Saturday was amazing!  We left the Galilee area and traveled south through the Jordan Valley. Our first stop was Beit She’an, the place where the Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and Jonathan.  Terri hiked to the top to get a picture of the bare tree where their heads were hung. We then moved on to Bethabra where John baptized and close to where the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land.  We ate at the ‘Lemon’ restaurant in Jericho, a local place where we had the usual humans and vegtables, pita and then we were treated to lamb/beef mixed and chicken shikabobs.  Very good!  They served us lemon aid with mint.  Man was that refreshing!  The restaurants do not serve their drinks with ice here.  After lunch we went to Masada instead of into Jericho which we will do on Sunday.  Masada was incredible perched high on top of the mountain.  We took the tram ride up, and some of us wanted to walk down but it was closed when the tour was ready to leave. Big bummer!!!

Our evening was spent at the Isrotel Hotel right on the Dead Sea. Terri, Kit and I went for our first float in the Dead Sea after dinner.  You don’t really swim you float!  I had planned to come to the room and post after cleaning up however, once I finally sat down after the day, I could not keep my eyes open. I was a ‘good’ worn out! Barely remember making it to the bed.

Sunday morning - Terri, John, Helen and myself were in the Dead Sea again by 6:15am to watch the sun come up over the mountains. We laughed and had a great time just taking in the beauty around us and soaking in the soothing mineral/salt water.  Breakfast was next and now I am trying to get a post done before we leave with pictures in just a few minutes. We will see.  We are off to Jericho today and then into Jerusalem. Pictures to follow if I can.