Although I walk through (or around) the Carmel Market several times a week, I have been slow to write about it, possibly because my feelings about it are mixed.
On the one hand, it is lively and colourful, and is on a direct path to my Ulpan. So it should be a no-brainer to shop there.
On the other hand, it is undeniably shabby relative to other markets of its kind in Israel, and much of it is also pretty schlocky. (The city is apparently planning an upgrade…) And even in the “off season” it can be so crowded that, direct path or not, a detour is usually a faster way to get where I am going. Even with my “inner Israeli” in full swing, there is no amount of assertiveness that will get me through that mass of people in any kind of hurry.
Most people approach the market from the north end where it runs off Magen David Square. Here, groups of tourists cluster, and the odd local pulls up a chair, conveniently provided by the city, to listen to whatever busker has set up shop in the centre. Occasionally there is some drama, if the beer drinking gets out of hand, or if the police decide to enforce the “no busker” rule, which happens about as often as they enforce the “no bikes on sidewalks” rule, which is to say, almost never.
Approaching the main street of the market you are greeted by an ever narrowing passageway, as the stalls that line the street push further into the centre, crowding the mob of tourists that stop at such emporia as this one:
But once in a while, you can catch a glimpse of something like this which almost makes it worthwhile:
The open air market continues about 4-5 blocks down HaCarmel Street and it is supposed to be less “open air” than it actually is. There should be a cover which is meant to protect against both the powerful sun and the occasionally fierce winter rains, but it is in rough shape. So on sunny days it is hot, and on rainy days…well…it is best not to go there. There are no prices on any of the merchandise, another reason I avoid shopping there. This is because the merchants have a refined pricing mechanism called “soak the tourist”, and they can spot us a mile away; I just don’t have the strength to fight with anyone about price, or about much else, to be honest.
Eventually, if you can push past all the souvenirs etc, which is not easy given the crowds of people, you will get to the more traditional part of the market selling all kinds of fresh food, everything from fruits and vegetables to cheese, pastries and halvah. Here, prices are still generally not marked, but since the sellers figure you might actually live around here if you are buying food, you are less likely to over-pay. Meat and fish are sold in a parallel street market one block to the west. As that part of the market is all about raw unvarnished animal products it is much less busy, and a good deal more authentic. It is not for the squeamish however.
In and around the market there are some lively little restaurants, very casual, and always packed. We have our eye on the Beer Bazaar, which carries over 100 types of Israeli craft beer, but it is possible that we exceed the age limit for hanging out there. There is also a place that only serves humus and it is built to look just like a synagogue, both inside and out, which is unusual to say the least. It is however reputedly one of the best places to get humus, and it is a real bargain.
The last time I fought my way through the Carmel madness, I came across one of those improbable Israel experiences that often sneak up on me when I am intent on some errand. Smack in the middle of the market, a group of Asian tourists, clutching little shofars, were singing songs in Hebrew (!) concluding with a stirring rendition of Hatikvah. (After which they blew their shofars). I have to say that even some of the normally rushed Israelis who actually shop there, seemed charmed, (or perhaps just startled), and stopped for a moment.
In my opinion, the real appeal of the area is to be found on the side streets around HaCarmel street. To the east is are several streets closed to cars, a sort of pedestrian mall, the central street of which is Nahalat Binyamin, where you can buy all manner of fabrics, thread, and wool, some displayed with the undeniably Tel Avivian talent for “out of the box” thinking:
In this area, you can also see a number of the colourful eclectic buildings that pre-date the Bauhaus trend. I often use some of these streets to skirt the main market because they are much less crowded, and well…because…you never know when you might want to stop and play a game of chess.
On Tuesdays and Fridays, there is also an arts and crafts market along Nahalat Binyamin, where you can buy all kinds of charming gift items that are much nicer than the stuff in the market. (Admittedly, the t-shirts are not as funny.) It is well worth a visit.
On the west side of the market is the Yemenite quarter, also a largely pedestrian area, (bearing in mind that in Tel Aviv the definition of “pedestrian” is loose to say the least, and seems to include such things as motor scooters). This is a truly charming little residential neighbourhood that has a character entirely its own, much more like a small Mediterranean village than part of a big city.
So how to describe the Carmel market area? Let’s see. Shabby but also charming. Schlocky but sometimes in a funny and endearing way. Hectic and aggravating yes, with moments of calm and loveliness. Eccentric for sure, and prone to sneaking up and surprising you. In other words, it is just like the rest of Tel Aviv.