From the Baptism site we drove through Acre and Ceaseria and proceed through the coastal road to visit the old city of Jaffa. We passed through Tel Aviv, the most modern city in the land. [The modern city of Tel Aviv was founded on the outskirts of Jaffa in 1909 and today it encompasses the ancient city. Tel Aviv means “the Hill of Spring” and it is the same name as the city of a settlement in Babylon during the Exile (Ezek 3:15).]
Jaffa (Yaffo, Joppa) is one of the oldest port cities in Mediterranean and was called the 'port of Jerusalem'. At Jaffa we saw the church dedicated to St. Peter commemorating his miraculous healing of Tabita. The church was closed. We also saw the House of Simon the Tanner.
Charulatha Passes SSLC in flying colours - Greetings from Jaffa
Charulatha Passes SSLC in flying colours - Greetings from Jaffa
Jaffa being on the sea side is a beautiful city. The old city with its ancient pavements looked really ethnic. Since we had some spare time there we walked to the site through sea shore through a serene location. So we decided to try a phone call to home for one important event. Back home SSLC results have been published and Charulatha was in 10th. Though we wanted to make a call since morning, could not find a facility. Here as we sipped coffee at a coffee outlet one public phone was located. But we had a problem. We did not have local coins to operate the phone. Soon we realised that the phone is to be operated by calling card. Luckily the coffee shop had calling cards. Finally we could make the much awaited call and we were happy to know that Charu has passed SSLC with flying colours.
We also were fortunate to locate in the The Jaffa museum which is located under the paved street on the top of the hill, in Kedumim Square. In the museum you can see the walls of Hellenistic and Roman Jaffa, as excavated at this site. Among the ruins are life-sized figures that demonstrate the life in the old times. There is also an audio-visual show, and an exhibition of some archaeological findings. None of the other members of the group could see the museum since they had already rushed to the bus. when we reached the bus, we could understand that the spare time we got was out of some misunderstanding. But when we shared the news of exam result all of them were happy and wanted a treat which we did the next day in Bethlehem.
We also were fortunate to locate in the The Jaffa museum which is located under the paved street on the top of the hill, in Kedumim Square. In the museum you can see the walls of Hellenistic and Roman Jaffa, as excavated at this site. Among the ruins are life-sized figures that demonstrate the life in the old times. There is also an audio-visual show, and an exhibition of some archaeological findings. None of the other members of the group could see the museum since they had already rushed to the bus. when we reached the bus, we could understand that the spare time we got was out of some misunderstanding. But when we shared the news of exam result all of them were happy and wanted a treat which we did the next day in Bethlehem.
St. Peter's Churchand House of Simon the Tanner
Peter came to Joppa from Lydda to raise Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). While in Joppa, the apostle stayed at the house of Simon the Tanner. When Peter was praying on the roof, he had a vision of a large sheet filled with animals being lowered from heaven (Acts 9:43-10:23), signaling to him to go with the messengers from Cornelius. The Church of St. Peter marks the traditional site of Peter’s vision of the great sheet.
In Jaffa there are many other churches and monasteries.
Without spending much time at Jaffa, we travelled further to enter Bethlehem. Of all the destinations in the Holy Land, it is Bethlehem that I always loved and wanted to visit. It was night when we entered Bethlem. We stayed there overnight.
Without spending much time at Jaffa, we travelled further to enter Bethlehem. Of all the destinations in the Holy Land, it is Bethlehem that I always loved and wanted to visit. It was night when we entered Bethlem. We stayed there overnight.
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