DEAD SEA

Points around the shore had salt flats, which we passed to get to the beach. It was a resort area with landscaping, stores and a bustling tourist center. Without noticing much of this we took the closest way down to the water. We'd been told to be very careful not to get any drops in our eyes or they would hurt and burn. Guy was the first one in.

'Look Ma! No hands!' 

To float without effort is an amazing sensation.

Guy demonstrates

 More of us

         

 

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. 
We could see through the aquamarine water to the bottom. The salt was so thick it had a different feel on our skin.

The view on the beach

En Gedi - Part two

It was a long trail and continued onwards. We chose to stop at David's Waterfall. 

 

We arrived at last! Bonnie dipped her foot in the stream water coming from the fall. Guy waded too, but we didn't catch a photograph of it.

In the past there has been much more water in the pool, but it was still beautiful.

The path away from the falls was different from the path coming. At times it looked dangerous and slippery. In one spot the bridge crossed part of the way into the water, and only an unsteady rock lay in front to step onto and get across. 

It made me (Bonnie) ask, "Really? Is this the way?"

 When we had come across we watched others halt at that spot. But everyone made it across safely, from elderly to young.

As we scrambled down we saw a group of soldiers resting in the shade.

And more beautiful flowers!

READY FOR EN GEDI

(no rhyme intended)

The barren wilderness of the Negev was unlike any wilderness we knew.  Fresh water springs sounded terrific to us after traipsing an arid, rocky terrain.  Traveling about fifteen miles further south in the desert we came to the gushing stream of En Gedi. As we entered the ravine from which it flows, we saw the wildlife which gathered around it.

ibex

rock rabbits

They climb trees!

Above the stream bed the stony cliffs rose unchanged by the stream coursing by below.

Families enjoy the pools

view of the Dead Sea

ON TO MASADA

Passing the shepherds and flocks in the Negev........

and camels, barely discernible on the hills,

and yes, a camel crossing sign,

the curvy road took us down into the bleak desert.

at a distance

 Masada is a plateau which was built up as a retreat fortress by Herod the Great. 

There is a trail to hike, but we couldn't spend the whole day climbing so we took the tram.

view from top

Hot and dry, even on an overcast spring day, there's too much to tell about this place. The history is tragic and significant.  Historians aren't sure how often Herod used this complex. Evidence of important Jewish customs were preserved here.
But when Jerusalem was overtaken by the Romans, radical Jewish people, Zealots, ran to this location, nine hundred of them.

As the story goes, they supported themselves from the storage of rain water in cisterns and of food left there as well as by sending for fresh produce from the valley.

The Romans considered them to be a threat, and besieged the site. When it became obvious to the Zealots that they could not escape, they made a decision.




Facing slaughter or slavery at the hand of the Romans, they took their own lives.

Stones with names

It was an organized process. Ten men were chosen by lot to begin, and one last man had to complete the gruesome task, and kill himself.

The historical events and the environment, left a great impact on us as we continued on to other areas in the region.

 

On the lighter side, in the gift shop we saw a salt figure called Lot's wife.

and the BELL CAVES

looking away up

inside

a great tourist gimmick.......but the chalk hand-print will wash out

Outside of the caves in a quarry grew a lovely garden of natural greenery.

And as everywhere else, the flowers flourished.

BET GUVRIN

The day was speeding past. Would we have enough time for our main tour? When we turned toward the ticket booth, a short but slow, line of cars was ahead of us. The park attendant recommended that we hurry to see most of it. There were several parts to this park but we only made it to four.

The cisterns

Stone staircase

At this spot in the hills consist mainly of chalk overlaid with harder rock.  
 "For thousands of years people have been cutting into the rock for quarries, burial caves, storerooms, industrial facilities, hideouts and dovecotes." ( quote from Israel Nature and Parks Authority)

We clambered  into several cisterns which captured the rainwater.

The bell shapes visible on the sides were nesting holes for pigeons. At times fugitives ran to this refuge, supporting themselves with the water supply and the domesticated birds.

 

Houses

 

Steps led us down into underground dwellings 
which were also carved into the rock.











Guy was in a room with an olive press.

 

 

 

 

 Caves

Sidonian Burial Cave

Which way do we go, to the cave on the left or to the one on the right? We chose the Musicians Cave.

  

 

And now we know the 'other' choice had more beautiful paintings. 

But we wouldn't have wanted to miss the Bell Caves, coming next .................

 LUNCH AT TEL AZEKA

Climbing up to Samson's Tomb wasn't enough so we had to go find another hill, Tel Azeka. Looking down from this 'high place' gave us a better grasp of what the Bible meant when it said 'the hill country of Dan.'  Though very much like the rolling foothills around our home, these didn't rise and rise to a higher mountain range. The view helped us understand how  the Israelis could come to worship where the view was a full 360 degrees. 

This 'tel' was one of several strategic sites surrounding Jerusalem. From its lookout position, watchmen could see foreign armies approaching and notify the commanders. An elevated mound indicated the presence of layers of civilizations which were formed by the destruction and rebuilding of towns in the same spot.

 

 

 

The mound overlooked the Elah Valley, famous for the battle in which David overcame Goliath.

    By the time we hiked up, and took a long look, and a few pictures, we were hungry. It was the week of  the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Since we had decided to observe this feast our picnics became a bit more creative. Already  experimenting with food, we brought our 'spreads' for the rice cakes and homemade tortillias: helva spread, date spread, apricot spread, but not the chocolate spread.

The Elah Valley Junction

Through the Elah Valley we were to go to the final destination, and we would not have wished to leave the area without entering it.

 

A dry stream bed remains.We picked out our 'giant-killing' stones there, just as David did many, many years ago.

With the steep banks on either side of the valley, standing to face an enemy army was a great risk. But with pleasant companionship we enjoyed the beauty and continued our journey.

 

SAMSON'S TOMB

It didn't take long to become certain that we'd driven too far. We returned to the place where other cars had pulled over. Was this it?  There was no distinguishing marker.

On the climb up the hill we saw a sheep shelter. A shepherd could guide his sheep under an overhang like this to let them rest.

Finally an unmistakeable monument, but wait! This was two tombs. In the book of Judges in the Bible explains that Samson's body was taken to the burying place of his father Manoah, and tradition has it that they lie at this spot in what was the territory of the tribe of Dan.

                                 Judges 16:31

History straight from scripture. Judges 15:14

First we got lost

Not really. 

As we started out on an excursion with new friends, we began to pass a sign that said Samson's Tomb. Did we want to see it? Of course!

We turned off the main road onto a gravel road, and with a pamphlet in hand looked for the right hill. It felt just like home, driving around curves in the dust, but when the the slope ran downhill we guessed we'd missed the spot.

OOPS! HERZLIYA FIRST

Another stop at another beach came before we traveled to Joppa......so blue!

                                                                                                                                                                       

And after a picturesque cliff view.......

we climbed down to a rock-strewn beach, snacked, explored, collected curiously shaped and 'holey' stones and then continued on our way.