Oriental Magic in Akko

Hi =). So happy that I managed to get away from work to blog!!^^. Ready for some impressions from the city Akko? The Crusaders built an impressive fort here when they arrived in the Holy Land and the Old City is strongly influenced by the Muslim cultur. Which means more small streets and lots of small shops for food and jewellery! This mosque is located in the middle of the Old City of Akko (love the turquoise colour of the dome!!):

(This is a pavilion in their courtyard).

Amazing! =)).

Just found Aladdins wonder lamp! Can I buy a dschin to fulfill my (shopping) wishes??!!

Cinnamon on the market. Smells niiice^^.

Roses grow here as easy as dandelions would in Germany!

Hey!! Finally there is the white horse from every girl's dream... and where is the Prince??!! (Not wearing Flip Flops, is he? Heeelp.)

We found a kolibri here (a small bird that lives on the nectar of blossoms). It is the first time that I saw this flower!! It is the blossom of the passion fruit! =)

Dry rose buds from the spice merchant. What are they for?

Hey, I really want to blog more. It's just that I am majorly busy at least until the end of the next week! I am excited that the World Cup started and I am looking forward to watch some of the games, yeahh!! Greetings to all of you from Israel!

Love,

The Bazaar: Roses, Jewellery and Strawberrys

Hi =)
You see those insanely delicious strawberries here? I bought one kilo (!!) for 1 Euro♥. You get bargains like that on one of the many (oriental) bazaars we visited all throughout Israel! Here are my favourite impressions. In Jerusalem, there were the Shouks in the Old City and the Mehane Yehuda were all the traditional people buy food for shabat. And of course there are the shopping streets in the city centers.
Bazaars are so great! I love the chaos, the people, the many different smells that mingle with each other, so many exotic products and fabrics! The atmosphere is often less touristic, because of all the normal citizens buying there. Imagine the shop owners shouting their offering of the day and the attempt to fight the prices of their neighbours. And there are clothes hanging above you (you never know where to look first, it is just overwhelming!!). Birds in small cages, schoolchildren, stray cats...people playing old board games, women chatting^^.

My favourite fruits (they look like rubies here!).

View into one of the small Shouk Streets.

Adorable jewellery boxes!

Wide range of choices for the religious customers.

Spices, spices, spices.

Fresh flowers, waiting for happy owners.

The City Center of Jerusalem (there was a rock concert that evening).

One day I ate so many pastries that I felt sick afterwards... I am so silly. The next day I went back to buy more.

We have a really though work project at the moment and I cannot promise to blog daily for the next few weeks. I hope to manage every 3-4 days (hopefully that's OK for you!^^). See you again soon and stay tuned for more adventures from the Middle East (including a small puppy dog♥). Love,