Madaba, Mount Nebo, and Dead Sea (and Mother's Day!)

as promised and as planned, we visited the Dead Sea today - after first stopping in Madaba and visiting the Church of St. George, which holds the 6th Century map of the Holy Land (the oldest such map in the world).

then, a short drive to Mount Nebo (as I mentioned yesterday, it's the site from which (according to both the Bible and the Quran) was Moses' last view on earth: the view of the "promised land".

and then we descended to the lowest point on Earth - the Dead Sea, which rests some 1,378 feet below sea level.  And it is 30% salt, which gives it its buoyancy.   Some students "mudded up" (lathered themselves from head to toe in the "mud" of the Dead Sea; others just floated in the Sea; and still others decided to hang out with Heather, Dr. Raed (our partner in Jordan), and me under the shade.

My camera died (or hopefully just the batteries) and a few students have promised me some pictures of the day, so I can post them here ... so, "insha'Allah"/God willing, I'll post them tomorrow.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY (tomorrow) to any Mothers reading this ...


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