Market Day

Once a week I try to go to the market in the city to do our grocery shopping. It is cheaper and always much more colourful than the big supermarkets.

Vegetables are among the few things here that are cheaper than in Sweden, BUT only in season. Off-season the price is shocking or else it is impossible to get. Unlike Sweden where we can buy most vegetables and fruit all year round and the prices don't vary too much inspite of season.

Meat, fish, dairy products and bread are all more expensive here than in Sweden.

A few exmples of how much stuff costs:

Milk 1 litre: 6-8 NIS = 12-16 SEK = 1-1,5 EURO
1 loaf of bread: 15 NIS = 30 SEK = 2,9 EURO
5 pita bread: 4 NIS = 8 SEK = 0,8 EURO
12 eggs: 16 NIS = 32 SEK = 3 EURO
12 eggs organic (Sv. ekologiska): 22 NIS = 42 SEK = 4,2 EURO
Lemons per kilo: 4 NIS = 8 SEK = 0,8 EURO
Lemons per kilo: OFF SEASON 26 NIS = 52 SEK = 5 EURO
Tomatos per kilo: 2-4 NIS = 4-8 SEK = 0,4-0,8 EURO

I buy vegetables in the Iraqi part of the market

Spices, oils and teas

Nuts, drieds fruit and grains

Kitchenware

I never eat crackers, but I like the idea of buying crackers by weight.

You have H&M - we have the market.

Breakfast

I love staying in Jerusalem over the weekends. It is the time where I write, sew, read, walk, eat nice and healthy or unhealthy.

This will be one of those weekends and here is how it always starts:

Poached eggs

I’ll tell you something you didn’t know about Israel…

This place is invaded by alien robots, people don’t take much notice of them since they have disguised them selves as fire hydrant.

But I know they are there.

Silent.

Still.

Secretly observing.

Cute Robot

Market Robot

Patriotic Robot

Robot Family - Daddy, Mummy and little wee one

Imprisoned Robot

Robot walking his Robot-Dog

Purim

Sorry.

Too many things happened and I got so overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I wanted to write about, that instead of writing a line here and there, I just shut down.
Overload.

So now fast forward from where I left off:

Purim - celebrated somewhere in between February and March

Purim is an odd week in this country and it is the most popular holiday with huge parties.

The story behind the holiday has a Persian evil minister, a Persian king and his favourite (Jewish) wife and her Jewish uncle, as characters. Then there is something about killing all the Jews (you’ve heard it all before…) and how the plot fails thanks to the beautiful favourite wife of the king.
And anyway, because of this “historical” story all people wear weird costumes for a week and go to fancy dress up parties. Obvious isn't it...

The fancy dress parties are not like in Sweden where 10% of the party goers make something fun out of it; 50% put on a silly mask to match their everyday outfits; and the rest, 40% show up as normal as can be. Only wearing a sort of patronising look on their faces of disapproval at the childishness of the dressed up guests.

Here in Israel fancy dress is taken VERY seriously for the entire week and in everyday life:

Old man at a bus stop

Me as an Ars - Israeli "white" trash 2006
(first time I met all the loved one's friends)

Me as the hump of a camel 2007
(I made the camel from newspaper, towels and a bit of fake fur)

Wisdom Toothless

Red Leaves

Leaves

Favourite Shawl of Swedes - now in new fashionable colours

Blue

Cacti in Tel Aviv

Road sign to home

Jaffa Harbour

Mist

Trees