The Dead Sea, Israel

-
Sweat is rolling down my skin. It is so hot. The desert seems even more unmerciful than I thought possible. How can it be so scorching hot? I am sweating from places I didn't even know could sweat. How does anything survive here? I just want to cool off in the water, but the water isn't cold. It is boiling. I can see the bubbles from the salty water boiling just of the shore of the dead sea. What I wouldn't give for a chance to jump in a cold lake or pool. But there is nothing cold here. Just boiling water and sweaty bodies. Why would anyone go here?. 



The Dead Sea is probably one of the most famous lakes in the world. It is also the lowest point on earth, surrounded by the epic and gorgeous landscape of the Negev Desert. In Hebrew, the Dead Sea is called Yam Ha-Melakh, and is known worldwide for its health and healing powers. 



Driving towards the Dead Sea we kept seeing these small signs on the side of the road telling us exactly how low we were, and even inside the car, you can feel it getting hotter and hotter. Once you go past the 270 m sign and you just keep driving deeper into the interior it begins to feel surreal… but on we drove. It flattens out once you pass through the gorges. The Dead Sea itself is located deeper than 370 meters below surface (377m). In the deepest part of the sea, it’s more than 700 meters below sea level. Funnily enough, tanning here has a lower chance of getting sunburned, as the extra atmosphere makes the sunlight weaker.



It is beautiful here. The roughness and scorching heat kind of blows you away in a very unique way. It is an experience that cannot be explained but needs to be experienced for yourself. 
The absolute best way to get here is by car. It gives you the freedom of stopping along the way, and the opportunities of exploring the less touristy parts of the area, and at your own pace. The Judaea desert is memorable for its spectacular landscape and scenic gorges. Here you can’t be anything but marvel at nature's ability to create and shape the landscape. 



Healing Powers
Multiple people with various skin issues, joint problems, and respiratory issues pilgrim here every year to bathe in the Dead Sea and it is said to have healing powers with up to 32 percent salt and extremely high mineral content. The high levels of salt also mean you will find no animals in the water. Even if your skin is perfect you should still take a dip and experience the unique feeling of floating on the water as to swimming in it. It functions as a natural border between Israel and Jordan. You can’t just swim everywhere as the water many places are boiling hot, and some places actually boiling. There are, however, plenty of beaches to pick from. Many of them are private and not available to tourists, some cost money to visit but a few are public. 


Kalia Beach is probably the most touristy and visited one of them. It features most facilities needed when venturing into the desert. Here you will not suffer or be in need of anything. They even sell you a special type of mud you can put on your body to let dry before entering the Salt Sea.

Neve Midbar Beach is the hippie beach for the young Israeli and long-term travelers. You will find facilities for DYO dinner and picnics. 

Biankini Beach is a very local beach build in a Moroccan-style. 

Ein Gedi Beach is a simple beach with basic facilities. It is less touristy and if you visit off-peak season you might have it almost to yourself. 


Before jumping in the sea you must be aware of the fact that, even though this lake is something you float on, several people drown every year in this lake. Accidents often happen because people try to swim normally instead of following the rule: Only float on your back. The problem is, and I know because I am as stupid as the next one. I broke the number one rule myself. Result was that my legs floated upwards pushing my head down into the water. It was surprisingly hard to change this drift. Being a strong swimmer I didn’t have any major problems with fighting the way my body wanted to move or turning around, but people who aren’t experienced swimmers should stay on their backs and just lay in the water. Bring a book or a newspaper and have a photo-shoot that will make your mother smile when you return home.



A fun fact! The Dead Sea Scrolls, which contains some of the oldest copies discovered in the Hebrew Bible, were actually found at this location between 1947 and 1956. This is considered the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century. Some of them have been dated back to 200 b.c. They have been found in various different caves in the area and in different conditions and shapes. The scrolls contained stories that were lost or forgotten about Biblical people from the old testament such as Abraham and Noah. 

Next Stop
While in the mood for an adventure, and all salty, you must of course make a stop by the Masada, located here, in the middle of it all, on an isolated clifftop in the heart of the desert, overlooking the Dead Sea and the untamed landscape of the Judaea Desert. The Masada is an ancient mountain fortress ruin and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides excavations, it will give you a splendid view of the Judaea Desert.







* All Photos are private and taken by me. 







Location: Dead Sea

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 weekend destinations in Asia

-
Image
Did you ever just want to escape your life to a secluded island in the middle of nowhere? Lie on white beaches, swim in crystal clear waters, sip cocoa while lying in a hammock and not have a single wonder for that very moment other than whether to move a bit further into the shade....? 1. Koh Rong Sanloem This is a beautiful little chill and a relaxing island around an hour boat ride from the mainland where you can chill all-day and chill all night. Take the speedboat and get off at M’Pai Bay. Pick a hostel in the first row for waves lullabying you to sleep at night, or 2nd or 3rd row for a bit cheaper and quieter nights. Nighttime is good for enjoying a bonfire, the Milky Way, and the amazing experience of the glowing planktons in the water - which actually make the stars appear 3D - 360 degrees around you. In the daytime you can relax on the beach, snorkel the sea, or go trekking in the jungle - remember to get a guide because without a machete you won't ge...
Read more

An intoduction to the Kalahari Desert, South Africa - and a lot of other countries.

-
Image
  The Kalahari Desert gets its name from the Tswana word Kgalagadi which means the great thirst. And for most people when they think of the word desert it makes them conjure up huge expanses of yellow, dry sand. Furthermore very limited or no green vegetation, no flowers, and little too limited animals, a scorpion here and there, maybe a snake, but nothing more. These animals will only be sneaking out in the middle of the night when the temperature is cooled down to avoid the blistering daytime heat. . The choices of the desert you will see below, however, will give you so much more than just sand and death. In the Kalahari, you can find lions, leopards, cheetahs, and caracals. Many do not even know what it is or where it is located, but wow, is it worth a trip. The Kalahari Desert is 360,000 square miles of utterly beautiful nature stretching across not only South Africa but also Botswana and Namibia. It is a window into a world so differen...
Read more

Is the difference between a tourist and a racist really three weeks in Africa…??

-
Image
Most travel blogs always write about how amazing and beautiful a place or a location is. Everyone hides the bad stuff, the ugly things. No one wants to buy the ugly truth. We all want to buy the dream, the beautiful, filtered wonder of the world. Who wants to buy cockroaches, racism, harassment and dirty laundry… I will give you a little bit of everything in this blog post. So... Cape Town What is the difference between a tourist and a racist? Three weeks in Africa… This was something I was told once in South Africa when I first visited. First I thought he was crazy, I mean it was such a weird thing to say. He did laugh when he told me but I was skeptical to his intentions. But three weeks into my stay in South Africa I got my first experience of what he meant. I would underline the fact that most of my experiences in Africa have been amazing. I love the continent and would recommend it to everyone. Africa gets under your skin and once you have been here you will al...
Read more