Day 10 - Samaria

North about 50ks to Samaria.  Saw Well of Jacob where Jesus met the woman in John 4, now also in grounds of Greek Orthodox Church with ruins from about 600 AD out the back.  Thence through Schechem/Nablus where Abraham was and lying between Mounts Gerizim and Ebal the mountains of blessing and curse where Joshua divided the land.  Thence to a military roadblock on the way to Sebaste at which roadblock it appeared we would be turned back but after 1 hour and phone calls involving higher military let through.  Very difficult for Christian Palestinian proprietor of our organized lunch place as only us and one other bus let through - this roadblocking apparently regular and we saw and heard much other evidence of differences between living conditions of 1.5 million mostly Russian Jewish settlers on land still formally part of Jordan but under Israel occupation since 1967 and those of other inhabitants, the Christians being in some way worse off than Muslims.  At Sebaste saw ruins of palace of King Omri father of Ahab, of Hellenistic Tower built in time of Alexander The Great, of ruins of Roman Amphitheatre and Forum constructed by Herod the Great, and of church dated about 600 AD being one of the alleged places where John the Baptist beheaded.  And had graphic views of terrain, each mountain top biblically famous.  Had great local lunch then to Jerusalem where Philx2 went to Museum exhibition on Herod, Carol walked in Old City, Bob and Jan went to Spafford American Colony Hotel for coffee and Lavena rested.

Jacob's Well

Phil draws water from Jacob's Well

A Roman Theatre in Samaria

The hills around Samaria