First Day of Field Trip: Negev

Pictures:
Mitzpeh Ramon, Roman amphitheater, Valley of Elah

June 23

Today was our first day of our three-day field trip. First we stopped at the Valley of Elah, where David fought Goliath. We walked along the Wadi (stream bed) where David would have picked his stone. Then we stopped at a Roman amphitheater, where we walked around the parameter under the stands. It was really pretty looking through the arches into the bright sun where the events would have taken place. In Bet Guvrin we saw how people would have made olive oil with a huge stone ball and press. We also saw a huge cave with little holes carved out in the walls where birds were bred for sacrifices. It was cool in there and the walls were a mossy green color. We stopped at the Mediterranean Sea in Ashgelon, which was a highlight for me! The ocean was clear blue and along the shoreline were fully intact shells. I successfully dodged all the jellyfish in the water without getting stung! The jellyfish were huge, some clear and others bright blue. The water was so refreshing after being in the hot sun all day.

Our first night we stayed in Mitzpeh Ramon. This area is like the Grand Canyon, a gigantic impression in the earth. It has three bowls (or land indentations) that are called makhtesh. At night a group of us got together and sat by the edge of the cliff, looking out into the dark expansive land before us. Every once in a while we could see a car driving through on one of the windy roads, engulfed in miles of open space and dry desert land. The stars were magnificently illuminated, and we could see the big dipper perfectly.