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One of the many mosaics being unearthed and restored in Caesarea. The writing
is in Greek.
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This Caesarea mosaic gives you an idea of the intricacy of the patterns and
colors found in these exquisite artworks. You can also see the kind of damage
they've undergone in the past 2000 years. It's remarkable that, despite the
cracking and warping, the vibrancy of the original has been so well preserved.
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Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea in Caesarea. The choppy seas warn of a
brewing storm.
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The most famous mosaic at Zippori National Park is this dining room floor decoration.
The central section depicts a number of scenes from Greek myth, including images of
Hercules and Dionysus. At either end are portraits of women. The closer face is
remarkable for its lifelike beauty and subtlety, which the camera cannot do justice.
(The face at the far end is not visible in this photo.)
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This Zippori mosaic depicts three Amazon warriors, each with one breast exposed.
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A close-up of the "Mona Lisa" of Zippori. The photo conveys only an inexact
sense of its beauty. When viewed in real life, the mosaic has a vibrancy which
is far greater than the possible sum of its small tiled parts.
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This is one of many war memorials found on the Golan Heights. It seems that almost
every Israeli death in the '67 or '73 war is commemorated. The photo was taken
not far from Qazrin.
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A view into Lebanon across the border near Metullah, just a few hundred yards from
The Good Fence crossing. Behind the UN guard you can see some Lebanese citizens
returning home after visiting the Israeli side.
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This lush grotto at Banias was the site of a Greek temple complex which included
a shrine to the nature god Pan. If you look carefully, you can pick out mossy
remains of pillars and carvings.
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A row of tanks stand silently along the roadside in the Golan, facing due east
toward Syria. They appear to be covered in tarps as protection against the rain.
What's striking is the freedom of movement around military areas like this; in a
country where nearly every citizen is in the military, there doesn't seem to be a
need to erect a fence around a defensive position like this one.
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