The hike was *so* worth it.

Nice view, no? We were standing near the top of the tel at Beit She'an, in northern Israel. Beit She'an is especially known for its Roman and Byzantine ruins, but its history and antiquities go back much, much, further. But that's not the best part of this shot. Here are some closeups:

That's what's on the left of the first photo: The oldest part of the city, from about 7,000 years ago.

 

And that's what's on the right of the first photo- the mall of modern Beit She'an, whose most prominent sign is...well, imagine some Canaanite king millennia ago:

"O prophet, tell me of the future of this place."

"I see...I see...two glorious golden arches!"

Yup, it's a McDonald's. My camera can't quite capture it, but, yeah, you can see them at the same time.

Plug: I highly recommend the felafel place next door to the mall. And Kibbutz Shluchot, down the road, where we spent Shabbat.

More pictures to follow, I hope.