.JPG "Floating in Israel's Dead Sea")
I hope I haven't spoiled you too much with pictures from my road trip around Israel. One of our last stops a few days before leaving Israel was of course the Dead Sea. Also known as the Salt Sea. You cannot visit the Holy Land and not visit the Dead Sea. Why, it would almost be sinful. The Dead Sea serves as a backdrop for many events in biblical times. A place of refuge for King David who hid from King Saul, the prophet Ezekiel had visions here and this was also a health resort for Herod the Great. The story of Masada also happened only a stone's throw from here and overlooks the Dead Sea and a striking sight set in Israel's Judean Dessert combining history, geology and archaeology.
One of the saltiest lakes in the world rivaling that of lake Assal in Djibouti. Apparently the lowest point on earth, evident by the ear-popping you will experience when descending down 423 meter below sea level to arrive at the Dead Sea. Almost all the beaches at the Dead Sea have an entry fee so prepare for that, but all will take cards if you happen to have blown it all on souvenirs, also note that there will be soldiers around the beaches or you may run into a few check points on the way to the Dead Sea which may or may not come as a surprise. After driving around the country for over a week we were just going to chill out and let the healing powers of the mineral-rich sea on the horizon reveal its magic.
The day was very hazy and hotter than the British summers and yet this wasn't even peak heat season yet. With little breeze to cool you down the first thought was to escape into the sea, which was rather delightful warm temperate but made difficult to wander into due to the slippery mud underneath the surface. With 30 percent Salinity it's about 7-8 times saltier than the oceans and even with the warning signs all over the place informing people not to splash each other, I still managed to spot grown men behaving like kids and splashing each other. The joke was on them because I spotted a few of them stifling girlish moans because they were obviously in a lot of pain after getting water in their eyes. Some were even trying to swim, which is near impossible without getting your face wet or just automatically floating. That was my entertainment for the day until I got back to business of wrapping myself in mud and looking quite pleased with myself, I also attempted the obligatory floating in Israel's Dead Sea. This is the stuff that dreams are made of. Where on earth can adults get away with rolling around in the mud without anyone looking at you as if you are few nuts away from a fruit cake?! Here, that's where! Your skin will thank you for it too. After rolling around in it and letting it dry it was time wash it off and to get away from the heat to continue the last few legs of our road trip...
So have you been to the Dead Sea yet?
.JPG "Floating in Israel's Dead Sea")
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Floating in the Dead Sea - Israel
We are going to Israel in November and plan on going to the Dead Sea. I hear the mud makes your skin feel very soft. Did it take you a while to wash it off? Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt doesnt take long to wash off all at. There are showers right on the beaches and more on site within the changing rooms. Yep! It leaves your skin feeling all kinds of delicious! :D
DeleteHi visiting from Sunday Traveler. Who's blue finger nails were that. The Dead Sea looks...dead. We are planning on sailing to Israel in the next year two years. We have an Isreali friend who scuba dives for the Navy Seals. He told us how difficult it is to learn to scuba dive in the Dead Sea. Will visit and roll in the mud ...
ReplyDeletePatricia
http://mojitoandme.com
Awesome. Israel is definitely a beautiful place to go sailing but diving in the Dead Sea? I don't think that is even possible all that salt would probably eat away for your equipment let alone you getting any decent buoyancy. Also, no fish or specie can survive in the Dead Sea so there is basically nothing to see on your dive. Its quiet difficult to swim it it as you automatically float so please do let me know if you manage to do it :)
DeleteP.S Those are my nails covered in mud - it felt good too ;~)
DeleteHahahahahahahaaaaaaa that mud photo up front made me giggle! What a hoot. Looks like a great holiday. Big thanks for linking up with us to #SundayTraveler again Bee.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Jordan and to Israel and didn't do the Dead Sea from either one....shame on us. It looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I guess thats a good enough reason to go for another visit.
DeleteThis sounds like an amazing experience!! Hope you have a great trip back home!
ReplyDeletexo Kat
www.withlovefromkat.com
I've been planning to visit Israel for quite a while, I should include the dead sea in my itinerary when and if I get to visit.
