The Northern Coast and a very special event

Our first stop on our way up the coast was Mt Precipice, also known as “The Leaping Mountain”. This is where Jesus jumped from the mountain when the haters were chasing him. It is quite a steep drop, but I assume he was all good afterwards, or he just healed himself. From here we were able to get amazing panoramic views of the Galilee.

Panoramic views from "The Leaping Mountain", Mt Precipice across the Galilee

Giving the leaping a go (this was actually a close call)

Next stop was the Rish Lakish Olive Press, which makes kosher olive oil, so you know it's good. We were explained the process of extracting the oil, and then we were able to taste it. The property was completely eco-friendly with everything recycled as well as solar power and green building constructions. It was just a really cool place, you could just chill out and have teas & yarns.

The old school olive press

Dad getting stuck into the olive oil

The backyard of the Rish Lakish olive press

Just chilling in the shade of an olive tree

Haifa was next on our list, which is the third largest city in Israel and the Northern port city. It is also home to the Baha’i Gardens or the Hanging Gardens of Haifa on the side of Mount Carmel. The gardens are kept immaculate, not a leaf is out of place. Dad mentioned multiple times to people that they actually resemble his gardens at home, which is an absolute yarn, which anyone who has been to our house can attest to.

The Shrine of Bab, the second holiest place for the Baha'i people

The view from the top of Mt Carmel down the Baha'i Gardens across the city of Haifa

From Haifa we went to Acre (or Akko) which was in crusader times a strategic coastal link from the Mediterranean to the Levant. There are crusader ruins just about everywhere including tunnels that run under the city.

The clear water around the ancient port city of Acre

Just looking out to sea with Rozanne

Me giving directions to Dad & Melody

Me gazing longingly out to sea

Papparazzi aye

There's a reason they put pads on the tunnels, and I'm it

Our final stop was Rosh HaNikra and the grottos, which is on the border with Lebanon. You have to take the steepest cable car in the world to get there, and it is where New Zealand, Australian & South African engineers during World War 2 built the railway tunnels through the rocks for the Cairo-Istanbul line.

The view down the coast from Rosh HaNikra

The cable car down to the grottos

The outside of the grottos at Rosh HaNikra

The crystal clear waters down in the grottos

Hitting the bars in Nazareth with the squad

The following day on our way back to Jerusalem we headed back to the Jordan River, but this time to the Israel side and for a very special occasion, the baptism of our now very good friend, Rozanne. Melody who is actually a preacher, had performed a couple of baptisms before, but jumped at the opportunity to baptize Rozanne in the Jordan river. It was a pretty special experience just to witness it, and I'm sure none of us will forget it.

Dad getting his eyebrows trimmed for the baptism

Sunbathing by the baptism pools in the Jordan River, Israel, waiting for the girls

Melody, Rozanne & Annabelle pre dunk (That was my AS colour top that I donated for holy purposes)

If you just saw this photo, you'd think we were at a public drowning

Don't worry, they let her up again. They were ecstatic after that. So great!

The girls even got abused by the staff because they weren't wearing regulation baptism gears, but they were on such a buzz afterwards they didn't care. 

The whole crew celebrating Rozanne's baptism.

That night the whole squad went out for a final dinner to celebrate Rozanne's baptism. Now, the four guys you don't recognize above are the Polish Catholic priests. Four of the funniest people I've ever met, genuinely. They all live in Canada, in the Arctic in a place called Nunavut and live with the Inuit (Eskimoes) people. They had the most amazing stories of ice fishing, polar bears and life in the serious cold.

Next stop, Masada, Dad experiences the synagogue, we visit the West Bank and we finish with Tel Aviv.