Day 9 - Tension on Boarders

Today we had the chance to visit the militarized zone, where 3 different militaries sit and wait. The militaries of Israel, Syria, and the UN. 


The drive to Mt. Bental we saw lots of military vehicles driving, practicing, and training. Everything from tanks to helicopters.  

From the top of Mt. Bental we could oversee the entire boarder area between the two countries. Israel has bunkers and gun posts on every hill which faces the boarder.


You can feel the tension between the two nations.

Next we had the opportunity to spend a bit of time checking out Nimrod's Fortress. 

Which is a fortress created to stop the crusaders from getting to Damascus. 

The crusaders of course didn't get that far so the fortress never saw any war, which means it has been left in very good condition.

Next we visited Banais, or biblical Caesarea Philippi. During the time of Jesus it was a very pegan city.

Next we visited Tel Dan, which was the city of the Israel tribe of Dan. Tel Dan is where the headwaters of the Jordan river begin. We went to the place where the water comes from the spring.

After coming from the extreme deserts of Israel to the place that gives water to the land, the imagery of water in the bible was revealed to be so relevant. We could drink this water, and we had a great time of reflection, until I fell in and ruined the moment. It was very embarrassing.... 

Also found at Tel Dan was the world most ancient arch, dating some 2,000 bc. That's 2000 years before the reign of Rome, who usually get the created for inventing the arch.

The last thing of the day was a visit to Omrit, which is an active archeological dig. They believe it to be one of the Temples built to Caesar Augustus by Herode the Great.