Johnny Halwani and his shrimps

By: Jason

I have yet to post one blog about my research and work here -- for that I apologize.  However, this post combines both a bit of adventure and work all in one.  Unlike back home, there is a season for lobster here, which has just gotten underway.  One of the best and most reliable places to obtain these strange (very different than you what you are probably used to seeing) creatures is in Akko (Acre), an ancient crusader city, captured by the Turks and presently a predominantly Arab fishing port just north of Haifa.  Akko boasts a surreal experience with its impenetrable walls, twisting alleyways, and local Arab flavor.  

The City of Akko (Acre)

Feels like an Indiana Jones movie

Ehud and I decided that the best place to buy some live or semi-live lobsters would be at the very good fish market in the Shuk.  Seafood comes in throughout the day from both commercial operations and artisanal fishermen.  One character we met was named Johnny Halwani, a jovial and large raw shrimp-eating Arab fish monger who worked hard to sell us his catch.  Ehud, eventually bought some really nice Grouper from him.  Johnny seemed to like us and wanted us to come back later for lobsters -- making a long story, short, we did and came up empty and we were lucky he did not feed us raw shrimp.

Mediterranean slipper lobsters are found throughout both the eastern and western Med. and are an exceptionally important marine resource in many coastal areas.   Part of not getting totally screwed here by the fish mongers is to: a) not speak English, b) look very serious, and c) don't get excited.  How hard is this for me to do????!!  Are you kidding, almost impossible!!  So, I hung back having to wait another time to practice the 10 or so Arabic words I have learned so far. 

Fresh fish - quite a variety

We picked up a couple of these guys (one guy and one gal) that were freshly dead, and very cold.  Amazingly, passing by later, there were some 'other' lobsters there to join them -- American clawed lobsters!!  I was completely floored by this.  Let me tell you -- for the limited time I have been working with these slipper lobsters, they are tough critters.  As one person calls them, 'Israeli tanks without guns'.  

Mostly dead Mediterranean slipper lobster

The Akko Shuk is truly like going back in time with it's twisting turns, under-ground tunnels and museums (still have not done this), vendors selling spices, fruits, vegetables, shoes, baklava, and one of the best hummus places in Israel -- Hummus Said (yes, we ate lunch there for about $5/person!). 

All in all, a successful day for both research and adventure!

Ehud and me on a tide pool adventure