The Dead Sea

We've traveled extensively in the North of Israel, with its lush forests, green valleys, and charming towns and villages.  But as John Cleese used to say on Monty Python's Flying Circus, "Now for something completely different!"  Traveling eastward from Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea, the landscape changes quickly and dramatically - from rolling hills blanketed with trees to an empty and foreboding moonscape that seems incapable of supporting human life.  The road descends into a vast arid abyss, culminating in the lowest point on earth and one of the world's saltiest bodies of water.

Our first stop was the Inn of the Good Samaritan, one of Israel's newest national parks, about halfway between Jerusalem and Jericho.  Excavations at the site have unearthed remains from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE, and according to the New Testament, the site is where the Parable of the Good Samaritan took place.  During the Byzantine period, the site was revived and an inn was constructed for Christian pilgrims heading to Jerusalem from the East.  The inn was restored and fortified during the Crusader period, reflecting the site's importance along the road connecting Jerusalem with Jericho and baptismal sites on the Jordan River.  During Ottoman times, the site was used as a guard-post to protect the road from attack by brigands.   Today, the site features a renovated 19th century Ottoman building housing an extensive museum of mosaics from synagogues and churches, mainly from the West Bank and Gaza. Some of the mosaics are replicas that have been reproduced using traditional techniques, but many are ancient originals. 

Our next stop was Mineral Beach for a float on the Dead Sea.  After eating a picnic lunch on the beach and experiencing the bizarre sensation of effortless buoyancy, we covered ourselves in mud (supposedly it's good for the skin), enjoyed the natural sulfur pools, had a nice talk with the lifeguard Dan from Philadelphia, and chatted with some members of a colorfully dressed Nigerian tour group about Afrobeat and Highlife music.  (I think this was the same Nigerian tour group we ran into at Mt. Tabor some days ago in the North of Israel.)  

After leaving Mineral Beach, we drove up the winding, windswept road to Metzoke Dragot, a small, isolated community overlooking the Dead Sea that feels like it's at the end of the earth.  The views are awe inspiring, but it's a long way to the supermarket (not to mention the movie theater).  After the fifth stop along the road to take pictures, Talia said:  "I have an idea Daddy.  Why don't we just go to the hotel and then you can take all the pictures you want."  Ok, so she had a point.  And thankfully, the views from our balcony at the Ein Gedi Youth Hostel were picture perfect. 

Looking west from Metzoke Dragot

The majestic Wadi Darga, from near Metzoke Dragot

An ibex by the side of the road, near Metzoke Dragot

Above the Dead Sea, near Metzoke Dragot

Another shot of Wadi Darga

Here are some of the views we captured from our balcony, looking eastward across the Dead Sea to the Red Mountains of Jordan (though I left the room and walked down to the parking lot to get the shot of the ibex).  Even with a simple point and shoot camera (the guy on the next balcony had a fancy camera with a really big lens, which of course made me envious), the range of different hues from the same vantage point was striking.  

Sunrise view 1

Sunrise view 2

Sunrise view 3 (about a minute or two after shot 2 above)

Ibex in the hostel parking lot

Sunrise view, second morning

Afternoon view

Sunset view 1

Sunset view 2

Sunset view 3

For our second day on the Dead Sea, after deciding we had enough of swimming in highly saline water, we headed for the freshwater pools of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.  The reserve features a couple of gorgeous canyon oases with steep cliffs, ancient ruins, picturesque waterfalls, and more panoramic views.  Across the road from the reserve, there's also an attractive and lively public beach. 

Chalcholite (copper age) temple

Mosaic floor, ancient synagogue

Mosaic floor, ancient synagogue

Swimmer at Ein Gedi beach

Our journey continues in the next post with a return to Masada, a place that has been vividly emblazoned in my memory since my visit in 1977.  The kids want to take the cable car up - maybe we're crazy, but we want the full experience, so we're going to climb the 400 meters up the "Snake Path" to the summit.  Good thing we came in December, instead of August.  And good thing our children are susceptible to cajolery with souvenirs and ice cream...