Israel Day 4 Sept 22

Today we left Tel Aviv and traveled south passed the old Philistine territories, Gaza, the Negev, to the Dead Sea and then to Masada.

Point of interest: Israel 7,200,000 total population 6,200,000 Jews and 1,200,000 Arabs.


The Jews have developed huge farms out in the desert areas all irrigated. But, while we were there the soil was bare, they were waiting for the fall rains before planting.






First stop was Beersheba a fairly modern city built out in the middle of the Negev desert near the original site of Beersheba. Beersheba is the site where Abraham dug a well and scarified seven sheep. The well is still used but there are electic pumps that suck out the water. Then we drove though miles and miles of desert spotted with Bedouin settlements and “farms”.




We arrived at the Dead Sea through some very steep impressive eroded areas. We passed by the salt works separating out magnesium potash bromide calcium sodium chloride gypsum etc.
We saw 500’ tall cliffs of salt.

On further were several impressive hotels for people that think that soaking in the mineral water is a healthy thing.






Next was Masada a strong hold for a few Jewish freedom fighter and religious rebels who had fought against the Romans. In 71 BC the Romans 10,000 strong, encamped against 1000 Jews for about two years. In the end the Jews committed suicide rather than being captured and enslaved by the Romans who had four encampments surrounding the mountain and eventually built a ramp up to the mountain top.

After Masada we swam in the Dead Sea it's sort of like floating with the buoyancy of sitting on a couple of noodles. The water is very slippery and thick. The bottom is black mucky that many of the bathers rubbed all over themselves really weird.





Shortly after dark we got to Jerusalem, the hotel is pretty fancy for us anyway. It is near the older part of the city. Tomorrow we tour New Jerusalem and Bethlehem and the next day all the older part of Jerusalem and the surrounding area.