Massada to Kfar Hanokdim

September 30

[notes from Chris will be in brackets]

My day (Kati) began watching the sun rise over the Dead Sea drinking sweet black coffee.  [The coffee here is usually ground really fine the grounds are in what is served, and it is very strong, smaller portions.  Hard to find cream for coffee.]

Breakfast was included in our hostel & very different than any breakfast we have ever experienced.  There was tuna, cheese, salad with all kinds of fixings, toast, yogurt, what seemed to be brownies, hummus, tahini & boiled eggs, among other things.  [the best part of traveling is the cheese!]

Massada was definitely worth seeing… a set of palaces and watchtowers on the edge of what was once the Roman Empire built by King Herod on a mountain in the middle of the desert. It was scorchingly hot in the sun, and we found shade whenever possible and drank a ton of water.

[At most of the archaeological sites, they have a black line painted across the wall, the original stuff is below the line.]

The views were spectacular and the remains of the architecture nothing short of amazing.  This place is better known for the 900+ rebel Jews that resisted the Romans and holed themselves up on Massada surviving on stores of food after the Roman conquest of the rest of Israel.  They eventually chose death over slavery on the eve of the Romans taking their little village- each man killing his own wife and children before taking lots to see who would be the last man to fall on his own sword.

After a quick lunch we took another dip in the Dead Sea, rinsed off & drove through Arat to an oasis where we spent the night.

---

 

Stay at Kfar Hanok-Dim (an oasis!)

[We drove over an hour to go what would have been 10 minutes if we could have cut through the mountains.  The landscape views were spectacular!]

After checking in and resting for a bit, we had a camel ride,

and then a tent meeting where we were greeted with the hospitality of the Bedouins — a coffee roasting ritual, and talked with a man whose family have been there for 700+ years.  He has 3 wives, many camels, donkeys and goats.

We learned that Bedouins greet their guests openly and take the protection of them very seriously.  The 3 coffees served to a guest are: 1. We welcome you in, 2. Our sword (we will protect you while you are here), 3. We are glad you’re here, we enjoy your company, enjoy your time.  None of these cups will be filled to full, and they will be served in very small (smaller than a demitasse) cup – ours were beautiful white china with small pink flowers and gold stripes.  If you are served a full cup, it means ‘we are ready for you to leave.’

They also served a very yummy, very sweet Bedouin tea which was minty.  The girls drank a lot of this.

[oops, Kati has more to say about the camels…] The camel ride was great!  I think my teeth were dusty from my constant smiling.  We all loved it.  I now have quite an affinity for these crazy looking creatures.  They can carry 300+ pounds, run all day & go 1 week with no food or water – and they are just… funny… each with it’s own personality, much like horses.  Their eyelashes and feet are bizarrely beautiful, and they really are graceful.  Who’d have guessed?

Our dinner, which was served buffet style, was a beautiful spread of delicious choices, most of which we could identify.  We ate with a lovely Jewish family from Australia at a low-seated table… what fun.  And, yes, there were cats here too… mostly hovering around the tables hoping for a scrap of something to hit the ground.

 

Our ‘tent’ was luxurious, though warm (we were very grateful for the large fan).  The entire facility was peaceful, welcoming, and beautifully decorated.   This was a very high-class camping experience!

[I hope to find pictures of our breakfast, and finish this post after we have our family-time-on-the-town!]