Feb 16

We shove off for Damascus 220 miles away at 0950. Due North, our course, through country turning red, still sparse of grass. Many convoys of three camels, towed in tandem by small donkey, bearing muffled Arab. Towns same gray pile of rubble, Ram Allan, Nablus, Quatye Jenin, E Affule, strange names, and now Nazareth. 

To the Greek Orthodox Church, once the little synagogue where Christ preached; to Mary's Well, the only one about, still flowing freely, still used by the women bearing the graceful water jars upon their heads. 

Greek Orthodox Church

Mary's Well

Down to sea level marker and descend 800 feet below to little Sea of Galilee at Tiberias with its ancient fort and old houses.

Tiberias - foundations of the city wall near the Sea of Galilee, looking east.

El Quneitra and at Sasa, a petrol point, we climb out of out blankets to stretch and stamp our feet. Later, to Port, a brown hill towering against the sky with Damascus stepping up the grade. We enter the city on the flat plain finding the streets filled more with people than traffic, except for crowded little trams.