May 1, 2011

Galilean Decapolis City

Tourism: Off the beaten path

By Tim Bergren

Way off the beaten path, within spitting distance of Syria, lies a largely untouched archeological site. Hippos (aka, Sussita) was one of ten Greco-Roman cities known as the Decapolis. Continue reading

Apr 25, 2011

Tourist Geeks on the Galilee

The Jesus Boat Tour

By Lisa T. Bergren

So…yeah. It had to be done. I’m the experiential sort and after visiting the Jesus Boat Museum, I actually wanted to get out on the waters of the Galilee, to get a better scope of broad expanse of the lake, Continue reading

Apr 21, 2011

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Old City of Jerusalem, Israel

By Lisa T. Bergren

Golgatha, literally, “the rock of the skull” (John 19:17) once was outside the city wall, a part of an ancient quarry. This is traditionally considered the spot where Jesus was crucified, along with the other Roman prisoner riffraff, and therefore, it is one of the top pilgrimage sites for the world’s Christians–Calvary. Continue reading

Apr 19, 2011

The Jesus Boat Museum

Yeah, They Really Call It That

By Lisa T. Bergren

In 1986, after a prolonged drought, the waters of winter receded and the spine and planks of a two thousand year old boat–“the Jesus Boat”–was discovered on the shores of Lake Kinneret, or the Sea of Galilee. Continue reading

Apr 3, 2011

Peniel-by-Galilee

Sea of Galilee, Israel

By Lisa T. Bergren

Our group checked into this YMCA hostel—once the private villa of a 1920s benefactor—and after the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem, and high, dry Masada, sighed in relief as we spied the lush grounds with winding sidewalks and blossoming flowers. Continue reading

Feb 25, 2011

My 10 Most Memorable Travel Moments

In no particular order after #1, which started it all...

By Lisa T. Bergren

#1 Staring at the Pantheon aglow, beside husband and best friends, all of us abroad for the first time in twenty years. Stunned, we all kept repeating, “Can you believe we’re seeing this?!” (Rome, Italy) Continue reading

Dec 21, 2010

The Church of the Nativity

Birthplace of Jesus Christ

By Lisa T. Bergren

Despite what every crèche set showcases, it’s likely that Jesus Christ was born in a cave, carved out of a hill, rather than in a charming wooden stable. St. Justin (160 AD) was the first one to identify the Bethlehem cave as the birthplace of Christ, Continue reading

Nov 18, 2010

The Pulse of Jerusalem

Living Like a Local

By Lisa T. Bergren

I pour bitey, new wine (kosher, of course) for myself while my husband does a taste test on Israeli vs. Palestinian beer (FYI: Palestinians win). We’re in the garden of the guesthouse, our favorite spot to feel the pulse of Jerusalem. Continue reading

Nov 3, 2010

Faces of the Holy Land

Eye on Israel

Photos of people in Jerusalem and beyond…(image above is of a Bedouin in the Judean Desert). Continue reading

Oct 9, 2010

Transportation in Israel

Fuel Efficiency!

We rented vans while in Israel in order to get to remote places like this spot between Jerusalem and Jericho…but perhaps we should have opted for the “hybrid” vehicle?