Stomach Flu Strikes at the Home of Jesus

It all started off so well. One of the dudes on the trip, Justin (Preemptive Mother Strike: No, I am not interested in Justin, we are only friends, you are no closer to grandbabies...) and I rented a car for a two day extravaganza to the North and then back to Galilee to see some more of the Jesus stuff.

First stop, Caesarea, Herod the Great's manmade harbor and city during the Roman times -- the aqueduct is still a standing.




An hour farther, about ten miles from the Lebanon border, the fortified city of Akko. It's crazy. People are literally still living in small rooms and parts of the castle that has been home, over the centuries, to Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Arabs, Ottomans, British and finally the Israelis. A few years ago, a woman was complaining about a clog in her plumbing, and when the city investigated they found that the real problem was a forgotten underground escape tunnel built by the Knights during the Crusades and running about 150 yards from one part of the castle to the other.


Manhole covers in Akko.





Sparkly dinners in Haifa, a large Arab and Jew port city.


Big breakfast and big plans the next day beginning with the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. I was only feeling partially queasy at this point, like I'd had too much coffee or broken one of the many rules of the Mount, like no martinis or handguns.

Fortunately, the view was a beaut. Over the hills, and onto the Sea of Galilee.

But when we got to Capernaum, that' s when I realized this was more than funky coffee. When you can't help but to leave your breakfast on the side of the road next to Jesus' place, at the McDonalds and two gas stations on the way home, something is definitely wrong.


We were able to make it to one more site, probably not THE site, but a dusty path that led to the Jordan river before an altogether too long a drive home and two days in bed.


I've since recovered, but I'd still like a bit of sympathy.