Sunday Day 8 & 9

     Today we visited Qumran, En Gedi, Masada, and the Salt Sea. It was a very neat day. Qumran was where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. I was surprised to find that the cave, cave #4, was much lower to ground level than I thought it would have been. When you think of a cave, one might think of a hole in the side of a mountain face, but the Dead Sea Scrolls cave is approx. 200 feet off the ground, which back in the day it was being used, might have been much closer to ground level. It sits at the foot of the mountains of the Negev.

     From there we went on down to visit En-Gedi where we bought some sea salt and walked around enjoying the view from the lowest point on earth.

     Our journey from there led us to one of the neatest places I think I have ever visited, Masada. It was built by King Herod, but he only visited it one time during his life. Constructed as a fortress getaway, it is located on the top of a single mountain separated by gorges on each side. It is a spectacular fortress with a view to die for. We spent some time there looking at where the Romans built their camps during their attempts to over take the fortress, we also saw the siege ramp that the Romans built to break the walls of the  mighty palace. After our tour, a group of us decided to walk down the famous snake path, a very long steep and breathtaking walk down the side of Masada. Before the Romans built the Siege ramp, the snake path was the only way to the top of the mountain. I have great respect for the ambition and determination for the Romans in trying to take such a place. Although I might not agree with their reasons for wanting to take the mountain, I can admire their ability to not allow something that seemed impossible to stop them. They had a mission, and they found a way to accomplish the impossible. ALthough their ultimate goal was not accomplished, their overcoming the enormous obstacle of mounting the fortress was conquered.

     Once we left there, we traveled to the Salt Sea, otherwise known as the Dead Sea. It is the lowest place on the face of the earth at 1388 feet below sea level. It is fed by the Jordan River and has no outgoing streams. The water evaporates at a rate of 17 tons per day leaving behind huge amounts of salt. The water is 33% salt which makes for a very buoyant swim. As our guide says, when you come out of the water, you feel like a slimy whale. In my case I also looked like one....... Anyway, we had a fantastic overnight stay, floating in the Salt sea and the hotel pool.

     The next day, Monday, we traveled back up to Jerusalem where we visited the Shoah Museum, otherwise known as the Holocaust Museum, the Museum of Israel and spent time shopping in the Old City. From there we sent to eat our final supper in Israel as a group, and then on to the airport.

It was a wonderful trip, full of lifelong memories and relationships. I sit now in Atlanta International Airport in a 9 hour layover. We will soon board our final flight for Chicago and should be home by tonight. Thanks for all who prayed for our safety. We never had a time where we felt anything but safe and welcomed. If you ever get a chance to go to Israel, I would suggest you don't spend too much time thinking about it, but give yourself the freedom and opportunity to learn about a wonderful country and people.