Today, we spent a bit less time exploring and a bit more on the bus, but we saw a lot all the same. After packing our things and having breakfast, we moved out of our hotel by the Dead Sea.
Our first stop today was Masada. It was built on a mountain, and we got to ride a gondola on the way up. We then learned about its history. This city was the last stronghold during the Jewish Revolt, and the near entirety of the population was wiped out by mass suicide. It was very disturbing to hear about, but the ruins of the city were still very beautiful, and the view from the top of the mountain was stunning.
The next stop was Be’ersheba. This city dates back at least 1,000 years before the time of Jesus, and the ruins considering this were incredible. We then saw the city’s underground water system, and it was amazingly intact.
After lunch, we drove and spent a few minutes by the Valley of Elah. This is the valley where David killed Goliath, and our whole family picked up five smooth stones from a brook we visited as mementos.
We stopped for a few minutes on a mountainside with a wonderful view of the city of Jerusalem. This city and the area around it is where Jesus spent His final week, died, was buried, and rose from the dead, and while we have no idea where exactly it happened, it’s so incredible to be in this city.