The Lowest Point on Earth

Cumulative Miles Traveled: 27,027
Current Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Current Mood: Ready to leave Israel; stinky like rotten egg

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417 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth and is so concentrated with minerals that no organisms can live in its waters. It is so full of salt that I read somewhere that it is actually 33% solid. Don't know all the scientific stats, but I do know that when you wade in and let your feet go, they suddenly pop up and you are sitting up in the ocean - so buoyant that you could literally read a book while sitting in the water. It's a truly unique experience and the highlight of my visit to Israel.

I spent the day in Ein Gedi in the southern Dead Sea area, which is part of Israel. The northern Dead Sea technically lies in the West Bank, Palestinian territory, although all the beaches along the Dead Sea appear to be run by Jews. After traveling for over three months, I'm a little weary of Lonely Planet recommendations, especially baths and spas. But the Ein Gedi Spa was awesome. It's not really your typical spa...it's more a place where you go to spend the day soaking your body in toxic substances. First, you wade in to the Dead Sea. The automatic floating is awesome, but if you have any open wounds they hurt like hell. After a float and rinse, you head to the mud section where you voluntarily cover yourself with black goop. It's rather disgusting, but actually feels really great. After the mud dries, you take a sulphur water shower. Remember to close your eyes because it kind of hurts a lot if sulphur gets into your eyes...which I learned the hard way. Then you rinse off again with freshwater. Then you go soak in a hot sulphur bath. As I was in the sulphur bath (which smells like rotten eggs, which is why I smell like rotten eggs even after two soapings) I noticed that the portion of the metal handrails that was submerged in the sulphur water was completely corroded. Urr....how can something that corrodes metal be good for my skin?? Also, should my open wounds on my elbow and foot hurt this much? I found out afterward from l'Homme that you are definitely not supposed to expose open wounds to sulphur...apparently it's toxic. Hmm...maybe that's why I have a headache and my stomach feels weird.

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I'm back in Tel Aviv for the evening before I head off to Dubai tomorrow. Tel Aviv is not really very noteworthy...it's a mix of everything Jewish from New York, Miami and Berkeley. Imagine mixing those cities together, then taking out all the Gentiles - you have Tel Aviv.