Today it is raining, windy and cold. I mean for here it is cold, still well above minus, but we are accustomed much more to warm, and mostly hot weather. We do not have too many cold days here in Israel and the winter season usually is not very hard. Also the weather changes quickly, and even on a rainy day, the sky may break open and the sun comes through for an hour or two.
So yes, today it is stormy, but yesterday the weather was gorgeous and I am glad we took advantage of it. We went south to the Dead Sea and visited the Botanical Garden at Kibbutz Ein Gedi, which is on the road to Masada. Actually there is not a botanical garden AT the Kibbutz, but the ground of the Kibbutz IS the botanical garden. And that is truly amazing!
Kibbutz Ein Gedi exists since 1952, and the garden was created by Kibbutz members, some of the early ones tend to the garden till today.
All the design, the planning, the development and the maintenance is done by Kibbutz members, and what they accomplished is almost unbelievable. They brought into existence a green paradise, an oasis above the Dead Sea. Surrounded by the rugged desert mountains this garden, incorporated into the village, is very beautiful. It is renowned worldwide and has won many awards. Trees, shrubs, cacti and countless other plants, from tropical and subtropical places in the world, were brought here, and more water saving and heat resist plants are introduced, and thrive in the stunning environment under the dry desert conditions.
We had a marvelous, what is called in German "Spaziergang", a leisurely stroll of about two hours on the paths through the village, along and in between the houses of the people who live there. We small talked to some of them and the mood was very friendly. Throughout the garden there are benches to rest on, under magnificent trees, or at the margin of the garden to the open view of the Dead Sea, or to the mountains. The place is calm and peaceful. Definitely worth a visit!
Enjoy the photos of my husband Uri Eshkar.
