On our final day in the Sea of Galilee area we planned to drive up to the northern area of the country. We begin with Kursi, the traditional site of the exorcism story in which Jesus casts multiple demons out of a man into a herd of pigs (Mark 5:1-20). You can just imagine the pigs running off this cliff and into the sea.
Mt. Bental was our next destination. First let us say there were 5 other tour buses up where we were. We were not in any imminent danger. That being said, Mt. Bental is in the Golan Heights and about 13 kilometers (around 8 miles) from the Syrian border. The history is too complex to explain in this blog, but suffice it to say the Golan Heights belonged to Syria until Israel took it over in the 6 Day War in 1967. Mt. Bental was a Syrian bunker that was used to defend the mountain. Now it is a tourist attraction where you can see the original bunkers.
Metal statues seem to eerily bring this area to life.
Some humor was also added to the site as an artist used the scrap metal found here to create some interesting statues.
All humor aside, it was a very sobering place to be. It became even more real as we looked over the horizon to Syria and actually heard the bombs exploding due to their civil war. About every 5 minutes we heard an explosion and saw the devastation along the border where once thriving cities were now ghost towns. So sad that such a beautiful area had known and continues to be a place of such violence.
Our continued drive in the north led us to Nimrod Fortress where the impressive ruins of a once Medieval stronghold controlled the roads going in and out of Northern Israel.
It has a secret underground tunnel exit. Shhh, don't tell anyone.
Banias is a nature preserve where we took in the natural beauty of northern Israel. These lush forests were such a contrast to the desert areas in the south we had experienced just one week earlier. Also known as Ceasarea Philippi, Jesus was on his way to this village when he asked his disciples who they thought he was and Peter answers the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30).
The waterfall was worth the 45 minute walk.
Finally we went to Tel Dan, the traditional northern border of Israel and not far from the border with Lebanon. Dan is the northern most area of Israel and one of the original twelve tribes. It also has a nature reserve and some key archeological finds. It's absolutely gorgeous.
On this last night near the Sea of Galilee we had to partake of the traditional St. Peter's Fish dinner (also known as Tilapia). And there it is...enough said.
We will miss this beautiful sea and countryside. It was a truly sacred place.
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