Exploring Masada, Floating the Dead Sea

This morning we woke up earlier than usual so we could drive to Masada.

After a two hour drive from Jerusalem, we finally arrived at the huge mountain and took the cable car up. Stepping out of the tram we were greeted by thousands of rocks and strong gusts of wind.

We explored the mountain and found huge cisterns with smooth cool walls, palace chambers with broken down orange-brown rock, mikvahs, and an ancient shul. At the shul we davened shacharit, and learned that the synagogue was built in a sephardic way—seats all facing each other, columns in the middle of the building and a bimah between the columns.

After we left Masada, we went to go float in the Dead Sea. As I said before, it was a very windy, and this weather condition didn’t make the already uncomfortable sea any better. As we floated in the water that felt like cold oil, the wind caused the waves to carry us and splash in our faces. Despite all this, the sea was still a lot of fun. I have never seen a sea like it with its rocky shore.

After rinsing off, we drove to our new hostel in Bet She’an.