Fascination for the spiritual,
historic places, adventurous trails besides discovering the wild and wonderful
aspects of Nature have always been close to my heart. This time, I decided to
take off in to a journey of peace, tranquility and to discover the holy aura of
the sacred city of Nazareth. I have always been intrigued with Nazareth, the
little town where Jesus grew up. As I explored the ancient town of Nazareth
which is the capital city of the northern district of Israel, I was inspired by
the interesting sights, archeology, the Middle Eastern charm combined with the modern
culture.
An old and revered historic city,
Nazareth is located in Lower Galilee and is the largest Arab city. Being the
hub of Christian pilgrimage, Nazareth has been associated as the boyhood home
of Jesus. It was here that Jesus preached in the synagogue and was rejected by
the people. I walked around the Nazareth Village where excavations had taken
place and noticed with awe the 2000-year old winepress carved in to the bedrock.
The ruins of terraces, watchtowers and a vineyard stretched silently having
witnessed the greatest phenomenon of Jesus and His miracles. I could just
imagine Jesus walking around as people gathered from far and near to hear of
His wondrous parables.
Traveling Through a Kaleidoscope of Sights
As the day rolled into a balmy
afternoon, I wondered about the life of people of those times as I took in the
sights of the stone quarries and the spring-fed irrigation system. It was asked
in that time if anything good would come out of the small and almost
insignificant, Nazareth not knowing that the prophecy of ancient times would
come true in the form of a Messiah.
As a must-see pilgrimage center
for a believer, here I was, actually reliving the past where stupendous
incidents took place causing the little town of Nazareth to take pride of place
on the map. My spirit of adventure took over and I wandered through the ancient
paths, alleys and the maze-like streets of the old city of Nazareth. I found
myself right in the middle of Shuk or bazaar which was teeming with life, color
and awash with the smell of spices with the sound of the muezzin calling people
to worship. Buzzing with vibrancy, the Shuk ranged out myriad surprises with
souvenirs, exotic apparel, food delicacies, Middle Eastern antiques and a
kaleidoscope of everything imaginable. I found myself haggling with the local
craftsman over Dead Sea cosmetics and a beautifully carved hookah.
Sampling an Exotic Array of Delicious Culinary Delights
Though the people of those days
ate simple yet tasty, nourishing food, Nazareth ranges out an exotic and
delicious spread. The cuisine and the culture of this old city inspired my
taste buds to go on a tasteful spree at hummus eateries where you can enjoy
fatayer, sharwarma, baklava, knafeh and tehina and halva. Tasting this
excellent food is a privilege for a foodie and gourmet chefs with the hummus
being light and creamy along with the incredible Lebanese sandwich and of
course kebab in a grilled pita. I was delighted at the repertoire of culinary
delights which is endless in Nazareth with the ultimate street food. I loved
the Awaeh or sugared jelly doughnut, goat’s milk labaneh, shanklish cheese and sizzling
lamb chops. My culinary journey evolved over the most amazing sesame cookies,
ma’amoul, karkish anise cookies, barazek, sabanekh or pastry triangles with
wild spinach filling and steaming, myriad delicious food.
Journeying Through Ancient Mists
As I made my through this unique
Middle Eastern atmosphere the spirit of adventure had already captured and
rejuvenated my soul to discover and delight in an exceptional tour of Nazareth.
I walked down the narrow streets and admired the picturesque homes of the
hospitable people of Nazareth. Making my way to the Church of the
Annunciation decorated with beautiful paintings, I discovered a history of
Byzantine and Crusader periods in its sacred history. Memorable in its rendition, the Church of Saint Joseph is structured where
Joseph, Mary’s husband had his carpentry shop while the Greek Orthodox Church
of the Annunciation is near Mary’s Well. Though I was reluctant to leave this
historical site, I wandered through the incredible Maronite Church, the Salesian Church and St. Gabriel’s Church
to revel in the mists of time.
The interesting museum housed in the White Mosque reveals the
history and the beliefs of Nazareth. Magnetic and mesmerizing, The City of
Nazareth threw open its ancient secrets and I was amazed at the underground
passages of the Greek
Orthodox bishop’s house and the compound built by the Russians. The ancient
Bath House, the Megiddo National Park, the holy caves of Nazareth, the old
Roman town of Seppheris and the Nazareth Village completely occupied and boggled
the mind. Of course, a trip to Nazareth is not complete till one visits the
Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee to relive ancient times and revel in a
memorable and historical past.
Travel with Binoy Nazareth Through the Ancient and
Awesome City of Nazareth
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