ACROSS THREE LANDS Highlights During four full days in Jordan, I journeyed through Umm Qais, Jerash, Amman, Madaba, and Mount Nebo, before venturing south to Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba. After pausing at the Dead Sea and Bethany Beyond the Jordan, I finally turned back toward the Allenby Bridge crossing. A dwelling in the midst of the desert Day 6 begins with an early yet enjoyable breakfast on bird-guarded terrace in the Hashemite Kingdom, while by sunset, I was standing on t

THE TOWN THAT JESUS CALLED HOME A short walk of a few minutes along lakeside Highway 87 brought us to the ruins of Capernaum. We first proceeded to the synagogue at the far end of the site. This fourth-century synagogue, built in the Greco-Roman style, is constructed of limestone, which gives it a distinctly white appearance—hence its name, the White Synagogue. This stands in marked contrast to the darker stone of the adjacent village ruins. Capernaum Synagogue Further archa

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT ... Strictly speaking, the Church of the Beatitudes is also located within the area of Tabgha. However, as it is situated atop the Mount of Beatitudes, approximately 150 metres above the Sea of Galilee, it requires a detour of about ten minutes by car from Tabgha to wind up the hill. Therefore, it is listed here as a separate stop. The Mount of Beatitudes is traditionally believed to be the site where our Lord Jesus delivered the Sermon on the M

DIVINE MULTIPLICATION & RESTORATION The area now known as Tabgha was formerly called Heptapegon, meaning 'Seven Springs.' Here, the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and the Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter lie close to each other, a mere two to three hundred metres apart, with the latter built directly on the lakeshore. The Church of the Multiplication We first arrived at the Church of the Multiplication. To one side of the small plaza in front of the

A RELIC FROM THE APOSTLES' SEA It is only 15 minutes drive from the hotel to Ginosar, a place mentioned as Gennesaret in the bible. It appeared a few times in the New Testament and is the place where Jesus first called Peter (the fisherman originally named Simon) (Luke 5:1-11). The Yigal Allon Center The Yigal Allon Center in Ginosar has an ancient ship exhibit, containing a 2000-year-old wooden boat salvaged from the bottom of Galilee—a common fishing boat in the area durin

A LIGHT BORN ANEW OVER GALILEE My first night in the Holy Land was spent in Tiberias, a city with a distinctly Jewish character. Preferring to dine simply as I often do on business trips, I settled for a light dinner of fruit and snacks provided in my hotel room. I later gave the complimentary bottle of wine to our guide, as I could never finish a 750 ml bottle by myself; I am virtually alcohol-free, with only very rare exceptions. Afterwards, I took a leisurely stroll throug

BY THE SEA OF GALILEE I spent my first night in Tiberias, in a hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee—known locally as the Kinneret and in the New Testament as the Lake of Gennesaret. My 2 nd Day in Holy Land began with a sunrise view from the hotel, followed by a guided tour of key sites along the west lakeshore: Ginosar, Tabgha, and Capernaum. I then crossed into Jordan at the Jordan River border, received by my Jordan guide after crossing, visited Umm Qais and Jerash be

HOMETOWN OF JESUS OUR LORD As we departed the coastal plains and journeyed inland, my hearts turned with anticipation toward the hill country of Galilee and the humble town of Nazareth. This is the place the Angel Gabriel called Mary "highly favored," where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. For thirty years, this was the backdrop for the silent, hidden life of Jesus Christ before His public ministry began. To walk its streets is to walk in the footsteps of the Holy Fa

LAYERS OF HISTORY, ECHOES OF WAR Highlights Megiddo's relative position to Acre (on a Bible Map) Megiddo holds a formidable place in the biblical narrative. Its immense strategic importance stemmed from its unrivaled geographic position: it guarded the critical pass along the Via Maris, the vital international highway connecting Egypt in the south with the empires of Mesopotamia and Anatolia in the north. Whoever controlled Megiddo commanded this military and trade artery, ma

BETWEEN CRUSADER VAULTS & OTTOMAN STREETS Highlights The massive sea walls are an iconic feature of Acre, defining the city's postcard-perfect coastline. For centuries, these fortifications have stood as a boundary against ambitious tides, both of the sea and of conquest. It was here in 1799 that the tide of Napoleon Bonaparte's unstoppable eastern campaign finally shattered—a dramatic defeat that seemed to echo a far older, divine decree: "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no fu

A CITY OF COEXISTENCE & BEAUTY Highlights Haifa is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the slopes of Mount Carmel. This mountain is mentioned multiple times in the Bible, and a monastery commemorating the prophet Elijah stands upon it. The book of 1 Kings (chapter 18) records how Elijah, unafraid of royal authority, confronted King Ahab: “It is not I who have brought trouble on Israel,” he said, “but you and your father’s family. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands a

CITY OF ROMAN EMPERORS Highlights Caesarea Maritima is the first stop of visit after having departed the airport. Hippodrome at the sea Situated on the east coast of Mediterranean Sea, here at Caesarea Maritima, you can vividly feel the pulse of that far-away era. If Jerusalem is God's chosen holy city, Caesarea is then a monument to human ambition. Its "master builder" was Herod the Great - a formidable figure in the Gospels. Paying homage to Augustus Caesar, he laboured to

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME Prologue: A Long-Held Hope For many years, I had longed to trace the remnants of Mesopotamian civilisation, but I kept postponing the trip for one "important reason" or another… Then, the outbreak of an unexpected and protracted wars forever confined that wish to the atlases and history books on my shelf. A turning point came in 2017. After finally completing a cover-to-cover reading of the Bible (though much of it still perplexed me), my focus shifted