Day 5

Very long day today. We switched today’s and yesterday’s activities around because of the hot temperature. Today’s temperature at the Dead Sea was supposed to be cooler than yesterday. If today was cooler I sure would have hated to have been in the area yesterday!!!! Since today also included a move out of the hotel in Jerusalem and a long drive to our next hotel we had extra included in the plans making a very long day.

We left our nice 4 star hotel in Jerusalem this morning at 8 a.m. We have another guide this morning but the name of Johnny. We went east out of the city. We went thru a tunnel under the Mount of Olives and upon exiting on the east side of the mountain we were immediately in the Judean Desert. What a change from the west side of the mountain! The town of Bethany is on the eastern slope of the mountain and is also in the Palestine occupied area of the West Bank. Bethany is the town where Jesus spent most of his time while in the Jerusalem area. It is the town where Mary and Martha lived. The Judean desert is also a place where the nomads or Bedouins live so we did see a couple of camels and some tents (or shacks). Jerusalem’s elevation is 2700 feet above sea level. Today we are on our way to the Dead Sea, approximately 20 miles from Jerusalem but the elevation at the Dead Sea is 1300 feet below sea level. It is the lowest place on earth.

As we passed through the desert we occasionally saw an oasis. A couple of buildings with a few palm trees around. We soon reached the road where we turned south. To our west were large, barren mountains. We did see many palm trees, some arranged as if in an orchard. We found out they produce dates. We passed by the Dead Sea which is 48 miles long and 12 miles wide as we went to the very end of the Sea. There we drove inland a short distance to a towering mountain. This is the site of Masada, a very important, famous fortress in Jewish history. It was only 9:30 in the morning and already very hot. There is a nice visitor’s center where we got into a cable car and were lifted up to the top of the mountain. We took a walking tour of the ruins of the fortress. It’s quite impressive but very, very hot. The entire story of the fortress was written by Josephus. When we got back down to the visitor’s center Sam & I splurged and spent $5.00 each for an ice cream bar!!! Money well spent! As we left the area Johnny told us the temperature was 40 C or 105 F. I’m glad we waited until today if it really is cooler.

We turned and went back down the road we had just been on…or north. Just a few miles down the road we turned and went up another mountain a short ways just past a hostel to a small retreat area. From this point we could see the Dead Sea just below us to the east and to our west was a tall waterfall. Living water on one side….dead water on the other. This place is called Ein Gedi. Up by the waterfall is where David, before he was king, hid from King Saul in the caves.

We then continued on our drive north to a nice little resort area on the edge of the Dead Sea. We

changed into swim suits and headed into the water. Only about half the group got into the water. The rest took pictures and guarded our belongings. And, I, Susan, actually did float! I guess it is true that everything will float in the Dead Sea. The minerals in the water and in the mud are supposed to be quite healing so we all mudded up…except for Sam. But, that mud is hard to get off. We only spent about 20 minutes or less in the water as we were pressed for time with so much to do today.

We then continued on the road north to Jericho and had a late lunch (2 p.m.) at the Mount Temptation restaurant. Some of the group had time for short camel rides right there at the restaurant while we awaited a taxi from Jerusalem. It was bringing two suitcases left at the hotel and would also pick up our guide, Johnny, and one of our missionaries, who had spent the day with us and take them back to Jerusalem. Mount Temptation is said to be the place where Jesus was tempted by Satan on the mountain. It is located near the city of Jericho. Jericho lays claim to being the oldest continually inhabited town in the world, 10,000 years, that continues with the same name and in the same location. It is also the home of the famous sycamore tree and story of Zaccheus.

Heading on north we started leaving the desert and entered into a very lush agricultural area. Much of the area is irrigated as rain fall is minimal. We started slowly climbing in elevation and, I’m sure that before long we were above sea level even though we didn’t realize it. It’s a 2 ½ hour drive to Nazareth so a good time for a short nap.

Upon nearing Nazareth we find we were again in a hilly city full of trees and cooler breezes. It was nearly 6 p.m. as we pulled up in front of the Church of the Nazarene to join them in their 6:30 p.m. Bible study. We left the church just after 8 and after a short drive we arrived at our hotel…the Rimonim Mary’s Well Hotel. A nice place but definitely not the same caliber as our last one. Late dinner at 8:30 p.m. and then off to our rooms for a much needed rest.