Shuk Dash

Remember the Yemin Moshe Windmill Dash and the Jerusalem, Gush Etzion and Nachalot Scavenger Hunts that I have participated in over the years? Well, Tali Kaplinsky Tarlow, the driving force behind Israel ScaVentures, once again invited me, along with an awesome group of bloggers and social media influencers, to try out the new ScaVentures Shuk Dash app (shuk is the Hebrew word for market) at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.

The app, which you can either download or use ScaVentures pre-loaded tablets, gives you the opportunity to explore the shuk as part of a team. Each team competes to buy and sell something, pose with a fish and find someone from Morocco, among many other missions, within a set time. The dash is not a history lesson. We didn't have a guide nor was there even that much time to stop and look around, never mind take photos (thanks to my teammates for allowing me to use some of their shots). This was a morning of competitive fun! After a brief explanation about the Shuk Dash from Tali, we were tasked with getting to know the people of the market - vendors and shoppers alike - and to hear their stories. It was a full on morning of entertainment, definitely suited to the more outgoing among us. We looked for signs, asked questions, tasted food and generally had a good time together! 

Photo credit: Israel ScaVentures

Photo credit: Ingrid Muller Photography

Photo credit: Robin Epstein, Around the Island Photography

Now, since I am a bit of a history buff, I am going to include a little bit about the market in this post. The Mahane Yehuda market is the largest market in Jerusalem with over 250 vendors selling everything from fruit and vegetables to speciality foods, and clothing to Judaica. The market is a great way to experience a traditional Middle Eastern style shuk, with its fascinating array of sounds, sights and smells.
Mahane Yehuda, which is open every day apart from Shabbat and is particularly busy on Thursdays and Friday mornings, is set between two streets, with two main aisles and then many further small walkways once inside. Just a ten minute walk from the centre of Jerusalem, the market is a fascinating place to stroll whether you are interested just in observing the magnificent sculpted displays of spices and mouthwatering array of foods, or if you want to get involved in real-market buying, negotiating and tasting. In recent years, the shuk has emerged a centre for Jerusalem nightlife, with restaurants, bars and live music. After the Shuk Dash I went with a couple of friends to eat a delicious lunch at Crave, one of the newest culinary fixtures in the market.

Photo credit: Robin Epstein, Around the Island Photography

Photo credit: Robin Epstein, Around the Island Photography

The neighbourhood of Mahane Yehuda was established in 1887 by three business partners - Johannes Frutiger (a German Protestant and owner of the largest bank in Palestine), Shalom Konstrum, and Joseph Navon. It was named after Navon's brother, Yehuda. The newly established neighbourhood of Beit Ya'akov stood nearby. At the end of the 19th century a marketplace known as Shuk Beit Ya'akov was established on an empty lot to the east of the neighbourhood. Here Arab merchants and fellaheen sold their goods to the residents who lived outside the Old City. As the new neighbourhoods outside the Old City grew, the Beit Ya'akov market grew apace with more stalls, tents and pavilions.

Under Ottoman rule, the market expanded haphazardly and sanitary conditions worsened. In the late 1920s, the British Mandate authorities cleared out all the merchants and built permanent stalls and roofing. Afterwards the market began to be known as the Mahane Yehuda market, after the larger of the two neighbourhoods.

In 1931 a new section was built to the west of the market by 20 traders who previously had only temporary wooden stalls in the area. It was later named the Iraqi Market, as many traders of Iraqi Jewish descent acquired shops there.

In the 2000s major renovations were made to the Mahane Yehuda market. A number of trendy shops and cafés began appearing among the market's retail stalls. Non-Middle Eastern restaurants currently include eateries such as "Pasta Basta," specialising in Italian pasta dishes, "Fish and Chips," one, if not the only fish and chips bar in Jerusalem, and "Ha'Agas 1," a vegetarian restaurant.

The shuk also hosts special events like the "Ba LaBasta" happening in 2011, which brought in huge crowds. Guided shopping and cooking tours are aimed at attracting culinary tourists. Also in 2011, the city-sponsored project "Tabula Rasa" (Blank Slate) saw artists being recruited from schools of art and photography in the city to decorate the walls, metal shutters, concrete surfaces and even the rubbish bins of the market.

The market's mixture of shops and restaurants, which includes both kosher and halal establishments, attract residents and tourists, Israelis from Jerusalem and other parts of the country, rich and poor, young and old, religious and secular, Jews and non-Jews, including members of the Arab community. An estimated 200,000 people visit the shuk weekly.

Before each Jewish festivals thousands of shoppers shop in the market for foods based on different holiday traditions: everything from pomegranates, dates, lulavs and etrogs, and assorted honey to fish heads.

