First of all sorry for my soo late post, i know ... my bad but i was not neglected my blog, it just ... really hard to write something these days, i need the idea, and the idea just came a little bit late, maybe the post office a little bit busy up there.
Anyway today i want to share my story about my journey to the Holly land. Please read this post with healthy mind, please do not screw it. We are what we believe, and we shall respect it as long as what we believe is generate peaceful right ?
Finally i decided to go pilgrim journey to Israel on March 2017, since Jesus was born there, not just that but so many incredible things had happened there 2000 years ago and until now. First thought actually i was a little bit afraid ... just a little. You know about the news all the time spread about conflict between countries in the Middle East, but once again faith was the winner. I always thought if we think about good purpose i believe all the universe will conspire to support me, and i guess this was the invitation the sign i have to go there. You know, even if you have a lot of money, and a lot of time but without invitation or sign from above you will not gonna enter the Holly land. Don't believe me? Then you should read Exodus in the Holy bible when Israel nation walked around and around and it takes 40 years to reach the promise land, why ? .... Because they don't have GPS ... hahaha ... just kidding.
Talked about the conflict, once i asked my Israeli tour leader, He is Israeli but can speak bahasa fluently. I asked why the promise land should be here in Israel? Why so many kingdom wanted it since thousand years ago until now? He said, this land (Israel) is a bridge, it connect Europe, Asia, and Africa. Who can managed to seize it, will have a lot of advantages.
So i did sign up for the tour, and the it day, 15 March 2017 we all gathered in airport, we flew to Abu Dhabi for 7 hours, and continue to Amman, Jordan for 3 hours flight with Etihad Air. Landed in Queen Alia International Airport the kingdom of Jordan, we continue with bus trip for almost 2.5 hours to the Allenby border control from Jordan to Israel. Well to be honest to get in to this country was not easy, i had to pass 6 passport control, i had to bring my own luggage, i had to lifted it up to the conveyor belt, anyone assistance was forbidden, lucky i didn't bring big luggage. Once i had a friend detained for almost 3 hours, and the bus could not continue the trip because of him.
IMPORTANT : While in Israel, you have to beware with your belongings, the most important is your passport, once you lost it ... you screw! There is no KBRI there, the nearest KBRI is in Jordan and to go to Jordan you need passport. Once, i asked my tour leader how if i lost my passport? He said, the way out is to marry with Israel man or woman, you got new identity and passport then you can get out. Hmmm ... the Israel man and woman mostly handsome and beautiful, so maybe most of you will not mind it (sekalian memperbaiki keturunan - to improve the offspring) hahaha. Take a look at Gal Gadot ... most lady in Israel have a face like her. After read this, please do not throw away your passport once you get there okay!
After reached Israel, the night already there, the bus brought us straight to the Hotel, the Hotel located at Tiberias lake, the name of the Hotel is Caesar Premier Hotel. I was so lucky i had room with balcony the view was so gorgeous, the Tiberias lake.
The view from my room in the morning, sun rise at Tiberias Lake.
Day 1 : Mount Hermon - Banias ( Caesarea Filipi) - The Wedding of Kana
Mount Hermon, is one of the mountain in the Golan Height, the peak located in Israel - Syria border. Let me try to tell a little bit of history regarding this place. This place was belong to Syria, but in 1967 there were Six-Day-War and Israel managed to seize Golan Height. No ... i am not gonna tell further about history because this is mystory ... krik .. krik. Anyway, from this peak, Syria country can be seen. In the holy bible said, a the flow of blessing like the dew that flows from Hermon mountain to Sion mountains (psalm 133:1-3), in fact when Hermon's snow melts, the water will flow to Galilee lake, and the flow continue and stoped at Dead Sea.
At the peak of Hermon, what did i see ? I surely can't remember it ... maybe i saw a handsome soldier hahah. Well, that is Golan Height, maybe part of Syria ... i don't know, but surely very beautiful here.
How to get up there? By cable car like this one ... scary indeed! I was on my way back down.
This is the monument war of Yom Kippur war ... read it by your self okay. So this place is very important to rule the world. I was very lucky to came here when in peace time. Anyway the story of Yom Kippur war is one of my fave story, can tell ya here, remember this is mystory not history ... hihihi (garing kayak kerupuk).
Next destination was Banias / Caesarea Philippi / Caesarea Panias, This place is an old city of Rome, this place has springs, and a big cave called Grotto, the cave has Pan temple inside. Pan is on of the Greek Gods, He is a God of the wild shepherd in Greek mythology. This place also known as Peter's confession in the holy bible, where Peter confess that Jesus is son of God and Messiah (Mathew 16). For me, this place was extraordinary beautiful.
#NoFilter ... the view was amazing wasn't it ? Caesare Philippi ... aku padamu! Muka ndeso foto disini pasti jadi cantik.
Inside the cave, where the Rome people did sacrifice things, usually they threw calves to the grotto.
The ruins of the temple.
Thousand years ago, this place should be like in the picture above.
Last destination of the first day tour was The wedding Kana, we visited Kana city, there is a church that is believed as a place where the wedding in the bible held, the first miracle of Jesus, when He turned water into wine. The architecture of the churches here mainly influenced by Rome, actually the church is not the origin like thousand years ago. Churches here, built by catholic evangelist from Rome hundred years ago.
This is Church of Kana, the source of this pict was taken from Google, my picture of Kana Church is full of people ... T_T.
For Catholic people, they can worship inside the church, but for non-Catholic, we worship behind the church. This is a beautiful church, take a look inside by Googling it, you will wondering to get marry there with Israeli people ... maybe (please do not wondering about Gal Gadot here ... heloo). Around the area, there were a lot of souvenir shops that sells wine, but do not seek for Cap Tikus or Topi Miring here, okay! But, you can buy 15-20 years old wine there, my fave is King David, its not too sweet, not like any other brand. For me sweet wine taste strange, i think i never drink sweet wine, i wonder is it real, or they put sugar in the wine ... hehehe. If you want to shop wine, shop here! You will not find it anywhere else besides here in Kana.
This crock (picture above) is believed as the original crock from Jesus era. In the wedding, wine for the guest was stored here. So big, i wonder how the lift it? Nothing impossible for God right.
So, i wrap my story here, this is the end of my first day there, hopefully it wont take long times to write my second part (cross finger). Thank you for reading, muachh.
Attraversiamo ...
