Tuesday was our lowest day yet. We woke up early again, grabbed some obscure breakfast and headed out for Masada (Palace of King Herod). Another great story of the Romans and Jews colliding. After finishing up at Masada, we experienced the greatest low of the trip... The Dead Sea! The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth. Because of it's lowest point, there is 10% more oxygen there compared to sea level. The water is also considered to be made up of 33% solid substance.
We giggled quietly to ourselves as we floated, bobbed and came up with creative postures for what looked like synchronized swimming. Steve's favorite was the Sky-Diving Pose
After rinsing and checking out of our hotel, we continued driving North to Ein Gedi, an oasis in the middle of this massive rock desert. Ein Gedi is mentioned in 1 Samuel 24 with an encounter between David and Saul and again in Song of Songs 1:14. After being in the desert and the salty Dead Sea, we know the true meaning of Oasis with fresh running cool crisp water. The middle school aged kids there were giddy to swim and splash in the fresh waters.
From Ein Gedi, we continued north in our little car following the Dead Sea and then eventually to the Jordan River Valley. We took only 1 wrong turn that lead us to the nicest Israeli check point going into Jericho which is in the West Bank. Well, maybe we took two wrong turns. After seeing a sign for what we thought was Jesus' baptism area at the Jordan River, we turned down a quiet road that ended up being a barbed wire dead end. It was more or less in a military zone and we quickly turned around.
We found our way to the Sea of Galilee, checked in got our plan together for all the sites we will pack in on Wednesday.
Internet here is spotty and our hotel is under a major renovation.
Grace and Peace,
Steve & Daisy
We giggled quietly to ourselves as we floated, bobbed and came up with creative postures for what looked like synchronized swimming. Steve's favorite was the Sky-Diving Pose
After rinsing and checking out of our hotel, we continued driving North to Ein Gedi, an oasis in the middle of this massive rock desert. Ein Gedi is mentioned in 1 Samuel 24 with an encounter between David and Saul and again in Song of Songs 1:14. After being in the desert and the salty Dead Sea, we know the true meaning of Oasis with fresh running cool crisp water. The middle school aged kids there were giddy to swim and splash in the fresh waters.
From Ein Gedi, we continued north in our little car following the Dead Sea and then eventually to the Jordan River Valley. We took only 1 wrong turn that lead us to the nicest Israeli check point going into Jericho which is in the West Bank. Well, maybe we took two wrong turns. After seeing a sign for what we thought was Jesus' baptism area at the Jordan River, we turned down a quiet road that ended up being a barbed wire dead end. It was more or less in a military zone and we quickly turned around.
We found our way to the Sea of Galilee, checked in got our plan together for all the sites we will pack in on Wednesday.
Internet here is spotty and our hotel is under a major renovation.
Grace and Peace,
Steve & Daisy
You two are having a blast! I can only imagine what it feels like to be walking on the same ground as Christ and other Biblical characters. Awesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you also had a chance to see Qumran as you were headed north from Ein Gedi. Its great to follow your travels.
ReplyDeleteI see I am running a little late on my posting today. Hi office and Tim. The dead sea looks like pool water. Is it just sand on the bottom? I am amazed by that? You guys will have to put a book together with stories and pictures and your journey. Are you excited to get back home or could you stay there and study the land more? Seems like you been gone along time. Fletch and Tucker say bark bark. That means hi and come home. Take care and be safe.
ReplyDeleteLove Mom and FMIL