Life's a beach... at Nahariya

Tuesday we took a little day trip to the beach. Something so soothing and calming about the sound of the sea. The color of the water was amazing. Love this place!

Fluffy clouds over Ma'alot on the way to Nahariya. The bus is really cheap going out there.

The Mediterranean Sea. Yup, an hour away and these blue waters await.

It was a lovely afternoon.

I didn't get pictures of them, but we saw multiple tiny crabs and a few hand sized ones. Looked like maybe the tiny ones recently hatched.

Love the sea.

Tide was very high on Tuesday. But look at those colors!!

An afternoon in Tiveria

Tiberius is named after the Roman emperor Tiberius Julius Caesar. It's about an hour bus ride, even less by car, from Tsfat. It's always warmer there, in fact I can't imagine it cold in Tiveria.

Since the second intifida at least, a huge portion of the tourist industry in Tiveria is internal Israeli tourism. This tourist population is definitely markedly religious, which has influenced the town offerings at the waterfront. It is now extremely common to find kosher l'mehadrin eateries everywhere. There are also plenty of tourist activities at the water.

It was a festive holiday atmosphere on this trip, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Looking back up the hill at Tsfat from the bus ride down to Tiveria. Lovely day.

Another view of Tsfat from the ride to Tiveria.

There's a place on the hill overlooking Tiveria that always gets my heart thinking, "I could live here".

The Tiveria municipal flag over a sukkah on the water front.

It was quite the boat day.

There's a water meter on the Sea of Galilee! ;)

Interesting that my camera didn't like taking an image of the digital read out.

Looking across the lake Kinneret (sea of Galilee), is the Golan Heights. This is a view of the Southern section, Jordan.

So glad we have a peace treaty with Jordan. notice how close that plateau really is.

Looking South from the water front area. 

More looking South from the water front.

One tourist water activity are "banana" boats towed by a speed boat. Another one is a variation where tourists hang on to an inflated raft at a 45 degree angle and scrape their chins constantly on the rough inflatable. 

I've decided that some day I must hire a tour guide to find out what all the older ruins are around the water front area. This one is currently a church. 

This older building has been renovated, and also belongs to a church.

It would be interesting to know from what period the building actually exists.  During the Jewish Wars in Roman domination, there was a huge battle at Tiveria.

And I always love the contrast of ancient and modern at the Tiveria water front.

Ah, here's the inflatable that requires good upper body strength to stay holding on. 

Two of the many tourist cruise boats. Notice the fishing line poking out of the rocks at left.

There's a fisher man in the rocks.

Another tour boat. This one has been used in small movies on the lake.

Boats.

Boats.

And more boats.

This restaurant renovated some ruins right up against the Leonardo Hotel. Currently it is home to the "Bazel" restaurant which is dairy kosher l'mehadrin.

Upstairs inside the Bazel. A very nice space, with a view above the boardwalk. Great place for people watching, pizza from the tabun, and a break in the a/c.

There's still a thriving fish market on one of the side streets. In between shoe stores and jewelry shops, that is. 

Pre-Sukkot street scenes in Tsfat

As Sukkot approached, there were stands everywhere along the intersection of Rehov Yerushalayim and Alyia Bet (or "the gesher" as we call it). Now that festivities have begun, here are a few images of the street scene that was.

Shuk Arba Minim Tsfat style. Under the bridge including decorations for the sukkah.

From across the street at Merkaz Tslil.

Putting up a sukka for the eatery Shnitzelia. 

Lulavim for sale the day before Sukkot.

Puffy clouds in the autumn

Hard to call it fall, since so few leaves turn and fall. But there's a beauty to autumn here, never the less.

Looking out over the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) with the Ziv Medical Center to the right. Gotta love the views!

Looking up, this is what it was like. How great are Thy Creations, Hashem!