Israel: Dead Sea; things to do

Dead Sea

Situated between the West Bank and Israel to the west and Jordan to the east, the Dead Sea sits more than 1,300 feet below sea level.  Its shores are the lowest point on Earth.  The only life in the water of the world’s deepest salt lake—1,083 feet--is bacteria.  The Dead Sea is also the world's second-saltiest body of water, after Lake Asal in Djibouti.  Its 31.5 percent salinity makes it 8.6 times saltier than the ocean and 9 times saltier than the Mediterranean Sea.  It is long and wide, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.  This sea was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it was a place of refuge for King David.  And it is hot--one of the hottest places in Israel.  Fortunately, many health spas in the sea offer respite with indoor pools filled with water from the sea.

There is a technique to floating in the Dead Sea’s buoyant waters.  Enter backwards, walking in a squat as though you are sitting.  When you are in deep enough water, relax and then, without effort, you will float.  Be sure someone is around to hand you a newspaper or book to “read” and to take your picture.  And do take time to apply some of the famous revitalizing mud to your face and body. 
 

people floating and reading in the Dead Sea

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image ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Photo Gallery--UNESCO sites, historic monuments, and architectural wonders

Travel bloggers share their favorite UNESCO, historical, and architectural sites

You might want to add some of these to your own bucket list.  My contribution is Israel’s ancient port city of Akko, which was once the capital of St. Jean d’Acre, an ancient Crusader kingdom.  Though Napoleon tried, he was unable to conquer it in 1799.  Today, the old walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

waterfront at Akko in Israel

This is my blog post about Akko.


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image ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Introduction to AKKO or ACCO or ACRE in Israel

Known by three names--AKKO or ACCO or ACRE--this ancient port city is located 14 miles north of Haifa.  A 5,000-year-old fortress on the Mediterranean, it was the capital of the ancient Crusader kingdom of St. Jean d'Acre.  It was also the city that Napoleon was unable to conquer in 1799, bringing an end to France's ambition to reach India.  A tunnel once connected the palace with the little village.  Today, the old walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  An atmospheric spice shop in the market is worth seeking out.

spice vendor in Akko, Israel

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image and video c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Introduction to Israel

“This is a small country. Every stream, we call it a river, every village a city, and every hill a mountain. We make the most of it,” confided my guide, Yariv Hen. And though Israel, which is about the size of New Jersey, has existed just over 50 years, it has become one of the strongest economies in the world. And despite the global economic downturn and the drop in international travel, 2011 was the best year ever for tourism to Israel. Here are a few videos that might whet your own appetite to visit this surprising land where the sim card was invented (the cell phone is described here as a piece of plastic with a Jewish brain) and where you can float with ease in the world's second-saltiest body of water.


cool facts about Israel:

10 most beautiful places in Israel:

 

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Light a virtual candle and travel to Israel

To mark the upcoming Chanukah holiday, which begins on the evening of December 1, the Israel Ministry of Tourism is relaunching its Chanukah website, where you can log on and light virtual candles for each night of the eight-day holiday known as the "Festival of Lights."

With each candle you light, you will be able to access more information about travel to Israel.  At the end of the holiday, site visitors who have lit all eight candles will be entered to win a free trip to Israel aboard EL AL Israel Airlines, to experience the country's many areas of cultural, religious and historical interest for themselves.  (offer out of date)

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