I had seen photos of the hotel (Grand Beach) on the hotel website and was disappointed to see it live. The lobby was rather stark and the only staff on hand was a desk clerk.
There was only one elevator and no porter to carry the bags to the room even though the tour included portage. Same with leaving the next day- we just carried our bags down ourselves rather than try and wait and find a porter.
We were warned on the bus that our hotels were kosher when it came to meals. Dairy in the AM and no meat and vice versa for dinner. So at breakfast we could have milk, cheese, egg dishes and baked goods but no sausage or other breakfast meats.
The breakfast buffet was fine- different types of eggs, fish, baked goods and fruit along with juice, tea and coffee. The problem here as well as the other hotel buffets for breakfast and dinner is that there was not label/sign above or near the entrees with the name of the food ie there were meats and casseroles but no name to state beef stew, baked veal etc. The breads were not labeled either- could be cinnamon bread or something else. Very frustrating- hesitant to pick something I did not like and the food went to waste. I ended up just taking small samples and if it tasted good I went back for a regular portion.
All the food in all the hotels was good overall.
Anyway after our breakfast we picked out our bags and the porter loaded them on the bus and away we went.
First stop was a short distance away in Jaffa at the Church of St. Michael. Jaffa was where St. Peter had a vision of the animals and in this Church is an icon depicting St. Peter and the sheet overhead.
The bus let us off in a large square and we went down stairs in a narrow alley to reach the two entrances of the Church.
The vision was accompanied by a voice commanding him to kill and eat animals as they are clean because they were made by God and thus freeing people from the Kosher law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter%27s_vision_of_a_sheet_with_animals
This Church had burned down and was rebuilt. It was covered with beautiful hand painted icons and one of the icons depicted St. Peter and the sheet.
The video here shows a good interior view of the Church including the icon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwXoJ4k8T5M
The parish priest had just finished a liturgy when we arrived and greeted us and showed us the St. Peter icon which was next to a door by the Altar. We were able to take time and see all the icons and the Church before we had to move on to the bus and the next stop.
We arrived in Lodd, Lydia in Palestine at the Church of St. George to venerate the tomb of St. George. We spent an hour here at the Church and going to the basement where we saw the tomb of St. George as well as a piece of the chains that were used to bind him when he was being tortured.
We also saw the relics of St. George and were able to venerate them.
https://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/the-tomb-of-the-holy-great-martyr-george-from-lodd-lydda/
We also met the parish priest who welcomed us to the Church.
The Church was built onto the side of a Mosque.
It is now 9:40 am and we are now on the bus going to Caesarea to visit an ancient Roman amphitheater.
Today Caesarea is a city with upper class expensive homes and golf courses. The ancient city was a bustling port and Christian center until the Mamluks destroyed it in the 13th century.
The amphitheater and aqueduct are now part of the Caesarea National Park. After we entered the park we went to a small theater to view a movie about the history of Caesarea.
Afterwards we visited the amphitheater and then to a stone stand that had a replica of Pontius Pilate's stamp on it.
From here we walked on the beach until we reached the aqueduct and then headed towards the exit.
The original wall and arch of the Crusader's fortress and castle.
Aqueduct view from the bus
We are now on the bus driving to Tiberius and the Sea of Galilee. On the way we will stop in Haifa for photos and at Acco.
At 2pm we stopped at a local cafe in the middle of nowhere for lunch which consisted of either a chicken schnitzel on pita or falafel, salad and a soft drink. At 3 we boarded the bus for the next stop.
In Haifa we stopped at a scenic overlook of the Bahai World Center. We were able to stay here for about 30 mins and to walk down some of the stairs to get closer photos of the gardens and the view of the harbor. It was really impressive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_World_Centre
There was only one elevator and no porter to carry the bags to the room even though the tour included portage. Same with leaving the next day- we just carried our bags down ourselves rather than try and wait and find a porter.
We were warned on the bus that our hotels were kosher when it came to meals. Dairy in the AM and no meat and vice versa for dinner. So at breakfast we could have milk, cheese, egg dishes and baked goods but no sausage or other breakfast meats.
