Highlights of today were:
• Gadara (a Roman town) where the Gadarenes lived – mentioned in Luke 8 (a local in traditional costume pictured),
• Gerasa at Jekash, the most recently discovered and best preserved Roman town of the second century AD,
• The river Jabbok where Jacob wrestled with God and where his name was changed from Jacob to Israel (Gen 32)
We’ve enjoyed
• Singing in the excellent acoustics of the Roman theatres and
• Hearing about the history of the region both ancient and more recent,
On the other hand we have not enjoyed being badgered by very persistent sellers of guide books, coins or postcards, the frequent security checks or going through military check points and the sight of so many men with weapons.
On the long bus drive from Jerusalem to the border near the Sea of Galilee our guide talked about
• Israel’s people, religions, geography and economy,
• The division into Israel and the West Bank
• The walls of Jerusalem as they have been built and modified over 3 millennia.
• Recent wars and attempts at peace,
So far the land of Jordan has been green and fertile but I understand that some 80% of Jordan is desert. We have seen our first few women in full burka but they were not common. There are tourist police everywhere we go – to protect us?
• Gadara (a Roman town) where the Gadarenes lived – mentioned in Luke 8 (a local in traditional costume pictured),
• Gerasa at Jekash, the most recently discovered and best preserved Roman town of the second century AD,
• The river Jabbok where Jacob wrestled with God and where his name was changed from Jacob to Israel (Gen 32)
We’ve enjoyed
• Singing in the excellent acoustics of the Roman theatres and
• Hearing about the history of the region both ancient and more recent,
On the other hand we have not enjoyed being badgered by very persistent sellers of guide books, coins or postcards, the frequent security checks or going through military check points and the sight of so many men with weapons.
On the long bus drive from Jerusalem to the border near the Sea of Galilee our guide talked about
• Israel’s people, religions, geography and economy,
• The division into Israel and the West Bank
• The walls of Jerusalem as they have been built and modified over 3 millennia.
• Recent wars and attempts at peace,
So far the land of Jordan has been green and fertile but I understand that some 80% of Jordan is desert. We have seen our first few women in full burka but they were not common. There are tourist police everywhere we go – to protect us?
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