stories from around the world
Haifa was a bit of a mystical place for me growing up. My dad spent quite a bit of time traveling here for work, but like the rest of Israel, is somewhere that felt so foreign, I would never get the chance to go see it. The third-largest city in Israel, there’s 5,000 years of …
This day was our second tour of Jesus, a tour of his life. It was incredibly powerful to visit the places from the stories I heard growing up in church. It put things in perspective to know how long Jesus must have walked to get from one location to the next, to stare out at …
This rundown town managed to transport me back to Roman times despite its lack of restoration. The ruins were simple and worn down but felt more authentic that way. I should probably clarify that I’m talking about the old city Caesarea. The new Caesarea is like any other modern city you’d expect, not the abandoned …
Tel Aviv is Israel’s big city. It’s modern and home to many famous startups. It’s got a grungy vibe that many cities in the US try to master but can’t. You can easily see how much less religion plays a role when contrasting it with Jerusalem. Strolling through the streets, you’ll hear locals speaking in …
The next day started in Aqaba, the port sister city to Eilat, where Moses and his people were said to have been lost for 40 years in the desert on his way to the Promised Land. Close to Wadi Rum, Aqaba is in the middle of Jordan’s golden triangle of tourism. The seven pillars of …
Our third of three “Fun” Times tour, we were skeptical yet hopeful for the start of our two-day Jordan tour under their questionably capable hands. Our plans were to go see Petra and Wadi Rum, the two most famous tourist attractions in Jordan. A rocky start to the day After realizing we were a group …
We thought we’d say a quick goodbye to Jerusalem. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we headed out early to go pick up our car. The Israeli Budget franchise had different plans for us. No cars were available for pick up, and with pouring rain preventing us from leaving that tiny waiting room, we settled in for a …
Continue reading Getting salty at the Dead Sea and witnessing the burning bush in Egypt
Jerusalem is the site of Jesus’s arrest, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. It goes without saying that is one of the holiest places in the world for many Christians. Growing up, I’d heard all of these names—Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Golgotha—but actually being here and walking the same streets where the history I grew up learning …
Continue reading A self-guided Jesus Holy Week tour through Jerusalem
On Christmas Eve before our tour to Bethlehem in the afternoon, we woke up early to see the famed Temple Mount in the heart of Jerusalem’s old city. Also known as Mount of the House of God, the Temple in Jerusalem, and Haram esh-Sharif, this place is holy for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for very …
Continue reading Temple Mount, the holiest place in the world
I’ve celebrated Christmas the exact same way for my entire life. As Germans, we celebrate on Christmas Eve with a traditional German meal, evening mass, singing German Christmas songs out of tune, eating way too many cookies, and opening presents in the living room. This year was a little different. To save ourselves the trouble, …
