It just doesn't get much better than this

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We're back from our weekend down in Ein Gedi, where we celebrated music and life in general on a beautiful deck overlooking the shockingly blue water of the Dead Sea (it really is a shocking deep blue, with a color that rich it seems almost scandalous that it is not in fact refreshingly sweet clear water) and looking across at the mountains of Jordan.

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(Notice the tent is "staked" to the benches - necessity being the mother of invention and all that)

It was a weekend where everything just seems to come together perfectly - good friends both old and new, good music, campfire singalongs that go on until the wee hours of the morning... A weekend so wonderful that minor annoyances like missing breakfasts just seemed to work themselves out almost of their own accord.

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The days were hot and sunny, with temperatures up into the eighties - perfect for exploring Ein Gedi's magical waterfalls and lazing around in the sun too.

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We even had a few encounters of the small and furry kind. We didn't get close to the ibex this time (turns out they were right by the entrance to the kibbutz where we were staying, but we weren't able to pull over quickly), but we got a real kick out of this little guy that we found along the trail. He's a rock hyrex and cute as a button.
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Don't ask about the nights, it was the desert after all. We froze our proverbial patooties off, and after a windstorm blew through the second afternoon and nearly collapsed our tent with Maya inside it we decided it would be prudent to move it - so the second night we actually camped INSIDE a giant quonset hut right by the indoor stage. It worked out perfectly - the first night we were outside just a few feet from the main stage, and the second night the kids were able to go inside to bed out of the cold while the adults made a racket outside, and then by the time the cold chased us inside as well they were sound asleep and not bothered by the music being played just a few feet away.
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Heck, they even made some music of their own before heading off to bed. Yes, my kids actually got up on stage and performed in front of about ninety people. They practiced for two days before making their big debut. Itai sang the theme song from their favorite cartoon (Huntik) while Maya danced. (They'd originally both planned to sing, but he managed to convince her that the act needed a dancer. They were by far the youngest performers there and they brought the (albeit quite indulgent) house down.)
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All in all a wonderful weekend. We can't wait to do it again. Stop by during the week for more photos and stories from desert adventure, or better yet, join us next year.
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(Yes, I realize there are no photos of the actual performances here. I didn't want to put anyone's pictures up on the internet without their permission. Rest assured I've got lots.)
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