Shephelah and Negev

5.19
Today was a great day. It was a day spent in the Shephelah and the Coastal Plain. We finished the day in the Negev at the most beautiful youth hostel I've ever seen. We started the day early at 7AM on the bus. We hit a number of spots along the valleys in the Shephelah. Our first stop was Beth-Shemesh where we got to dig through pottery shards. I am now the proud owner of authentic Israel pottery. Later, we went to the Elah Valley and stood in the field where David fought Goliath. I thought it was a very remarkable experience. I got 5 smooth stones from the very streambed David did. Although the time was short, I thought it was astonishing to be in that place.
Further on our travels, we stopped at Maresha, which was a biblical site. It was so amazing. Because of the heat, they dug caverns out of the soft limestone. it was a really beautiful place and it was amazing to see the ingenuity of the people who lived there.
We were able to swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon. It was exactly what I needed. It was fun to get in the water and relax.
Once we arrived at the hostel, it was amazing. The location of this place is awesome. Maktesh Ramon is an amazing crater that expands for miles upon miles. It resembles the awesomeness of the Grand Canyon. I spent a lot of time taking pics at sunset and moonrise. At first, I was by myself and it was so peaceful. Just me, my camera and my headphones. Then, after a couple of minutes, it seemed like everyone was out there. It was great though. I am planning to get up early to see the sunrise in the morning.