July 30: Ein Gedi (Dead Sea)

(1) The next morning, we left Jerusalem for the resort town of Ein Gedi, adjacent to the Dead Sea. There was plenty to see and do before wading in those salty waters, and we began our explorations at the nature reserve. Here, at the start of our hike, we were assured that leopards were present in the area. I find this to be a rather useless bit of information as I'd have to guess that most any leopard would be scared away by the presence of three humans - and those that were not would likely devouer us before we had a chance to get away. So, I suppose the sign only serves as fear for the sake of fear. Good times.

(2) Somewhere along the hike, Mom and I stopped for a photo in front of whatever this was. Sadly, in the summer of 2005, nearly two-thirds of this oasis burned to the ground after a tourist dropped a lit cigarette. Stupid humans.

(3) Too sexy for my shirt. Fortunately, by virtue of some oddity in the atmosphere, there exists a limited ultraviolet componant of soloar radiation. This is one of the many health benefits of the region. However, my skin manages to turn red if I sit next to a 40-watt lightbulb for more than three minutes, so I'm certain that I walked away with a nice sunburn. The Dead Sea can be seen far the background.

(4) The payoff at the end of the hike was the Nahal David Waterfalls. Here, in the Yehuda Desert, it's sunny and hot 330 days out of the year. Needless to say, water is important to the region, and the falls offer a refreshing supply of it. (photo: www.bibleplaces.com)

(5) After the falls, we made our way down to the Dead Sea - the lowest exposed point on the Earth's surface at 1,369 feet below sea level. A swim in the Dead Sea is unlike any other swim in the world. Immediately, two things become very clear. The first is that it's virtually impossible to sink. The high salt content creates a level of buoyancy that can keep even the most float-resistant individuals bobbing up and down on the surface. The second thing that one will notice is that the Dead Sea is painful. Even the slightest hangnail becomes the worst thing that has ever happened to you in your entire life once the salt hits it. If you plan to visit the Dead Sea, don't shave or duel in a knife fight at least a day before you dive in. That aside, the Dead Sea is a wonderful place and a healthy experience. The dark mud, in fact, is nutrient-rich, and is even sold in stores. So, as long as you are there, go ahead and slather yourself.

(6) Cleaning off the salt and mud was less than pleasurable, and it made me question the entire purpose of swimming in this body of water where, as the name suggests, nothing can sustain life. However, once we were clean, we checked into the Bet Sarah Hostel and spent the rest of the evening in quiet relaxation. The plan was to go to bed early so we could wake up and watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea.