Masada is an ancient fortification situated on top of an isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert (map here). Herod built palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE.

According to Flavius Josephus, roman historian, the Siege of Masada by troops of the Roman Empire towards the end of the First Jewish-Roman War ended in the mass suicide of the 960 rebels and their families hiding there.

But to me, the most impressive are not the ruins, but the breathtaking view on the Dead Sea… Isn’t it, Lillian ?

Biblically, it was a place of refuge for King David.

On the other side, Jordan.

After the Aral Sea, another salty landscape… In recent decades, the Dead Sea has been rapidly shrinking because of diversion of incoming water from the Jordan River to the north.

At a regional conference in July 2009, officials expressed increased concerns about the declining water levels. Some suggested various industrial activities around the Dead Sea might need to be reduced. Others advised a range of possible environmental measures to restore conditions. This might include increasing the volume of flow from the Jordan River to replenish the Dead Sea. Currently, only sewage and effluent from fish ponds run in the river’s channel.

Experts also asserted a need for strict conservation efforts. They also said agriculture should not be expanded, sustainable support capabilities should be incorporated into the area and pollution sources should be reduced.

The Dead Sea seawater has a density of 1.240 kg/L, which makes swimming similar to floating… Let’s see how it looks like…