Mountians and History
I got up early and watched the sun rise.< Seven pictures here >When the sun decides to get up here it does not dilly dally. It goes up and that is that. Whoop.
We spent a couple hours hanging about the house doing nothing, I was all antsy and wanted to go and see. And then, then it was time to go get Winky and go down to the Tel. < picture here >Winky has a very amusing sign on the outer wall of his house. A Tel, for those of you who do not know, is an archaeological mound. Winky, a friend of my grandfather's works as an administrator(I think) for the Tel and such. He has an in you see. Sadly, because it was Friday and therefor Erev Shabbos, we could not stay for a long time and get the full tour. However, I did have a great time, and was full of geeky glee.
They are currently uncovering a byzantine church < picture > < picture > < picture > that is underneath the Muslim structure < picture> < Picture > < picture >
that may or may not be a masque. < lots more pictures > In the center of the Tel is a fig tree. < picture > The only one for miles and miles. This is proof that the Tel is actually Shilo. We know from on of the Rabbis...I can't remember which, that he sat and learned Rambam under a fig tree in Shilo. *nod* And around we go to the other side of the maybe-masque, we can see the alter area of the church. < picture > And some of the exquisite tile work of the Byzantines. < pictures here >
As we make our way to the city area we can see the wall. < picture > < picture > These were, we believe, built by the Canaanites.
Here we have some Byzantine storage areas. very simple, but very practical. And here is a house. < picture > < picture > It's underground. Over here you can see the area where the Tabernacle was housed. < picture > And some more houses. < picture>
Closer to the Yishuve is another church, late 7th centry, which is a flawed rplica of a basilica, as evidences by the lack of an elliptical alter area, < picture > The building was converted and used as an army base at some point. here are more pictures. < pictures go here > Well, after a bit more exploring we returned home and got ready for Shabbos, and just chilled for a while before the cousins showed up, followed by Yoda and Aunt Michal. Cats here are like squirrels in the US in that they are everywhere. Here is a cat sitting on a chair on my grandmother's porch before my grandfather scares it away. < picture >
For those of you who know me in real life, or have spent any real time online with me know that I am very loud. So it probably comes as no surprise to you when I say that my family is as well. However, what may be surprising, is that I am not used to loudness. I am used to people telling me when i am being to loud and, for the most part, toning it down a bit. Well...not so much happing here. So Friday night saw me trying to read Moab, and the rest of the family talking loudly, no matter how much I ask them to be a bit quieter. So I went to bed. Only to be woken up, and be pissy. What a wonderful way to meet my family, right? Well, I went back to sleep, and did not join them at the table, so I guess it was ok...*shrug* I woke up latter and spent time with my cousins, in the typical girls tradition of talking nonsense whilst going to sleep. Really, they are cool, if not strange. Hopefully I shall get to spend some more time with them while here.
Shabbos day was lovely. I woke up early and went back to bed, sleeping in till noon. Hung out for a bit, ate lunch with the family and then went to climb that mountain.
There are sea shells on it. Super cool and very invigorating. Followed by more family chilling, till the end of shabbos. And then just more chilling.
We spent a couple hours hanging about the house doing nothing, I was all antsy and wanted to go and see. And then, then it was time to go get Winky and go down to the Tel. < picture here >Winky has a very amusing sign on the outer wall of his house. A Tel, for those of you who do not know, is an archaeological mound. Winky, a friend of my grandfather's works as an administrator(I think) for the Tel and such. He has an in you see. Sadly, because it was Friday and therefor Erev Shabbos, we could not stay for a long time and get the full tour. However, I did have a great time, and was full of geeky glee.
They are currently uncovering a byzantine church < picture > < picture > < picture > that is underneath the Muslim structure < picture> < Picture > < picture >
that may or may not be a masque. < lots more pictures > In the center of the Tel is a fig tree. < picture > The only one for miles and miles. This is proof that the Tel is actually Shilo. We know from on of the Rabbis...I can't remember which, that he sat and learned Rambam under a fig tree in Shilo. *nod* And around we go to the other side of the maybe-masque, we can see the alter area of the church. < picture > And some of the exquisite tile work of the Byzantines. < pictures here >
As we make our way to the city area we can see the wall. < picture > < picture > These were, we believe, built by the Canaanites.
Here we have some Byzantine storage areas. very simple, but very practical. And here is a house. < picture > < picture > It's underground. Over here you can see the area where the Tabernacle was housed. < picture > And some more houses. < picture>
Closer to the Yishuve is another church, late 7th centry, which is a flawed rplica of a basilica, as evidences by the lack of an elliptical alter area, < picture > The building was converted and used as an army base at some point. here are more pictures. < pictures go here > Well, after a bit more exploring we returned home and got ready for Shabbos, and just chilled for a while before the cousins showed up, followed by Yoda and Aunt Michal. Cats here are like squirrels in the US in that they are everywhere. Here is a cat sitting on a chair on my grandmother's porch before my grandfather scares it away. < picture >
For those of you who know me in real life, or have spent any real time online with me know that I am very loud. So it probably comes as no surprise to you when I say that my family is as well. However, what may be surprising, is that I am not used to loudness. I am used to people telling me when i am being to loud and, for the most part, toning it down a bit. Well...not so much happing here. So Friday night saw me trying to read Moab, and the rest of the family talking loudly, no matter how much I ask them to be a bit quieter. So I went to bed. Only to be woken up, and be pissy. What a wonderful way to meet my family, right? Well, I went back to sleep, and did not join them at the table, so I guess it was ok...*shrug* I woke up latter and spent time with my cousins, in the typical girls tradition of talking nonsense whilst going to sleep. Really, they are cool, if not strange. Hopefully I shall get to spend some more time with them while here.
Shabbos day was lovely. I woke up early and went back to bed, sleeping in till noon. Hung out for a bit, ate lunch with the family and then went to climb that mountain.
There are sea shells on it. Super cool and very invigorating. Followed by more family chilling, till the end of shabbos. And then just more chilling.