After the Sultan’s night – great fun, by the way – an early start this morning, the coach leaving at 7.30! David explained that we were driving out into the Judean desert, a place of refuge for kings, prophets and others fleeing persecution or other enemies. For a time, we followed the route to Jericho and were all reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan.
We reached Qumran and after a video presentation, we walked around the ruins of the dwelling place of that most extraordinary sect, the Essenes. We saw the sight of cave 4, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. At this point, we were well below sea level.
We then travelled on to Masada, and after a video presentation, and a take away coffee, very welcome, we travelled up to the top of Herod the Great’s fortress stronghold. David explained how it had been built by Herod the Great, occupied by Jews in revolt against Rome, who when the situation became hopeless, killed their families and each other rather than face slavery. Later, monks had a monastery there and built a Byzantine church. Before looking round we heard Psalm 2 read, sang ‘O worship the King’, and reflected upon how human greatness passes away, but that of God, never.
We all felt that we could have spent longer there, but it was time to go and have lunch at the Premier, by the Dead Sea. Then, we prepared for our great adventure – floating in the Dead Sea! All of us went in in the end, and thoroughly enjoyed the strange sensation of being able to float easily without any effort at all.
It must have been tiring, as after that, most of us fell asleep in the bus coming back to Jerusalem. A very different, but most satisfying day.
We have a very noisy party of Welsh people in the Hotel watching the Rugby, but England seem to be putting them in their place (well at half time anyway)
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