Desert Wanderings
Back on our schedule today, it was nice to catch-up with Fadi again at breakfast - we’d missed him. We were visiting a church in Bethany this morning so we had been told to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions that might offer glimpses of shoulders or knees. We’d be driving through the desert too, so suncream, hats and plenty of water were prescribed for our backpacks. Moses picked us up and transported us, through the Israel/Palestine separation wall back into the West Bank; Palestinian territory. Since the separation fortification (otherwise known as a wall) has been put in place, driving as the crow flies, so to speak, isn’t always possible, and many in these parts grumble at the inconvenience of having to go the long way round. Bethany isn’t far from the Mount of Olives but we had to go the long way.
A bit like Bethlehem, Bethany was quite rundown; dusty, dilapidated shopfronts lining the main drag. This little town is known for being the home of Jesus’ close pals, the siblings, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
It was the place where Mary poured her expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and where one of Jesus’ most famous miracles took place - the raising of Lazarus back to life.
The church at Bethany was modern in comparison to some we have visited in Israel but it occupies the site of the earlier Byzantine and Crusader churches from previous centuries, dating all the way back to the 4th Century AD! A portion of the beautiful original mosaic floor, put in place by a skilled craftsman 1700 years ago is still visible. Talk about standing the test of time. The church building has minimal windows -the only light coming through a little circular window in the ceiling. This is to give it a dark, tomb-like quality; a nod to the tomb Lazarus came out of.
Just near the church was an enterprising old bloke, a wad of American dollars firmly in his fist, offering to exchange large notes for small notes - a human ATM. There was also a dusty old camel, whose owner was trying his hardest to convince us we needed a ride. After Petra, my camel riding days are over, so it was a hard pass from me.
Our bus was travelling the road from Jerusalem to Jericho where the parable of the Good Samaritan was set. We didn’t come across anyone injured or lying in a ditch but we’d packed plenty of Band-Aids just in case. The Judean Desert rose up with huge, bald, billowing mountains on either side of the bus. The landscape is so desolate - no trees or greenery of any kind at all, making it all just one uniform colour brown for as far as the eye can see. We were on a slow descent back down to the belly-button of the earth - the Dead Sea- but were viewing it this time from Israel, rather than Jordan, which we could see way off in the distance over the salty sea. At 423m below sea level, our ears were popping with the change of altitude. Fadi told us the Dead Sea is rapidly shrinking at a speedy one metre per year, & getting more salty by the day. Scholars think it may be completely gone in 30 years. Glad we got to float in it while we could.
In this mountainous wilderness, sulphur pools can still be found around the rocky shores of the isolated coastline, their presence becoming immediately apparent, as an interesting aroma started seeping into the bus and wafting up our nostrils. At least that’s the story I’m sticking with. There’s no truth in the rumour it was me, but come to think of it, i did have lentils for dinner…
Driving south, only 3 hours from the Egyptian border, we saw DANGER signs around the almost deserted Dead Sea beaches, not only warning of floating nudists but also big sink holes that can open up in this area at any time, endangering resorts and highways (and obviously floating nudists).
Deep in the stark, sepia surrounds of this dry and dusty wilderness, the diamond-shaped fortress, Masada, rose alone, separated from its mountainous next-door neighbours. At 300m up, we were thankful for the enterprising individuals that saw fit to build a cable car to the top. There is an aptly named “snake path” that winds up the impossibly steep rock face if you feel so compelled (or have a death wish). Sue & Deb maintain they would have run up and abseiled down if only Fadi had given them the OK.
It was standing-room-only inside the monster-sized cable car cabin, packed to Tokyo subway standards, with over 60 people crammed inside. Different tour groups were jostling for position. It was 38 degrees outside and surely over 40 as we made the tight-knit ascent inside the sardine tin.
Herod the (not so) Great had built his fortress cum palace way up high so he could see the Parthians’ and Egyptians’ territories, keeping a general eye on things. He set up 37 watch points because, well, that was his favourite number. This stately monument is the last standing structure of the Jews since the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD and a magnificent place to visit.
The ruins were impressive, complete with bath house, dome-roofed sauna room, multiple bedrooms and even a loo. To make it look like it was made of Jerusalem stone, Herod got locally quarried rock covered with plaster, to pass it off as the real thing. Clever.
Herod, the paranoid, pagan politician (Triple P for short) sure did know how to maximise the views. The vista from this place was absolutely breathtaking. Massive mountains at one side and the bluest pale blue of the Dead Sea on the other. Just stunning.
Historian Josephus, recorded a tragedy that had taken place within the walls of this place. When faced with an impending Roman invasion, they had all made a pact to kill each other rather than be captured. The last man standing fell on his own sword and set fire to the palace. So sad!
The public toilet back on ground zero was SO crowded! It seemed people were using it as a designated hang out spot; a cool place to gather and take group photos (I wish I was kidding). I had forgotten to bring my hat and there was an abandoned hat on the bathroom sink. It was tempting but I had second thoughts; there was only room for one hat thief in our ranks. The lovely Debbie insisted on buying me a new hat. Thanks Deb!
We got to watch an informative, badly dubbed mini movie, starring Kochie’s Israeli doppelgänger, that showed a snapshot of all Massada’s eventful history.
Maisy bought some Doritos but wasn’t sure of the flavour as it was written in Hebrew. I got my trusty Google Translate app on the case and we discovered they were actually ‘Beryl’ flavoured. Look out for them at your local store.
Back in Bethany, Vivienne had bought a loaf of bread from a blind man and his cart. This came in handy as bird food when a friendly flock of jet black Tristram’s starlings were eating out of our hands.
Continuing our tour of the desert, and the En Gedi area, we arrived at a beautiful little oasis with a cool stream and a waterfall, teeming with wildlife, including the long-horned ibex - quite the mountain climbers. We could see little caves scattered around the bald mountains and Fadi told us this was the place where, in a cave, David had cut a corner from King Saul’s robe. (1 Samuel 24) Wow.
Doug, our resident font of knowledge, did his best David Attenborough impression, taking me along on his quest to find the elusive little furry hyrax. Apologies should go to this humble creature because until today, I was completely oblivious to his existence. It was a thrill to see a couple of these little guys - like wombats but with slightly longer legs -in the wild. Doug and I both let out a gasp when the stocky little furball leapt up into the tree and began to climb. Fascinating stuff.
Our “modest” clothes proved a little sweaty in the scorching desert heat. Poor Viv had worn her jeans and could vouch for why Desert Denim had never taken off.
Our last stop was Qumran, famed for being the hiding spot for the Dead Sea Scrolls. This place was striking (and oppressively hot!) with caves and panoramic views over the township of the Essenes, a mystic Jewish sect dating back to the 2nd century BC, who had a thing about bathing and had multiple bathing houses that they frequented several times a day. You know what they say: cleanliness is next to godliness. Oh how we wished they were full of water today.
Our last dinner together was fun but tinged with sadness at the fact that our incredible Middle Eastern adventure was coming to an end and we’d all be heading our separate ways tomorrow night. We have one more day of touring to go…
