"Welcome to Ein Gedi, the lowest place on Earth"

Have you ever been low? The Dead Sea is known for being the densest, saltiest body of water on Earth, and its minerals are widely known for being beneficial for your skin and health. Which, of course, is part of the reason we're here. 

Dead Sea "sand"  = soft and inviting

This morning after breakfast we took a quick hike over to the edge of the kibbutz where the Natural Reserve is located. It was locked, and the person bearing the key was no where to be found. But one thing was clear: the weather wasn't looking so hot. And by not hot, I mean cold. We had been told by several people we met on the trip that the Dead Sea has it’s own little micro-climate and it’s usually warm year-round. Well today was spa/Dead Sea beach day, and temperatures were in the high 50s. There were heavy rain clouds looming about, and a chilly wind that was unmistakably stormy. Our day was not looking good. But within moments, the sky opened up and the sun came out, warming the air 10 degrees and causing us to quickly peel off our jackets. Then clouds again. This would be our pattern all day. 

The spa associated with the kibbutz (and included in the cost) is a five-minute trip down the road. A quick walk to the beach via wooden boardwalk brings you to several meters of white, soft and fluffy-looking sand that is actually hard, sharp salt crystals ready to rip the flesh off of your unsuspecting feet in a matter of seconds. And yes, my knowledge comes with a price. Did I naively and joyously skip into the “sand” only to learn its true evil nature? No. But my flip flop did fall off a few times when I was wading in shallow water, sending me into an agonizing struggle to stand and retrieve it so I wasn’t standing in concentrated salt water with fresh wounds. 

But once you get passed the tricky, shallow waves, all you have to do is sit and let the density of the water pull you back up to the top. Then you float! It feels like laying on an air mattress and the water leaves a grainy film on your skin. The water was unlike anything I'd ever been in. The sun would come in and out of the clouds and it was relatively warm, but the wind was strong and cold. The minerals in the water must have provided some sort of wind block, because the moment we rinsed off in the fresh-water showers, we were freezing and grasping for our towels. 

The sea itself, however, was stunningly beautiful. With a name like "The Dead Sea," I was expecting sort of murky, gray waters. These, however, were crystal clear and a bright turquoise color reminiscent of water from the Caribbean. The white salt shores also make up the bottom of the sea and you can clearly see the mountains on the Jordan side, a mere 17 km away. 

After our bob-and-soak, we headed to the mineral mud baths. Now, when I hear "mud bath," I envision hot tub sized pools filled with warm mud that you sit in to relax and let your skin absorb the minerals. Instead, there were giant vats of cold, slimy, Dead Sea mud that you scooped up with your hand and rubbed all over your already cold skin, including your face. Then once you were covered, you had to stand in the cold and try to let it soak in for 10 minutes before rinsing in the hot sulfur showers, followed by a rinse in the COLD fresh-water showers. My skin has never felt so smooth. I would also like to take a moment to say that I actually bought a Dead Sea mud mask from Target last year for $10 and it did feel exactly like the gunk I was spreading all over me. That means I probably used like $80 worth of mud today. This stuff ain't cheap! I'm pretty tempted to go down there with a water bottle and smuggle some out. Except it'd be hard to convince the spa employees that the thick, gray matter in my water bottle is actually something I can drink. Maybe I'll come away with some salt instead.

To warm up, we briefly soaked in the indoor sulfur pools, which were like hot tubs you can bob in, before exploring the outrageously overpriced spa gift shop and hopping on the shuttle back.

For tomorrow, we planned a trip to Massada. Unfortunately, our visit falls on a short period in January when the funicular is being tested for stability, so there's a possibility the entire park may be closed. Regardless, we're going to try (fingers crossed!). Then we'll spend the later part of the afternoon back at the spa where I'm planning on having a combination Swedish massage and facial after more bobbing and mud bathing.

Stay tuned.