Into the Desert

Holy crap it was a busy day! And incredible. We left Jerusalem early and headed into the West Bank for Qumaran. This is the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in a cave. Mikvah’s, cisterns and various rooms have been uncovered at the site where the Essenes studied. And the views of the desert were amazing. When we got back to the bus, there was a camel “parked” in the parking lot.

Next stop was the Ein Gedi oasis. A natural spring pours off the mountain and it is a spot of lush green bordered by desert and the Dead Sea. Well, it really looks like a trickle from a faucet, but fresh water is fresh water. A small herd of ibex were there to greet us. As long as we moved slowly, they kept their distance but didn’t run off. At the kibbutz there they have date palms and mango trees.

Time to play in the Dead Sea! We floated in the Dead Sea for a bit. Then I got out and spread myself with the packet of mud they gave us. You let it dry in the sun then get back in the sea. It really makes you feel soft and makes for some silly photo opportunities. The salt crystallizes into balls that sit on the bottom of the sea. I am bringing a few home with me. After being in the warm sea, they have a regular pool for refreshing yourself. Then we had lunch and were off.

The next stop was Masada where just over 900 Jews committed suicide rather than be taken by the Romans. The Romans had a difficult time getting to them because the Jews were on top of this mountain, Masada. Finally, the Romans used slaves (Jews, oddly enough) to build a ramp and they finally broke into the city, but they didn’t get any more slaves out of the deal.

Most of what we saw at Masada was built by King Herod. You can still see some original mosaics and plaster, mikvahs and baths, a synagogue and some crazy big cisterns. It was about 102 degrees F up there and I think it probably did me in a little bit. Even with drinking tons of water, wearing a hat, etc. It made me glad we took the cable car up and only walked down the Roman ramp rather than taking the snake path up.

But wait, there’s more! We headed about an hour South into the Negev to a Bedouin encampment. I knew we were going to get on camels, but I didn’t know we would caravan them and take about a half an hour ride. The camel Gwen and I got on wasn’t all that happy about it. He bitched about it loudly but seemed less cranky once he’d stood up. The camel behind me kept putting his face on my shirt. I wanted to squeeze his funny whiskery face, but I was pretty sure I’d either get spit on or lose a finger.

After that we went in a tent and learned some things about Bedouin culture. We were served tea and then coffee that they roast, grind and brew right there on a fire. A lot of people didn’t like the coffee but I enjoyed it. It was strong, slightly bitter and had a hint of cardamom. Then the feast came. Giant platters of rice covered with seasoned lamb balls and beef. I was given a separate plate of rice with some potato patties. Plus there were many bowls of different salads, hummus and dolmas. And pita bread.

Okay, so finally we got on the road and headed back to Jerusalem, about a 2 1/2 hour drive. Talk about wiped out. I still can’t believe all that stuff fit in one day. Just to cap it off with a bit of excitement, since it was cool out, I was going to open my window to sleep. I smelled smoke and looked to see a dumpster on fire. See, the Orthodox are angry because there is a gay pride march planned for June 21st. Last year they managed to make enough noise and get it basically cut down to nothing. This year, the police are trying to hold firm. So the Orthodox are lighting trash cans and dumpsters on fire. We saw tons of them on the street as we headed back into the hotel. I wonder if they will be making that much trouble on Shabbat?