Trips

The next stop was at the site of the Rosh HaNikra Grottos that are located at the border between Israel and Lebanon. We took a short, very steep cable car down to a man-made tunnel to be able to view the grotto caves that were formed by the action of the sea (Mediterranean) crashing against the soft chalk rock.

To the Rosh HaNikra Grottos	Short cable car ride
	Fly wheel
Rosh HaNikra Grottos	Rosh HaNikra Grottos
Rosh HaNikra Grottos	Rosh HaNikra Grottos
After viewing the caves, we briefly visited the Rosh-Hanikra border crossing between Israel and Lebanon.	Sign at the border crossing to Lebanon
Border wall with Lebanon	Solar hot water heaters on top of apartment buildings
Pasha's Aqueduct - Part of the Ottoman aqueduct to Akko	Pasha's Aqueduct - Part of the Ottoman aqueduct to Akko
Thurs., 1/26/23 - Haifa to Nazareth to the Golan Heights After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, the group bussed to the top entrance to the Baha’i Gardens. We arrived well before it was opened to non-Baha’is (TEL's poor planning). After looking down at the city for awhile, it became obvious that Ilan couldn’t persuade the guard to let us down the steps to the first gate earlier than he wished, so we left. Baha’i is a religious sect based on the prophecies of Elijah.
Baha'i Gardens - from below	Baha'i Gardens - from above
IEC Tower	Baha'i Gardens and Haifa
View from the Baha'i Gardens - Dagon Grain Elevator and Harbor	From the Baha'i Gardens we proceeded to Stella Maris Monastery, located on Mt. Carmel. The Monastery was built on Mt. Carmel in the 12th century during the Crusades by the Catholic order of Carmelites who consider the Prophet Elijah and his disciple, Elisha, to be their spiritual fathers. The monastery was built up a steep slope from the supposed Elijah’s Cave where Elijah hid when fleeing from Ahab, King of Israel, and Queen Jezebel. We were able to enter the monastery chapel that had just been refurbished.
To help us get there	Monument to Napoleon's soldiers
The rules	Inside the church - side altar
Ceiling	Side altar
Quite modern looking	Church organ
Tomb under the floor	There are several monuments on the grounds - one from Chilean pilgrims fashioned from melted down cannons. Another memorializes the mass grave of French soldiers Napoleon left here to die of the Plague in 1799 when he lost the battle and fled back to Egypt. Part of the original site is now owned and operated by the Israeli navy. There is a walking trail down to Elijah’s cave but we only walked the trail for 100 yards - only a few of us could have made it down and back. The views of Haifa from a nearby viewing platform were great.
Another interesting sign	Bird of Paradise
Monument from Chilean pilgrims fashioned from melted down cannons	Roofs are covered with solar water heaters
Holy Family Chapel, Mount Carmel	Train
	Next we drove through more city streets and traffic to the campus of Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, Israel's "MIT." The tour included a 360° movie in the Visitors’ Center reviewing the accomplishments of the institute since its inception - very impressive!

 

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