Driving into Hebron was like a ghost town in a war zone. The buildings were unkept, crumbling and in some places destroyed. There was hardly anyone around except for a few children playing in the street. Armed soldiers were positioned on every street corner which was a confronting.
When they saw our bus, they came running up with their trinkets and jewellrey to sell. The looks on their faces was full of sadness. Even if they were well trained to tug at our heart strings, their living conditions was very confronting.
We entered via a Mosque built in the early 1300s which meant shoes off and ladies had to wear lovely cloaks. The decorative decor and artistic inscriptions were amazing.
After this we had a wander through the souq, but being early and a place where tourists don't come, many stalls were closed. We didn't think twice about spending here as we knew it wa going to local people who need our support. I even bought a keffiyeh!
When leaving Hebron our bus was refused entry to part of town. After waiting 30 mins with three lots of armed vehicles arriving to intervene, we had to return home via a different way.
We stopped at a local glass blowing factory which was amazing. Seeing all the items being made before our eyes, made it easier to buy without haggling, as we knew it was supporting the local people.
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