All of these pictures are from the top of Mt.Masada and then down at the Dead Sea.
We all made the grueling climb up the side of Mt. Masada, to Herod's unbelievably preserved fortress. In my own opinion, it was Herod's absolute paranoia that ensured his survival for so long. There is/was no easy route up to the top of this mountain!I was really proud of the kids for making the climb. Austin read Eusebius last year, so he had quite a bit more personal info on Herod. Of particular intrest to him, was his long and agonizing death. He was apparently parasite-ridden, and ...well...Eusebius doesn't really mince words. The palace was amazing, and a real testament to Herod's wealth as well as his Roman "influence". The hot baths, steam rooms etc, are all still in place.
Behind the pictures of the three kids, you can see the Dead Sea, far below. LAter the afternoon, as you can see, they took a dip. The water has so much salt in it that it is actually 26% solid. You can see Austin holding up his hand s and feet............and floating! He said that you could actually feel the pressure of the water pressing in on you. It holds you up and you cannot sink. Jack is holding up one of the salt balls that cover the bottom of the Dead Sea, (making it a bit difficult to walk on). This is the lowest point on the earth. What a great experience for the kids!!
1 comment:
That is just awesome to be swimming in the Dead Sea. That's in my journal from when I was a teen under my "things to do before I die" list. :-)
Thanks for posting all the pictures!
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