Negev-erific

The past 3 days have been both amazing and exhausting. The Negev is basically a giant desert wasteland with spurts of amazing architecture, history, and awe inspiring bodies of water.
I never thought it would feel so amazing to be back in this centuries old fortress of a university, but it is amazing to walk up those stone stairs and feel the crisp Jerusalem wind funnel down the corridor and give you the final strength to conquer the last few steps.
The wind feels especially good because I am incredibly sunburned. which is odd. I swear I put on enough sunscreen to easily protect 90 albino infants in the Sahara. ugh. Maybe it is the combination of intense heat (which causes me to sweat more than a wrestler with a glandular dilema) and the multiple applications of different sunscreen brands, and my attempt to get wet as often as water exists.
On the first day in the Negev, we went to the Mediterranean, the best ocean I've ever seen/touched/swam in. While we were there I got stung twice by jellyfish, and then a middle aged ocean man hit on a friend and me (this consisted of pulling out his penis and asking us to come swimming, very politely).
We stayed in Arad, where the weather was much milder and more comfortable and there were billions of young cats running around like roaches in LA. I loved the youth hostel, we had GREAT food and air conditioning and a TV and our own bathroom and everything.
The next day was so much hiking I thought my legs were going to fall off at Tel-Arad of the Wilderness of Zin or the Nabatean Fortress. but sleep was amazing that night, I even had my first dream since I got to Israel.
Today we went to Masada, En-Gedi and Qumran. We hiked both up and down the 1300 ft mountain of Masada and saw all of the amazing architecture that Herod created. The place felt real eiree though, and I eventually found out that it was because 960 Israeli defendants committed a mass suicide in 73 BCE after the Great Revolt. sad.
At En-gedi was swam in the Dead Sea which felt SO weird. I loved it and hated it and it burned so bad on my bug bites and scratches and sun burn, although my skin feels like butter now. amazing experience.
Last we went to Qumran to tour the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. They smelled like guano. but it was neat to step in ancient caves and get warnings about leopards that are living in them now!
Annnnnyyyywayyyysss I am in desperate need of bed, so off to be mosquito food I go. Goodnight!