Usfiya and Daliyat al-Karmel

Usfiya and Daliyat al-Karmel villages are all that remains of 14 Druze villages thai once prospered on the Carmei; an unsuccessful rebellion against the Egyptian pasha in 1830 led to their destruction. In the 1860s, when the Turks were anxious 10 havd the Druze as a buffer against the Bedouin and Christians who were seeking com verts, they welcomed the Druze back to these two Carmei villages. Some 17,00(1 Druze make their homes here. Druze elders are recognizable by their thick musi taches and flowing white kaffiyehs (headdresses), and Druze women are distinctive in their black robes and white shawls. The Druze are known for being extraordinail ily congenial, even while hawking their wares.

Perhaps once picturesque mountain villages, Usfiya and Daliyat al-Karmel are! overgrown today with unattractive concrete houses. The tourist bazaar in Daliyat al-Karmel is busiest on Saturdays, but come on a weekday if you want lower price! and a better opportunity to converse with locals. You can try to bargain, thougq vendors generally are determined to extract large sums from tourists. A few words of Arabic or Hebrew can lower prices considerably. Be aware that most of tha clothes and jewelry are imported from India, while the furniture comes from Gaza] Wheat stalk baskets, embroidery, and tapestry work are mainly local goods.