Family Trip to the Shuk

Yes! The bank strike is over and we are rolling in dough! Well, maybe with the amount that we have, sticking a few on our foreheads and arms would be more accurate....


We are adjusting to this very different lifestyle! For example, we figured out that to do anything outside, we really have to wait until at least 4pm if we don't want sweaty, kvetchy kids. I always wondered why all the Israeli kids are out well after dark, sometimes until 11pm or 12am, and I've figured it out: the outside play day really only starts in late afternoon! So, we all piled onto a bus to Jerusalem at 4pm. In true W style until about 4:02 the conversation went something like this: 


Small people: "We're so bored!"
Big People: "We'll do something soon. BAW is still working."
Small people: "We're hungry. No, STARVING!!"
Big People: "You just ate. You aren't starving or even hungry."
Small People: "We're bored!"
Small People: "And hungry."
Small People: "AND STARVING!"
Big People (at 4:02pm): "OK quick! Everybody grab your stuff, next bus to Yerushalyaim is in 8 minutes!"


And thus ensues the mad dash to make the bus while not forgetting any small children stuff for a trip to "The Big City". The bus ride takes about 50 min. and a good 25 of that is through RBS Alef, RBS Bet and Beit Shemesh proper. It's really not a bad ride, not even with squealing small redheads or the constant refrain of "Imma! I'm so hungry! I'm so thirsty!" For those of you who are starting to think that I starve my children just ask any mother on summer vacation right now. They don't stop eating. Ever.


So, we got to J-lem in one piece and had a beautiful walk between Geula and the shuk. Took about 10 to 15 minutes, but the weather there is so nice that we enjoyed the walk. I loved walking behind the boys and seeing their new defined calf muscles from all the walking. For TPH and I, walking a good 2 to 3 miles a day has been invigorating and awesome, but imagine little R who is only 4, and S who is 5, doing the same walking with us day after day. 


To get the full effect of our shuk trip you have to also see our pics on FaceBook. BAW is still reluctant to let me post pics on my blog as it is such a public forum. It's just an amazing experience. Vendors of every shape, size and religious background selling their wares and prices that can't be beat anywhere. Whole booths dedicated to just chummus. Or another one for chalva. The kids got a kick out of the yalmuka stalls and have been trying out lots of shapes and sizes of yammies.  The candy shop was the highlight and we let them go a little hog wild. I just want this Aliyah to be the sweetest of the sweet! :)


For dinner we went to a falafel shop and then started back where we got some not to be beat Yerushalmi Kugel and (don't ask me why, my kids are weird) black olives. Even Uncle S was impressed with all the sights to be seen there. We started back to the bus stop with a beautiful wind blowing and the sun starting to set. It's not uncommon that anywhere we are walking someone will jump out at us and grab BAW for a minyan and we get to wait and check out all the people and scenery around us.


Bus ride home was uneventful except that once we got off (the very last stop :( ) we realized that we had left our food and yalmukas on the bus!! :( Funny because even though we were really looking forward to that kugel, candy and new yammies, no one was too disappointed, cuz the main fun was the trip itself. 


Exhausted happy kiddies fell into bed. And I'll bet they weren't even hungry.