A highlight of Israel was taking a dip in the Dead Sea in Ein Gedi. (The land mass on the other side of the Dead Sea from Ein Gedi is Jordan).
My camera died after just three pictures, so unfortunately you do not get the privilege of seeing me in a bathing suit. Suffice it to say that you really can contort your body into some strange positions at the Dead Sea without sinking. For instance, you can lie on your stomach with your lower legs pointed straight up in the air. You can even sit cross-legged in the water holding a newspaper.
Just don’t open your mouth because the water (due to it’s high salinity and other dissolved minerals) tastes awful.
Besides the wild positions and the horrible taste the other revelation I made in Ein Gedi is that the Dead Sea leaves an odd residue on the body. It’s a sort of salty, slimy residue that only came off my skin after a long, scalding hot shower back in Jerusalem.
Because Ein Gedi is only an hour from Jerusalem by bus, it’s a perfect day trip for those visiting the Old City.