A quick nod by Eli (JBG's head gardener) to the border guards as our car passes through a security checkpoint and we are again on our way. We have In fact, technically entered Palastinian West Bank territory, though looking out at the expanse of albeit bare geography for the next few kilometres if it weren't for the checkpoint I would have had no idea.

We are on our way to En Gedi nature reserve by the dead sea but as with all botanically inclined minds the journey takes precedence over the destination and before long we have pulled off the highway to investigate the roadside Spring flora. The views in the area of the dead sea and surrounding mountains are stunning but matched at this time of the year by hundreds of annual herbs in flower, almost reminiscent of South Africa's fynbos.

I better not dwell on the plants too much though there will be plenty of time for that with the Botanic Gardens staff and friends group going out of their way to organize horticultural activities across the country to be part of. Oh by the way this is my dream job, I have been at work this week and briefed on my roles, two days in the gardens nursery managing volunteers, two and a half days out in the gardens and half a day on a research project documenting the phenology of South African fynbos throughout the year under various nutrient treatments. In addition to the travel involved for seed collection and visits to annexed gardens we are also privy to monthly lectures on topics across the horticultural spectrum. All good stuff but more on the gardens next time.

Back to En Gedi, leaving the territory and arriving at the entrance to the park was a contrast to the open highway, it was Election Day and most people had the day off work so hundreds of families had flocked to the park queuing for several hundred metres for a carpark. Once inside you can see why, natural springs and washed out wadis (a bit like a canyon) create a tiered oasis a world away from the stone walls of Jerusalem or the nearby dry Judean Desert. The park offers fauna you may not expect of Israel, from leopards, wolves and striped hyenas to vipers, agamas and all sorts of birds. The area also has an abundance of rock hyrax which are loosely related to elephants but look more like ratty wombats. Check out the photo, not the prettiest things but the impressive teeth allow the animals to strip the foliage from the thorny Acacia species here without consequence.

Well this blog is blowing out but I better not finish without mentioning a little of the history of En Gedi, it is not void of man made structures as I may have implied but rather has several significant historical vestiges. The earliest of these can be seen in the remains of clearly structured stone wall bases from the calcolithic era of approximately 5000 years ago. There is a lot more to read about the history of En Gedi which recieves several biblical references and has been the scene of conflict and thriving civilization before becoming the nature reserve it is today but I'll leave that for you to explore…

Kol tuv till next time.