Sometimes miracles do happen and one happened to me at in
the Judean Desert at the Dead Sea, the lowest – 400 meters below sea level, to
be exact – and saltiest spot on the planet.
 |
| The Dead Sea |
At 5.30am, I walked down to the sea to discover several
people bobbing like bottles on the water. Having recently had foot surgery, my mission was to reap
the water’s therapeutic benefits.
The Dead Sea air is reputed to have a relaxing effect as it
contains extra oxygen and bromine as well as minerals renowned for helping
people with psoriasis and ailments which include joint problems, so maybe it
would do something for my feet. I hoped a dip in the sea would stop the
spasmodic twinges of pain I was still getting.
As the water is extremely salty, most life forms cannot
exist in it, the skin can easily become dehydrated, so it is advisable not to
stay in the water too long. And don’t splash! Get salt in your eyes and
it will sting like crazy. The Dead Sea's low elevation means that it has
weakened UV radiation, but you still have to take care in the sun, which is
probably why so many people were up so early.
I slathered my legs and feet in mud and bathed them for a
good 20 minutes. Legend
has it that the Queen of Sheba and Cleopatra believed in the healing and
rejuvenating properties of the Dead Sea’s mud and salts. And these two women
were supposed to know a thing or two about beauty!
 |
| People bobbing like bottles on the Dead Sea |
Before leaving, I managed to squeeze in a mud treatment at the Isrotel Dead Sea’s spa, the hotel where I was staying. My body was fully caked in mud, then wrapped in plastic, for what seemed an eternity. After eventually showering the stuff off, my therapist applied a lovely moisturising cream containing Dead Sea minerals. I have to say since that day I have not had one twinge. The magic of the Dead Sea? I’d like to think so.
After being pampered it was time to explore the area.
Crossing a vista of stony mountains and steep canyons that surround the Dead
Sea, I made my way to Masada, the remains of King Herod’s fortress, a place
where history meets archaeology and tells a heart-wrenching story of bravery
and martyrdom.
Thanks to the accounts of the Jewish historian, Flavius
Josephus, from the first century and excavations from the early 1960s, the story
of Masada lives on.
King Herod, needing a bolt-hole, had this three-tiered palace built. At the beginning of
the great revolt against Rome in the year 68BC, it became the refuge of
survivors of the Jewish revolt.
The governor of Judea, Flavius Silva was determined to end
the uprising and laid siege to the fortress. A ramp was built and the soldiers
managed to breach the wall with a battering ram. The 960 Jews, led by Eleazar
Ben Yair, chose death over slavery. After killing their wives and children, the
men then killed each other. The last man standing, allegedly, committed
suicide.
 |
| Exploring Masada: the western edge of the great palace-fortress Courtesy of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism www.goisrael.com |
My Israeli guide, Gadi Talmi, was like a walking
encyclopaedia. He told the story so beautifully that standing on the top
of Masada looking down at the Roman military camps and the wild rugged,
unspoilt scenery that engulfed it, you could almost feel these zealots’
presence.
You can climb the renowned “snake path” to the top, but the
cable car, which will whisk you there in minutes is preferable in hot weather.
Load up on sunscreen and water before you go.
Once there you can see the remains of living spaces occupied
by these Jews as well as a mikveh (Jewish ritual bath), storerooms,
watchtowers, a synagogue and mosaics thousands of years old. Particularly
impressive is the water system which collected water from a day’s rainfall to
keep a thousand people for over two years.
Whatever fate has in store for the Dead Sea, I’m sure that
the fortress of Masada, the modern symbol of Jewish survival, will observe it
all and be a wonder for generations to come.
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
Contact the Israeli Government Tourist Office www.thinkisrael.com or call 0207 299 1100
El Al offers flights from London Luton to Tel Aviv from £399 or from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv from £426. To book call 0207 121 1400 or visit www.elal.uk or contact your travel agent
Isrotel Dead Sea (www.isrotel.co.uk)
