Israel Edition: Friday, Part I

The following morning, the conference over and the travel home getting eventually under way, I had some time to explore.

After breakfast, (wherein I was the only guest in the breakfast room and the manager had the kitchen make me a cheese omelette from scratch that nearly brought me to tears with its goodness after a week of not-very-good and upon which I dubbed the title "day-after-birthday gift #1")

 I hit the streets of Nazareth with my friends Laura and Amanda.

 Our first stop, Mary's well, located just down the street from our hotel, 

and supposedly the site where Mary got her water.

According to Greek Orthodox tradition, this is also where she got the word that she would get something else,

 and hence, there is a church built just up the road (at the source of the spring).

 There was a service going on, so after perusing the courtyard (and the gift shop), 

 we continued our way into the city,

(wherein a lovely man gifted me with a warm pita from the piles of pita at the door of his shop, heretofor known as "day-after-birthday gift #2")

 starting with the Market.

 Emerging from the market,

we came upon the Basilica of the Annunciation,

 the spot in the Catholic tradition where Mary got her word (and also supposedly set on the spot where she lived).

 The outdoor courtyard contains depictions of Mary and baby Jesus

 from all around the world.

 Inside, a service was occurring,

and I found more beauteous things.

I left my friends here then,  

and wandered just across the way to the Church of St. Joseph,

 

which I will let this sign tell you all about.

 I explored the caves beneath

 but then had to be on my way.

Winding back through the market,

 I bargained for olives for my dinner,

 and ate some birthday fruit.

A fig seller, however, told me I was eating the wrong thing, pointing to his figs. I could only reply "Well...give me some to try!',

 and sure enough, he did.

["day-after birthday gift #3"]

He was right about one thing; that fig was dang tasty.

I ate it as I wandered back,

 taking in my final Nazareth sites,

and one last convenience store stop.

And that, was only Friday morning.