NOW WHERE THE HECK AM I?

First my cell phone wouldn't work, then my ipod died, then I couldn't get my computer to work and to log on to the wireless site at the hotel, and then my camera died. New camera today, cell phone charged and working, and now a generous young man on our trip helped me work out the bugs on my computer. Danny, you said you couldn't fly out to help me, so I had to settle for second best.
The days run into one another when you spend so much time on the bus rushing from one site to another, but then there is so much to see in Israel. Sunday was a very interesting day. We went to the Dead sea, the lowest place on earth. The sea has shrunk almost a quarter of a mile from the visitor center according to others on the trip. The water is so salty, you can only float in it. So I did! I couldn't come to Israel and not go in the Dead Sea. It was quite an experience. Then we covered ourselves with mud and made total fools of ourselves in front of the cameras.
Later we went to Masada, a huge fortress on the top of a mountain where a small number of Jews held off the Romans for several years until the Romans were able to infiltrate the fortress and the Jews committed suicide rather than be taken slaves.
Young kids hike the hill, we took a cable car. It was extremely hot and dry but very interesting.
We then went to a small winery, yes winery in the middle of the Negev Desert. The family running the place have been there for 11 years, building it from nothing to a small boutique winery producing Merlot and Cabernet wines, not my favorite, but good. They also have a number of guest houses and give tours. There is really nothing much to do in the desert but the Jews have taken various parts of it and made things grow.
This morning we visited the Ramon crater, a huge hole in the ground formed over the thousands of years by weather and wind. Also in the desert. We then drove to the other end of the desert to a small Kibbutz with just over 150 people who have made it an ecological area. They recycle everything, built homes with hay and mud, reuse their water, and are beginning to produce all their own solar power. In fact, much of Israel runs on solar power.
Finally we came to Elat not far from the border of Jordan on the shores of the sea. Tomorrow we go into Jordan, to Petra a place thati supposed to be quite interesting.
For more info on these interesting places, I suggest GOOGLE. (commercial)
Until next time. . .