I woke up early and as I couldn't get back to sleep looked out my window at 5.45 and saw the most beautiful sunrise.
Today was spent exploring around the Sea of Galilee (known also as Lake Gennesaret, Sea of Tiberias and the Syrian Sea.) We visited the shore of the lake at Mensa Christi and most of us appreciated walking along the shore. Whereas many of the sites we have visited have churches built on a holy place or possible holy site and it has not always been easy to imagine Jesus and the disciples there; the shoreline looked much as it must have done 2,000 years ago and it felt entirely possible that Jesus had walked in the very place that we were.
A short drive took us to Capernaum where we could see a variety of ruins and the probable site of Simon Peter's mother-in-laws house. Several of us then watched a kingfisher sitting on the pier.
We visited the lake at Tabgha where we shared bread and wine in an outdoor service and then visited the church of the loaves and fishes.
We then drove to the Church of the Beatitudes and had lunch in the Convent; we had St Peter's fish - very bony but delicious.
Our day continued at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar where we caught a boat back to Tiberias. It was quite a still afternoon but once we got out on to the lake the wind picked up strongly - I wouldn't have wanted to be out there in a storm.
On returning to our hotel I had time once again for a swim in the lake and pool before beginning to pack my bag before dinner as it's an early start in the morning – breakfast at 4.30 in order to leave by 5.00.
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