The Dead Sea

Leaving Jerusalem and going south to the Dead Sea. The farther south we go the more barren and forsaken the land becomes. The Dead Sea is 1300 ft below sea level. It is 6 times as salty as the ocean. The Dead Sea is the lowest elevation on earth.

The shoreline of the Dead Sea. Our guide mentioned that since the Jordan River has been diverted for agricultural purposes the Dead Sea has become 2 lakes and is receding more and more each year. The water used to be up to where you can see the dark gray soil.

A view of the pool at our hotel on the Dead Sea and the Sea is just beyond the palm trees.

OK, off the bus and rush to the Dead Sea, (got to get into the water before the sun sets). This was one of my favorite activities of the tour. I was wishing we could have more than one night here.

Some of the people did the mud pack thing before going into the Sea. I heard some of the women comment on the fact that they shouldn't have shaved their legs before swimming (floating) in the Dead Sea. (a little ouchy with the cuts/nicks)

Here we are floating, it was amazing how buoyant you are in the Dead Sea. I had to work hard to keep my legs down in the water, so obviously I quit resisting and just let myself float and "pop" up come the legs just like a submerged air mattress. My skin felt very oily smooth after being in the water. I liked how it made my skin feel.

Mike demonstrating how much work it truly takes to float and relax in the Dead Sea. Such a cool feeling to bob like a cork in the water like that.

These next three pictures are for my sisters sake.

I am thinking "Where did Mike and Kelly go?"

"Really, where are they? I don't want to go back to the hotel without them."

"Man, where are they?"

Of course Kelly was right in front of me taking pictures and loving every confused moment I had there!

Thus ends Sunday 14 November 2010 in Israel. Next is Masada and then off to the Egyptian border. We did so much in such a short time, but it is taking me a long time to record the story. Oh, so lucky, lucky to be able to experience such neat things and places.