Saturday, February 24, 2007

Well, folks, what a Saturday! One thing's for sure-we sure know how to pack in a full day! We began early today to maximize our time. Our first stop was an hour and a half away at Masada. Masada was a fortress originally built in the middle of the desert by Herod the Great. If there was one thing that Herod feared, it was a national revolt. Therfore, he built fortresses around the country to which he could flee on a moment's notice. Though there is no proof that he actually ever used Masada himself before his death in 4 BC, we do know that in 66 AD, the Jews began a revolt against the Romans that would last until 73 AD. Masada became a refuge for Jews fleeing from all over the country. A total of about 1,000 Jews called Masada their home during the revolt. The Roman forces, after taking hold of the rest of the Jewish fortresses, surrounded Masada and began figuring out a way to conquer the last of the rebellion. By the time the Romans finally reached the top of Masada in 73 AD, the Jews were all dead and it is believed that they killed themselves to die as free individuals and not as slaves to the Roman conquerers. Masada was an impressive sight with one of the best views of the Israeli desert. To get to the top of Masada, there is a cable car that can fit 80 people. Ian, being our resident daredevil, decided to climb the mountain on his own and actually beat the rest of us up there! Masada was incredibly interesting and a sight we will not soon forget.

Our next stop was Qumran, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We had a lunch together in the beautiful desert weather and enjoyed a brief tour of the grounds, led by our always informative tour guide, Mike. After Qumran, we moved to our most interesting sight of the day-The Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is 13oo feet below sea level and is so high in salt content that anyone and I mean ANYONE can float in the water. A few of us brave travellers decided to get into this water. After rubbing some good Dead Sea mud on our skin and being careful to avoid getting the water in our eyes or mouth, we exited the famous lake with smoother skin and a new definition of buoyancy. We shared a final official night together at a leisurely dinner back at the King Solomon Hotel, where our hosts were more than gracious and the laughter was plenty.

Tomorrow is our last official day in Israel and looks to be another spectacular one as we travel to the Biblical Gardens. Thank you to all who have made this blog a useful and fun way to communicate. We have truly been blessed by your comments and your prayers and ask for your continued prayers as our group divides, with some flying home early and others continuing their journey into Jordan. We love you all and look forward to sharing all of our experiences with you in person.