Israel Days 1 & 2 - Traveling; Caesarea; Nazareth; Cana
It was a mad day at work, especially with the sudden notification in the morning that we were to attend Court for a Judge Pre-Trial Conference (JPTC) at 2.30pm the same day. I planned to leave the office around 5.30-5.45 to take the train to the airport, but only managed to leave closer to 6...
I was the second last in the group to reach the airport around 6.45pm. Checked in my very light luggage of around 9kg, then we went to the staff canteen for dinner. I ate beef noodles, but it was a little too salty for my liking.
We then boarded the Thai airways flight to Bangkok. My gosh the plane was SO cold. I pretty much slept all the way save for the time where they served us a meal of curry chicken and fried rice.
At Bangkok, we went through the transit customs and walked right straight to the boarding gate where it took a really long time for all of us to get through because of the questioning by the Israeli officers. The Israeli airline was quite full. Thankfully there was an empty seat beside my designated seat so Eugene got to sit immediately next to me. We then began the flight of about 10 hours - pretty much slept the whole way through save for a meal of hot nice omelette. It was an old plane, and some decor was left behind to show that the plane was once an SQ plane... Also, entertainment system was really old with the screens being really small.
We finally reached Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv at about 7am Israeli time, which is 6 hours behind Singapore.
Our first stop of the day was at Port Cafe in Caesarea. The breakfast stop was a beautiful one, where we ate just by the Mediterranean Sea.
Not only was the scenery beautiful, the food was yummy too!! They gave us 2 types of bread and many different kinds of dips and spreads.
We also each got a yummy omelette. All of it was just SO GOOD.
I was so amused by Estee enjoying the dips and all spread before her as the rest of the plates had been cleared, save for hers and those in front of her.
The best ending to breakfast was THE CAPPUCCINO. Oh my goodness it was reeaally satisfying. My dad paid extra for another cup to take away... Haha.
Following breakfast, we walked through the old Caesarea village. Highlight for me was the Theare of Caesarea with its fantastic acoustics.
We then went on to Nazareth Village, which was a fantastic experience of what life would have been like in the time of Jesus. The guide was so engaging and informative and clear in her English. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Then it was lunch at Holy Land Restaurant. First we were served bread, then spaghetti, and finally with rice, beef, potatoes, cabbage salad kind of thing, and some coconut cake thingy that was really sweet.
From lunch, we walked to the Church of Anunciation, which is supposed to be the location where Mary received the angel's message.
It was then on to Cana where we visited the church that was built premised on Jesus' first miracle of turning water to wine at a wedding.
And we finally ended the day by arriving at our hotel for the next 3 nights - Ein Gev Holiday Resort. The little villas we are allocated are apparently much better than what my parents got last year. And we are just by the sea of Galilee!! I'm looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning to see the scenery outside:)
I was the second last in the group to reach the airport around 6.45pm. Checked in my very light luggage of around 9kg, then we went to the staff canteen for dinner. I ate beef noodles, but it was a little too salty for my liking.
We then boarded the Thai airways flight to Bangkok. My gosh the plane was SO cold. I pretty much slept all the way save for the time where they served us a meal of curry chicken and fried rice.
At Bangkok, we went through the transit customs and walked right straight to the boarding gate where it took a really long time for all of us to get through because of the questioning by the Israeli officers. The Israeli airline was quite full. Thankfully there was an empty seat beside my designated seat so Eugene got to sit immediately next to me. We then began the flight of about 10 hours - pretty much slept the whole way through save for a meal of hot nice omelette. It was an old plane, and some decor was left behind to show that the plane was once an SQ plane... Also, entertainment system was really old with the screens being really small.
We finally reached Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv at about 7am Israeli time, which is 6 hours behind Singapore.
Our first stop of the day was at Port Cafe in Caesarea. The breakfast stop was a beautiful one, where we ate just by the Mediterranean Sea.
Not only was the scenery beautiful, the food was yummy too!! They gave us 2 types of bread and many different kinds of dips and spreads.
We also each got a yummy omelette. All of it was just SO GOOD.
I was so amused by Estee enjoying the dips and all spread before her as the rest of the plates had been cleared, save for hers and those in front of her.
The best ending to breakfast was THE CAPPUCCINO. Oh my goodness it was reeaally satisfying. My dad paid extra for another cup to take away... Haha.
Following breakfast, we walked through the old Caesarea village. Highlight for me was the Theare of Caesarea with its fantastic acoustics.
We then went on to Nazareth Village, which was a fantastic experience of what life would have been like in the time of Jesus. The guide was so engaging and informative and clear in her English. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Then it was lunch at Holy Land Restaurant. First we were served bread, then spaghetti, and finally with rice, beef, potatoes, cabbage salad kind of thing, and some coconut cake thingy that was really sweet.
From lunch, we walked to the Church of Anunciation, which is supposed to be the location where Mary received the angel's message.
It was then on to Cana where we visited the church that was built premised on Jesus' first miracle of turning water to wine at a wedding.
And we finally ended the day by arriving at our hotel for the next 3 nights - Ein Gev Holiday Resort. The little villas we are allocated are apparently much better than what my parents got last year. And we are just by the sea of Galilee!! I'm looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning to see the scenery outside:)
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