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| Day eight was spent along the Dead Sea. We went to Qumran, the sea itself, Masada, and Ein Gedi. |
Qumran & Beach
The Dead Sea visit began with a stop a Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. This was the home of the Essenes. They used to copy and study the scriptures in small, strict communities. Although they lived in caves along the desert cliffs, they came to their commune to work, dine, and purify themselves daily. We watched a multimedia presentation and toured an exhibit hall, and finally the remains of the commune.
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Cave in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found |
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Because the shopoholics in my group spent so much money at the Qumran gift shop (they sell books and skin-care products from the Dead Sea), the Qumran folks let us use their private beach area. Swimming in the Dead Sea was a blast! Because the sea has no outlet, extreme amounts of salt and minerals collect in it and make it uninhabitable by anything living. Another effect of the minerals is that a bather can't sink in the water! You can float there on your back and read a magazine if you want! If you manage to get yourself vertical, you just bob there like a buoy.
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