Arbel - Tiberias

The weather report said it would be over a 100 degrees today, not something I want to hike in.  So I started out this morning taking a bus to Tiberias and then went to Arbel.  I started out going the wrong way but the driver quickly corrected me and I waited for about an hour to get on the bus the right way.  Tiberias is right on the Sea of Galilee and it was Herod son who founded this town. Or take it away from the Jews I should say.  The Crusader took it in 1099 and built a fortress.  But in 1187 at the battle of  Horns of Hattin it was lost to the Muslims. In the 16th century the Ottoman Turks took over and as a results you see many mosques in Tiberias.  Arbel is right above the Horns of Hattin and on the cliffs you can see the entire region where Jesus ministry took place. I am at the Arbel family guest house with one young women from France and another one from Sweden.  Both are hiking the trail and when I got here, the French girl hiked from Kibbutz Lavi about 8 miles, and she was exhausted because of the sun but the Swedish girl came from Cana hiked about 20 miles and I was really scared she had heat exhaustion.  She was beat red and could hardly stand.  We spoke last night and I mentioned to her to be careful as the sun is a killer. I've done it (hiked in the sun for too long) and almost killed myself so I was a little nervous when I saw her.  She is doing better, but she did admit it was crazy going that far!! The guesthouse is very nice with air conditioning rooms and a pool (I actually went into the pool it was like bath water very refreshing!!). The garden is beautiful and they have a Peace Tree (see picture and explanation below).  I wrote on a ribbon and tied it on the tree.   Here is some pictures:

Mosque in Tiberias

Sea of Galilee

The Trail

The town of Tiberias

Another view in the Back is the Sea of Galilee

The guesthouse that I am staying at

Pomegranate

Peace Tree

Explanation of the Peace Tree

Life Challenge: You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of.  You will never live if you keep on looking for what the meaning of life is....  Albert Camus