Jesus Boat, 4th of July and Mt. of Beattitudes

The last part of our Saturday was to visit the Jesus Boat. In 1986 two brothers who fish for a living went out into the sea while there was a drought looking for things stuck in the bottom. They found a boat...from ancient times. It is big enough for 5 guys to ride in and matched many of the boats found in mosaics dating back to the time of Jesus. It was also built in the style used during that time which was to put planks together and then add the frame ( which is opposite of how we do it now). In order to move the boat out of the mud they had to call in underwater archaeologist to come in and dig it out. However, the wood was so well preserved under the mud that any sudden changes to its atmosphere would cause it to decay. Preservationist were called in and they kept the boat soaked at all times and put special cloths over it. The archeaologist couldn't walk on the boat or around it so they built a frame and had to hang over the boat to work on it. They then wrapped the entire boat in fiberglass and floated it down the river to its new home at the museum built just for it close to Nof Ginossar. It was probably the neatest thing of the day.....plus they showed us a lenghty video on the whole process of finding it, digging it up, preserving it and getting it to the musuem!!

We went back to the hotel after that and rested a while before heading down to the Sea for some pictures before dinner. There was no way I was going to eat my weight in cheesecake and then slide into a bathing suit. After pictures we ate a LARGE and wonderful dinner.
Next we all headed down the shore for some 4th of July fun. Willie found some cardboard and tore it to spell July 4. Then we borrowed a lighter and lit it on fire while we sang patriotic songs....which was kinda funny. It was a great way to end the day and to celebrate the 4th of July with people from all over the US while on the Sea of Galilee. Plus we got some neat pictures of the Sea at night and how Jesus would have seen it...with no city lights, just the moon.

The next morning we woke up early and headed to the Mt. of Beattitudes where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5. There is a church on the summit that was built in the 1930 and was paid for by Italy's Musselini ( spelling?). It was neat to walk down the mount thru banana plants and tall grass and kinda view the area as it would have been during the time of Jesus. There was hardly anything modern in view and we were able to walk it at our own pace. You can see the Sea from there and local farmers were at work.
More from that day later!!!!

Pictures of Boat, 4th and Mount