Highs and Lows

Maple and I had earned enough free nights in hotels from all our travels that we decided treat ourselves to some weekends away.  This particular weekend, we went to the Dead Sea!!!  Upon our arrival, we immediately went to the swimming pool (that had all kinds of awesome jets) for a few hours.  I sure do love being in water!  We took a break and wandered around the hotel during the sun's strongest hours.

We found this mini-model of Petra and had fun taking our picture with it.  

Just outside the hotel is this sign.  I wasn't confident about it before the sign, but NOW! I can say confidently that I went 380 meters below sea level. Phew!  Glad that my lack of confidence was restored.

We had dinner at a local restaurant, and got to see this beautiful sunset over the Dead Sea.  Unfortunately, that light pole was right in the way.  But still, oh so pretty and peaceful.

Back at the hotel, the sun had already set looking out one direction.

We headed back to the Infinity Pool (the one with all the jets), and found it to be completely empty.  Our own private pool overlooking the Dead Sea.  It doesn't get more peaceful than that.  

The next morning, we got up early before it was too hot, and went down to the Dead Sea.  There was this sign, but it didn't make me feel confident about how low I'd traveled.  Besides...there were still about 50 stairs to head down to the water, so I don't think that sign is true.

Super Tourist Moment!  Floating in the Dead Sea!  Woot Woot!  It really was awesome and I just bobbled all over the place.  I actually skinned my legs on the rocks a few times because of how I bobbled around.

The Country Across the River.

So what I didn't know is that the thing to do is cover yourself in the mud that's been dredged up from the bottom of the Dead Sea (they have a pot of it nearby on the shore), and let the healing salts and stuff do their magic.  I went full out and covered myself face to toe.  (Maple needed to keep her shades on cause it was so bright, and so she didn't do her face.)  Then we sat there and let it dry.  I have a great picture of the two of us, but I don't really want to put my bathing suit self on the internet.  Anyway, the lifeguard Mohammed took a nice modest face only photo for us.  Then, you get back in the water to rinse it all off (except your eyes, beware getting the salt water in your eyes!), and voila!  Skin that feels like magic.  I'm a believer.

After showering, we ascended from the lowest point on earth and drove up to Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out over the Promised Land before dying.  Nobody knows exactly which mountain it is, but the thing is--you can stand on any of them and look out over the land, and we know Moses did that.  Pretty cool.

 Panorama looking out one direction.

Panorama looking out another direction.

And then this awesome grocery store on the way back down the mountain.

It was a great weekend.  I'd never been one that dreamed of going to the Dead Sea, but once I was there--I truly enjoyed it.  I would go again and again if I could.  I guess I forget sometimes how much I love to be in water.  And, the mud really did make my skin feel so great!  And Mount Nebo--it was so neat to stand up there and look out over the land and think about Moses doing the same.  I liked it so much more than I expected.

So we went from the lowest point on earth to a mountaintop place of spiritual height all in one day.  Not too shabby of a day.