The word, beatitude, has its origin from the Latin word for happiness. Many years ago, Jesus spoke to a crowd in Galilee about the beatitudes, and this speech or sermon became known as the Sermon on the Mount. Presently, there is a church that claims to be built on the very location that Jesus held his sermon.

I was able to join my bestie and her colleagues on a day trip to Galilee (or Kinneret), Tiberius and a Baha'i site. Whilst in the area, we visited the Church of Beatitudes and swam in the Sea of Galilee (a.k.a. Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret or Lake Tiberias). It was hot (>35C) but the water was welcoming. In true wonderful Israeli style, some folks were perched on plastic chairs in the shallow water and others enjoyed the comfort of rafts (read here: air mattresses). It was a fabulous time.

Here are some pictures of the day trip. In those swimming photos (sample below), there is a lone raft as its occupants were tipped over by the waves.

My bestie and I basically went to Lebanon when we visited the beach town of Naharriya. It was in Naharriya that I came to appreciate Israeli ingenuity -- plastic chairs are perfect for sitting in shallow water and appreciating the waves and lounging! Who would have thought? Now, I will practice what I have learnt more regularly.

The photo credits are not all mine, they include M.N. and a random waitress.

Guy: What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
Me: I dunno. I don't really see the things that I do as crazy or ridiculous...but other people might.
Guy: What do you mean?
Me: Well, I'm not sure. I guess I mean that the risks I take, I don't see them as being crazy. BUT something cool, and I guess, daring, that I've done recently is skydive.
Guy: What?! Really?!
Me: Yes, here's the proof.

Massada. Where do I begin? Massada, by far, was my favorite spot in Haifa, let alone Israel. I understand it is where all the hipsters go. It is an artsy street. I guess some folks looked the part. But I felt that the street spoke to me. It told me it was a street full of life, intrigue, imperfections and beauty. It was all there.

Massada Street is just plain cool. There is street art -- murals, small pieces of work, messages; there are cafes and restaurants; there are shops; there are people bustling around; there is life. Yes, there is life on Massada. Humans old and young, dogs, cats, etc. They are all there, hanging out on Massada Street. Massada is where I went to enjoy solitude, light meals, tea breaks, people watching, shisha and music. Maybe, just maybe, when I am old and am looking for a place to settle down, I will go to Massada Street.

To check out Massada Street's cool street art, along with some street art from Tel Aviv that I also found quite neat, click here!