helped me with my luggage. from there i could tell that he would be a good pal to have for the trip.

let me back up a little and tell a little of my history with busdrivers...i have always loved them. and respected them. especially the ones that put up with all the students that i ever rode the bus with.

in college when i played volleyball and we had 5-10 hour trips for games, i would often sit up near the driver and chit chat with them as we made the trip. i learned a lot about them and heard some pretty great stories over the years.

when i did buid-a-thon with americorps in 2007 my friend christine and i made sure to ride the same bus each time we went to the work site because of the particular bus driver. she had great stories to tell of her experience on the gulf coast and gave us each a parting gift of a plastic butterfly because after the hurricanes she considered them a sign of hope.

and the same experience was had on this trip. the bus driver was fantastic. he has been driving a bus since completing his time serving in the military for the past 25 years. if ever i were stuck in a parking situation that i could not get out of, he is the person i would want to call.

the roads in israel are crowded and narrow and everyone is an aggressive driver. (mom, you would never get anywhere)

but our bus got everywhere it needed to.

not only was he one of the best drivers i have ever ridden with, he was also a very sweet man. he is a believer. so he appreciated and supported why we would visit israel. he is a family man with a wife and 2 daughters at home, he lives near gaza. and he was very funny. he and the tour guide had many conversations in hebrew. many they were laughing, some they seemed to be arguing. i always wondered what they were talking about.

he gave me 2 necklace charms during the trip. one a corral-ish colored stone heart (which i was the only recipient of) and one a charcoal cross (which he gave to a few people). i think because he saw the interaction between my dad and i he felt a connection that he would have had with his daughters. and because i always talked to him when getting on the bus and when he was out and about with our group.

he gave me the cross on the last day. i was having a small emotional break down (which is typical for me at that point in any long trip) and he was handing out the crosses to the few people that were on the bus. dad and mike had left for petra and i was left with 8 other people and not quite ready to go home. he noticed i was crying and in his broken english accent asked, 'you ok?' to which i just shook my head no. and he replied, 'you not want to leave?' to which i again just shook my head no. and he replied, 'that's ok. you come. come live with my family.' to which i smiled and said, 'thank you'.

when he dropped us off at the airport and was saying good bye to everyone and shaking hands, he turned to me to shake my hand, but then stopped and gave me the only hug he gave to his departing guests.

i think that often on a trip the bus driver is forgotten about by many. in my experiece, however, getting to know the bus driver is often one of the highlights.

so to our fantastic bus driver, Zion, (pictured above) i say thank you for making the trip that much better with your warm and funny personality and mad driving skills.

why Israel?

i returned to the states about 48 hours ago. and spent 2 hours getting through customs and security at JFK and almost missed my connecting flight to Charlotte. i legitimately had to run through the airport 'home alone' style to get to the gate in time. having returned i have a list of things to write about from the experience that will be posted over the next few weeks.

but first things first, i want to start with why Israel?

i met up with my old friend, benny, in Jerusalem to catch up after 3 years of not seeing each other and see the city from a locals perspective. he asked me, 'of all the places you could have visited, why israel?'

i honestly can't remember what my answer was. i think i said something along the lines of education or something. but i have since contemplated the question a little further.

so some reasons for this particular trip before going:
- it was already planned and my joining the group fell into place so well with circumstances and assistance that were out of my control, it would have been foolish to pass up the opportunity.
- i would get to spend quality time with my dad and aunt and uncle.
- as someone who is a very hands on learner, it would be highly useful to my understanding of the Bible people and places.
- it was a much needed break from every day life.

after having been there the reasons include:
- to see another culture, so different, yet so similar
- to taste and eat and try new foods and flavors
- to see an old friend and although we haven't seen each other in 3 years and hardly communicated in the past year there is just something about the connection you make with a fellow camp worker that no matter the amount of time that passes, it's like you left off yesterday.
- to see the beautiful art and colors that surround the monotone colors of all the buildings, but bring life to streets as you walk by.

but the real reason i would recommend anyone go to Israel:
- to know God better and make Him known.

so much of the story of His creation centers on that place. and it all comes back to center on that place whenever He sees fit to bring about His triumphant victory over darkness fully and call His people home.

sometimes in the states it seems as if we think we created Christianity.
- we didn't.
not in the slightest. and if anything, i think we mess it up more times than not.

but to go where it was all birthed and came to be and walk on the places that are likely where Abraham, David, Elijah, the disciples, and Jesus walked. you can see that this thing is so much bigger than yourself. so much bigger than my small little corner of the world. so much bigger than i could ever think or imagine.

