Masada and the Dead Sea

Following our visit to Crete, we had a relaxing day at sea on The Rhapsody of the Seas. We pulled ashore at Ashdod, Israel on Thursday, September 8, 2022. We had arranged to take a small group tour to the ruins of Masada and the Dead Sea. It was nearly a 2-hour drive through the desert and the scenery was pretty dismal. I tried to capture a few of the variations to what I saw from my window, with the most interesting being caves and tunnels in the desert hills - such as where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found - and views of the dead sea in the distance.

Outskirts of Jerusalem

Modern building near Jerusalem

Area where Lot's Wife was turned to a pillar of salt.

Qumran area where Dead Sea Scrolls were found

First sight of the Dead Sea

Stone memorial of some kind

Snacks for the journey

Trees were sparse most of the way

Masada National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans at the end of the second temple period. Built by Herod, king of Judea, Masada was a palatial fortress in the style of the ancient Roman East. It is located on a plateau at the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, near the shore of the Dead Sea. We took the cable car to and from the top of the plateau. Models of the ruins help with perspective. But to be honest, it was soooo hot and so hard to pay attention to our guide, that I can't recall much detail about what we saw.

There were ruins of palaces, officers quarters, a byzantine church, a synagogue, towers, forts, residences, cisterns, and more.

There were several swimming pools or bathhouses.

King Herod built a 3-level terraced palace on the north side of the plateau.

Finding a shady place to rest was a welcome relief while exploring Masada. An elaborate system of water collection, canals and cisterns was built to sustain life in the complex fortress. The views from atop the plateau were interesting and puzzling at the same time. But it was evident that this was truly a magnificent fortress when built in 106-73 BC. 

After Masada, it was just a short ride to the Dead Sea, where Bob and I would have a second opportunity to cover ourselves with mud and swim in the mineral laden water. This was a public access area and was not as nice as it had been at the Dead Sea Resort. None of us spent much time in the water which stings in all the wrong places.