Tales from Israel, Part 3

The next morning we woke up bright and early and headed south...into the desert. 

Two hours later, we arrived at Ein Gedi, a place in the middle of the desert with a water source...meaning vegetation and wildlife too. It was also the setting for some notable historical events.

The most beautiful date trees everywhere!

The view of the Dead Sea was strange...the high mineral content of the water and the boiling heat from the sun made it seem covered in a dense cloudy mist.

 

  

After a fresh picnic in the shade, we were back on the road for a couple more hours, headed for the Bedouin camp called Kfar Hanokdim.

Traditionally, the Bedouins were desert nomads, although most of the tribes have now adopted a more modern lifestyle. The camp where we stayed was is an homage to the ancient culture and traditions of these people, a way to preserve and teach. When we arrived, we had to choose our accommodations. Either the tents...

Or a room...

The votes were cast, and a room with real beds and showers won out, since the next night we would be camping at the Sea of Galilee. So we got ourselves settled and went to explore the grounds...

Their Dad farms passion fruit like these, so this picture is for him!

This protective mother was chasing away nearby donkeys...we tried to find someone who works there, because doesn't this look like the baby was JUST born?! He wasn't moving and the mom was freaking out. We couldn't find anyone, though, and the next day we were relieved to find the baby up and kind of limping around...

For whatever reason I fell in love with the donkeys and stayed with them for a while even after everyone else had moved on. Suddenly, I was joined by a couple of little rangers...

One of them kept saying something to me, and when he realized I didn't understand, he mimed taking a photo. "Oh, you want me to take your photo?" I murmured mostly to myself while reaching for my camera. He nodded and struck this pose:

Then they turned their donkeys around and ran off. 

The sun was starting to set...which means I guess it's time to take the goats for a walk!

After a little boutique shopping, we headed to the dining hall for dinner. I don't know what I was expecting really, but it was definitely not this huge feast!! Warm pitas, fresh hummus, bowls upon bowls of veggies, spiced lamb and chicken. 

That night we slept like babies, and we were up bright and early the next morning for our camel ride!

Getting on is kind of tricky...

We lingered a few moments, saying long goodbyes to the camels and donkeys and then we jumped in the car, headed for a dip in the Dead Sea.

So the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. It is 9.6 times more salty than the ocean, and because of the density of the water, you naturally float. The minerals found in the water and in the mud are MAGICAL, and are the subject of natural health and healing research. People use them for everything from disease therapy and fancy spa treatments to organic fertilizer.

 The water burns a little at first, especially if you've just shaved or cut yourself!! And the hot desert sun made it feel more like a bath than a refreshing dip so we stayed about 20 minutes, dried off our new baby soft skin, and left for the campsite at the Sea of Galilee...