Christianity is rooted in Judaism. yes, Jesus is the new covenant and faith in His life, burial, and resurrection are what bring you to God. but to not consider and understand what the Jewish culture of the OT was and what the Jewish culture currently is, i feel, leaves you a little cloudy on what many of the NT teachings are talking about. to see what things would have been like first hand and to learn about what the Jewish people have experienced over the years as a culture brings so much light and understanding to the things i thought i knew (and things i had no knowledge of to begin with).

to think, we often think it is ok to give someone just a copy of the NT...when so much of the story isn't even there, seems so foolish to me now. you can't understand the end if you have no knowledge of the beginning.

reading romans 11 and psalm 122 hold much more meaning to me now than they ever could have before. pray for the peace of Jerusalem that God may be glorified there. and thank Him even more so that we were grafted in like new branches on an old olive tree to join His chosen people.

miss sherry, one of the kitchen staff at look up asked me yesterday, 'so what's the biggest way this changed your life?' (she also has been to israel) i just shook my head and said, 'i don't know yet.' i think that the experience there, although only 10 days, will be a long time coming to fully see how it is changing and will change my life.

so why israel?

because it brings me closer in knowledge of and to the heart of God.

Last day.

Today was rough.
I'm tired.
Half the group went on to Jordan, including dad and Mike.
We had a new guide that was a bit less than in comparison to our guide the rest of the time.
Many of us wanted to accomplish different things in our last day.
I'm glad to be done touring.
I'm not entirely glad to be leaving.
This country is beautiful.
We had a fantastic bus driver (more on that later).
Dinner was delish.
I'm excited to go through my notes and write my thoughts and learning out more.
We are sitting in the airport 5 hours early.
I will be home to my house in about 24 hours.

Limited internet...

The last hotel and our current hotel do not have free wireless, thus the lack of posting. So this will be short and sweet.
Yesterday we were at the dead sea and went for a float. It's a pretty wild experience. We then went to Masada which is a mountain top fortress and palace built in the herodian period. It must have been extravagant. We also went to Qumron where the dead sea scrolls were found. Lastly we headed into Jerusalem for our last hotel stay and 3 more days of touring.
In Jerusalem so far I was able to meet up with an old camp friend and he showed me around the local downtown. And this morning we went to the wailing wall and through a tunnel along the original foundation of the second temple.
Now on to more Jerusalem things. I might get to ride a camel today.

Day 3

today was a much less active day. with the age of most of the folks in the group, they are lightening the load a little. this doesn't really please me, but i have to do what they do, so i may as well roll with it.

we went to the mount of beatitudes where Jesus would have given the sermon on the mount. the bowl shaped place that would have been like an amphitheater is now a banana farm and the top of the mount has a catholic church (like many of the other holy sites.)

while we were there our guide read us the beattitudes. i felt thirsty and took a drink and then he read, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. to be standing where that was originally said and having my thirst quenched with water made it such a beautiful picture in my mind.

i think that is the best part of this. i can not see the scriptures more accurately.

we then went to tel dan, caeserea philippi and the jordan river. all of these were interesting and unique.

we finished up pretty early today. so mike wilkerson and i went for a walk around the town of tiberius and along the sea of galilee. i saw my first armed person. he was carrying something like an AR30 machine gun and a box of cereal. i wanted to take a picture, but he had a gun...

one of the really cool things that i am enjoying is the art. there are all kinds of sculptures, paintings, and mosaics scattered around the towns we have been to.

this sculpture is a tree with leaves that are hebrew letters.

tomorrow we do a boat tour on the sea of galilee over to capernaum. then we head south toward the dead sea.

* don't mind my spelling. im sure some of it is way off.

Israel so far...

i feel like i can't quite put things into words yet. it all seems surreal. it's seems like i'm not anywhere different from every day life, but at the same time it feels like i am indeed in another country.

here is the breakdown of the trip so far:
Day 1 (plus a little)
- the woods dropped me at the airport in plenty of time to make my flights.
- the guys from charlotte area that were also going on the trip recognized me because of my LUL shirt that said travelers rest, SC.
- we flew to JFK, i had a very quiet seat buddy. but we had a few laughs at the fact we could not hear a word the flight attendant said.
- in JFK we walked possible a mile to our next gate. waited about an hour, then began to load for the 11 hours flight.
- sadly the plane didn't have individual tvs in the seats like i was told was possible. and i was asked to swap seats twice and ended up at a window seat.
- i slept a little bit off an on. watched most the ides of march. and did not get out of my seat until we landed. the people next to me were sleeping the whole time.
- we then met up with our group in the tel aviv airport and headed to the hotel.
- uncle paul and i went for a walk on the mediterranean sea for about an hour. i had no idea how big it is.
- we then did dinner with the group and went to bed.
Day 2
- didn't sleep super well with the jet lag and all. but good enough.
- ate breakfast, loaded the bus, found out the bus has wi-fi...but doing a blog post from my phone is too much work. but posting to fb is not.
- we first went to caesarea by the sea and saw some pretty cool ruins and such.
- we saw the roman aquaduct.
- then on to mt. carmel where God used elijah to defeated the prophets of baal.
- had my first ever falafel. im a fan for life.
- we then went to mt. megiddo which has layers of civilizations built on top of each other. it was very interesting.
- we then went to 'the nazareth village' where there were re-enactor types acting out what life would have been like in Jesus' day. it was mostly all replica, but there was an original ancient wine press.
- we then headed to our hotel on the sea of galilee.
- this hotel isn't quite as well located, but hopefully the haze will clear some tomorrow and we will have a better view of the sea.
- we are now winding down in the lobby before bed.

