European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 28, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Of v amp hot spots of omnipresent israeli soldiers take in the View on the Beach in Eilat. Average daytime High temperatures so dec Janfu a. Mar apr. Sets in i a a Foj y 21, w pm., or of Quot a. Pc it i a. R West of it a a a -. I a. It Ltd Quot a f amp a a it f 1.3p of off a ,3 w i a a4 w Quot to >1 <?.�� by Usu it Quot is is 4f\ >4 vew Afong the route to Masada. A Short drive from the dead sea is Masada the Mountaintop fortress where 900 jews chose suicide Over surrender to romans in 66 and. The waterfront scene provides Remote control boat and car rides and trampolines for children As Well As extensive water activities for adults and children. Things to do All available through an information Center on the Beach include Power and Sailboat cruises lasting a couple hours or All Day and providing lunch As Welt As a closer look at Iordan and Egypt the red sea is full of tropical sea life and Coral and it All can be seen aboard Glass Bottom boats. If you have an aversion to boats take a 10-minute drive South of town to the aquarium and Observatory at Coral Beach. The Observatory takes visitors Down a spiral staircase to a 360-degree View of a sea world sculpted by Cortland full of life Only 20 feet Down. Or closer to town you can actually join the sea world and swim with a Dolphin at appropriately named Dolphin Beach. Drier activities available in Eviat include jeep safaris into the desert and Camel rides. Dead sea two hours drive North and 1,320 feet below the red sea is a body of Mineral Rich and Emerald Green water said to be a natural cure for everything from arthritis and rheumatism to skin and respiratory a Nesses. You Don t even have to get in the water to receive the benefits of the dead sea environment. Its Low Elevation a lowest on Earth a provides year round warm temperatures and an extra layer of atmospheric Protection against harmful rays. But few visitors pass through this piece of the Jordan Valley without getting wet and almost As often covered with mud and then showered with warm Sulphur water. The dead sea is a place like no other. It s the Salties and most Mineral Laden body of water in the world. A liter of water contains 2.5 pounds of Salt and minerals. The minerals make the water too Rich for extensive bathing. Swimmers Are warned to limit their exposure to the water and not submerge their faces. But Short doses Are legendary for curative Powers and you can t help but float on the surface. There s a wide variety of accommodations available. A series of full line hotels with four Star prices is clustered on the Southern tip of the 41-mile-Long sea. Farther North Are less expensive Kibbutz hotels and guest houses campgrounds and youth hostels. Larger hotels offer Mineral water Jacuzzi gymnasiums and Massage. But the rooms on the dead sea Are pricier than in Eilat. Daily rate for a double at the Moriah dead sea hotel runs $242 next month and $265 in March. Prices include two meals. The Ein Heidi Kibbutz hotel charges $114 a Day for a double add $57 for each additional child. The Price of a room in smaller hotels and Kibbutz guest houses usually includes passes to spas where you can stroll to the Beach and Bounce on the top of the water lather up with Black therapeutic mud rinse off under Sulphur and then water showers and then soak in a Jacuzzi. If you re just passing through a ticket to a spa runs Between $10 and $15. Visitors to dead sea resorts should drag themselves out of the mud for at least one Day a even a half Day will do a to visit Masada. Only a Short drive from the sea the 1,000-foot-High plateau fortress is where about 900 jews made a final stand against Rome in the first Century. Other Side trips Are available to the Ein cedi nature preserve and the pure Salt Mountain Range of mount Sodom. Overnight safari jeep excursions into Remote desert and Mountain areas also Are available. Ap/s4s january 28, 1993 stripes Magazine s