Day 3

Well, I thought I would be able to write a little every night and keep up with the trip chronicles but that didn't happen! We are now home . . .and stuck at home . . . .with covid. We have been fully vaccinated and boostered and have avoided it for 3 years but it has caught us. I feel really bad because I've already been away from work for 2 weeks and now I'm at home. I've been able to do some work from home but I had to miss an important meeting this week It can't be helped.

Anyway, what did we do on Day 3?

We headed to the Basilica of the Annunciation which sits atop the historical site of young Mary's home. I didn't take nearly as many pictures on this trip - I just kept trying to absorb and be in the moment.

The traditional childhood home of Mary

sits beneath the sanctuary

There are representations of Mary
donated by different countries
all around the walls

We headed to Jericho. There is an excavated site there but we've never explored the ruins. We did drive by this time and Rafi, our guide, seemed to indicate there isn't that much to see.

We've seen this tree on all four of my trips and it gives me goosebumps. This is a sycamore tree that is VERY old . . .like old enough it COULD have been there when Zaccheus needed to climb up in that tree.

Jericho is the oldest city in the world that has been continously populated. We bought our dates at the "glass blowing" shop. If you don't think you like dates . . .you might never have tasted dates like these.

We went to a restaurant for lunch where we were served "green juice" and it was delicious. It was lemons and sugar and who knows what else. We also ate chicken spiced with Sumac (not our kind of sumac). It was really good. At every meal, you are served a lot of small bowls of salads to be shared among those at the table.

After we ate, one of the employees (could have been the owner??) played his drum for us and he was quite entertaining!!

After lunch, we headed to Masada.

this is a horrible picture of me - selfie
from the cable car!

We've always made an afternoon visit to the Dead Sea with an opportunity to "float." We made different plans this year and stayed overnight at a resort. This made a huge difference in our experience. It was awesome!

The resort provided big fluffy robes and beach towels

The water was soooo cold!!

That looks like a white sand beach but it is
salt and it is hard on your feet! I found
my old water shoes from water aerobics
20 years ago and took those!

Sunrise over the Dead Sea

Another shot of sunrise - since
we were awake, we got dressed
and headed outside for a walk
before breakfast