"Bird's perspective"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006
@ ISO 100, f/4

Last post from Masada, for now...On our way down on the Cable car, we all watched down to the little humans that struggle upward, toward the top of the Massada...Been a great trip!

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"Going Down I"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/11

On our way back, we decided to take the motorized option and while waiting for our turn, I got this view of the cable car and the panorama.

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"Southern scouting point"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/11

Getting back to the intense daylight that awaited us outside, we continued south on the Mountain's plateau till we reached the southern point, the South fort, which controlled the passage from the south side cliff of the mountain (an approach which today is impassable). The fort's location was wisely chosen, controlling and scouting over Masada stream, the Dead sea, the dike and the surrounding Roman camps which siege the mountain.

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"The Southern Pit"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 400, f/4

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"Down to the Pit"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/8

Sixthy four carved steps lead to the southern water pit, one of the biggest in the Masada's compound. As Masada is situated in the desert, a water system was imperative - Hordus built an extensive system that utilized dams that diverted the waters to water channels which eventually lead the water to water pits carved into the mountain sides, containing a total of 40,000 cubic water. Water was then transfered to the top of the mountain with beasts of burden, entering the compound through the water gate and the Snake path, filling the water pits in the compound (such as this one above).

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"Transit Camps"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/10

I am returning to my trip to Masada mountain...

On the eastern side of the inner wall are a collective of structures that served at the days of the rebellion as the residence of the rebels. Many specimens were found in this part while excavating: Jewelry, coins, weaving tools etc. In the background you can see the dead sea in the distance...

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"Untitled"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/5.6

As I mentioned before, baths were part of the Roman culture, and even at this arid place one could find many baths, some are even wide enough to accommodate many people. In this picture you can see the personal bath and ,the water hole.

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"East of the Sun, West of the Moon"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/13

At that era of time, the telegraph was yet to be invented, not to think about Sat phones or any cellular antenna to be erected...Pigeons, that was the name of the game at those days, and those mastered birds were trained to fly and deliver deciphered messages from isolated posts.

This is a remnant of a columbarium, the chamber that used the Romans to keep the birds together and also used it as a watch post until the outer wall was erected.

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"At the ancient Synagogue"

Originally, this section was a stable but when the jewish rebbelion occoured and Masada was held by the jewish rebbeles, this section was turned into a synagogue, one of the only synagogue that functioned in the days after the loss of second house. Today, a real synagogue is located in the small room in the right side and even though I don't the time it opens, it is available for the ones that wish, to say a prayer toward north, Jerusalem...

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"First Century Dry Sauna"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 400, f/4

Been to reserve duty, hence my lack of posting here...

Back to Masada, we are in the bath section. Baths were an important part of the daily agenda back at the days of the Roman empire. This part of the Caldarium display the double floor architecture (Hypocaust) which hot air was passing through the space in between and created the effect of what we know today as the Dry Sauana.

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"A palace with a view III"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 100, f/11

Taken from the upper level of the palace looking down on the middle balcony...

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"Masada Profile"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

Kodak Gold 200

Before ascending to the upper balcony I had the oppourtunity to get the mountain's distinctive profile, the sloping three balconies and then a long long slope down...

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"The Northern Palace - Middle Balcony"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

Kodak Gold 200

I'm returning to Masada after the wintry short break...

As you may recall, Hordus built a palace on the northern cliff of Masada for his guests (and himself), with impressive 180 degrees view from East to West. This shot was taken from the middle balcony, facing the cliff itself, and looking up toward the upper balcony of the northern palace. You can distinguish part of the carvings into the rock at the base of the cliff, and the above balcony. A strong motif in the Palace is the semi-circular architecture which enables this impressive side-to-side panorama. You can also distinguish the circular trench that used as a basis for the middle balcony (where I stood - it's a bit skewed due to the ultra wide angle of view).

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"The Northern Palace - Lower Balcony"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006
Kodak Gold 200

Masada "golden era" was at the time Hordus was the governor of Judea. Hordus saw the strategic potential of Masada natural geographic isolation, and built a palace heavily fortified and well supplied for times of crisis and for indulgence in winter times. The creme De la creme of Masada is the northern palace, three terraced levels carved into the side of the mountain, each servs as a "suite" on it's own and literally hanging on the brink over 300 meters of void. Needless to say, the panorama is absolutely amazing, the Dead sea shines from not far away to the west...

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"Watch Tower"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

Kodak Gold 200

On the Mountain.

The most prominent element on Masada is this watch tower, which controlled both the eastern and western entrances to the compound. This tower also controlled the northern section that held the warehouses of Masada and the Northern Palace, which was used by highly respected VIPs and Hordus himself.

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"Under the Monster"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

Kodak Gold 200

With time came the technology and advance, and around the 70's of the last century the Cable car was part of this impressive monument of nature. Within 2 minutes of electrical current and the turning of the wheel, you can bridge the gap of 350 meters with ease...In some way, this monster is already part of the Masada...

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"Bridging the Gap"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 200, f/6.3

Still climbing.

The "Snake path" is a 2 km long path that starts at the National Park's entrance and ends at the top of the plateau , some 350 meters above - luckily, 700 steps aid to bridge this gap...

;)

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"Enjoying the Silence"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 400, f/4

Waiting for the sunrise, and enjoying Nature...

Away from the bustling towns and industrial life, so close to nature you get that at the end, you are connected to this land, to the air, to everything - the sun is part of you, and you are part of the sun. One matter, one entity...

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"Dividing"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 800, f/4

Starting the climb.

It was around 5:30 am, the first rays of light already passed the mountains on the eastern side of the Dead sea, and it was cool. The "Snake path" took with loops toward the top of the rising plateau, the cables of the cable car were stretched over our heads, observing our progress, as well as the almost full moon high above. ..

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"First Light"

Masada National Park - Judean Desert - Israel - November 2006

@ ISO 400, f/4

First light over the desert and Masada mountain. That night we had a visitor: a fox. The little Canis looked for food and it could smell our dinner leftovers for km's away, so when darkness and stillness ruled, it moved and started to dig underneath a big rock me and Oz hid the trash bag - we expected that company would arrive and inspect the area, we just didn't believe it would happen so soon. The fox, I must say, was suffering from hunger more than from fear. It dug underneath the stone while I shone with my headlight on my forehead and camera in the other hand. Unfortunately, the camera refused to focus no matter what, so eventually I went to sleep with blurred pictures which I purged later on.

That night the moon shone and around 4 am we had quite a lot of light so we could easily distinguish the outlines of Masada Mountain, the mountain we would climb in less than two hours time. While Oz arranged his stuff, I took the time to keep a memory of that impressive sight.

The camp tent and vehicle was of others travelers that still slept even when we were half way up on the mountain...

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