A Journey into the Past:
Caesarea, Israel
by Judy Trest

In 1995, we journeyed to Israel when the area was relatively peaceful. For me, it was a trip long dreamed about to a place which held new adventures. For my husband, Mike, it was a return to adventures from his past since his last visit to the disputed lands of Israel.

The highlight of our trip was our visit to Caesarea. Mike had photographed the original excavation in 1972. Caesarea is a city with an ancient history long buried beneath the sand dunes of its Mediterranean shore.

Built in the Fourth Century BC, as a Phoenician harbor, it subsequently became a large city constructed by Herod the Great and named in honour of Augustus. When Judaea became a Roman province from AD 6 (or as called in Israel CE for Christian Era), Caesarea was the residence of the Roman procurators including Pontius Pilate during whose term of office Christ was crucified. In later centuries, the Crusaders also occupied the area.

We couldn't have asked for better weather. The sun was bright, the Mediterranean a brilliant blue and the air warm and inviting. As we pulled into the parking lot, Mike was amazed to find that the small excavation had now expanded a mile down the beach and included a hippodrome, which seated 20,000 spectators. Only a small section of this Herodian city had been unearthed when Mike had first visited the site.

Now, 20 years later, there was much more to observe. An introduction to the head archeologist gave us the opportunity to tour the site in true archeological fashion. We crawled through the excavations and walked on cobbles and tiles over 2000 years old, as we journeyed into the past. We spent several hours walking through the site, taking pictures and eventually enjoying a wonderful lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean. This small adventure truly added to our experiences and gave me an even greater appreciation for the heritage to be found in this small country.

We accumulated many memories while in Israel. There are so many experiences waiting out there for those with the spirit to pursue them. You don't have to travel thousands of miles. They can be in your neighborhood; all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and explore.

Judy Trest has been lucky to have a variety of exciting and interesting adventures. Both Judy and her husband Mike are avid photographers. Her interests besides photography and travel are in the Internet and technology areas. Come travel with Mike and Judy at their Web site: http://www.judy.trest.com