So, after we left Masada we headed to the Dead Sea...even though the Sea is really much larger than you envision there are only a couple of spots that are beach like...meaning they have umbrellas, boardwalks and showers. Anyways, once we got there the rest of the group went into a small cafeteria there for lunch but Adam and I had other plans :). We didn't want to waste our time there eating so we brought food with us, and ran straight to the sea. We got in really fast b/c the rocks will burn your feet. We remembered that instead of trying to gracefully finalge your way in you just walk in until the water is up to your calf and then lay down. The water will carry you out and you won't fall in due to the slippery, oh so slippery rocks!!!! Our friend went down the Mud Spot to get some but a man chased her back. She left me her bag so when no one was looking I put on my tennis shoes and raced down to the mud pit. There were other people down there so I have no idea why he told her not to go. Maybe b/c there was a large fence with barbed wire that said " Warning, Stay Out". I grabbed several handfuls and threw them in the bag and then raced back. As I was getting back in Adam and I both noted that it was 112 degrees outside, 45 degrees Celsius.......talk about HOTTT!!! We stayed in almost an hour and then reluctantly got out. We immediately took showers b/c our skin was on fire :). We changed, bought an ice cream and jumped back in the van to eat our lunch.
After that we headed to Ein Gedi and unlike last year we were able to hike to the waterfalls. It was sooooo nice!!!!! We got to a small waterfall and there was a young family playing with their little girl there. She was laughing so hard everytime they tried to get her to go close to the waterfall. There were tons of people there just coming to swim in the falls. Nothing like swimming in ice cold water on a HOT HOT day!!! We left there and hiked up to three more falls before getting to the big one, David's waterfall. Ein Gedi is the only natural water around, besides the Dead Sea, so this is believed to be the spot where David was hiding out from Saul in the caves. Its so picturesque and we could have stayed there all day!
From there we went to Qumran. Since Adam and I went last year we opted to stay in the air conditioned gift shop. Then we bought some candy to get some sugar in us and drank tons of water!!! Adam ended up not driving on the way back home so we both got about an hour nap from Ein Gedi to Abu Gosh where we ate at a Lebanese Restaurant for dinner. It was okay, we just got some cheap falafel and room temperature water. You would think that the hot hot temp would warrant some ice, but nope. We got back to Neve Shalom about 6:30, checked our email, took showers, ate some of our pistachio and mocha ice cream and fell asleep watching Toy Story on our one English channel.....what a perfect day :).
Pictures from Masada and Dead Sea...I'll get Ein Gedi's up soon!
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