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Shopping In Jerusalem
In the crabbed alleys and covered
ways of the Old City bazaar or souk (market),you will find a
fantastic assortment of food, people, flavors and odors. As you gaze
at the merchandize hanging from every nook and cranny of the
cave-like apertures, porters laden with incredible loads, dignified
prelates, nuns, Muslim dignitaries, and homemakers with shopping
bags among others will jostle you. You will be enticed by shop-
keepers to see their wares.
Certain characteristic products
are found in all parts of the bazaar: Hebron glass, vases and bowls
in turquoise, amber and blue; beads and medallions; olive wood
camels and Christmas ornaments ;mother-of- pearl furniture,
backgammon boards and other religious articles and replicas of
shrines; embroidered Arab folkloric dresses, cushions and wall
hangings; and brassware, candlesticks and antiquities.
Some of the souk's specialties
are Souk el-'Atareen (Herb Market)offering aromatic mixtures of many
spices and located in the middle lines of Triple Market and Street
of Bad Cookery where meat was roasted for pilgrims.
Along David Street you will find
Bedouin rugs woven from camel wool, two straw markets and in a high
vaulted building, its site for close on a thousand years, the fruit
and vegetable market. Around the Holy Sep ulchre Church you will
find pious Christian articles, like giant candles, rosaries made of
olive pits, icons and crucifixes.
In the Muristan you can buy
uncured sheepskin coats and rugs and camel leather bags, belts and
sandals. On Souk Khan el-Zeit (Olive Inn market)you will be offered
sweet honey cakes piled in pyramids, olives, pickled vegetables,
goat's cheese, soured cream and the aromatic freshly ground Arabic
coffee.
Handicrafts
Cross-stitch embroidery is an
ancient art form in Palestine. Using natural homemade materials,
women artistically embroider dresses, jackets, vests, cushions,
tablecloths, and much more. Jerusalem pottery is another art in
Palestine. Ceramic ware decorated with geometric patterns, the
stained glass made into crystal wine, and champagne glasses are very
popular. Religious ornaments, handmade made from olive wood and
mother-of-pearl with a painstaking attention to detail, are
especially attractive. Palestine's world- renowned olive wood
artifacts are made from the local olive trees. Olive trees in
Palestine are not only found in abundance but some date back to the
times of Jesus. Exquisite olive wood statues, boxes, crosses, and
other artifacts can be found at the numerous souvenir shops in
Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
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