Nazareth Picture Summary

Since I posted a big photo album, I'll do a quick explanation for most of the photos. This by no means does them justice and there are much more detailed stories to tell for all of them. But that would require a book and not just this blog to complete.

The pictures in the market are from on of my family's coffee shops, this includes the spices and my cousin Shadi working behind the counter. The butcher is literally next door and I had to get a picture of the lambs hanging there for sale.

The graveyard pictures are of my relatives mausoleum and the large tomb is my grandfather's. My grandfather was the Mayor of Nazareth for a long time (count in decades) and, thus, the large grave site adjacent to the family building given his importance in the city.

The people are generally all my relatives from the young cousin's to the older ladies who are my great aunts (or Umtie's in Arabic). The big events for all of the family started with just an evening at the house with singing and dancing Tuesday night, then the Bride's Party was Wednesday at the wedding hall, Groom's Party Thursday at the house, and the actual wedding was Saturday at the wedding hall again. So there are many pictures of people dancing and having a good time. Best thing to note here is great Umtie Lamesse who loves to sing always led the singing and it was fabulous.

The pictures of the big church is the Church of the Annunciation built over what is believed to be Mary's home (as in Jesus' mama). The actual home is in the pictures and for all intensive purposes the homes back in those days in this area more closely resemble 2 room caves built into the hills. One room is the family area, the other room is the "stable" to protect the animals. So when Jesus was born in the manger, it really likely isn't like most people imagine it as a barn.

Missing from the pictures is The White Mosque which is run by my family and is the oldest in the area. You aren't allowed to take pictures in the Mosque but I do have pictures from the spiral staircase below it where they were expanding and excavating and found a 2000 year old wall and a well.

The olive and citrus tree pictures were from my family's compound. I took those all the day I wasn't allowed to help get stuff done for the party since I'm preggo.

There are then pictures from two other Church's, one the Synagogue Church the second is the Greek Orthodox church at Mary's Well. The Synagogue Church is where it is believe Jesus began to teach from. The Orthodox Church is in a beautiful building and was once a crusader hall.

I think that pretty much covers most of the pictures. I am going to blog a couple stories for a few still.