Israel: Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Carmel

Ok, I have narrowed down my 1,854 pics to about 500. But then there is my mom's 961 pics and James' 400 and it just makes it a bit hard to choose! We saw so many amazing things--ruins, churches, landscape, creativity, ancient cities, followed the footsteps of Jesus, and just had lots of memories made. Too bad I can't just post them all...but then I have to label them all and with my procrastinating nature, you will never actually see anything :) haha.

SO that means I am going to split a few of my pics up into several posts so you go there with us!

Since we left for Israel on my mom's birthday, we had the chance to celebrate during our layover in NYC with my mom's aunt in Brooklyn. We went to a yummy NY deli, it was really good.

And after a long flight, we spent our first few days in Tel Aviv! We enjoyed some beach time and reorienting our sleep (7 hrs difference). Tel Aviv is a beautiful, young-feeling city with lots of very active young adults, tourists, and business people.

we walked down to the one historical area of Tel Aviv--Jappa, possible formerly known as Joppa from Acts, where Peter met Cornelius' men, though this is not certain.

After 2 nights, we headed to the ruins of Caesarea which were amazing! Built by Herod, kept up by many Roman rulers, conquered by armies later during the Byzantine era, it used to be an impressive port and no wonder--it is right on the Mediterranean and even in ruins it was a beautiful place to be. It was also the place Paul was imprisoned before being taken to Rome, as well as where Cornelius the centurion was stationed.

beautiful entrance...

what used to be a huge port is now mostly sunken into the sea...

Here a temple to Athena once stood--then a mosque, then a church. now, just ruin.

first hot tub :) was in a palace...must of been a great view!

may be hard to tell, but that long area along the sea was a huge area for Roman games like horse races. Could fit between 10-20,000 people. Lots of store houses, Roman homes, public baths, this taken from the area of government buildings and where Herod's palace was.

According to archeological findings, it is likely this was the room/area Paul would have been brought to "appeal to Caesar." James ventured out to conquer what is left of Herod's palace area...

We ended the day trying to see the amazing view of the area from the top of Mt Carmel, where God and Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal and Ahab. One view from the top of the beginning of the Galilee area...

Then it was on to Nazareth--more to come!