By comparison with yesterday we seem to have done little today. No complaints, it was lovely to reach the new hotel in Tiberias by mid afternoon, with a balcony view of the Sea of Galilee.

But first after leaving Jerusalem we drove to Abu Ghosh, said to be the place where the disciples met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus. The most beautiful garden planted with palms and every kind of flowering bush led to a church of great calm, built by the Crusaders in 11th century and still filled with the loveliest paintings on walls, arches and pillars, and decorated in places with coloured and textured stone.

We had a reading, hymn and prayers in the crypt, a spiritual time close to a natural spring under the stone. We could have stayed much of the day. My prayers for the fruits of the spirit were echoed by a recent plaque near the door dedicating a new pavement in 2009 by a Belgian priest …que ce saint lieu porte en vous les fruits de sa grace, sa beaute et a la measure sa vocation …

After a 2 hour drive, we passed Meggido an archeological site which shows many layers of settlement and in Revelation is the suggested site of Armageddon – God’s last battle with the Devil.

We also passed by a hill, distant in the haze, said to be the site of the transfiguration.

Then to the thriving town of Nazareth, in Jesus’ time a tiny village of just 250 people. The place where Jesus was brought after Egypt by Joseph and Mary for his childhood. But the principal celebration of the site is the twentieth century church of the Annunciation, built on the site of an early synagogue church and enclosing a simple stone dwelling said to be where Mary was visited by the angel announcing that she was to bear the Son of God. Before we entered the church we heard the reading of this event and were led in prayer by Liz.

The church was large and had a tall conical central tower and second floor. As in many modern churches there was much concrete but also some lovely modern stained glass: in particular a triangular window showing Mary’s sleeping head next to the angel.

Beyond the Franciscan church there was a separate quiet church of St Joseph, filled with peace.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the Church of the Annunciation is its facade depicting the angel and Mary but also the four Evangelists with their symbols – Matthew the boy with his genealogy, Mark the lion symbolising the wilderness, Luke the bull symbolising sacrifice in the Temple and John the eagle with the book.

The Holy Land restaurant close by the churches offered us a royal feast for lunch of clear vegetable soup with pitta bread, spaghetti with a meat sauce (sufficient on its own), beef with potatoes and salad and finally a delicious coconut macaroon.

Driving on to Tiberias we passed through a large village which turned out to be Cana, of first miracle fame. It being the “third day” a Tuesday, we did see a wedding car – they are unsurprisingly popular here. I imagine Tiberias would then be the perfect honeymoon stop with its string of hotels along the shore of the refreshing Sea of Galilee. The heat is intense and the pool inviting.