Desert and the dead sea

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and many other side dishes

Topped over and with it’s stalactites peaking upward

We were searching for a desert experience out of the overcrowded seashore and landed near the crater at Mitzpe Ramon where we lodged in a hut in the desert. We loved the simplicity and the immense silence, even if Israeli soldiers were holding shooting exercises a few kilometers further. Our little duplex hut was amazing, no running but jerrycanned water, a small gas cooker, a small gas heater, a toilet and solar powered hot shower 100 meter further & 20 meter down, neighboring huts 100 m further, a terrace made of rocks and a few cushions and a superb view.

cooker, water reserve for drinking and washing. We are happy !

2 old gas canisters

Later we dived into the nearby crater and lodged in a Bedouin campment, where our very calm host Walidi prepared us some delicious food/bread cooked on or in the ground. Silence was shared with some 500 kids a little further as it was Hanukah holiday : celebration of the light.

The Bedouine tent

Dry heating the potatos and chicken

Chicken, sweet and normal potatoes, lemon at the Bedouine camp

Walidi, our Bedouine host

Bread will be ready soon 🙂

We dove into the Dead Sea area, with its fastly receding shoreline (1m level / year) and desintegrating shores (6000 sinkholes and heavy erosion). We enjoyed the floating on the heavy water, the salt formations and the clay/mud depositions. At night, we slept outdoors, inspired by a rave party with boys & girls trying to escape the reality of their coming 2-3 years of armed service.

responsible for 10-20% of the sea level depreciation/year

made of sand in continuous movement, that grows a salt layer around it

couldn’t do his back …

also dirt

Already 40 meters lower (less deep) than 50 years ago. In 2060 the sea will be dry.

no tent, only something borrowed from a neighbor against the mosquitos.

In the passing, we wandered around Herods 2000 year old desert fortress in Masada. Where he built Roman swimming pools on a high rock (15Ha surface) in the desert : high tech of 2000 years ago.

amazing peace of work, 2000+ years old high above the dry desert.

Carved into the rock and ingeniously used for Herods swimming pool in the desert some 2000 years ago.

View of the death valley from Masada at sunset

5-6th century AC after the Roman period.