On our way down southwards, we visited Tzippori, the capital of Galilee in 103 BC. Excavations began in 1931 and are periodically ongoing but the age of the site just blew us away and the massive stones in the road were worn with the wheel ruts from carts. The mosaics were most impressive and while the pictures don’t do them justice, it gives a flavour of what they’re like. They dated from 300 BC and were the flooring of houses and mansions. Some were badly damaged and we had wondered how they manage to actually move the mosaics onto a more stable base (some we’ve seen have been stuck on walls in museums). It turns out that one method (used with the Tzippori mosaics) was to stick a special type of cloth to the mosaic, loosen the earth beneath it, then roll it onto this huge roller and chip off the earth and whatever, smooth the back of the mosaic then roll it back onto a stable base.
Tzippori mosaic dated 64 AD (I just cannot get this one to flip sideways)
Another mosaic at Tzippori (same age as above)
We headed to Caesarea on the Med coast to briefly look at the ruins there, then hiked it down to the Dead Sea. First stop after about three hours driving was Masada, a huge fortress on a hill high above the edge of Dead Sea.
On the way down the windy windy road, we passed a sign saying “Sea Level2. Quite cool as you can see we had a long way to go before we hit the Dead Sea.
Sea level sign but check out how far there is to go down! So cool!
It was an absolutely perfect time of day to be viewing the Dead Sea and surrounding scenery – the colours were clear and the sea so still. The white salt deposits looked like waves from a distance but they were actually salt bergs (the thought of salt bergs appealed to me enormously but I think by that stage Euan had had enough of being in a small car with me in the passenger seat!).
Salt bergs. If you look closely or enlarge the picture, you can see the white flecks that look like waves and the salt crystalising around the shoreline (these are actually the evaporation ponds at the southern end of the Dead Sea)
The setting sun made the mountains on the Jordanian shoreline pink and with the blue of the sea and the salt crystalising around the sea edge and on the raised ground in the the evaporation ponds it just looked exquisite.
Dead Sea island with salt
We passed a load of very flash looking resorts (Le Meridian, Golden Tulip etc) that looked to be doing a roaring trade but the funny thing was, they weren’t even on the Dead Sea shoreline! They were on the edge of the evaporation ponds at the southern tip of the Dead Sea – bet they don’t say that on their brochures or web sites (I’d better check now)!! As we travelled further it was very apparent just how much the Dead Sea has shrunk and this is becoming a real problem that isn't easily resolved - particularly given the somewhat fractious relationships between the countries that it divides (and the fact that Jordan is running out of water anyhow so is hardly going to pump more into the Dead Sea!). There was one resort that had clearly once been on the shoreline but now the sea would easily be about 200 meters away and needless to say, it didn’t look very busy.
Dead Sea shoreline - you can see how its shrunk
It was pushing 1900 and we were getting a bit desperate for somewhere to stay by then (the resorts were not our thing and too pricey anyhow) and ended up at one of two options, the En Gedi Field School that was empty of life (except for the Ibex that were jumping freely round the grounds) but persevered until someone came and helped us out. A lot of the Kibbutz’ and Hostels are gated and, once shut, there is no easy way in if you don’t know anyone or have no booking. This place had a gate that was open so once we’d driven through it we weren’t about to leave in a hurry! We ended up staying there the night, perched high above the Dead Sea in a rather wild, shabby looking collection of buildings with the Ibex outside. It was pretty cool.
Ibex on a picnic table
Masada (the big square-looking hill in the centre) viewed from the Field School at 0545 (I got up to watch the sunrise)
We swam again in the Dead Sea (no, I definitely was not risking another dunking as still having problems from the last) so a few more pics….. It was 0730 and already hot hot hot.
Euan in the Dead Sea
and again..!
I saw this rock with salt all over it and it looked so beautiful that I just had to lick it and see what it tasted like. It was absolutely vile, hence the look or disgust on my face.
