20. Three Day Galilee Trip

Shalom Emilee,

Finely, I made it. After a week waiting for Mr. and Mrs. C. to check their email, complete their computer work, and load pictures, I can start reporting to you.

Tuvia picked us up on Sunday morning as promised and we started a three days Historical trip.

We visited cemeteries, memorials and museums. On Har Meron, there are tombs that many people consider holy and come to pray for healing. Madonna, the famous singer, visited some of the tombs recently. During a holiday called Lag Ba-Omer thousands of people visit the tombs. It was not that crowded when we were there.

In Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, there is a cemetery of some of the first settlers of Israel. In the museum, we watched a short movie about them and the history of the Kibbutz.

In front of Misgav-Am lookout laid a complete village of empty houses. The Hezbollah build these houses as a façade. (see picture on the side bar) No one lives there. Occasionally they place paper dolls in the houses so when TV cameras are pointing at them to take pictures it looks like there are people there.

The columns near by the Kibbutz were erected by Canadian communities as a memorial for children who were killed on a school bus.
Tel-Dan archeological excavation was a walk to the very ancient past. Here the gates of the Tribe of Dan were reconstructed as well as the very first gate where Abraham walked through to the land that God promised him.

The sound of running water filled up the air in Tel Dan. It is a beautiful place full of plant life and birds flying and chirping all over the thick forest bed. The Eucalyptus trees that were planted along the river to dry out the swamps in the beginning of the 19th century were rooted out. Now, the original vegetation is growing again and some unusual flowers and trees are seen in the area. New and unknown kinds of lizards and birds are filling up the ground and treetops. We also followed the River Dan to two more places. One was the enormous Mapal Ha-Tanur (Oven Waterfall) on top of a mountain.

You can see from the picture that the waterfall is full of flowing water from the Hermon that had snow this winter. Since water shortage is a way of life here, the waterfall is a true miracle. I was enjoying it so much that I climbed a tree to get some figs.

The other place that the River Dan went to was a place called Dag on Dan where I met some special friends like ducks and peacock and special types of chickens and roosters and some type of bird called Pninit.

Israeli breakfast includes everything but meats. On the side bar is a picture of it all laid out for us. Mr.C. and I truly enjoyed our meals. During one of the lunches, we met a lady and her three girls that become members of my fan club. I’ve got a fan club going in this country! At the waterfall, I met some friends from New York who were visiting and we had a reunion. The last time we met, they were in grade 1. That was fun

Moses is overlooking the valley and the historical trail across the street from our hotel.
But my favorite place of all was the Canadian Centre in Metula. It is a sport center build by Canadians. It has an Olympic size ice rink, swimming pool, bowling, basketball court, and great ice-cream kiosk. The young Israeli hockey team practices there. Can you see a very cold me waving in the picture? I guess not, the picture does not load on the page, maybe it is too cold?

We returned Tuesday night and since then we had two celebrations of Bar Mitzvah; talked on Skype to Meagan, the oldest granddaughter who will have her 11th birthday tomorrow, and did all the daily up keep. Happy Birthday Meagan!

A new week starts in the morning, and I have no idea what will happen next.

Your faithful reporter
Flat Stanley