Wilderness

[ancient_mariner]

Continuing with images from Israel, the first 3 here are from a place called Wadi Kelt on the old Jericho to Jerusalem road. The road runs through a series of dry, barren hills that border on being desert, though in places they produce enough of the local tough yellow grass to support mobile flocks of sheep, and many of the lines visible in the first 2 images are sheep trails. At the bottom of the steep-sided valley is the wadi - a stream bed that only fills during rains and remains empty the rest of the year - and sheltering against one side in the shade is a monastery. There's a tremendous sense of isolation here - if you can do as I did & unplug the wireless communication system and walk away from the group a little way down into the ravine.

Wilderness-1167 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

Wilderness-1138 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

On the opposite side of the road is just desert with a single vehicle track leading off into the hills. Unfortunately this upload seems to have suffered over-sharpening from compression, at least when viewed live on Flicker.

Wilderness-1126 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

And then finally Masada. It was a fortress built in the Roman era by Herod the great 'just in case' he needed somewhere to shelter from the locals. Later used in the Jewish uprising against the Romans, it was the last place to fall and the Jewish rebels and their families all committed suicide the night before it fell except for 2 women and some children who hid in a cistern. The stronghold is built at the top of a 900ft high hill that rises above the desert area west of the dead sea, and all around is very harsh, dry country.

Wilderness-1663 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

C&C welcome.

 

[Dale.]

I like that 2nd image, the building adds a lot of interest to it and gets me thinking about the story/history of the area.

The light is bright in all of them but it was that time of day thing. I think they would be magical in softer light at dawn or dusk. Worth a re visit then if you ever get the chance.

I like your story too, thanks for sharing.

 

[Meyssonnier]

You have captured the way you felt while there, not so easy to do.

First class work.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Thank you gentlemen. @Dale. dawn light would be lovely, and IF we ever went back to Israel again, I should love to spend less time at the sites and more time in places like this.