Day 9---If it is Masada, it must be Thursday.

Since today we are at Masada, it must be Thursday…or at least that is what the schedule says. We are all about on information overload at this point. However, we are having a great time. Our tour group has definitely “jelled” and there is constant joking, teasing, and good-natured wisecracks going on full-time. It is amazing how familiar and comfortable you can get with people who were strangers to you only a little over a week ago.

Sunrise at our hotel on the Dead Sea arrived at 5:47 this morning, and by 6:00 Olen and I were down at the water’s edge. We were soon joined by Janet, Sharon, Barry and Tabatha, and Larry (who did not go in the water because he was a part of the group that went in yesterday afternoon). The water was not cool, even this early in the morning, and we mimicked the photos we have seen of other people floating in the Dead Sea. I can not describe how it feels to do that, but, trust me…it works exactly as described! What fun! Janet and Olen are shown in the photo.

We left the hotel at 8:00 and by 10:00 had crossed the border again, this time with less difficulty than when we crossed into Jordan. We crossed on the King Hussein Bridge, which is also known as the Allenby Bridge, and is one of the three crossing points between Israel and Jordan. Once we crossed the border we were back with our favorite guide, Elie (who is part tour guide, part teacher, and part stand-up comedian), and our favorite driver, Fawzy (who can drive a huge tour bus into spots most humans would not attempt to take a V.W. “bug“).

First stop was at Masada, the mountain-top fortress overlooking the Dead Sea. It was here that 960 Jews took their lives rather than surrender to Rome in A.D. 73. Masada is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but the word masada means fortress, so it may have been visited by King David. We rode a huge cable car up to the top of Masada. While on top, the “Northwest Bunch” posed for a group photo. Larry and Joan had their photo made sitting on some of the huge rocks the ancient Romans lobbed up at the people on Masada from a catapult below. The tour Elie gave us on Masada was interesting, but it was extremely tiring in the hot sunshine. However, we managed to locate the Magnum Bars in the gift shop once we got down.

The next stop was Ein Gedi, an oasis with lovely waterfalls that was where David hid from Saul. This was a lunch stop for the group, but there were seven of us who chose to hike to the waterfalls rather than eat lunch. (Still sorta full from the recent Magnum Bar!) Elie and Ferrell threatened us (Bruce, Vicki, Steve, Olen, Jane, Larry and Ferrell Jr.) about holding up the group, and set a pick-up time not to be missed. We were all at the appointed place by the designated time, but the bus was at least 20 minutes late picking us up! When we saw the bus driving up we all lined up on the sidewalk and pointed to our watches.

We visited Quamran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. From there we went to the site of ancient Jericho, or Jerichos. There is the tel of Old Testament Jericho, the site of New Testament Jericho, and the city of Jericho today, all in the same area. As we explored the area of Old Testament Jericho I looked behind me, and everyone was following in a line. It looked like the Israelites were currently marching around Jericho!

The sun was setting when we headed through the Wilderness of Judea to Jerusalem. We arrived at our hotel about 8:00, ate dinner quickly and are soon off to bed. Your friends in Israel send you greetings. We are all happy and in good health…blessings we do not overlook. Until tomorrow…