It was going to be a long trip, so we got a bigger car and packed it to the gills

We picked up the kids at school and headed to the Ein Gedi Youth Hostel where we had a room with 7 beds. Jane did calesthenics Benjamin climbed into the top bunk Sarah Suzanne and Jan sat on their beds and I gave a gentle pose.

After dinner, Jan took a family portrait and we went to sleep.

The next morning, we took the obligatory phone booth pictures a picture at the kibbutz/youth hostel pictures of the mounatains and the Dead Sea from our room.

Next we went for a walk in the local nature reserve where we saw caves where we think people lived. Then we studied the map and found the first waterfall which inspired us to walk further until some of us could sit alongside the next waterfall while others got closer to the water. A nearby tour guide was exhorting his charges in energetic Hebrew

We continued on to the next and final waterfall which was amazing to look at especially on the side where droplets of rain fell from the cliff. We used the occasion to take a number of group pictures

On the way out, we recorded the event and headed on to the Dead Sea.

Once at the Dead Sea, we did some science experienced the mineral baths and turned to the mud experience as well as having a photo orgy of our group (with Suzanne as photographer) Sarah David Jane and Jan A friendly passerby took a lot of pictures of us

because he didn't know how the camera worked.

Next it was time to take the tram to the sea follwing the rules about swimming The women went into the water first and started floating Other people were at the beach

Next we drove to Masada and started walking along the endless winding road

to the top where we first found bags of archaeological cement.

We went to a few building ruins

and looked at a view

Then we looked down at where we had climbed and where the Romans had camped

at some views of the whole place and at some views in individual buildings

We also saw a wonderful on two floors and the synagogue

We concluded the day with even more pictures before leaving Masada, first some views then the storerooms

with some interesting lighting effects.

We ended the day by driving to Ein Boqeq where we crossed this road to take a final obligatory phone booth picture (the talented viewer will see Sarah hiding in this picture).