Old Town Nazareth

A dreary start to the day - complete with thunder storm.  Views from our front window and to the east.  I tried to get a picture of raindrops - but the windows are not exactly clean, and the rain was coming straight down.

Nazareth is a very hilly town, sort of like San Francisco.  Our landlady had warned us. You could possibly walk to the old town, but you would not want to walk back uphill!  So we called a cab.  We knew parking would be an issue.  The landlady was right - the roads are very steep! 

Our first stop was to the Basilica of the Annunciation.  There is suppose to be a cave where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.  These are views of the outside.

Along the walls surrounding the church were many different mosaics from different countries.  Interesting to note there was none from the U.S.  Here are just a few of them.

Then we entered the church.

I think this may have been the cave.

The Church of St. Joseph is just up from  the Basilica.

Our next stop was at the White Mosque.  Nazareth is mostly an Muslim and Christian town.  We have not seen any Jews here at all.  The little shop next door to us which sells mostly spices and nuts along with a few tourist staples, is run by Arabs.  This mosque is very simple and looks like it mostly used by locals who pray there.

I love this symmetrical picture - especially the broom!

Random flags in the street below the Basilica of the Annunciation.

 A view from a distance of the Greek Catholic Church which we never found, but not from lack of trying.  All the tiny convoluted streets, dead ends and sudden turns, google maps just couldn't find the front of the church.

Next we headed for Mary's fountain.  Supposedly the location of the well where the angel made his announcement of her pregnancy.  One of the several locations that made this claim.

The competition to the Basilica of the Annunciation is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation.  

 This is the entrance to Mary's Well where Mary was supposed to have been given the message by Gabriel.  When we arrived there was a large tour group of Catholics led by a nun who was giving an impromptu service.  It was a long wait, but the nun did have a nice voice.  Everyone in the tour had to get their picture taken in front of the well.

And on the way out - kiss this picture.  Some people even wiped their marks off the picture.

 In the little chapel was this painting and below it the well.

 It was after 3pm so we stopped for something to drink before deciding to head for the new part of Nazareth.  We stopped at bench next to this street art.  Decided we were too tired and called it a day.