A Pool and a Monastery in Haifa

If a person gets off the beaten path in Israel and takes trails, the Eretz Yisrael is full of surprises.

Our trail of descent from Mount Carmel, Haifa

Yesterday we took a side trail off of Mount Carmel towards Carmel Beach. The path was steep at first, and full of dead branches as we deciphered the way to get to the marked trail.

An oak grove near where we joined the trail

The marked trail took the course of a wadi, a dry riverbed that can quickly carry run-off during times of rain (not the place to be in wet weather). The stone gave us an easy descent.

The wadi we traveled along the first part of our trail

Along the way there were groves of oak trees and other plant life.

The trail marking under the oak trees

Eventually we found ourselves on an old developed roadbed. This made the traveling easier, as the route had been graded for easy and smooth descent.

Our trail follows an old road

The roadbed was old, and not maintained. What had once been a road had become a trail.

The road is old, and all smoothness is gone

Along the way we ran into an antiquity. There are actually ancient ruins (and some newer ruins) all over Israel. This ruin was the remains of a center for Carmelite monks. The Carmelite Order is dedicated to contemplation and prayer. They find inspiration for their practice of faith from the prophet Elijah and Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both were people of prayer.

Antiquities marker for the Carmelite Church

There is an old monastery on the trail.

An old entrance to an old church

The monks needed a source of water, so they built a pool at a spring where water comes out of the mountain.

A cool place for a refreshing rest

This spring was actually our destination, and we spent time in the cool refreshing waters. Then we drank coffee, and talked to others who were hiking the trail. One of the men we talked to helped open facebook in Israel. We talked about many things, including politics. The Israelis are fascinated by our politics, especially as it influences Israel. We also talked about education, youth groups and the natural beauty of the land.

The path below the monistary

Beyond the monastery, an aqueduct took water downhill. There were many ponds along the way with other people bathing. We finally reached a road at the bottom and took a taxi to our home on top of the hill.