Where is Roberg?

Well, Flat Kat and I just arrived back in Jerusalem after a two day stay in the Dead Sea area, and we had a very lively time!

Ein Gedi: A Canyon Oasis in the Desert

In addition to its other unique qualities, the Dead Sea is actually located in a desert!  That desert has an oasis where fresh water springs bubble up from the ground and flow down a canyon into the sea.  This oasis is known as Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.  As one climbs the canyon, the view gets better and better.

    …Here are two views out toward the Dead Sea

And looking up at the rest of the canyon…      

  The waterfall was beautiful.

I also encountered a furry friend or two.

            

Masada: the Mountain Top Fortress

Before I left the U.S., I called a former Union College professor of mine who is one of the most renowned experts on Israel and Jewish history in the northeast (Stephen Berk) for some advice about where to travel. He said that Masada was a “must-see”, and Lonely Planet agreed, so I made it the first stop on my trip to the Dead Sea.

Aerial view of Masada

One highly recommended experience is to climb to the top of the mountain to watch the

sunrise over the Jordanian mountains and the Dead Sea. So, setting my alarm for 4 am, I was off for an early morning hike by 4:30 am. After getting a bit lost in the dark, I eventually found the Snake Path that lead up to the top, and hiked for about 50 minutes, making sure I didn’t fall. Although there were handrails at points and steps the whole way up, one wrong step would have sent me over the edge in the dark. As I climbed, the pre-dawn light made it easier, and before I knew it, I was at the top of the mountain.

Flat Kat looking down at the Snake Path from above

Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy, so I did not get the full experie

nce of a glorious sunrise: I guess I’ll just have to come back here when I lead a group of interested participants (anyone up for a trip to Israel in a couple of years?) to get the full experience.

Even with the slight disappointment of a less than spectacular sunrise, the fortress of Masada more than made up for it. Stunning views in every direction and walking through history has a tendency to do that.

Built by King Herod, the same king who built Caesarea, around 70 years before the birth of Christ, the fortress was meant as a last resort for him in case of a Jewish revolt or an invading Roman army. With that in mind, he ordered that luxuries he could not live without, like swimming pool, an extensive bathing area, and an extraordinary Northern Palace incorporated into the plan. Herod never had to use his hideout fortress, but it acted as a place for later occupiers.

In particular, some Jewish zealots took over the fortress during the First Revolt against the Romans, who had taken over the kingdom shortly after Herod’s death. After four years of revolt, Masada was the last Jewish holdout and the zealots inside vowed not to give it up without a fight.

When the Romans arrived, they had 4,000 soldiers who set up camp at the base of the fortress, and there were under 200 defenders. Over a 4 month siege, the Romans built a ramp that ascended most of the height of the mountain and built siege engines in preparation for an assault on the fortress.

I drew a line to make it easier to see the ramp

Confronted by overwhelming numbers, the Jews inside had few options: they could 1. give up, 2. fight vainly to the death and be taken prisoner, or commit suicide. They decided to commit suicide by drawing lots. Each person who drew “the short straw” was responsible for killing 9 other people. Then with 10 of them left, they drew lots and one person was responsible for killing the other 9 left and then himself. When the Romans finally took the fort, they only found 5 people alive, a couple women and their children who didn’t want to die. The rest of the people had chosen to die with honor rather than be taken prisoner. Although suicide is against the Jewish religion, the zealots considered it more honorable than giving in or being overwhelmed by the Roman forces and facing a life of enslavement.

Today, Masada has become a symbol of the Israeli state. Some soldiers who are inducted into the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) come to Masada and pledge that “Masada will not fall again”. It has become a symbol of the determination of the citizens of Israel to fight to the death to defend their country if it has to come down to that.

It is also a physical reminder of the ancient connection of the Jews to the land that they have fought to reclaim.
Floating and a Beauty Treatment in the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth (400 meters below sea level), but that’s not all that makes it special. The Jordan River, a river that is viewed as holy by some religions, flows into it. Even more unique, it has no outlet. Instead, the water evaporates, leaving behind all of the minerals that would normally find their way out through an outlet. As a result, the Dead Sea is 30 times saltier than the ocean, making it impossible to do anything but float. Of course I wouldn’t want to go under – when the water gets in your eyes (it happened to me 4 times), it REALLY stings!

After I changed into my swim trunks and entered, I was surprised to find that the bottom was mud. I almost slipped and fell head first into the water! After getting my balance, I walked out a bit, sat down, laid back, and began to float. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know about you, but when I try to float in a regular pool, or in the ocean, I have to hold my breath and try to push my midsection up in order to give myself buoyancy – if I don’t, I sink like a rock. So, when I laid back and started to float, I remained tense. After a minute, I relaxed, and before I knew it I was lazily floating along.

I’d read a sign on my way in that if a person gets the water in their eyes, they should simply wait for the burning to subside. When it happened to me, I didn’t realize how severe the burning would be. Oh man, did that HURT! And it took about 4-5 minutes for the burning to subside, not just a few seconds like it does when ocean water gets in your eyes. Once the burning passed, I went back to floating, and enjoyed the amazing feeling of not having to strain to hold myself up. I could even bring my legs and arms in, making myself into a ball and I still floated. It was cool.
After a while, I went back to the shore to soak in some sun (it was about 85 degrees with a few puffy clouds in the sky, and it has been that way here for the last week). I saw some people spreading mud all over themselves and had seen all kinds of Dead Sea Spa products being sold throughout my travels in Israel. I figured that since people pay a lot of money for these products to make their skin beautiful, I would give it a shot.

How do you think it turned out? Do I look beautiful?

(I’ll write more, but for now, I’ve got to head to Tel Aviv… I’ll finish this post later today or tomorrow. )

Filed under: Israel, Travel