Holiday roundup

What did I do during the holidays? Not so much. A little R&R, some work, and a bit of sightseeing. Many Israelis travel during Sukkot, touring around the country visiting friends and family. I stayed in Jerusalem, which becomes absolutely overwhelmed by visitors, especially in my neighbourhood. The German Colony has been colonized by Americans, British, and French some of whom have not made aliyah and, instead, come for the holidays, only. (ed: It puts a certain pressure on the housing market!)

I spent some time of the holidays sitting on the back patio reading fiction - yay! I attended the local street fair on Derech Beit Lechem  (the Road to Bethlehem), and walked everywhere. One of my Jerusalemite friends took me on a great tour of the Old City; we ate amazing hummous in a cavernous cafe on the Street of Cloths just outside the Jewish Quarter. I could seriously eat there everyday. (I took some pictures of the Old City, but I seem to have wiped them from my computer and camera.)

In East Jerusalem I rediscovered my favourite Middle Eastern drink -- Mint Lemonade.

Mint lemonade at the Jerusalem Hotel

I spent some of the holiday looking after the family dog who spends most of her time prone (or semi-prone) on the couch. (She spends too much of her other time barking.) The good news is that I seem to have made it into her heart; she barks far less frequently at me now.

Tina, one of my housemates

I checked out the textile shops for knitting and embroidery supplies. Along the way I saw this which I thought was peculiar. I suspect the person who named this doesn't actually know anything about the Yukon because 100% COTTON is about the least appropriate place evocative textile (quviut anyone?)! I guess they just like the name!

Yukon Cotton?

I visited the Mahane Yehuda (shuk) a few times so I'm actually getting familiar with its labyrinthine corridors. These pictures are from a less busy day at the market (Tuesday). I was there last Friday and it was soooo busy I could hardly move. Part of what makes it impossible to move (in addition to the narrow corridors) is that many folks are pulling a shopping cart behind them. These are not age specific. Many people pull these tartan (or wire, or solid colour, but tartan is definitely the most popular which seems so random - Jews and tartan? who knew?) two-wheelers along. And, if they don't have a shopping cart, other folks have a stroller, and a troupe of children. It's like being stuck in rush hour traffic only instead of the comforts of your car (including air con and good music) you are pressed up against sweaty humans on all sides. Interestingly though, people don't seem to mind that much and they certainly act very civilly. I guess you don't know if that bent over, shuffling elderly man is your grandma's neighbour!

Main Mall of Mahane Yehuda

Pastries!

The tartan shopping cart

Another tartan shopping cart

Shopping carts

Shopping carts 2

Shopping carts 3

Oh, and, since I had some time on my hands, I opened a beauty parlour!

Beauty Place on Agrippas Street (near Mahane Yehuda)

Bike report

I continue to see folks on bikes, some look like hybrids with big knobby tires and others are those fold out European specials (technical term unknown). Some people wear helmets and ride on the street; others don't wear helmets and ride on the street. Still others insist on riding on the sidewalks. This was problematic during Sukkot when the sidewalks were jammed with sukkah -- twice I was nearly in a head-on with a bike!