Rosh Hashanah at the Dead Sea, part 1

We started the season of the Jewish High Holy days by spending Rosh Hashanah at the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea.  For those who do not know, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.  According to the Jewish calendar, we are now in the year 5,775.  People celebrate by eating pomegranates as well as apples dipped in honey (see Liam's artwork from school) to signify hopes for a sweet new year.  They also blow a ram's head horn called a shofar.

Apple slice in a honey jar

Shana Tova = Happy New Year

But I digress.  On to the Dead Sea.

It is gorgeous.  The hotel where we stayed had a lovely switchback trail down to the beach.  It is quite a trek down due to the sad fact that the Dead Sea is shrinking at a rate of 3 feet per year.  Once there, we got to float unassisted and slather on some Dead Sea mud.  We enjoyed ourselves tremendously and will be back for sure!

 Liam's first trip in.

Geoff has done this before.

 Look, Mom!  No hands!

 My first trip in

See my jelly shoes?  Required for getting in.

 Muddin' up!

 

 Our lovely view

That "beach" you see is no longer shoreside.

Gotta hike down further.