Israel Day One: Masada & The Dead Sea

Before we left London last year plans were in motion for a trip to Israel with some dear friends of ours who also live in London. When we learned of our move back to the US we decided not to let 20+ hours of flying and 10 time zones get in the way (by comparison this journey is 5 hours with only a two-hour time zone change from London!). So in May with months of planning to put to the test we took off to Israel for an incredible 10-day journey.



I have dreamed of this place for years. As a university student I was fortunate to be able to study abroad in France, and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. Having had such an amazing experience studying abroad, I also wished I could have done the same in Israel at BYU's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. Scott and I even flirted with the idea of joining the program as a newly married couple. It never happened. You know, money and stuff.



Israel did not disappoint. It was such an amazing and overwhelming experience. Every time I visit a new country I learn and grow, but this was exceptional. The experience was made wholly possible by our guide, Steven Rona, at Israel Revealed. As an Israeli-American-Jewish-Mormon man fluent in Hebrew and English, he provided us a very unique and rich experience. His wealth of knowledge was astonishing! I pretty much credit most everything I know about this place, including what I write on the blog, to him and Isreal Revealed. And in a country still so caught in the crossfire, I felt totally and completely safe in his care.



I took well over 3,000 photos, so you can imagine the colossal charge of sorting, editing and then finally selecting which ones to post! Hopefully taking this day by day will help ameliorate the enormity of the task at hand!



After our first overnight in Jerusalem we stumbled out of bed, packed up and headed to the desert. Today we would visit Masada, Qumran and the Dead Sea. From the desert in the south to the lush green valleys of the north, I am amazed at the diversity in landscape contained in this small country. Our first stop was Masada . . .



Masada was Herod's pleasure palace built as a fortress on top of a large mesa that came with inherent protection in its isolated situation and harsh living conditions. Lacking in natural forms of life support Herod went to great lengths to secure water and create food storage facilities to sustain life in this clifftop dessert palace. Eventually the Romans managed to build a ramp up to the palace which enabled them to conquer the place. Refusing to die at the Roman's hands the nearly 1,000 inhabitants of Masada at the time of the Roman invasion committed suicide the day before Roman penetration.








The black line scribbled along all of the walls throughout the palace indicates where the ancient lower wall and the modern day reconstructed upper portion meet.














Because Judaism strongly discourages suicide lots were drawn to determine who would kill each other in turn, down to the last man, who would be the only one to actually take his own life. The lots are said to have been found here.






Strangely this place known as the place where ancient Jews took their own lives lives on today as one of the Jewish people's greatest symbols of survival. Throughout history Israeli soldiers have taken an oath there: "Masada shall not fall again." Israeli children and soldiers visit at least once in their careers. Bar Mitzvah services are often held here.


Next we stopped to visit the ruins at Qumran made famous for the late 1940's discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.


They were found quite by accident as some Bedouin boys curiously examined the caves.


Dead Sea from Qumran


Qumran


Israeli soldiers are everywhere! Israeli men are required to join the Israeli army for three years.


A dip in the Dead Sea is a must! But there are some good guidelines to follow. No cuts or abrasions of any kind, or forget about it. In fact shaving is not advised even a couple of days prior. That salt is powerful and will try to incite the tiniest inclusion to pain!


A good thorough rinsing post-dip is essential. The salty film left behind is not pleasant, and any salty residue left on clothing might as well be bleach.




Not exactly paradise, but it is the Dead Sea


Photos courtesy of a fun, underwater point and shoot . . .




Scott and Glen (one of our London friends traveling with us)




The mud of the Dead Sea is billed to be one of the wonders of the dermatological world.


Everyone wanted in on the action, and dozens were filling empty water bottles with this muddy elixir of life. Wonder how drippy bottles of Dead Sea mud would do at customs control?


People from all over the world . . .


. . . may come in different swim attire, but all share the urgent need to de-salt!


An amazing first day!