And We're Back

Firstly, an apology to all my loyal readers who had many a sleepless night over these past nearly two weeks rolling around in bed wondering if there would ever be another blog post. Fear not, I am returning from my hiatus (vacation with my family) with a fury of posts. A special apology to a special reader that constantly asks for more – without him I would be convinced that no one reads this thing. I’d still post none the less. I would thank him by name but don't want it to go to his head.

So it was Monday afternoon and my short 3 day week was even shorter. After having worked four whole days the week before, I was able to take off a day early and take off Tuesday. Off I went on the train to meet Atara and Daniel (older siblings) at the airport. Our destination was the Dead Sea where we were to meet the rest of the family that had arrived earlier that day. We rented what looked like a modern, chic clown car and off we went. A little over two hours later we arrived in En Bokek, a nirvana in the middle of the desert that is likely more man-made than natural. It is none the less, beautiful (see the pictures below). We ran into the family as we were pulling up to the hotel; they were off to the sea for a night swim. We quickly changed and joined them.

The Dead Sea from my balcony

Ein Bokek - the resort area on the Dead Sea

View of the hotel pool and Dead Sea

Floating in the Dead Sea at 11 pm under a star light night with a warm desert breeze blowing the pungent Dead Sea smell past you is a great way to kick back after a long two-day work week. The next morning day was more of the same – after a huger breakfast, we headed to the “beach” and floated more in the Sea. The most notable difference in the day from the night before was the temperature. By 11 am, the thermometer clock next to the pool was reading 45° C, or 113° F for you non-metric Yankees, really hot. The sea began to feel like a pool and it was time for the mud. Almost as though it were a ritual, my siblings mom and I covered ourselves in Dead Sea mud and baked out in the sun before washing our skin in the salty, nearly boiling water. 

Earlier in the day when it was only 42 degrees C

The trip down to the Dead Sea was magnificent, until it was time to go. My parents, sister, brother-in-law and little brother came down in a plus sized version of our clown car… there was no way I was squeezing in. Atara and Daniel were off to see his aunt and uncle in the north… Yoel got to take the bus. When a bus is 15 minutes late in 113° weather, you feel each minute. When it stops at every tiny sign of civilization on the should be 1.5 hour drive to take 3 hours, you are sure you are sure to get off the bus with a nice dehydration headache and a big hunger.

I called my family and told them to meet me at Hashamen (The Fat is back)… it was time for my long-overdue first Shawarma.