Heading South on Route 90

Leaving Tiberias, we headed south on route 90 towards Eilat.  The highway follows closely the border with Jordan on the east, and part of the time borders the West Bank, under Palestinian Authority, on the west.  It then winds along the west banks of the Dead Sea before passing through the Arada Desert to Eilat, on the Red Sea. We've been impressed by Israel's National Parks and Nature Reserves, and visited several over the three day drive.  We also stopped at the "real" baptismal site on the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Our itinerary included stops at:

• Belvoir, a Crusader fortress high above the Jordan Valley 
• Bet She'an, the site of the largest archaeological excavations in Israel
• Qumran, where the dead sea scrolls were discovered by Bedouin shepherds in 1947
• Ein Gedi Nature Preserve, where David hid out from King Saul
• Masada, the last bastion of the Jewish freedom fighters in the rebellion against the Romans (66-74 A.D) -- and the sumptuous palace of Herod (Yes!  That Herod!). The hike to the top (on the 'Snake Trail') is traditional for Israeli youth (and other fit visitors). We took the cable car up and down.

  

  Baptism at the Authentic Jordan Site

  
  

  

  Chapels Across the Border on the Jordan Side of the River

  
  

  

  Bet She'an: the Roman Theater

  
  

  

  Community Latrine at Bet She'an - Plenty of Room for Everyone!

  
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  Qumran: the Cave Where the First Dead Sea Scrolls Were Discovered

  
  

  

  The Shrine of the Book, Jerusalem, Repository of Some of the Dead Sea Scrolls

  
  

  

  Water Sloshing Across Highway 90

  
  

  

  The Dead Sea from Our Balcony, Ein Gedi

  
  

  

  Hiking Up the Trail, Ein Gedi Nature Preserve

  
  

  

  One of Several Water Falls, Ein Gedi Preserve

  
  

  

  Herd of Ibex in the Nature Preserve.  They are Mentioned by King David in the Psalms.

  
  

  

  Masada:  the Point Where the Romans Broke Through the Walled Fortification

  
  

  

  Dead Sea Evaporation Ponds

 The drive was quite easy, except for a stretch between Qumran and Ein Gedi.  It was raining (not really that hard, but the soil can't absorb moisture in most places), water was pouring down the cliffs toward the Dead Sea, rushing along the highway, and in about a dozen spots covering the highway with water and debris. We splashed our way through with no problems -- but a moderate amount of anxiety (at least on Nick's part) as to what might be around the next curve.

The drive through the desert south of the Dead Sea toward Eilat was a little monotonous.  There were a number of "camel crossing" signs, but we didn't see any camels.  We saw a sign pointing the way to a crocodile farm and another pointing to an antelope farm, as well as a few oases growing dates and citrus fruits, and signs pointing west to "Spice Route" and "Incense Route" -- but no Three Kings route.

We returned the car to Avis in Eilat, got a ride to the Jordan border, and walked through lugging our suitcases.  Mercifully, we took a cab into Aqaba, where we are spending three nights.