The breakfast buffet was fine- different types of eggs, fish, baked goods and fruit along with juice, tea and coffee. The problem here as well as the other hotel buffets for breakfast and dinner is that there was not label/sign above or near the entrees with the name of the food ie there were meats and casseroles but no name to state beef stew, baked veal etc. The breads were not labeled either- could be cinnamon bread or something else. Very frustrating- hesitant to pick something I did not like and the food went to waste. I ended up just taking small samples and if it tasted good I went back for a regular portion.
All the food in all the hotels was good overall.
Anyway after our breakfast we picked out our bags and the porter loaded them on the bus and away we went.
First stop was a short distance away in Jaffa at the Church of St. Michael. Jaffa was where St. Peter had a vision of the animals and in this Church is an icon depicting St. Peter and the sheet overhead.
The bus let us off in a large square and we went down stairs in a narrow alley to reach the two entrances of the Church.
The vision was accompanied by a voice commanding him to kill and eat animals as they are clean because they were made by God and thus freeing people from the Kosher law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter%27s_vision_of_a_sheet_with_animals
This Church had burned down and was rebuilt. It was covered with beautiful hand painted icons and one of the icons depicted St. Peter and the sheet.
The video here shows a good interior view of the Church including the icon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwXoJ4k8T5M
The parish priest had just finished a liturgy when we arrived and greeted us and showed us the St. Peter icon which was next to a door by the Altar. We were able to take time and see all the icons and the Church before we had to move on to the bus and the next stop.
We arrived in Lodd, Lydia in Palestine at the Church of St. George to venerate the tomb of St. George. We spent an hour here at the Church and going to the basement where we saw the tomb of St. George as well as a piece of the chains that were used to bind him when he was being tortured.
We also saw the relics of St. George and were able to venerate them.
https://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/the-tomb-of-the-holy-great-martyr-george-from-lodd-lydda/
We also met the parish priest who welcomed us to the Church.
The Church was built onto the side of a Mosque.
It is now 9:40 am and we are now on the bus going to Caesarea to visit an ancient Roman amphitheater.
Today Caesarea is a city with upper class expensive homes and golf courses. The ancient city was a bustling port and Christian center until the Mamluks destroyed it in the 13th century.
The amphitheater and aqueduct are now part of the Caesarea National Park. After we entered the park we went to a small theater to view a movie about the history of Caesarea.
Afterwards we visited the amphitheater and then to a stone stand that had a replica of Pontius Pilate's stamp on it.
From here we walked on the beach until we reached the aqueduct and then headed towards the exit.
The original wall and arch of the Crusader's fortress and castle.
Aqueduct view from the bus
We are now on the bus driving to Tiberius and the Sea of Galilee. On the way we will stop in Haifa for photos and at Acco.
At 2pm we stopped at a local cafe in the middle of nowhere for lunch which consisted of either a chicken schnitzel on pita or falafel, salad and a soft drink. At 3 we boarded the bus for the next stop.
In Haifa we stopped at a scenic overlook of the Bahai World Center. We were able to stay here for about 30 mins and to walk down some of the stairs to get closer photos of the gardens and the view of the harbor. It was really impressive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_World_Centre
View of the bottom from the bus
At 3:35 we were back on the bus heading to Akko (Acre), an important city in ancient times. We stopped at a promenade by the sea and those who wanted could get off to stretch their legs or get a coffee or soda.
Problem was the cafe did not take dollars and fortunately our guide Yiannis showed up and convinced the baristas to sell us coffee and let us pay in dollars.
The coffee was $.50 and is in a small cup like Turkish and Greek coffee but with an added spice. If one wants sugar it is added after the coffee is brewed.
After a short break here we all got on the bus for our destination, Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee. It was approx. a drive of about 1 1/2 hrs from Akko to Tiberius.
We drove through the small town of Tiberius to arrive at the Ron Beach Hotel on the Sea of Galilee around 6pm.
The coffee was $.50 and is in a small cup like Turkish and Greek coffee but with an added spice. If one wants sugar it is added after the coffee is brewed.
After a short break here we all got on the bus for our destination, Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee. It was approx. a drive of about 1 1/2 hrs from Akko to Tiberius.
We drove through the small town of Tiberius to arrive at the Ron Beach Hotel on the Sea of Galilee around 6pm.
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