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We enjoyed a fabulous meal at Adom Restaurant , located in the First Station , a renovated Turkish railway station . The restaurant had a warm , cozy vibe , lengthy wine list , and delicious food . The rest of First Station was easy to navigate being in a mostly accessible location , although the parking lot could be repaved to ensure a safe , smooth walk to the Station .
Over the next few days , my tour mates , Stefano and Antonio from Italy , and Thomas from Germany , along with Eli as our guide , ventured into some of the most holy and sacred places in Jerusalem , then east to the Dead Sea and Masada , and finally to Tel Aviv and the beautiful Mediterranean Coast .
When we left Jerusalem with its lush trees and grass , we literally descended for miles and miles to the desert . On the mountainsides , we could see flocks of goats being herded by their shepherd and a smattering of settlements in the valleys . The beautiful green landscape of Jerusalem was quickly replaced with the tan and brown hues of the desert , also known as the Judean Wilderness . Jerusalem is about 800 meters above sea level and the Dead Sea , the lowest point on earth , is 400 meters below sea level . We traveled south along a winding road with the Dead Sea shore to our east and the mountains and cliffs to our west . Incredible sights in every direction .
Tel Aviv for 40 years until 2005 when a botanical researcher planted a seed to see what would happen . Now , thousands of these palms grow in forests producing dates , a popular fruit enjoyed around the world . Who knew ?
As we continued along the road to Masada , we could see the mountains of Jordan climbing above the Dead Sea shore off in the distance , until we finally reached our destination – Masada !
The enormity of Masada doesn ’ t really hit you until you are standing in the visitor drop off location and looking up ! There were hundreds of visitors entering the welcome area of Masada and its curb cuts and ramps can be easily navigated by anyone with a mobility impairment . Once you enter the
We passed farms along the way that contained rows of thousands of palm trees growing on many acres of desert sand . These palm trees originated from thousands of years ago and was once a crop grown in the Kingdom of Judea as a source of food , shelter , and shade . Unfortunately , the palms were destroyed by the Roman Empire in an attempt to ruin the Jewish economy and they all completely disappeared by 500 A . D . In 1963 , an archeologist excavating Masada , a fortress built on a mountaintop by King Herod over 2,000 years ago , found the ancient seeds in a clay jar . The jar was kept at a university in