* Problems with pics.... I will add them later....
Early Saturday morning Dana and I drove south to the Dead Sea. This was a place I had not visited since my first trip to Israel more than 30 years ago. The trip took less than 2 hours in time -- but in geographic setting -- it was as if we were going to another planet. Driving down below sea level, through the Judean Hills was beautiful. The curving highway along with the decent (I think the Dead Sea is about 500 ft below sea level) added to the beauty.
We arrived at the Lot Spa in Ein Bekok (about 1/2 hr south of Ein Gedi and located right on the sea) at about noon. As it was Shabbat, we helped ourselves to Shabbat lunch on the outdoor patio facing the sea. All the food was prepared and the waitress could only serve us drinks. The temperature was about 24 degrees C, so of course I would be taking a dip in the sea. The water was not warm -- but I did recall that Vi and Nancy went in when they were here in January 2 years ago -- so avoiding the water was NOT an option. The sensation is so funny. Your legs pop up and you just float. I drifted a bit further out beyond where I could stand -- and then had to swim back in... this was really funny as the water is so heavy, you don't really get very far with your strokes-- I was laughing so loud that all the others in the water were looking at me!
After the dip -- it was time for my Shiatsu massage -- administered by a Russian woman, Virena. Not to be confused with Dana's therapist, Elana or the woman at the front desk, Ilona -- all from Russia!
After our treatments, we started the drive back to Tel Aviv-- this time taking the road through Jerusalem. Check out the pictures of the mountains near Masada. We took a detour off the highway and drove into the mountains.... and it was just about sunset - The experience was "other worldly'".
The drive back was uneventful, expect of course for the traffic jams caused by the several checkpoints we had to cross as we approached Jerusalem. The wall with barbed wire surrounding the West Bank was on our left as we drove and is a constant reminder that this place is so very complicated. At the surface -- everything seems so normal, but then, you see a soldier with a sub-machine gun, barbed wire atop a concrete wall, checkpoints for inspection etc. and you realize very quickly, it is not so normal after all. The current topic is the possible exchange of over 1000 Palestinians for Galit Shalit, the one Israeli soldier held for over 3 years, and of course, now the recent problems in both Gaza and the West Bank. But, maybe, just maybe, there will be progress with the Syrians, and then progress on the two-state solution and this region with all its beauty will be filled with peace and prosperity for all. That is my hope.
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