Israel & Palestine trip Day 2

Today we travelled through the Judean Desert and went from Jerusalem at 780 feet above sea level to the Dead Sea at 437 feet below sea level. Lots of climbing on foot too. The Kidron Valley is a green desert in spring when the "rains" come.

Here we have Masada, a fortress of King Herod the Great, built on  rock overlooking the Dead Sea. We took the cable car to the top but other brave souls climbed by foot. LOTS of history here and well worth reading about....The view of the Dead Sea was amazing, and showed  how it is rapidly receding. 

On to Qumran where in 1947 Bedouin shepherd boys found seven earthenware jars in caves containing biblical manuscripts. The Engedi Oasis, meaning Spring of the mountain goat, and where we would have seen the waterfall where David and his men fled from King Saul, was sadly too busy with other visitors, so we moved onto the Dead Sea. Engedi is now a National Park and the home of a Kibbutz. 

Time here for a float and a mud treatment...
Just don't try putting your feet down to help stand up! It's impossible. The water is 34% salt and very painful on the eyes! 

Fascinating facts as to how the Dead Sea came about and memories of Rocks and Soils topics and tectonic plates were refreshed!!