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Wednesday: heading south
We drove past the Kineret (Sea of Galilee). Kinor means "harp" (or maybe "lyre" sometimes) in biblical Hebrew, and it's named that because it's shaped kind of like a harp. In modern Hebrew, though, "kinor" means "violin"; I'm not sure why other than that ben Yehudah said so when he revived the language.
Water is really important in Israel, and the Kineret is an essential part of that. The Jordan river flows into and out of it, and it acts as a reservoir. The level is monitored and if it gets too low, pumping is restricted. The Jordan forms not far north of it from three other rivers, by the way, which I didn't know.
Um, did I say "river"? Yes, that's what the Jordan is called, but what we saw looked like a creek. It wasn't always in sight as we drove down through the west bank, but I never saw anything I couldn't jump across with a running start. Talk about having illusions shattered -- I had just assumed that the Jordan was wide. (We're going to the dead sea in a few days, which is where the Jordan ends, so maybe we'll see it there.)
We continued on to Beit She'an, the site of an ancient Roman city named Skitapolis. They only discovered this in the last few decades, and it's huge. Our guide estimated that they've only excavated about a quarter of it. This site is particularly interesting because it was destroyed by an earthquake, not conquered, so you get a moment frozen in time. We saw an ampitheatre (real and not a reconstruction this time), many toppled columns with varied capitals, the main market street sometimes covered in mosaics (yes, in the street) and in one place marble, and a public steam bath. This was neat; I'm glad it wasn't raining while we were there. (It was, however, colder than I expected.)
We continued through the west bank, pretty much in sight of the border with Jordan. Israel has a security fence there (not a border fence), with three rows of fences, mines between the rows, and patrols that look for disturbances in the sand inside the last fence several times a day. I'm a little surprised that people don't seem to have a problem with that. I mean, I don't have a problem with that (the mines are not a secret), but I would expect some of the "criminals' rights trump victims' rights" people to complain. That sort of thing would never fly in the US, for instance, where you can't defend your home from robbers and you can be successfully sued if someone trespasses on your property and gets hurt. Our guide said Jordan does not object because they want that border to be quiet too, and there are very few problems there.
When we got to Jerusalem we went to Hadassah Hospital to see the Chagall windows. I know these are supposed to be a big deal, but I didn't see what the fuss was about. Maybe if I'd been able to see them better I'd be able to appreciate them; cameras were banned so I couldn't do my zoom-lens-as-telescope trick like I sometimes do. (I use the camera more often than I push the "take picture" button.)
Then it was off to dinner at a restaurant called Olive and Fish, where a waiter spilled food on me (staining my shirt) and the manager was rude and unhelpful. The only consideration I could get was that they would have my shirt cleaned -- if I took it to them and then came and picked it up later. (Or, they said, I could have it cleaned and send them the bill -- like that's going to work for a visitor staying only a few days.) I think the shirt is ruined because there was oil in the sauce they spilled on me that left a stain after my best attempts to clean it. It's a nice-enough shirt that I care. Is this sort of treatment typical of Israeli merchants, or are they taking advantage of the foreigners? In the US I would expect an immediate offer concerning the bill for the meal and that they would clean (and deliver) or replace the shirt; this guy expected me to do all the work, was grudging even about that, and made no offers of compensation. The waiter was also dismissive and inept. The food was good, but I don't know that I'll return.
The rain followed us to Jerusalem and turned into snow along the way -- not just flurries but a coating. (I think it was at about an inch when we were out for dinner.) I gather that this is a novelty. Surprisingly, I find the stone sidewalks less treacherous with snow than with rain.
Oh, the rooms at the Dan Panorama in Jerusalem are much nicer than the rooms we had a few days ago. (I've compared notes with some people; it's not just me.) I wonder what accounts for the difference. The previous room was a step or two up from Motel-6; the current room is nice. (For one thing, you don't trip over furniture just trying to walk to the window.)
Tomorrow morning we go back to Hebrew Union College to celebrate two b'nei mitzvah from our group, one a local family and one the son of my former boss who joined this trip from Seattle.
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The Scytopolis is impressive. And the big hill on the east end of the area? That is Tell Beit-Shean, mound of layered ruins of the biblical city. It has been investigated somewhat, but the excavations, I understand, get backfilled to preserve the remains.
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If more water flows out of the Kinneret than in and people are also pumping out, why is it the dead sea and not the Kineret that's getting smaller? They're not pumping from the dead sea, are they?
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