ReplyDeleteRachel@safari254
Yes you should Rachel
DeleteI went to the Dead Sea many years ago. As a non swimmer it was lovely to be able to float on the water but - a word of caution here - I drifted out quite a long way and couldn't get back to the shore without assistance!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that must have been scary! I hope you haven't been traumatised from the experience.
DeleteI'd love to see the Dead Sea! In fact, I'd like to visit the lowest spot on each continent. It's much more doable (and cheaper) than hitting the highest points. Looks like you guys had a blast there, thanks for sharing, Bee!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun! Yeah, funny how going to the lowest point is cheaper than going to the highest point. Weird way of the world we live in.
DeleteI'd love to go float in the dead sea! Sounds like a relaxing day. How did your skin come out of it?
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely. My skin felt smooth like a baby's bottom :)
DeleteI have! Isn't it amazing?! I can imagine centuries ago people being baffled by it and thinking it really was a miracle. I compared swimming in the dead sea to trying to push a rubber ducky under the water! Very salty water ...
ReplyDeleteYeah, its that weird sensation isnt it? The mud definitely didnt help.
DeleteThe first photo made me laugh! That's awesome. What a fun experience this looks to be! I want to float in the dead sea, too!
ReplyDeleteI've wanted to float on the Dead Sea ever since we were taught about in school so many years back!! So cool that you go to live the textbook dream :) And btw, I LOVE the hand shots!!!
ReplyDeletehaha thanks! Yeap I have been wanting to do that for such a long time too.
DeleteHow cool - I'd love to visit the dead sea! I bet watching people try to swim is so funny!
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a lot of fun! I want to have my face covered just like on your photo. I'm surprised though that you need to pay a fee (locals too?). It must feel special to float around in the Dead Sea.
ReplyDeleteYeah it was weird for me too but I guess maybe in a way they can keep the place secure that way if they are cordoned off as there was army security about. Yes, you definitely have to post a shot of your face with mud when you manage a visit to the dead sea.
DeleteReally like your first picture in your post. :D Floating in the Dead Sea must be a weird feeling. When I think about the Dead Sea I always have a picture in mind of someone floating while reading a newspaper (don´t remember where I´ve seen it...).
ReplyDeleteWhat excellent photos, we did a similar thing the other day in Germany, my skin felt so good afterwards!
ReplyDeleteReally?! Details please. I didnt know Germany had a similar place.
DeleteThis looks so cool! I;ve never been to the Dead Sea, but would definitely love to visit someday :)
ReplyDeleteReading your post, I noticed how weird it is that most people dislike mud, except at some special places like the Dead Sea or the Blue Lagoon where they go all crazy for it and cover their faces with it :)
ReplyDeleteThat is weird isnt it? We will happily play around with it in places like this but no where else. Funny...
DeleteThanks so much for linking up with us this week for #WeekendWanderlust!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that relaxing by and in the Dead Sea would be a really cool experience. I always find it interesting how certain people act despite the warning signs but clearly this is a spot where everyone just pretty much does their own thing, but then again they probably regret doing so afterwards especially when the water is so concentrated here with the salt!
Would definitely love to visit this part of the world and experience this for ourselves. You could almost say a once in a lifetime experience but I am sure there are folks that frequent this all the time!
I think a few of them did immediately regret there behaviour, painfully so. Yeah but is so relaxing. A must of you are in Israel in future.
DeleteThis looks fantastic! When I make it to Petra I definitely want to take a dip in the Dead Sea and don a mud mask, too! What a fun #SundayTraveler - Heather, Life of a Traveling Navy Wife
ReplyDeleteIt must be such a weird feeling floating in the ocean. Would love to try it one day.
ReplyDeleteI'm really hoping that by the time I get out there in a few months, all of that fighting will have stopped. The probabilities are small, but it still makes you uneasy. I swam in the Dead Sea once before on Birthright, but now I'm set to go again, hopefully we'll find Israel and the region in a happier place.
ReplyDelete