Along the way, we saw beautiful flowers that highlighted the beginning of spring in Israel, and enjoyed the warming sun on our skin as we walked along the crystal-clear beach. Soon enough (after about an hour and a half of walking!) we were able to make it into the Roman city.
The first thing we saw in Caesarea were ruins from an old, Roman palace. It is believed that the mosaic floors we saw were part of King Herod's palace or those belonging to another significant diplomat during the rule of the Roman/Byzantine empire. The palace is located right next to the water and seems to have been held up by gorgeous, stone columns in its original, non-ruined state.
After touring the archaeological sites, Josh and I got very hungry! So, we stopped by a beachside lunch joint where we enjoyed a delicious, margherita pizza, with a delicate crust and smooth cheese filling. Then, I saw a fellow customer eating beautiful baked potatoes and decided I must have them too! Although it was only two dishes, Josh and I were very satisfied and fueled up for the rest of our day in Caesarea!
As Josh began looking for a gift to bring home to his parents when he returns back home to Atlanta, I found two unique necklaces — both with a depiction of a hamsa. A hamsa is something you will always see around Israel and represents protection in both Jewish and Islamic culture. It is known to bring its wearer happiness, luck, health and good fortune! I had quite a difficult time choosing between the two necklace options: can you guys guess which one I chose? (The answer is in the picture caption!)
At this point, day began to close into night. On our way out of Caesarea, we saw a wedding ceremony being arranged on the coast of Caesarea.
