Nazareth

Wow, this draft has been neglected for months! Where has time gone too? So much has happened...well, not really. Everyday has been a routine. There were little peaks of highs and a several lows. I am still breathing.

I've been reminiscing about Israel lately. I do wish I can go there the second time. No matter how much people hate this country, I think I have a soft spot for this place. I told my mum, it would be so nice to go backpacking here. One day, one day...

This is Nazareth. We were blessed with a good weather and a beautiful sky.

Church of the Annunciation

Cave believed to be Mary's home

Petra

It’s strange to know that it was actually my dream to visit Petra after watching Indiana Jones and the last Crusade. I was so small. I didn’t know Petra or Jordan existed but I really wanted to see that ‘Building’ or structure where Indiana Jones rode out from on his horse.

We reached Petra at 10pm at night after crossing the border and it was 0 degree celcius outside!. It took us about 3 hours from the Dead Sea in Israel and across the desert to reach the border before it closed at 8pm. Then we had to travel 2 hours to Petra in Jordan. There were very few vehicles on the road, and it was deserted. There are no houses and buildings on both sides. We were the only bus on the road. Imagine if the bus tyre punctured or anything happened to our bus, we then would have to wait for a passing vehicle to help us.

As we were journeying to the border, I was fortunate to see the setting sun on my side of the window and it made me reflect on a few things. The whole lonely bus-ride experience reminded me of how Moses, Abraham and maybe Jesus journeyed through this same desert. There is sand everywhere and the whole place is so dry. The weather outside is so cold and windy. How did they survive the harsh weather? I’ve always imagined Israel to be a very hot place but I am wrong.

There was this feeling of loneliness because everything seemed so quiet outside from the inside of the bus. There was no sign of any form of life outside. After the sunset, it was pitch black outside except for the stars in the sky. (It would be quite nice to camp outside and take pictures of the stars..hehe)

The following morning, we went to the archaeological site of the city of the Nabataens.

Petra Town

Old sculpture of a man.

Most of the structures here consist of tombs.

Narrow passage or 'The Siq' that leads to the city

The end of 'The Siq'.

The Treasury.

There is actually nothing inside, unlike the one shown in 'Indiana Jones'. 

There were many poor children selling postcards and knick-knacks . This boy has such the sweetest smile and voice. My heart melted..hehe

There are many pretty patterns on the sandstones caused by weathering.

Apparently King Amaziah pushed down many Edomites from one of the cliffs here. (2 Chronicles 25:11)
The cliffs don't look so high as before due to sedimentation over the years.

The real Indiana Jones

View of the old city from the new city

Petra in the evening

It was such an amazing experience. I am missing this place already...

Kinneret

Galilee is my favourite place we visited here. It's like a perfect place to go for a summer holiday and to just forget the worries of the world.

We reached Galilee in the evening after visiting Jerash, Jordan. It was more than 24 hours since we left KL and we still had not checked into a hotel. It's such a sad thing for me to miss the sunset across Sea of Galilee. I was too tired and decided to take my bath (didn't bathe for more than a day!) thinking that I still had time.

Nevertheless, I took a slow stroll to the lake which is near to the hotel. I sat on one of the few rocks. The sea looked so calm. And then I reflected on how Jesus calmed the storm. So this is how it looks like when it is calm. Everything looked so peaceful and serene. It felt so amazing knowing that everything mentioned in the Bible, happened here on this very same lake.

Lake Gennesaret in the evening

Sea of Galilee in the morning

Lake Tiberias

Maa'gan Holiday Village

The next day we took a boat across the sea. I experienced a little bit of the rough side of this lake. Although the sea looks small but its waves can be quite high and choppy. It was cloudy and very windy but it wasn't raining heavily. A big storm would have us thrown all over the boat.

The boatmen (or maybe our tour guide) had this Malaysian flag. They even played the 'Negaraku' for us to sing. This made me feel sad because of Malaysia's severed ties with this country. From what I have seen, everyone seems to be living peacefully. Maybe not so in some places and I'm not sure how terrible it is. It doesn't look terrible in many places. Our guide and bus driver is an example of how 2 people from 2 totally different races and religion, who can work together and be friends.

They were singing the birthday song in Hebrew to the man seated.

Rene, my colleague and friend who followed us.

One of the boatmen fed the birds and they were flying so close to us.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. ⁹ When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

John 21:5-9

Jesus and his disciples probably ate Tilapia. Imagine, about 12 or so Tilapias on the burning coals, Jesus turning each one of them carefully, making sure both the sides and insides are nicely cooked. He probably had some salt from the Dead Sea and pepper beside him. And maybe a few lemons to give them its tanginess. How did Jesus get the fish? Did he catch them by himself? Did he buy the bread? (or Pita bread which is a combination of chapati and naan?) Or did He just create them there and then? Poof! He knew the exact time the disciples would arrive. The fish will have to be perfectly cooked by then. Not raw or overdone. Just right.

And this was what I had after crossing the Sea of Galille. Tilapia or also known as St. Peter's fish. It is one very huge fish and we had only this for our lunch. It was so nice, I gobbled it until only the bones were left.