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.
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.
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.
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| The Dead Sea |
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!
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| 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.
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| Add Exploring Masada: the western edge of the great palace-fortress Courtesy of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism www.goisrael.comcaption |
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
El Al offers flights from London Luton or from London
Heathrow to Tel Aviv. For regional flights, connections and best fares
visit elal.uk
Isrotel Dead Sea (isrotel.com)
For more information about Israel visit new.goisrael.com
First published in All About
Hair (All About Hair UK), the
travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist
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