Dead Sea and Exfoliation Blog # 12

Blog #12

Dead Sea and Exfoliation

While we are at Holy Child School in West Bank, Diane’s car has a clutch problem and won’t be fixed until the next day. We are unable to go as planned to Akko that day and once again Sister Naomi from the Catholic Church rescues us and brings us back from West Bank into Jerusalem. We decide to go to the Dead Sea the next day.  This is the lowest place on the face of the earth ~ that is 425 meters lower than sea level. Diane tells us how swimming in this sea will cure all our aches and pains and leave us feeling relaxed.  She describes how the sea’s healing qualities have helped her eczema and skin conditions in the past. Both Diane and I have been coughing with breathing problems and we wonder if the sea will solve that problem as well.  Diane advises us not to wear anything into the sea that we expect to keep because the mineral waters will destroy our bathing suits or clothing. She explains that the Dead Sea is heavy with salt ( 9 times more saline that the ocean) and oily with minerals.  Moreover, I read in my travel book that we shouldn’t shave the day before because it will be like having salt rubbed in wounds. I read further that the water contains 20 times as much bromine, 15 times more magnesium, and 10 times as much iodine as the ocean.  (33% solid substance) I think about the traditional turkey that my son Seth and I prepare each year by putting our turkey in a bath of salt. Apparently this results in us having a moist turkey because the salt absorbs the fluid. I wonder if we are about to be brined turkeys. 

Dead Sea

The trip there is beautiful with dry canyons that rise up around the cobalt-blue waters of the Dead Sea. The temperature has warmed up considerably from Jerusalem that was somewhat cold. We arrive at this lovely oasis where we entered the spa and sign up for an exfoliating rub. First we go into the sea but since we are barefoot (believe or not we are Seattleites and don’t have water proof shoes) the stones are hard on John’s feet. Diane shares her clogs with John claiming her hard soles don’t need them. Out in the sea we experience our bodies rising to the surface ~ it is hard to keep our feet down. We float with ease and the water temperature is perfect. Around us a Japanese tour group are covering themselves with black mud and are laughing with delight. We reluctantly leave the sea for our treatments but Diane and I have difficulty walking on the rough ocean floor that seems to have salty spikes sticking up and piercing our soles. Again the kindness of humans around the world helps us ~ an elderly Russian man on the beach gives his shoes to a young man from Kenya (we think) who wearing flip flops brings the shoes out to Diane and helps her put them on. 
Next we enjoy the experience of having our skin removed by a masseuse who uses a salt product. My masseuse is a Jewish woman from South Africa who worked in the United States but returned to Israel to support the growth of the Jewish population there.  She is uncertain about this decision but happy to be nearer family. She ends my massage by giving me a bonus mud face that is not part of my paid package. I think she was surprised when I told her I had never exfoliated my face or had a mud bath so gave me this as a present. Diane, John and I leave the spa feeling considerably relaxed and convinced our skin looks younger and our coughing has decreased.  I comment that John’s face looks healthier and he tells me that nothing was put on his face and has taken aspirin for his pains.