Photos are going to be a few days.
Today Josh and I made a faulty early morning attempt to go to Masada. We left the room at 3:00am - excited for our early morning - full moon light hike, but had to turn around when we got the gate to find out it didn't open until 5:30am. So we returned to the hotel and got some much needed rest.
Around 10:00am we went down to the Ein Gedi day spa. ("the lowest place on earth") It is something of an oasis sprouting out of the salty banks of the Dead Sea. The sea used to be up the edge of the main building but has been receding and is now a good 10 minute walk from the spa.
We started off in the sulfur baths, then moved on to the mud treatment. For some reason I was under the impression we would be submerging ourselves in mud, but this was even better, there are a bunch of thatched huts, outdoors shower area and beach chairs down on the sand along with two huge vats of mud. You just reach in, grab and handful of the thick dark green/black mud and spreading it all over. Josh and I got good and muddy, then rinsed off in the hot sulfur shower.
After rinsing off the mud we went down to the dead sea to float. The water is salty beyond any ocean water you could imagine. The few posts, dock pillars, drift wood etc, that were partially submerged in the water where completely covered in salt crystals. As was the hard packed floor of the sea. It was as if you were walking on coral. And of course, there was the floating. Josh - who isn't naturally buoyant at all, was able to rest his head back, kick his feet up and just relax - floating along with the waves.
We finished off our spa trip by each getting a massage. (nice huh?)
Anyhoo, tomorrow we are off to Masada in the morning and then to some hiking in the Negev.
