Masada to the Dead Sea

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Masada is a very ancient flat topped mountain on which Herod once had his Palace. Later in about 70AD there was a revolt against the Romans and the last Jewish zealots escaped to the mountain palace and survived up there by rearing doves and keeping livestock and collecting the rain water. The Roman army set siege to the mountain and 1000s of soldiers were camped all around it. Gradually they built a huge earth ramp up the side of the mountain and stormed the weakest part of the wall. However once they got in they found that all the Jews had committed suicide and only one person was left who pleaded to be left alive to tell the story of his people and amazingly he was allowed to do that. We went up the mountain in a cable car and then Adam our guide took us all over the ruins showing us the Palace with its bathhouses and storage areas etc. There are still some Roman frescoes and mosaics. We also saw where the ramp was built and you can clearly see the outlines of all the Roman encampments. Later we went back down the cable car and onto the coach to a hotel by the Dead Sea where we had lunch before having a dip in the Dead Sea. I went in purely to have my photo taken floating on the top. It is actually quite difficult to stand up from the floating position as you don't want to get the salty water in your mouth or eyes. I ended up slowly back paddling to the waters edge before standing up. Glad I have done it as the Dead Sea is said to be evaporating very quickly and the next generation may not see it at all.

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