Israël and Egypt 2012

---

Today we tear ourselves away from Jerusalem and explore the Judean Desert, (or Judaean Desert) En-Guidi, Masada, and take a quick dip in the Dead Sea....then back to our hotel in Jerusalem.

The Judean Desert lies E of Jerusalem and descends to the Dead Sea. I expected it to be vast and....of course.....arid. What I did not expect was how beautiful it is. And digital technology let me just go clicker-crazy.

The En Gedi Nature Reserve is located on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert and extends to the shore of the Dead Sea which is the lowest place on earth, approximately 400 m below sea level. The reserve contains many sheer cliffs and beautiful waterfalls. The luxuriant vegetation is in sharp contrast with the surrounding desert. We traveled through the desert in a comfortable, air-conditioned bus...with an ample supply of bottled water. I can only imagine the impact on someone trekking through the desert for days, maybe weeks, upon arriving at this lush paradise with its abundance of that substance we so often take for granted in Canada, but that truly means the difference between life and death in this part of the world.

Masada is situated on the E edge of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea. The fortifications located on this site were built by Herod, kind of Judea. Masada's remote location and natural defenses made it the last fortress to fall when Judea was besieged by the Romans during the Second Temple period, turning it into a Jewish cultural icon and a symbol of mankind's struggle for freedom from oppression. The universal significance of this site is attested to by the fact that is was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.

---

Photos

May 8
This is a large dinner plate...to give an idea of the size of this grapefruit slice

Judean Desert
most of these photos were taken from the moving bus and these poles are unfortunate.....sigh...

Judean Desert
date trees