THE DEAD SEA!

                                                          THE DEAD SEA

While in Israel, visiting the DEAD SEA (also known as the SALT SEA) is a MUST! The dead sea is the lowest elevation on EARTH.The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 423 metres (1,388 ft) below sea level.

We arrived at the most magnificent hotel called HERODS- Dead Sea, owned by the handsome David Fattal, with a warm welcome by the manager who served us 3 glasses of bubbly champagne. The Herods is a new luxury spa hotel that does wonders for your health and relaxation.

We came a bit early so while we were waiting for our room to be ready we were led to the VIP Lounge. After a two hour drive from our city Tel Aviv, we were famished!!  Lucky for us they served delicious treats in the lounge : chocolate croissants, salads, pastas, fruits, yogurts, bread, cakes , soft drinks, coffee , tea, alcohol (we loved the chocolate liquor!) etc, and all this with a view of the beautiful serene dead sea. You can either sit inside or take your drink and meal on the balcony.

After our  bellies were mid full we proceeded to our beautiful room . A tranquil suite, a balcony with a view of the dead sea and Jordan that is right across. On the table a basket of fruits awaited us, natural spring water , hazelnut chocolates and a bottle of red wine.

We changed into our bathing suits and put on the robes that were given to us, as we could not wait to dip our tuchases in the heated pool with salt water from the dead sea.  We headed downstairs to the salt pool. Next to every lounging chair by the pool there were mineral water bottles, but the best was the view of the beautiful mountains outside. A bit of pool, a bit of Jacuzzi and a bit of just lounging on the loungers and it was time for us to head to the spa and to the private sulphur pools! 

Ah the sulphur pools, makes your skin so smooth and mends the aches and pains of  your joints  and most of all it heals your soul from the day to day life stress. After dipping for fifteen minutes in the sulphur pool , you lay down on the lounging chair and the spa therapist  wraps you up with a sheet so that the sulphur soaks into your body. You can take a nap if you would like!

Once we felt we were de-stressed and relaxed we went up to our room to sh0wer and change for dinner.

Oh Herods, how we love you so! Your dinner buffet was a smorgasbord fit for  a queen, or better yet put, fit for about a thousand queens!! So much delectable cuisine! Never ending dishes of anything and everything anyone can want or imagine. From fancy shmancy Foi Gras, smoked salmon topped with salmon roe (caviar) , to Schnitzel, mashed potatoes, French fries, fish, steaks, pastas, a variety of salads( with Israel's vegetables that are known to be and are exquisite ) and so much more!!

After din din we headed to the lobby for a wonderful  sing and dance with a masterful, elegant singer that sang in all languages and got us all off our pampered booties for a bit of dancing! After this long and restful day we headed back to our suite, put our heads down on our fluffy pillows and had dreams of salt, mountains and paradise.

Oh how fun it was to awaken to the true paradise we were in. We  got dressed and proceeded to the dining hall for a smorgasbord breakfast. If  we thought dinner was majestic then what was breakfast?! It was  phenomenal!! Pancakes, waffles, eggs any way you want them, salads, EVERY and ANY KIND OF CHEESE you want, cereals, cakes , pasta, pizza, fruits, oh and the best part-  The honey is served straight from the honeycomb!!! DELICIOUS!!

After two days of indulgence it was time to head back to Tel Aviv.

The Herods dead sea spa hotel is a must for anyone that wants to relax, has medical problems from skin to arthritis or just for your own hedonistic pleasures.

DEAD SEA HEALTH BENEFITS

The Dead Sea’s unusually high salt concentration means that people can easily float in the Dead Sea due to natural buoyancy. It is claimed, that the Dead Sea helps relieve arthritis. This is because warmth and buoyancy reduce the release of prostaglandins - hormone-like substances present in a variety of tissues and body fluids that induce inflammation.

Other health Benefits of the Dead Sea-

- Strengthens the bones

- Boost up energy levels

- Repaires damaged tissue

- Slows down skin aging

- Reduces Joint inflammation

- reduces stress

- helps reduce heart problems

- increases blood circulation

THE BEST PART - THE BROMINE -!!  Bromine is well known for its calming effect, it is in the air around the Dead Sea in concentrations 20 times greater than anywhere else on earth. Just sit outside, breath it in deep and you will get a natural high!!

“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.”  - Woody Allen

SMOOCH SMOOCH,

THE SAMUELS SISTERS and ARIANA From ARIANA'S KITCHEN- Always Naughty yet Always Nice!