Masada & Dead Sea

These days are just so full and amazing and varied that I'm afraid to miss journaling for too long because important stuff - like entire days - might just fall right through the cracks...

So, even though it's officially "bedtime" in our room, I'm trusting that I'll still get enough sleep even if I take some time to jot down a few thoughts about today.   The internet has been sporadic, on and off and unreliable, but just now I stuck my computer through the window well beside my bed and was able to log on.  It makes it hard to post pictures so they'll come later.

This morning we woke up in the Old City, in the Christ House Guest House to rain pouring down on the cobblestones and it felt COLD!  After a nice breakfast we got a rental car and headed down through the arid desert hills alongside the dead sea and to Masada.  I was picturing David and his mighty men hiding out in the huge craggy mountain sides as we drove past them.  Hard to imagine how those men even managed to eek out an existence in such a barren landscape.  We passed through En Gedi where there were more palm trees and evidence of life.

Masada was absolutely stunning.  We took a Gondola up and spent a couple of hours investigating the remains of Herod's palace and the other buildings that made up the village on that high plateau overlooking the deadsea and mountains. Even some mosaics remained on a few floors and walls and there were little markers showing us where the synagogue, storage rooms, and other housing were located.

Once again the setting sun created a panorama that was just breathtaking from that high vantage point  I was imagining the women wearing their luxurious gowns in Herod's palace and walking out under that huge blue sky high above the rest of the earth.  What rich history.  What a devastating end.

We stopped at the dead sea on our way back and Anita had a relaxing time floating on the buoyant salty water while Hannah and I enjoyed the warm evening air under the palms as the sun set.