The Lowest Place on Earth


The Dead Sea and Ein Gedi


Our tour price included entrance to the Ein Gedi Spa and Resort. I went into the sulfur pools an floated to the top like I would in the Dead Sea. The salt is really stinging of you have eczema like me, so I skipped the actual dip into the Dead Sea. I did try the mud, though, but that and the salt-water shower hurt like hell. I stayed on the trolley down to the Dead Sea--it is now about two miles away from the resort. The shoreline has receded since the resort opened. I think the documentary I saw about the Dead Sea is right--the farming of minerals is killing the ecology.

I had an appointment for a massage, which was given by a gigantic Russian brute named Emanuel. It was good by it hurt. Emanuel said, "Suffer with joy..." as he prodded my tense muscles. But. I survived.

After all that mud and salt water, my entire body was covered in a layer of sodium chloride. I felt like a pretzel--a very relaxed pretzel. Two of my busmates were literally from my neighborhood in New York. She told me about the free samples of Ahava products back at Massada, where I bought some products also. She said, "It's a girl thing. Always ask for samples!"

Click here to see the photos of folks covered in mud.

Posted: Sun - March 27, 2005 at 02:00 PM        

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