Tuesday 21 October

Up to the sound of rain and a small boy providing tea (we gave him some shells which excited him no end). The rain stopped so we walked around the market before setting off for Damascus (breakfast was a local dish from a stall – bread wrapped around nice meat cubs and salad).

Fortunately the rain held off for the drive. We made a detour to the village of Malula, where the houses are built next to one another and painted blue (the people still speak the language Jesus preached in). We arrived at Damascus, looked at the camp site and the hostel and still undecided went to the Jordan embassy via the Central Bank and Tourist Office to find it closed till tomorrow.

At this stage we met George and Freddie – sons of very wealthy Syrians who insisted we stayed at their love pit. We did not meet any of their friends! We walked round the souk before going to the room to change prior to our evening meal at Ali-Baba’s.