MARC BOIN'S ISRAEL DIARY

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Day 3 (Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008)

Unbelievable breakfast buffet at Dan Panorama – Tel Aviv.  Typical Israeli foods, but very atypical by US standards.  Everyone ate (more than) their fill.

Departed early and headed up coast to ancient town of Caesarea.  Town was built by King Herod the Great (Great at what?) who did everything in his power to blend in, and show his devotion to the Romans.  Phenomenal architecture remains, including a massive theater that seats 3600 people, a hippodrome, gardens that overlook the Mediterranean (including a sign honoring the governor Pontius Pilate), a public bath house, storage facilities from the Crusades (1000 years later), a protected port and an internal harbor.  State of the art for the year 200 CE.

Visited Zichron Ya’acov around lunch time.  Popular local destination, with various small shops, cafes, and boutiques.  Many teenagers and local Israeli’s already there.  Home of the Rothschild vineyards, as well as the Aaronson’s, who were resistance fighters during WW I.  Lunch on our own, some of which was “rather interesting”.

Traveled up Mount Carmel overlooking Haifa to admire the Baha’i Gardens.  Gorgeous tribute on 18 levels, dedicated to the Baha’u’llah.  Briefly drove through Haifa – all damage from rocket assaults in 2006 has already been completely repaired.

Visited Zippori National Park, where the Mishnah was recorded from oral law to written law during the Roman era of the 2nd & 3rd centuries CE.  Multiple excavations at the site show a small city with advanced roadwork & plumbing.  Very impressive building (“Governor’s Mansion”?) overlooks the city with a gorgeous mosaic floor in its “living room” dedicated to Dionysius (the god of pleasure).  Beautiful mosaic of a woman at bottom center regarded as the Mona Lisa of Israel.  Also impressive was a mosaic synagogue floor at the base of the hill, which was decorated with signs of the zodiac and the binding of Isaac.

Traveled north into the Golan with a beautiful view of a snow-capped Mount Hermon at sunset.  Checked into Kibbutz Hagoshrim.  Ate an enormous, delicious buffet dinner of various meats, vegetables, & desserts.  Free Internet!