We’re winding down to the last bit of the trip now.  Tomorrow is our last day with the rental car, so we have to drive from Akko to Tel Aviv to drop off the car, and then take transport to Jerusalem.  Israel has been really interesting so far.  The scenery is extremely varied–there are areas of scorched earth desert, so crumbly, dry and hot, that it looks like a foreign planet; then there are areas that look like familiar like farmland of the BC interior, or orchards and lakeside areas of the Okanagan.  We saw this all within the span of a few hours driving.

Yesterday we were in Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee; we drove up Mount Tabor, and visited the first of many religious buildings we will be seeing.  There were over 100 Ethiopian pilgrims at the Church of Transfiguration.  We continued onto Nazareth, and saw the Basilica of the Annunciation.  The art work in and around the basilica was fantastic.  There were representations/interpretations of the Madonna with Child from dozens of countries.

Last night we visited the mosque here in Akko, and this morning we were at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, and this afternoon the Stella Maris monastry.  If only we were able to fit in a synagogue too! (The hotel we are staying in has one on site, so that will have to do!)