We originally planned to do two hikes (one short, one long) in the En Gedi Nature Reserve today and then swim in the Dead Sea tomorrow on our way south to Eilat.  Fortunately after discussing our plans with Zehava we were convinced that this was a bad plan.  First, after walking over six miles yesterday at Masada another six- or seven-mile hike today would be a bit arduous for our knees and other body parts.  In other words, take a rest day, stupid.  Moreover, with respect to swimming in the Dead Sea, it is best to do it in the heat of the day, not the early morning.  Also, after the swim you will be sufficiently wet, salty and yucky that you really need to go back for a long shower, not drive two-and-a-half hours to Eilat.  Thus, a new plan: we will do the short hike this morning followed by the Dead Sea swim in the "heat" of the day.  Zehava recommended the beach at Ein Bokek just down the road past Masada.

Well, the short hike worked out well.  The hike to the David Waterfall took us about an hour for the round trip.  The hike essentially follows a vertical oasis that begins in springs that emerge up a narrow wadi creating a stream that cascades and runs downhill until it disappears into the desert.  It is visually stunning, after miles and miles of dry desert, to suddenly come upon surface water flowing through a dense band of lush vegetation, albeit one less than a hundred feet wide.  It was a fun hike, not taxing, and took only an hour or so.  On to Ein Bokek and the Dead Sea.

One doesn't really swim in the Dead Sea, it is too buoyant for that.  Moreover, one does not want to immerse heads or splash up water as the water is so salty and generally just weird (to use the scientific term) you will actually need first aid if you get any in your eyes.  After a lunch of pizza and beer, eaten while fending off a number of aggressive birds, mynas as it turned out (we had peace only when a couple of cats showed up), we walked down to the beach, deployed the beach chairs that Zehava had kindly provided, and relaxed reading our Kindles and shivering in a cold biting wind.  After enduring enough pain to justify the visit, we made our way into the water for the obligatory "look I'm floating" picture and then retreated to the outdoor showers where we attempted to wash off the almost-impossible-to-wash-off salt and unspecified other minerals.  Feeling slightly cleansed we inexplicably next acquired some gelato to eat out in the cold biting wind.  Finally coming to our senses we drove back to the En Gedi Kibbutz where we had a beer at the kibbutz's Glamping Campground followed by a most welcome second round of Zehava's vegetable soup.  Then to bed early, for tomorrow is moving day.