The fearless four Guelphites ate a hearty breakfast in the Obelisk Restaurant again then headed for the Dead Sea beach by club car (essentially an elongated golf cart). The north end of the Dead Sea is not as salty as the section further south that we had visited before coming to Jordan. The reason for that is that the Jordan River flows into it from this end, bringing fresh water. It ends up becoming salty because water stays here and doesn’t flow anywhere else. Evaporation leaves salts behind over the years. There is a sign just before you get to the Kempinski beach indicating that we are 400 metres below sea level.
The beach here has been improved by trucking in sand, making entry and exit of the Dead Sea much easier. The last time we had to carefully step through sections of large sharp salt crystals. Here it has has been cleared of any crystals.
We floated around in the water enjoying the crazy feeling of buoyancy, then came out to slather ourselves in black mud. We sat around in the sun baking for 15 minutes or so before washing off in the sea first and then using the beach showers to get the rest of the mud off. Our skin felt softer (or it could just have been suggestion that made us think it was softer) and, according to the young fellows serving cold drinks, we looked much younger.
After that we had to check out the other infinity pool and finally back to the pool by our building for another session of water therapy exercises.
Lunch was in the Blue Restaurant with the whole group. The restaurant was near the infinity pool – themed in blue and white – looking very Greek. The meal was delicious again – roasted chicken and potatoes, shrimp pasta, beef skewers. With the wine and all the sun I had had, I kept yawning so after the meal I headed back to the room to rest.
Our last evening Ted and Susan, Nancy, John, Roz, Jan, Lucy and I had drinks by the lobby and then made our way over to the Obelisk for our last supper. By the time we headed back to our rooms a sickle moon was out with a very bright Venus above. A fitting end.
