If you suffer from psoriasis, spend 2 weeks in the sun at the Dead Sea for months of relief. 400 feet below sea level filters out the negative rays of the sun. Combined with the natural bromides coming from the Dead Sea provides non steroidal, natural relief for several months. I come twice a year. Michael Y.

Our tour group of 40 stopped here after many of the group get baptized in the Jordan. It was amazing how warm it was in the beginning of December! Some wore bathing suits and "swam"...... not me. I did roll up my pants legs and wade in it however. The shore wasn't sandy, but instead was a squishy dark grey, slippery surface, resembling mud. A woman in a bathing suit actually was covered with it from head to toe(mud bath). Along the shore were chairs and chaise lounges. Walking to the shore from the bus was fun, with all kinds of places to buy stuff and places to get a drink and something to eat. There were camels sitting in their beautiful garb with their owners.(I've fallen in love with them, by the way)

After spending four days in Tel Aviv, we hired a driver to take us to the Dead Sea and then on to Jerusalem. The ride to the Dead Sea took about 90 minutes. The last part of the ride, when you’re descending down to the lowest point on Earth, is a long series of curves, so not for those who get carsick. But for me the approach was really the best part because the view is spectacular. We arranged for day passes at Herod’s resort,l for $105 per person. It was fine but pretty dated and in need of some remodeling. The sand was way too hot to walk on, so we opted to go into the outdoor pool, which contained the salt water from the sea. We were cautioned not to get our heads wet because the water, which is 33% salt, would is bad for the eyes. But we were still able to get the same experience of floating on our backs. It was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, so none of the shops were open to purchase any of the products. The day pass included admission to the beach and pools and the sauna, lockers, showers and a buffet lunch. The lunch was OK, but it was so hot out that none of the entree choices were very appealing. We stuck to the salads and fresh fruit. We were there about two hours, which in my opinion, was sufficient, before heading to Jerusalem. The cost of the trip was $600 plus tip, which was a lot more than if we had taken public transportation, but since it was Saturday, the buses and trains run infrequently, so it made sense for us. Because Jerusalem pretty much shuts down for the Sabbath, we purposely planned to use that day to travel from Tel Aviv via the Dead Sea.