Masada and floating in the Dead Sea

Judean wilderness with Dead Sea in background

Salt deposits in Dead Sea

Today has been a bit of a 'repositioning' day as we hit two of the sites south of Jericho and then traveled up the Israel HWY 90 to Tiberias where we are staying tonight.  By the way, there are also 300 Nigerian pilgrims here as well!  How splendid and diverse are the people of God.

You take a cable care up to the Fortress

Below the black line is original from King Herod

looking out a window to the Dead Sea below

The Flag of Israel flying over Masada. You can
see the dead sea mineral deposits in
the background.

We left Jericho to travel south toward the Dead Sea.  We saw herds of sheep, goats, camels---yes camels being herded by some friendly teenagers and his their dog.  We passed by the Biblical site of Ein Gede where David snuck up behind Saul while Sauh was going to bathroom and cut off a piece of his robe.  All in an attmep to make sure that Saul knew that David was not  looking to kill him.  We passed Ein Gede and ended up at Masada.



Here is where Herod would have stayed when at Masada



Cave #4 where some of the
Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  At
Qumran

Here is the refectory where folks would have eaten
John the Baptist probably ate here!  He was a
part of the Essenes who lived in Qumran

Ritual bath in Qumran

Masada, built by Herod the Great is an amazing fortress.  It was built up on a hill to save itself from invaders and boasted a most ingenious system for keeping water cisterns full.  Eventually Masada was taken over by Rebels and a Roman legion was called in to roust them out.   Before Rome could break in, the leaders of the Masada Rebels agreed to a mutual suicide pact prefering death to slavery. 

After leaving Masada we stopped in at the site of Qumran.  Home of the Essness (a religious group, of which John the Baptizer may have been a member) and saw where many of the Dead Sea scrolls where found today.

I float!  Especially in the Dead Sea 30% salt

Relaxing in the Dead Sea

Caution! in English and Russian

From Qumran it was time for a float on the Dead Sea and mthe trip to Tiberias to get ready for the Gaellee