H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Panoramic Photos – Israel – Part # 2

Photo Gallery

1 – Wide view of the city of Tel Aviv.

2 – At the top of a mountain is Masada. – Masada (Hebrew: מצדה metsada, “fortress”) is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa. It is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea 20 km (12 mi) east of Arad. Herod the Great built two palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE. According to Josephus, the siege of Masada by Roman troops from 73 to 74 CE, at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War, ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Sicarii rebels who were hiding there.

Masada is facing the Dead Sea and on the other side is the Judean Desert. My wife and I were walking around the top with other visitors from many countries, the day as is expected is over 100º F (Desert temperatures at noon at the lowest sea in the world are common). We were observing every point where the Tour Guide signaled and explained what it was long ago. When suddenly became dark and we saw dark clouds rolling toward Masada…

3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – One side of the sky was lit and brighten by the sun and the other side was totally darken like if was dusk. Then we had a tremendous thunderstorm that rained buckets. We all try to cover ourselves and save our cameras the way we could. In a few minutes of raining like crazy, running water everywhere, then the sun broke up hotter than ever!

9 – 10 – 11 – These shots are from Timna Park, – The Timna Valley (תִּמְנָע, Hebrew pronunciation: [timˈna(ʕ)]) is located in southern Israel in the southwestern Arava/Arabah, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the Gulf of Aqaba and the city of Eilat. The area is rich in copper ore and has been mined since the 5th millennium BCE. There is controversy whether the mines were active during the biblical united Kingdom of Israel and its second ruler, King Solomon.

© HJ Ruiz – Avian101