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Our tour guide offered to take us out of the hot sun for some cool drinks in his family’s air-conditioned store, Fountain Bazaar Dajani: Fine Exclusive Jewelry. I examined the woodcarvings, ceramics and clothing. Workmanship, quality and premium pricing differentiated this spacious store from the stands we visited in the crowded souq. Adam discussed politics and the interwoven network of the jewelry store with the owner near glass display cases. I shopped. They served coffee, tea and closed the store periodically for private viewings each time Ali returned with a group of tourists. I shopped more.

The more time we spent in the store the more intrigued I became with the gold and silver jewelry displays. I learned what I purchased earlier was not Roman glass but common beads. Roman glass from the time of the crusaders was available in Israel but not at the prices I paid. I found out the condition of my souvenirs was a result of aged inventory not ‘holy dust’ as I was told.

I negotiated pricing for the items that appealed to me. $$$$ later, I walked away with enough jewelry to open my own store. Damn Rich for telling me about Roman Glass. By the time I settled the exorbitant bill it was again time for Adam’s feeding.

The storeowner instructed a cook to take care of us in the shade outside the jewelry store. Children rode their bicycles in the open courtyard while others played backgammon. Ali stopped by our table after steering another group of tourists to his uncle’s store. He told us that the word on the street is that Adam runs with a shrewd negotiator. His uncle told him that I should take part in negotiating the peace process. This compliment wasn’t going to refill my bank account and appeared be a negotiation tactic since it came with an invite to return the next day.

A necklace salesman named Jawad approached our table. He told us his name in Arabic means 'good horse.' I found this to be comical since Adam’s last name is Jawad and he appointed himself driver for our Israeli tour.

The cook took extra care to calculate our bill. We paid for our overpriced meal and determined a break from the walls of the old city was in order. Beyond the Sea of Galilee, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was the main draw for me in Israel. Next stop Bethlehem and with it testing our luck in the West Bank.