During our drive, we learned another interesting fact about Jewish culture. It is traditional for Jews to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the 613 seeds, which correspond with the 613 mitsvot or commandments of the Torah. Of the 613, 2/3 refer to "don'ts" while 1/3 refer to "do's."
We finally arrived at Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and called fire down from Heaven (1 Kings 18). The "mountain" is really not a mountain at all, but rather a mountain ridge of approx. 30 miles long, with the highest point reaching 2,200' above sea level. We stopped at a picturesque overlook, from which we could seek everything around us, including the Valley of Megiddo. The view was breathtaking, and the cold winds also took your breath away! People were huddling together, and really getting to know those around them.
From that site on Mt. Carmel, we went to have a Druid lunch nearby. The primary meat was chicken, but there were also many other things to sample. The single shot restrooms made for long lines on both the men's and women's sides, but no one was getting back on that bus without making the pit stop. (Our driver didn't stop very often!)
The next stop was Caesarea by the Sea. This was the place of Herod's palace on the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the Hippodrome, the remains of the temple of Roma & Augustus, and the theater that had been excavated. The theater faces west, and we sat in the theater for our service. We saw and stood where the Apostle Paul was chained as he testified before Herod. We saw the remains of Herod's fresh-water swimming pool that extended off the back of his palace and protruded over the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the amphitheater where games were played and Christians lost their lives. The site was closing for the day, so we didn't get to stay very long. We left, then drove a short distance to the twin high-level aqua ducts that were 12 miles in length and carried fresh water to Caesarea by the Sea. One side was cold water, and the other had been modified to produce sun-heated hot water. Herod was a master builder!
As we were leaving, our guide stopped by some native thorn bushes to show us the thorns used to make the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head. The thorns were literally 2-3 inches long, and not the small sand spur style thorns that so many people refer to. These thorns, once dry, had been proven to penetrate into bone! I brought a 12" piece of the branch home with me, so people could see just what these thorns were like.
We made our way to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, which would become our base for the remainder of the trip. The hotel was beautiful, but the rooms were a little small. The half doors on the shower stall kept half the water from splashing on the floor. On the flip side, the food was delicious! They had a buffet at every meal with much variety, and delicious desserts. After supper, most of our group went out for a walk on the town, only there isn't much nightlife in Jerusalem. We walked a few blocks in two different directions only to find nothing. At this point, most chose to call it a night. Justin and Zack continued exploring and found their way to a section of the Old City. They told us about it the next morning...but there wasn't much to tell, as I think we actually found a place with fewer things open at night than Hartsville. :-)
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