Two seas: Dead and Red
– So, girls, the first time at the Dead Sea?
Surprised, we stand knee-deep in oily-salty liquid and nod.
“Now I’ll show you everything,” the powdered granny tells us and leads us to swim properly in the whitish lake. It seems that they are all like that, Israelis are friendly and businesslike.
The end of November, eight days and six cities is the ideal format for Israel. In November, it is not so hot, eight days is enough to explore key points and even three days of relaxation in the capital, and six cities are more than half of those worth seeing in a small country. Our trip was an introduction to the country, first of all, for my girlfriend, who intends to move to Israel. Therefore, we were as attentive, sociable and adventurous as possible. We traveled by bus, train, car and scooter, photographed funny advertisements and took business cards from Israelis, lived either in four stars or in a budget hostel.
Granny (a native of Ukraine and a proud Israeli for 20 years) explained that swimming here is a conditional expression, you just need to lie down and relax. You can really rely on the water, but, as all the locals said, it is “heavily cold in November” – only 20 degrees. We found the Zohar beach, which is equipped with an entrance for people with special needs, and showers, and all the other joys of vacationers. We nibbling-salty, with an alien white bottom, the sea did not seem cold. There are not enough active entertainments on the coast of the Dead, but the unusualness of the reservoir itself is more than enough.
After the excitement from the Dead Sea, a real explosion awaited us – from the Red. If the first is to grab a cream for sensitive skin, then the second is impossible without a mask. Even the simplest snorkeling mask provides a ticket to the underwater world of all those Discovery programs: bright and camouflaged fish, hunters and hiding prey, tiny plankton and elongated moray eels. It is especially important to enter the water along the dedicated paths, because sea urchins are located right three meters from the shore. Fortunately, on Mosh Beach there are such entrances with mats in the water, as well as tropical photogenic showers, stand-up surfers, dream catchers and a full chill.
Red sea
A small gap in the border of Israel goes to the Gulf of Aqaba of the Red Sea. Here is the southern port and resort of the country – the city of Eilat. The Red Sea is famous for its underwater world, so in the vicinity of Eilat you can see a piece of it. It is warm here almost all year round.
The Dead Sea
A trip to the Dead Sea in Israel no longer involves a beach holiday, but a wellness one. Spa treatment is possible all year round, but swimming in the open lake from December to April is not comfortable for those who love heat. In hotels, as a rule, there are spa complexes and pools with heated water from the Dead Sea.
Pilgrimage in the Holy Land
As a tourist destination, pilgrimage is very developed in Israel. The routes of Christian pilgrims include the holy city of Jerusalem, Nazareth, Palestinian Bethlehem and Jericho, the place of Jesus’ baptism on the Jordan River, Yardenit, temples and holy places of Galilee.