Dead Sea

So I've come down with a flu bug of some sort. Timing wise, I guess this is probably the best time to get sick (if sickness was mandatory), i.e. at the end of a trip.

The Middle East adventure has reached its finale and is quickly coming to an end. Yesterday's itinerary was again FULL ON. We packed in the Dead Sea, Madaba (best known for a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of The Holly Land), Karak Castle (an ancient Crusader stronghold) and Mt Nebo (burial place of Moses). Dead Sea was definitely an interesting experience. The Dead Sea is famous for the extreme salinity (33.7%, or 9 times that of the ocean) - a result of the high evaporation rate that occurs in that particular location. Many white salt crystals are actually visible on the shoreline. You don't swim so much in the Dead Sea; the more accurate description is bob. The water is so buoyant that balancing can get tricky - quite an unusual sensation.



Because the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth (at 1,300 feet below sea level), it is closest to all the deep Earth's minerals e.g. chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromine. Combined with the low U.V and the higher atmospheric pressure, the Dead Sea is believed to have special healing and cosmetic uses. This explains the liberal use and application of the mud by tourists.



More about the other 'highlights' another time