Day 2 - Jordan and the Dead Sea

Drove to the Dead Sea in Jordan today. This area is all desert. Some facts about the Dead Sea: it is 6-9 miles wide and 35 miles long. It is 950 feet at it's deepest point. The Jordan River feeds it. It is 15 000 years old and losing 3 feet a year. It is the lowest point on the earth. The Dead Sea has a salt content of 35% which is 10 times more than ocean water at 3%. It is actually a lake but the bible called it a Sea so it stuck. Swimming in the sea felt like space walking and it took me a while before I figured out how to stand upright without touching the bottom of the lake. You cannot touch the bottom because everything floats. You don't dare dunk your head as the salt would really hurt your eyes. The water wasn't cold and there were no plants or fish of any kind in the water or around it which made it super clean. It didn't smell at all either. The mud was a black silky smooth paste that was pleasant to touch. We covered our bodies with it and let it dry. It is supposed to be good for your body as it is rich with 12-13 minerals of the earth.

From there we went to Mount Nebo which is the mountain Moses climbed to view the entrance into the Promise Land but was not allowed to step into it. His call was to lead the children of Israel to it and Joshua's job was to lead them in. According to the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses died on Mount Nebo and was buried in Moab. The word Nebo means prophet. There is a historic church on this mountain in honor of Moses. It was originally built in the second half of the 4th entury AD and has some of the best mosaics in all Jordan dating from around 530 AD. It was later abandoned in the 16th century and then rediscovered in the mid-19 century. The interior has remains of antique mosaics with the masterpiece being an assortment of African animals. The memorial shows remnants of different tile floors from the many different periods the church was used. To create the mosaics, the artists would gather stone from all over the county to get the many colors needed. The tiny shape of the mosaic squares are indicitive of artist's effort, talent and patience. Outside the church, still standing are tall milestones, markers used by early travellers to mark locations for those travelling later.Read more