MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA

Today was an early start to the day to get on our 11 hour tour that began in Ashdod. We met our tour guide and away we went. On the drive to Masada we saw many Bedouin camps with their goat herds. These camps are not pretty like the ones in the movies with flowing tent, sumptuous meals and dancing girls. These are made of scrap metal, boards and plywood, tarps and whatever else can be found. They are constructed on the most barren land with lots of garbage around. When they decide to move camp, they leave a huge mess and start new somewhere else. The Bedouins leave lots of plastics that continue to roll around on the highways and in the small green fields that intersperse the sand and rock here and there. There are more than 100,000 Bedouins of which the children do not attend school. Give those facts and their numbers, it doesn’t seem possible that this society will end anytime soon. (well at least not until December 2012 – we all know what happens then! …. Refer to blog from Cave of the Revelations)

So onto Masada – we had our first look at the Dead Sea from the bus during this drive. The colours rival those of Lake Louise in Banff….but I digress. We traveled from 400 meters below sea level to sea level (a mountain) to walk in Masada. The story is too long to relate here, but it is a very amazing archeological sight that covered several centuries. In short, the first fortress was built in about 50 BC. Herod the Great (who wasn’t very big or tall if you look at his private bath…) used this as his Winter Fortress. The most significant time for Masada was in about 75 AD during the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans. Then about 1,000 Jewish rebels made Masada their home. The Siege took place shortly after when 8,000 Roman soldiers were able to finally breach the outer wall of Masada after several months of building a ramp up the only side that was accessible. The 960 members of the rebel community decided to be executed rather than live in shame and humiliation. So 10 lots were drawn for the men to carry out this massacre of people with the last man dispatching his wife and small child and then committing suicide. When the Romans advanced to the fortress, there was no one left and it was a hollow victory. There is your history lesson in brief for today.

We traveled back down from Masada to the Dead Sea. Once again we were at 400 meters below sea level. We stopped at a hotel and were able to change into our bathing suits and then a brief walk down to the shore. The shore is completely encrusted with salt and minerals. The turquoise blue is difficult to describe and even the pictures don’t show you exactly how it looks when you are right there. The water was so incredibly warm. Now those of you who know me and what a wuss I am getting into water….all I can say is this felt like a bath. So you wade out a short way and then sit! You feel so buoyant . It is weird – if you are in water that is only a few feet deep – it is very difficult to get from floating to standing. You kind of have to do this awkward paddle thing to get to where your bum touches the bottom and then stand up. Even the slightest breeze will take your feet from under you and you are floating again – whether or not you want to. Now the nasty thing about the Dead Sea is when your nose is near to the water – it smells so bad and one other thing – it tastes even worse! (don’t ask!)

Oh and my update from the fall – nose is completely healed – other part is glorious shades of yellow, green, black and purple and my knee – well, gravity has pulled the bruising down the front of my leg! But I don’t worry, I just tell people that Tina hits me!