RIver Jordan & The Dead Sea

Jordan has interesting neighbours, to be sure; Syria to the North, Iraq to the East, Saudi Arabia to the South East and Israel to the West. This western border includes Israeli-occupied Palestine or the ‘West Bank’ and this was the only border we got close to, a border defined by the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.

Within Jordan, the river runs south from the Sea of Galilee, and it was in this river that John the Baptist baptized Jesus, just north of where it enters the Dead Sea. The course of the river has moved west since that time and now the site is on dry land within Jordan. And, it’s within the militarized border zone so you cannot drive down there yourself. We parked and got on the bus; you drive through a checkpoint where a soldier boards and looks you over, then you drive down to the river. Gold embossed biblical scenes fill the Orthodox Church there – quite the change from icon-less mosques we’ve become accustomed to. From the church, you walk down to a wooden boardwalk beside the river, where you can dip your hand in – many were filling bottles…

Jordanian Soldier watches the West Bank 

The strange thing is, you are a stone’s throw (20 feet) from a wooden boardwalk on the West Bank side – I called out to the Israeli soldiers and they posed for me, as I stood beside a Jordanian soldier.

Posers

For the devout, Elijah’s Hill contains many well-documented sites from Jesus’ time, including the baptism site, as well as commemoration of the papal visits in 2000 and 2009.

Heading south you come to the cluster of resorts that sit on the Dead Sea; the destination of the River Jordan. This is the lowest point on Earth, well, the lowest point on land, and this is a lake from which no water escapes except by evaporation. Here you are encouraged to float, carefully, in the water, smear yourself in the famous mud, eat, drink and enjoy the spa…

You have to be careful because Dead Sea water is 10 times saltier than ocean water; nothing lives in it. The salt gets into any cuts you may have and it burns and stings there, as well as the sensitive tissue in your eyes, nose and mouth – lay on your back and stay still might be good advice! It feels strangely oily and tastes bitter (I had to try it). Floating is easy – you feel as if you are laying on the surface; it’s a struggle to get up again; it would be hard to get below the surface if you wanted to.

Salt on Rock - Dead Sea

There are white crystalline salt deposits all along the shore of the Dead Sea, sometimes huge rocks are caked in a thick crust – you can pull it off in one piece.

Who knew mud could be
this much fun?

On the beach are large concrete basins filled with black mud – you plaster yourself and those close to you with this claylike substance and then stand there for 20 - 30 minutes before showering off. By that time you can feel the salt penetrating your skin with a slight burning sensation. Then, you and a friend attempt to remove it – not as easy as putting it on, for sure… Odd thing is, once clean, my skin felt silky smooth for several days afterwards.

But, this is still the border to the West Bank; every hotel has high security. Steel pillars descend into the roadway to allow you to enter, but only after your car has been searched inside and out (mirrors under the vehicle; hood & trunk opened) and you’ve presented the passport of every person with you. Then you each go through ‘airport’ scanners on the way to reception… The Dead Sea is an effective border, there’s not a boat to be seen – apparently, they capsize easily and their hulls cake with corrosive salt.

Despite that, Jordan is a friendly place and one we’d go back to in a heartbeat.

Sunset in the Dead Sea