Food market prices

140  Nis  

Another Chag (Yom Kippur) Another Friday AND another lockdown till Tuesday (five days)   So went to the open market at 12:45 -13:00 as everything must close at 14:00

Big bags (1.5kg) of baby potatoes 15 nis each (usually 8-10 nis/bag) -
Its the last of the season, so figured it will be the last time to enjoy for a while.

Cucumbers in packs -  5 nis each got these AFTER I bought the loose ones in the meanwhile. No household is without the ubiquitous finely chopped Israeli/Arabic tomato and cucumber salad.

Aubergines  bought at  3 nis/kg  -  usual price 9 nis/kg

Bell peppers 3.9/kg usually 14 nis?

Mushrooms 2 boxes for 10 nis

Lemons 1 bag at 8 nis/kg

Then saw lemons at  6nis/kg explains the second bag. 
Can never have too many lemons. Always good for lemon mint granita.

Greens coriander full price at Rami levy as the shuk was out @ 3.90 a bag

This Friday saw a lot of people doing their last-minute buying, making the most of the end-of-day, end-of-week sales.  Alot of produce were already sold out. Many people picking from discarded piles. Feeling the sign of the times. The city's many restaurants, cafes, hotels, banquet/event halls, cinemas, theatres, all completely closed. Second total lockdown.  All the usual busy workers once again not working. the whole infrastruce, eco-sytem of  vital employment and activity are out of income AGAIN. The visable signs of neglect and stagnation in many establishments are clearly showing during this second nationwide stop. Even during the months between the two lockdowns, reports of people who were "not effected" were not spending so readily, eating less out because of Covid-19. Could it be because of  lack of open space? Or just general avoidance from any possible crowds? 
The new code.
The young are more anxious about job security, or more precise job insecurity. Only now, the cracks are beginning to show, at least in the centre of this once carefree city. 

Once upon a time, not so long ago, this city was  too impatient, too young and  too damn fun-driven to worry. Tel Avivians rightously held the city in a bubble, unstoppable and impenetrable. Now Covid is here to stay. It's not going anywhere for a while yet. And the new Jewish year is only just beginning.

I feel a situation of "The elephant in the room"

No one is talking about, within the home, cut back spending, money saving skills, budget lifestyle .. long term, because honestly, who knows what is for the long run?   Online shopping provides for the necessity of not going out, but how do you save on online shopping for groceries? Digital sales? Will last minute, bulk buying  come to be another artform of selling and buying? Even more time spent in front of  screens, searching for virtual credits to accumulate, stored and traded for crucial currency. Customers held hostage to large online chains by their 'loyalty' schemes.

Humungous malls are empty, a few souless bodies silently shuffling through the hollow passages of darken shops. Laden with nyon bags heavy with groceries from the inside supermarket.  A Kafkaesque scene. Reminds me of what a modern Bonnard would be - "And but for the grace of god, there goes you in a worn out drab robe"