Masada and the Dead Sea

After a much better sleep (I resorted to sleeping pills- I simply could not spend another night like last night!), I woke up refreshed, packed all of my belongings except my togs, towel and sarong, and headed down for breakfast. (A cup of coffee and a croissant usually) Even that wasn’t forthcoming as it was 6am and breakfast is not available until 8am on Saturdays.

No problem. I popped into the supermarket next door and bought an iced coffee, and a couple of pastries, which were just being put on the shelves fresh!  I had no sooner finished them than there was a knock on the door and I was off on tour with Alberto in a big red bus. I was the first pick-up, next was a family of six from Melbourne (I didn’t know that until later as they were all speaking Hebrew or Yiddish or some language I didn’t recognize), and then a couple of guys from Argentina.

We hadn’t gone far before I was asleep again. I swear I can sleep anywhere now. Alberto spoke in English and Spanish and it was in the long-winded Spanish part that I fell asleep. I stirred at Jerusalem, and promptly fell asleep again. When I woke up, we were in the desert but there were date palm plantations to break up the monotony. Apparently, (the Australian family told me later) he had made fun of my sleeping. They really didn’t like him. The grandmother is going to call the tour company and complain about him. I didn’t think he was that bad, but he was quite arrogant. He called me Australia the whole day, yelling my name when I came out of the toilet even though I had been nowhere near the allotted ten minutes!

First stop, Masada. I knew nothing at all about this place apart from King Herod built it. He was the Roman-appointed king of the Jews and was universally despised. Seventy years later, a group of Jews retreated to the top of this mountain to escape the cruelty of the Romans. They held out against the Romans for six years. The fortress looked like it was impregnable, but the crafty Romans used thousands of slaves to build a huge ramp up to the top of the mountain. The 967 Zealots, as they are called, foresaw their inevitable capture, and committed suicide to avoid slavery. Even today, they take Israeli troops up to the top of Masada and say, “Masada, never again” or something like that. Basically, they will never be slaves to another race again. What with this and the Holocaust stories I heard, it’s no wonder the Israeli people are the way they are. It’s deep in their psyche to never kowtow to others, but it makes them come across as rude and arrogant and superior, especially the men. They do nothing for nothing- you have to pay for every single thing. For example, I had paid a fortune to Momo’s for a 3 night stay, but they still wanted to charge me 12 shekels for a shower before I came to the airport, consequently I’m smelling of Dead Sea salt and sulphur! I did have to pay 5 shekels to have my luggage stored from 6-5pm. I carried it down the stairs (actually with the help of a guest returning very drunk at 6am). All they had to do was keep it in a locked room.

I digress. Next stop, Ein Gedi Spa and the Dead Sea. I was given a locker key, so changed into my togs and headed down to the beach. Since the spa was built 30 years ago, the Dead Sea has retreated 2km so what used to be a 30 second walk from the spa to the beach is now a 30 minute walk, or you can catch a little cart pulled along by a tractor, which is what I did, but not before trying to warm up in the thermal hot water from the open-air showers- a nice back massage. It was rainy and quite cold with only togs on.

It was advised to leave your sandals on, and I know why. The salt has crystallised along the edge of the water and is quite sharp to walk on. The two Argentinians and I braved the cold and walked tentatively into the water. I thought it would be warmer but it wasn’t freezing, and I quite soon got used to the temperature. Now to float- oh, that was easy- what was difficult was regaining one’s footing on the bottom. My feet kept wanting to float! It was like floating on jelly that wasn’t quite set. I reckon if it were any saltier, you’d be able to walk on the surface! I accidentally got a mouthful and immediately spat it out. It took ages to get rid of the taste from my mouth.

Back on the “train” to the indoor spa. Beautiful hot sulphuric but salty thermal water, made it very easy to float and relax. 15 minutes was the recommended maximum but I stayed in for half an hour. I’m a seasoned spa girl now!

I dressed and went down to the restaurant to see if anything took my fancy. A plate of salad was 24 shekels, so thought I’d try some of their salads. I have no idea what they were but they were quite tasty. I had a few shekels left in change so thought I might try some dessert. I chose a small chocolate muffin for 9 shekels thinking I had plenty, but apparently those lovely gold 10s are not 10 shekels but 1/10 of a shekel. (about 2.5 cents), but the checkout girl gave it to me anyway. That must be what the boy was the goat was telling me- it was too little- and here’s me thinking I was being generous!

I sat out in the warm sunshine waiting for the group to assemble. Of course it was bright sunshine now after I’d been in the sea! The Melbourne family joined me, and were telling me this was their very first overseas trip. The father had wanted to come to Israel his whole life! I didn’t want to disillusion him in his enthusiasm, but I just couldn’t share it. Admittedly, I had enjoyed the Dead Sea, but Jerusalem left me cold, and Tel Aviv was worse! It’s probably the only country that I’ve ever been to that I haven’t wanted to return to. Maybe Portugal has spoiled me? I’m sure they won’t miss me. It’s like Mecca for Jews, and Christians carry on about it being the Holy Land and all that, but really? Maybe I was just too sick, tired and homesick to enjoy its glories, but I won’t be giving it another chance. It was never a place high on my bucket list- or on my bucket list at all in fact- but I had the choice of a flight home from Tel Aviv or a flight from Frankfurt via Dallas-Fort Worth!

I was no sooner back on the bus than I was asleep. I think the coughing must be tiring me out.  I stirred to take one last look at Jerusalem, and then slept all the way back to Tel Aviv. I woke up to “Momo’s” and clambered down from the bus only to find they had dropped me a block away. I started walking and Alberto yelled out, “Australia! The other way!” I was glad I didn’t give him a tip. I don’t think anyone did. There mustn’t be any sort of pension here as both our tour guides were in their seventies.

I collected my luggage from the luggage room and told the girl on reception that the guy from two days ago said I could have a bed for 15 minutes to get my flight stockings on. She couldn’t understand what I needed. Shower? No. Beds are all clean. Yes, I know. I’m not going to get into it, just lay on top of it to put my stockings on. I tried to show here how tight the stockings were. The look on my face must have melted her heart because she opened room number 1 for me to put them on. How I hate this operation! I must be getting better at it though, because it didn’t take me as long as usual. I paid her 120 shekels and she ordered me a taxi for 7pm. It arrived early, and I was off to the airport.  Only three more flights!