Holy water

Our second day we took a trip to Nazareth (where Jesus grew up), the River Jordan (where Jesus was baptized), Capernaum (where Jesus lived during most of His ministry) and the Sea of Galilee. We also passed other cool places on the drive, like Armageddon, Mount of the Beatitudes and Cana, the place of Jesus' first miracle (water to wine). Most people think Jesus spent a lot of time in Jerusalem--He totally didn't. After his family returned from Egypt he spent the majority of his life in these places. It was a great day for us and really cool to have a visual image of these pivotal places. (Above: Jacob's unsuccessful attempt to walk on water at the Sea of Galilee)

In Nazareth there's a huge church built over the site believed to have been the house where Mary, Joseph and Jesus lived (above). It was interesting to see what centuries and churches have done to the place...The above ruins are from Capernaum, where Jesus lived during most of his ministry. The actual room where he lived in Peter's house has a huge church built over the top of it. The floor of the church is partially see-through so you can see down into the ruins of the room. (No, we're not fond of the practice of building churches over these sacred sites. We wish we could just visit the sites without having to do it through someone else's worship paradigm.)


Speaking of Peter, below Jacob is eating St. Peter's fish. It was yummy!


We visited the official--but not ACTUAL--site of Jesus' baptism on the River Jordan. The site is set up so pilgrims can be baptized in the River; a few people on our tour did so. Below Jacob thinks I need to be baptized. You can tell I don't agree.

Below, the sun setting over the Sea of Galilee. Beautiful.