Israel and Jordon Tour: Day 13

To Cana where visited church in honour of Jesus' first miracle and saw ancient water container and purchased wine and had great explanation of meaning of event. And in distance Horns of Hittim where Crusaders finally defeated by Saladin.

To abandoned town of Sepphoris where saw ruins and mosaics from 1st century AD on including large mosaic of Nile and its animals and Crusader building. Sepphoris was a Jewish centre which in about AD 70 was under the control of a rabbi who co-operated with the Romans so as to avoid the twin dangers of the Jewish revolt and the rising sect called Christians and where Jewish scholars over the next several centuries wrote the Talmud, parts of which added glosses to the bible which justified Jews treating non Jews differently from other Jews.

To hill town of Nazareth where visited large Catholic Church of the Annunciation.

Drove south in Galilee past town where Elisha raised son of Shunamite woman next to which is town of Nain where Jesus raised the widows son, then through Jezreel valley where Naboth had his vineyard and Ahab and Jezebel lived, and past Mount Gilboa where Saul and Jonathan died in battle and to Bet Shean where philistines took their bodies.

Bet Shean was later called Scythopolis being one of the decapolis ie 10 roman cities established in first century BC as a loose defensive alliance. Destroyed by earthquake in about Sixth century AD. Extensive Ruins over area of about size of half of Camberwell junction. Including best preserved roman theatre in Israel which would seat say 500 and best preserved roman public toilets in the Middle East.

Back to Nof Ginosar hotel where Carol and Phil B swum in Sea of Galilee perfectly calm and beautiful and not cold.

A stone jar in Cana used for ritual cleansing by the Jews. By turning water into wine, Jesus demonstrated that he would offer a new way of cleansing - through his blood.