Sadly Mahane Yehuda was a target for terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada. On 30th July 1997, 16 people were killed and 178 wounded in two consecutive suicide bombings, then in 

2002 a female suicide bomber detonated at the entrance to the market, killing 6 and injuring 104. The market was heavily guarded for years afterwards.

Back to the Shuk Dash. Israel ScaVentures have Scavenger Hunts all around the country, including Jaffa, Safed, Zikhron Ya'akov and more. The Shuk Dash, whilst definitely being more interactive than educational, was great fun and was a terrific way to see and get to know the market.

Tali runs ScaVentures throughout the year. If you want to get in touch with her and join in for yourselves, you can contact her here.

* This post has been shared on All Seasons, The Good. The Random. The Fun., Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday), Our World Tuesday, Tuesday's Treasures, Travel Tuesday, The Wednesday Link Up and My Corner of the World.

Barcelona - It Was the Second Time That We Met

I had a great summer! For the second time in as many months I travelled abroad, this time to Spain. Many of you will remember that back in June I went by myself to visit my Dad in the UK. This time we went abroad as a family. Now, it's not easy holidaying with teenagers. Truth be told, my 14 year old didn't really want to go on holiday with Mum and Dad. He likes an action-packed holiday and he thinks that Mum and Dad are old (we're not that old actually!) and that Mum enjoys too many museums (I do!). The 16 year old, on the other hand, realises that these all-expenses paid holidays with his parents are coming to an end, and was happy to join us - especially when we suggested a visit to Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. In the end we all went together. Heck, I can't leave a 14 year old home alone, and his grandparents happen to live in another country. And you know what? We had a terrific time!

We split our holiday into two parts. The first few days we stayed in beautiful Barcelona and the boys in my family (I'm including Mister Handmade in Israel here) knew that I was going to insist on a bit of culture. We visited the incredible Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's renowned unfinished church which was started in the 1880s. The interior's creative use of colour, space and stone work is jaw-dropping. We walked around the Barri Gotic, the Parc de la Ciutadella, and enjoyed the wonderful Picasso Museum. Park Güell, another of Gaudi's masterpieces, was completely amazing and surprises awaited around every corner.

I got up early one morning to check out the produce at La Boqueria, a fascinating food market just off Las Ramblas. The range of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, drinks and pastries was incredible to see, and also rather intriguing to this Jewish blogger who sticks to a kosher diet. I picked up some churros for the younger son who was keen to try this traditional Spanish pastry.

This football loving family couldn't visit Barcelona without a visit to Camp Nou, the largest football stadium in Spain and Europe. Unfortunately we weren't the only ones there and, though we had booked tickets ahead, we were somewhat rushed through the stadium along with the rest of the group. The day was saved when we realised that Paulinho Bezerra, one of FC Barcelona's summer signings, was making his debut on the pitch. We waited to watch, and ultimately enjoyed the experience far more than the tour!

Sadly things took a turn for the worse later that day and we were far too close for comfort to the horrible terror attack that took place in Barcelona this summer. Coming from Israel, it was rather ironic to find ourselves so close to trouble in another country, but thank goodness we were all okay (sadly others weren't) and it just meant a long and late night for Mister Handmade in Israel and me before we could get back to our hotel (the kids were already there).

Picking ourselves up, the next morning we set off for Montjuïc to see the Olympic Stadium, then the boys visited the Barcelona Olympic and Sport Museum whilst I went off to spend some quality time with Joan Miró. I enjoyed the comprehensive collection of works from across Miró's career, including some well-known pieces. This was one of my favourite museums in Barcelona.

Then it was time for some more Gaudí. Casa Batlló on the Passeig de Gràcia may be the most fantastical place I have ever visited. Its exterior is sheathed in colourful pieces of broken ceramics, while the roof is covered in scale-like tiles. The audio guide, which simulates the way the house looked with its original furniture, really brought the house to life.

La Pedrera was a must-do for the rooftop and views alone, but we also visited the attic, an apartment inside the building and the downstairs courtyard. The building, the last private residence designed by architect Gaudí, is spectacular and a wonderful way to truly appreciate the organic nature of his work.

My absolute favourite of all the things we saw in Barcelona was one of the last places we visited. The Palau de la Música Catalana is a concert hall designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. From the outside alone it is an impressive building, but inside it is rather like a multi-coloured glass jewellery box. The concert hall, which contains 2,146 seats, is the only auditorium in Europe that is illuminated during daylight hours entirely by natural light. The hall has an ornate central glass light on the ceiling depicting the sun bursting out of a blue sky, 18 half-mosaic, half-relief muses appear out of the back of the stage, and winged horses fly over the upper balcony. Decoration truly erupts everywhere. The building is a feast for the eyes and my only regret is that we had no time to see a performance in this unique and elegant concert hall. I will just have to go back someday.

* This post has been shared on Travel Photo Thursday, Seasons, Sundays in my City, The Good. The Random. The Fun. and Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday).