1026. The country of Jordan, the Sea of Galilee!, Golan Heights, and more!

We had a short flight from Cairo, Egypt, to Amman Jordan.  During the day we stopped at Mount Nebo, where Moses went to pray.  It is a high point where you can look in all directions and see for many miles.  In that time there were 15,000,000 trees in that area.  They have been cut down years ago, and the area is quite barren.

Mt. Nebo is where Moses looked out over the land in all directions, but was not able to help the Israelites settle there.  You can look out in most directions, and see many miles of terrain.  There isn't much there now, just a few small places people have settled.  It is mostly dry desert now.

We were on our bus during that day, and stopped at a factory where they made beautiful mosaics.  The Jordanian guide said that the United States had paid for some of those factories which now hire handicapped people, who are able to use their hands and make the mosaics.  Some of them have very small pieces, 1/8 of an inch and a bit larger.  I'll include some photos here of their art:  -- It was very expensive, as it took 6 months for some pieces to be finished!

In Jordan we saw many of these greenhouses, which seemed to be growing date palms, to be planted.  We had dates always in a large dish at the buffets.  They were very good, and native to this country.  Perhaps other things were also in there.  But they seemed to be hard workers growing something!

This was a home we passed.  Something very interesting about the homes we passed in both Jordan, and Israel.  Almost everyone had a flat roof.  Some had steel bars sticking up around the edges.  We were told that when a new family member would be married, and need a place to stay, they would build up!  And add another story on the home.  We would see large homes several stories high, and wondered if they were hotels -- but nothing else to indicate that.  They were simply homes in which several family members lived with their children!  I'd like it if we did that here!

This site, and the one below, were bedouins, who lived in tents.  Our guide told us they didn't want to have a permanent home, but would move often.

A young date farm.  It takes 10 years for a date palm to start producing dates, and they can produce for over 50 years.

The two street scenes above were either in Jordan or Israel, I can't remember which!  We drove north in Jordan, and entered Israel from the north end, by the Sea of Galilee.  As the tour continued we were heading south.

Several scenes on the Seal of Galilee, and surrounding countryside, where you could see the sea in the distance.

 The two young sisters, Ashlynn and Whitney, riding on the boat with all of us.  The boat we rode in is below.  It had seats all along the inside, and we could see out very well!  While riding on the Sea of Galilee, Bishop Clark told us of times that Jesus was in that area, and loved it!  We sang a song that my parents used to sing, and I knew the melody.  It is called "Each Cooing Dove."  The words:

Each cooing dove and sighing bough
That makes the eve so blest to me
Has something far diviner now
It bears me back to Galilee.
     (Chorus)
O Galilee!  Sweet Galilee!
Where Jesus loved so much to be!
O Galilee!  Blue Galilee!
Come, sing thy song again to me.

Each flow'ry glen and mossy dell
Where happy birds in song agree
Thro' sunny morn the praises tell
Of sights and sounds in Galilee.

And when I read the thrilling lore
Of Him who walked upon the sea,
I long, oh, how I long once more
To follow Him in Galilee.

Some of the landscape with the sea in the distance.

When we got out and walked around we saw this beautiful peacock!

Another beautiful spot near the shore!

I loved the Sea of Galilee!  That is where Jesus walked on the water, and the general area from which most of His apostles came.  The Sermon on the Mount was given off the north shore near this spot.

It was near and on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea, taught from Peter's boat, performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, calmed the storm, and walked on the water!

We read the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, and many other scriptures at various spots where the story behind them actually occurred.  it was such a wonderful feeling to realize that we were in the area that Jesus walked, taught, and performed many of His miracles!

 In the northern part of Israel we saw quite a few military operations.  In looking at a map of Israel, Golan Heights is at the north-east part of Israel.  We traveled up there after visiting the Sea of Galilee.  

 On the way we saw many productive farms. but the whole country seemed to be quite rocky.  Outside of these farms you would see many piles of rocks!

 This was on top of Golan Heights!  The sign below was also there!  Pointing to Bagdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Tiberius, and Amman.

Looking on the east side of Golan Heights, only 3/4th of a mile from the Syrian border.  This is looking down into Syria.  Some could hear shooting faintly from Syria.  I'm hard of hearing enough I didn't hear it, but Damascus is less than 25 miles from here.  This morning, May 10, 2018, (my mother's 110th birthday!) in the Deseret News, it told of missiles from Syria sent into Israel, and Israel responding!  It is strange to think on April 23rd, just 17 days ago,  I was there! 

On the top of Golan Heights we saw this group of military people.  A retired Israeli Army Colonel talked to us about 45 minutes, telling about military situations between them and Syria, and some history about it.  He said Israel is very aware of what is going on there, and has security to protect them, and that they don't take part in Syrian internal struggles.  He said they will let them come to their hospitals, and give them humanitarian aid, but otherwise are not involved in their daily struggles.  Let's hope that doesn't have to change, but the dear common people of Syria who are being so mistreated -- will become free, and safe again! 

 We saw farms all over Israel, growing up and down hills, etc.

I am about half done with the exciting, inspirational, and amazing experiences and places I saw on that tour!  More to come!