i am going to wait until i get home to do descriptive posts with pictures...but i will share a few for today:

 Mediterranean at sunset

 the roman aqueduct

my first falafel near mt. carmel

wildflowers in nazareth

in my mind things here should be dry and sandy all over. but it is actually rather green. lots of agriculture. and even little wild flowers all over. maybe Jesus brought his mom home little bouquets of these in the spring.

as John Denver says...

all my bags are packed and i'm ready to go.

3 bags. 1 to check. 1 with an outfit (in case the bag i check gets lost) and a small pillow. 1 with entertainment for the plane.

every thing i'm taking could easily fit in the bag that i'm checking. but following the advice of those friends that have had lost luggage, i packed a small bag with some essential clothing items to take on the plane. and also to fill with souvenirs for the way back : )

the schedule for today is:

- work this morning

- be picked up by brent and amanda wood @11:00 to head toward charlotte

- grab some lunch

- arrive at airport around 2:00 (i really hate getting to airports early because then you are just there. waiting. but the practical non-risk taking rule follower in me wins out on this one. better never than late.)

- leave charlotte for JFK @ 4:05

- arrive at JFK (hoping a can catch a glimpse of NYC from the plane bc i've never been there)

- depart JFK for Tel Aviv @ 8:30

and tomorrow morning here and tomorrow afternoon there @ 2:20 we will arrive in Israel.

let the wild rumpus begin!



Dear Rory Gilmore,

my all time favorite TV show is Gilmore Girls which came out when i was in high school. on more than one occasion i have been compared to rory gilmore. as i packed for my trip i referenced the Gilmore Girls to myself, as i often do.

rory is a book worm. now i will never be quite the worm as rory, but i do have a large love and appreciation for books. maybe because my mom is a librarian and my aunt was an english teacher. or maybe just because books are that wonderful.

below is a link to a montage including the clip that shows the particular episode that i referenced to myself as i packed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpRMjxtViHA

rory and her mom are going on a trip and her mom is trying to talk her down from her 12 books she has packed for the trip.

using the same logic as rory i had a stack of 6 books that i wanted to bring on my trip to Israel. (not included in those 6 are a Bible, journal, and sudoku which make the cut no matter what.) i wanted a fiction story, an easy read, a memoir, a favorite that i can read over and over again, some short stories, some nonfiction, etc. because you just don't know what you will be in the mood for.

as i packed i needed to talk myself out of some of them. it is likely i wont read much on the plane and even more likely i will not read at all when we are on our tour and learning about so many things.

so not in rory gilmore fashion, i have talked myself down to 2 bonus books.
- a lineage of grace by francine rivers
- a collection of short stories by mark twain

a lineage of grace is a collection of fictionalized stories of women in the Bible. i think it will be pretty neat to read them where they would have taken place. and the short stories by mark twain i have owned for a long time, but never completed. maybe this trip will be the time.

and if these don't pass the time for me, i found the old handheld tetris that i 'borrowed' from my sister long ago.

this time tomorrow, i will be somewhere over the atlantic ocean!

Israel bound in 5 days!

the whole reason i started this blog is to report home to the inquiring minds of how my 10 day trip to israel is going. whether or not i actually take the time to do it each evening we shall see. if not while there, i will blog about it after i come back with the highlights from the trip.

you can check out our itinerary through this link: wicklineisrael

suitcase, ticket, passport

i spent the majority of the day today out and about trying to find the things i think i need, but could most likely do without. this is only a 10 day trip. 2 of which will be spent traveling. but to someone who has never traveled farther than california and haiti, it is quite a distance to cross.

although it is not a long trip, i believe it will have a significant impact on the rest of my life and my faith.

experiencing the places that the story of God center on. tangible. that's what it will become. and i like tangible.

i'm also very excited about being an adventurous eater on this trip. a few years ago, this would not have been so. when i went to haiti, i hardly ate anything. now i am up to try many more things. im most excited that the first falafel i will ever eat will be in israel and i can then say to people, 'man this falafel isn't nearly as good as the falafel i had in israel.' but i apparently dont have that many opportunities to eat falafel since i never have before. but if ever i can again, i'm sure it wont be as delicious as in israel.

if you have any travel suggestions, or have been to israel and have delicious food suggestions, please feel free to comment and share.