Ahava

 

1 Jaffa Rd. Sun-Thurs 9.15am-7.30pm, Fri 9.15am-2.30pm.

A tiny little place by West Jerusalem standards, but the best outlet for Ahava's Dead Sea mud and mineral cosmetics, including mudpacks, mud and mineral soaps, and all sorts of other sulphurous, smelly concoctions to cleanse your skin and open your pores. There's another official outlet at 5 Ben Yehuda, but prices of some items are higher there.

Bazaar Shopping Centre

45 David St. Daily 7.30am-9pm.

All the usual tat as sold throughout the Old City, including Hebron glass, ceramics, olivewood carvings, Egyptian inlaid boxes and a massive selection of round Jerusalem candles: the difference here is that all prices are fixed and displayed, with no pressure, no haggling and no hard-sell.

Elia Photo Service

14 Aqabat al-Khanqah. Mon-Sat 9am-6pm.

The best of Jerusalem's photo shops, with a unique and absolutely fascinating collection of photographs of the city and its people from original glass negatives dating back to the nineteenth century, collected (and often taken) by the owner's father, a refugee from Armenia. Prices are high but it's worth going in just for a look. The best photos are available in a book called Jerusalem Through My Father's Eyes, by Kevork Kahvedjian.

St Peter Souvenir Shop

31 Bab al-Jadid Rd, just inside the New Gate. Sun-Fri 7am-8pm.

An ordinary enough souvenir shop, but it happens to sell the cheapest postcards in town, currently at three for a shekel.

Stamp shop

28 Christian Quarter Rd, Old City. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.

A small, unnamed philately shop stocking all PNA issues, a wide range of Israeli issues, including first day covers, and a limited selection of stamps from pre-1948 Mandate Palestine.

Varouj Photos

36 Aqabat al-Khanqah. Mon-Sat 8.30am-5pm.

A small selection of photos of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Jerusalem, - not as sharp, clearly dated, nor as well mounted as Elia's, but less than half the price