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The pressure changed as we made our way past the Gypsies, through Jericho to the Dead Sea. At 412 meters below sea level the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth. This lake gets its name because with eight times the salt concentration of the ocean nothing but certain types of bacteria live in this body of water.

The Dead Sea appeared to us a few miles from Jericho. The lake stretches over sixty-five kilometers sharing coasts with Israel and Jordan. Haze caused the sea to blend in with the surrounding hills and sky; I couldn’t tell where the sea began or how large it was.

We drove along the seashore until we stopped at Siesta Beach. I didn’t care that we were overcharged for admission this late in the day. I brought my swimsuit with me and I wasn’t going to let a heavy toll deter me from a swim in the Dead Sea.