November 20th

Today we left our hotel in Jericho and travelled to Massada.  Under the terms of the various agreements related to the disputed West Bank region, Jericho is part of area A under which the Palestinian Authority has exclusive authority except for external security.  Technically, Jewish Israeli citizens should not be in any area A.  In travelling today we crossed over the border of the West Bank into Israeli territory along Highway 90 that skirts the Dead Sea travelling south from Jericho to Massada.  Descriptions of the A, B, and C areas are found in articles by Aljazeera and the Jerusalem Post.  Other than slowing down to pass through the crossing along the highway, there seemed to be little difference for our tour bus.

As we drove out of Jericho, we passed a large service station that was at the junction with a major road with many cars and trucks parked.  Alongside the parking lot we saw a couple of camels as well as a donkey.  On our way out I thought that these camels were actually being used for transportation.  On the way back, after stopping at an observation point, we were approached by a man leading a camel inquiring whether we wanted a camel ride.  It was a disappointment for some of us as since when we first saw the camel earlier a minute or two up the road, we thought it was a real Bedouin nomad with his camel.  In reality it was a real Bedouin with a camel for hire, trying to make a meagre living from the tourists.

See the lower right hand corner of the picture - Donkey behind standpipe covered with blanket and camel behind fence.

Camel and his driver sitting alongside a tour bus.

Bedouin man with his camel.

The land alongside the Dead Sea is a barren, hilly area that shares some similar features to the deep gullies, ravines and coulees in Saskatchewan, or even areas cut through by the Saskatchewan River or Qu'Appelle Valley.  The hills were much higher and the ravines much deeper than back home though, and much rockier.  However, despite the sometimes desolate landscape that sometimes resembles a moonscape, there were large plantations of date palms close to the highway all the way alongside the Dead Sea.  Along the way we saw some Jewish settlements surrounded by high fences topped with barbed wire with manned security barriers.  These also had areas of date palms as well as other crops utilising plastic strips over the seeded areas with holes for the plants to poke out to reduce evaporation as well as large screened in areas for various crops - presumably to reduce evaporation as well as prevent birds from stealing the fruit.

Some of the scenery along the drive to Massada.

Date palms alongside a archaeological dig (see stone walls in centre of photo) and tent over the active dig.

Partial view of a kibbutz overlooking the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea contains about 340 g of minerals per kg as compared to 180 g per kg in Lake Manitou.  More information on the Dead Sea is found in this article (link).  Wikipedia states, "The Dead Sea is receding at a swift rate; its surface area today is 605 km² (234 sq mi), having been 1,050 km² (410 sq mi) in 1930."  This could be seen in the stepped edge of the lake where definite demarcation lines for levels could be seen.  As well, the lake is now divided into two parts as a result of the lowered water levels.  This receding shoreline has been causing sinkholes alongside the Dead Sea shoreline and could be readily seen from our tour bus.    One that we saw had been a major service centre along the highway that had to be abandoned due to the holes in the earth that just opened up.  The highway made a semi-circular detour around the affected area.  It's also affected some of the agricultural areas such as the date palms.

Dead Sea shoreline exhibiting the demarcation lines marking the receding shoreline.

Another view of the Dead Sea showing the sinkholes that pockmark the receding shoreline.

The tour guide noted along the highway that we were passing through the region believed to be that of Sodom and Gomorrah.   On the Israeli side of the Dead Sea, there is one salt mound that's said to be Lot's wife (see Genesis 19:26) while Jordan, on the other side, has its equivalent.  As well, it was noted that an Israeli company is mining the minerals from the lake.  There are also companies that market the mud and the minerals as beauty and health products.

The Dead Sea as viewed from Highway 90.  Jordan is seen on the opposite side of the Lake.

We arrived at Masada and entered a building which houses a restaurant and souvenir shop for tourists as well as the lower end of the cable car that runs between the base of the mountain and the top of the mountain where the fortress/palace had been built.  The geography of the area is spectacular and the challenges presented in getting to the place are amply evident.  Masada was originally built by Herod the Great as one of his many palaces in the region and also as a bastion he could retreat to if there were any threats to his life.  Later, when the Jews revolted against Rome in 66–73 CE, the Zealots retreated to the fortress where they were eventually confronted by 10 Roman Legions (8000 soldiers).  The 960 Zealots consisting of men, women, and children eventually committed mass suicide (this is being vastly simplified - see sources on the internet for more information - e.g. Israel National Parks (see Sources in the side bar).  The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular and really gave a sense of what the struggle between the Zealots and Romans must have really been like.  The archaeological excavations are extensive and the complex is impressive.  The siege ramp the Romans constructed is still seen (and can be used by tourists wanting to walk to the top), as well as the siege walls and encampments around the site.

View of the Roman siege ramp up to the fortress.

View of the cable car up to Masada

A view of some of Masada with the Dead Sea in the background.

Following our tour of Masada we stopped at the AHAVA factory store that makes beauty and health products from the mud and minerals of the Dead Sea.  Following this we went to Kalia Beach.  Here many of the pilgrims donned swimming apparel to go into the Dead Sea.  They floated in the water as well as spread mud over themselves.  The trek into the water is really not for the faint of heart as the lake bottom is slipper with minerals and uneven.  A few pilgrims ended up with bruises and scrapes as a result.

Grace floating in the waters of the Dead Sea.

Some of the pilgrims in the Dead Sea waving to the photographer.

The merry band of pilgrims with their coating of Dead Sea mud.

On our way back to Jericho we stopped at a couple of lookouts over the desert hills.  We first went to one somewhat out of the way lookout to look over the hills, and then went to another lookout where we could see the Monastery of St. George run by monks of the Greek Orthodox church.  Formally, it's known as the Monastery of Saints John and George of Choziba, or Saint George's Monastery in Wadi Qelt.  Getting to the monastery is not for the faint of heart although it can be reached by hiking without that much difficulty.  Apparently, you can also hire a donkey to get you there.  We contented ourselves by just viewing the monastery.

A view of the Monastery of St. George from the lookout.

A picture of the two of us with the monastery in the background.

On our return to the hotel, Fr. John celebrated Mass for the pilgrims at around 5 p.m. in the hotel.

Sites visited on November 20, 2019

A	Jericho Resort Village
B	Service station with camel and donkey
C	Masada National Park, Entrance
D	Masada National Park, on top of complex
E	Visitor Centre Ahava
F	Kalia Beach, Dead Sea
G	First Lookout Stop In Hills
H	Second Lookout Stop in Hills Overlooking the Monastery of St. George

Selected Sites (excluding Massada & the Ahava Visitor Centre)

Selected Sites Zoomed (excluding Massada & the Ahava Visitor Centre)

Selected Sites Zoomed Showing Satellite View(excluding Massada & the Ahava Visitor Centre).Note the extent of the desert (the light beige colors) and the hill topography where we visited the lookouts (G&H).

Updated 2020 March 15.