(Note: Click on small pictures to see a larger version)

On our second day in Ashdod, the port south of Tel Aviv, we took a long bus ride past Jerusalem and down into the Judean wilderness. It is a very rocky area with occasional Bedouin (nomad) camps. Turning south below Jericho, we drove past the caves of Qumran, where the dead sea scrolls were found, and on to Masada.

Masada is a high mesa. Herod built a summer palace on top, as a secure place to get away from Jerusalem.In 70 A.D., when the Jews rebelled against the Romans, a band of Zealots took over Masada. The Romans besieged it, but the defenders were well supplied, and had plenty of water in cisterns around their fortress. The Romans were unable to penetrate the defenses since they could only come up along a narrow path, a few at a time. Seeing that the place was effectively impregnable, they brought in some Jewish slaves, and built a broad ramp up against one side. The defenders decided that they did not have the right to kill these slaves to protect them selves, so they were in danger of being captured.

On the final night they came to the conclusion that they would not live under Roman rule, so the next morning, when the Romans finally forced the gate, they found that all of the defenders had committed suicide.

The remains of Herods palace as well as the foundations of many other buildings   have been excavated. There is a well preserved bath house, , and many large storage rooms.

We had lunch at one of the large Spa hotels at the south end of the dead sea. Afterwards we went for a float in the Dead Sea water. Due to the high salt level, we easily floated with our heads, hands, and feet out of water.