Me taking pictures of the salt (look at it all!! So pretty!)
and here is the picture
The plan was to drive along the Dead Sea, through the West Bank and into Jerusalem (1 hour drive)but we weren't too sure what the story was with entering the West Bank, or if they let tourists in rental cars through. If not, its the long way up and around the West Bank (3+ hours). Fingers crossed.
Tzippori mosaic dated 64 AD (I just cannot get this one to flip sideways)
Another mosaic at Tzippori (same age as above)
We headed to Caesarea on the Med coast to briefly look at the ruins there, then hiked it down to the Dead Sea. First stop after about three hours driving was Masada, a huge fortress on a hill high above the edge of Dead Sea.
On the way down the windy windy road, we passed a sign saying “Sea Level2. Quite cool as you can see we had a long way to go before we hit the Dead Sea.
Sea level sign but check out how far there is to go down! So cool!
It was an absolutely perfect time of day to be viewing the Dead Sea and surrounding scenery – the colours were clear and the sea so still. The white salt deposits looked like waves from a distance but they were actually salt bergs (the thought of salt bergs appealed to me enormously but I think by that stage Euan had had enough of being in a small car with me in the passenger seat!).
Salt bergs. If you look closely or enlarge the picture, you can see the white flecks that look like waves and the salt crystalising around the shoreline (these are actually the evaporation ponds at the southern end of the Dead Sea)
The setting sun made the mountains on the Jordanian shoreline pink and with the blue of the sea and the salt crystalising around the sea edge and on the raised ground in the the evaporation ponds it just looked exquisite.
Dead Sea island with salt
We passed a load of very flash looking resorts (Le Meridian, Golden Tulip etc) that looked to be doing a roaring trade but the funny thing was, they weren’t even on the Dead Sea shoreline! They were on the edge of the evaporation ponds at the southern tip of the Dead Sea – bet they don’t say that on their brochures or web sites (I’d better check now)!! As we travelled further it was very apparent just how much the Dead Sea has shrunk and this is becoming a real problem that isn't easily resolved - particularly given the somewhat fractious relationships between the countries that it divides (and the fact that Jordan is running out of water anyhow so is hardly going to pump more into the Dead Sea!). There was one resort that had clearly once been on the shoreline but now the sea would easily be about 200 meters away and needless to say, it didn’t look very busy.
Dead Sea shoreline - you can see how its shrunk
It was pushing 1900 and we were getting a bit desperate for somewhere to stay by then (the resorts were not our thing and too pricey anyhow) and ended up at one of two options, the En Gedi Field School that was empty of life (except for the Ibex that were jumping freely round the grounds) but persevered until someone came and helped us out. A lot of the Kibbutz’ and Hostels are gated and, once shut, there is no easy way in if you don’t know anyone or have no booking. This place had a gate that was open so once we’d driven through it we weren’t about to leave in a hurry! We ended up staying there the night, perched high above the Dead Sea in a rather wild, shabby looking collection of buildings with the Ibex outside. It was pretty cool.
Ibex on a picnic table
Masada (the big square-looking hill in the centre) viewed from the Field School at 0545 (I got up to watch the sunrise)
We swam again in the Dead Sea (no, I definitely was not risking another dunking as still having problems from the last) so a few more pics….. It was 0730 and already hot hot hot.
Euan in the Dead Sea
and again..!
I saw this rock with salt all over it and it looked so beautiful that I just had to lick it and see what it tasted like. It was absolutely vile, hence the look or disgust on my face.
Me taking pictures of the salt (look at it all!! So pretty!)
and here is the picture
The plan was to drive along the Dead Sea, through the West Bank and into Jerusalem (1 hour drive)but we weren't too sure what the story was with entering the West Bank, or if they let tourists in rental cars through. If not, its the long way up and around the West Bank (3+ hours). Fingers crossed.
1 comment:
Tzoppin mosaics amazing, and the fact they date back to 64 A.D. Incredible. Most interesting the technique used to move them onto a more stable base.
I like the photos of you both swimming in the Dead Sea. Magnificent photos throughout, and I like the way you intersperse them with the description of your trip. I'm learning heaps!
Love Margie.
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