 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: We travelled in this region in Aug and Sept 1999.
|
|
| Egypt - Alexandria |
|
| |
|
| |
Globalnet, while not the cheapest at LE10 (US$3.25) per hour, is conveniently located near center town. It's on Sharia An-Nabi Daniel in a big new building across from the French Cultural Center.
There are 3 cybercafes in The Zahran shopping complex near Vector Amanowel Square in the Semouha Club area. Take the blue #2 tram from Ramleh station (just NE of Midan Saad Zaghoul) and get off at the Sidi Gaber station. From there it's a 15min. walk but you're best off asking the way.
We used Web Cafe, which was the cheapest and excellent. They're around behind the OG Cinema Ossman (behind Zahran supermarket). It's LE5/hr (US$1.5) between 11am-4pm and LE8/hr (US$2.0) between 4pm-midnight. You even get a free Nescafe. Tel: 010 1536570, email: webcafe@globalnet.com.eg
Cyberaccess is on the second level of the Zahran complex (use the outside staircase overlooking courtyard). They're rates are LE5/hr (9-12pm & all day Saturdays) and LE10/hr (noon-midnight). We found the connection slightly slower but they're a decent alternative if Web Cafe happens to be closed.
|
|
| Egypt - Cairo |
|
| |
|
| |
Starnet at Cafe de Paris is in the Bustan Center on Sharia Al-Bustan just off of Midan Tahrir. LE10/hr (LE77 for 10hr coupon). Open until 10:30pm.
The Medical Scientific Center at 103 Mathaf Al-Maial (on Roda Island) says they'll offer Internet access starting in Sept 1999 at LE35 for 10hrs. Try calling them at 363-8815.
Some travellers have managed to sneak in and check their email for free at the American University in Cairo.
|
|
| Egypt - Luxor |
|
| |
|
| |
We came across three places offering Internet access - all quite expensive and none with more than 3 machines. The cheapest was upstairs in the Aboudi Bookstore near the Tourist Police by the Luxor Temple ruins. LE25/hr.
|
|
| Israel - Jerusalem |
|
| |
|
| |
Getting online in Jerusalem is expensive. There are a handful of places around Zion Square and a few in the Old City. Some of the hostels also have machines. Typical rate is a whopping 10NIS ($2.5) for 15 minutes! There are a coupleways around this rip-off.
Just outside of Riff Raff—a cafe at 19 Hillel Street near the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall—there are two 24 hour Internet kiosks that use a card system. Cards are available at Riff Raff (also open 24 hours)—80 minutes for 20NIS ($5). The connection is fast but it's a proprietary system.Also, the time has to be used in four chunks of 20 minutes each.
A much better option is Mermaid Internet Cafe in East Jerusalem not far from Damascus Gate. These folks started in Ramallah and the East Jerusalem shop opened July '99. Two more cafes are slated to open soon—one in the Old City just inside Jaffa Gate.
The rate at Mermaid is 13NIS ($3.25) an hour; 60NIS ($15) for five hours. They're on Salah El Din Street downstairs in the Ramallah-Al Natshieh Building.Open 7 days a week 9am to midnight. Tel: 052-969107
|
|
| Israel - Tel Aviv |
|
| |
|
| |
There are a number of cybercafes and also some hostels have a machine or two. Rates range from 25-40NIS an hour. Although we didn't get online there, we liked WebStop—very nicely done, full-on cafe, books and magazines. These folks have it together. 28 Bograshov Street, tel: 972-3-6202682
|
|
| Jordan - Amman |
|
| |
|
| |
There are some 25 cybercafes in Amman. Rates at those sprinkled around the downtown area are typically 1.25-1.5JD ($2.25) an hour. Competition is stiff and we managed to get a 10 hour card at one place for 5JD ($7.5).
But we made our home away from home at Camelot just up the hill from downtown. in Jabal al-Weibdah. It's just down the road from the al-Hawoz circle—go past the French Cultural Center. Or take service taxi #4 and ask to be let off at the road leading to the Pakistani embassy. Camelot is just before the embassy on the corner.
It's a good locals scene—good place to meet people. Standard rate is 1.5JD an hour but they offer significant discounts if you buy a card for 10 or more hours. We got it down to .4JD ($.60) an hour. Tel: 464-0405
Another cybercafe of note is Books@Cafe. Amman's first cybercafe and still its most fashionable. Here's where the young and hip hang out—at least those with money. It's expensive at 2JD/hr ($3) and the coffee is also expensive but it's a nice place to hang out—bookstore downstairs, cafe upsatirs. It's a short walk from downtown.
— |
|
| Jordan - Petra |
|
| |
|
| |
Petra is adjacent to the town of Wadi Mousa. There are a couple places in the center of town. Both are a bit expensive—at least compared with those in Amman—because they dial-up Amman long disctance. This situation, we're told will soon change.
These days (Aug '99) you've got the Rum Internet Cafe at 3JD ($4.5) an hour during the day and 2JD ($3) an hour after 8pm. This is just a basic room with computers but they're moving around the corner soon and might spiff up the new place a bit.
Petra Internet Cafe is a full-on cafe with good coffee, music, etc. But a whopping 4JD ($6) an hour which is to say we didn't get online there. Both of these cafes are easy to find as the town center is quite small.
— |
|
| Palestine - Gaza |
|
| |
|
| |
There are two or three cybercafes here. We found one—Cyber Internet Cafe. It's fast, cheap relative to Israel, and easy to find. Upstairs from a well-know ice cream parlor on Omar El-Mukhtar Street in the Kazem Abu-Shabian Building. 10 NIS ($2.5) an hour. Tel: 07-2844704
— |
|
| Palestine - Ramallah |
|
| |
|
| |
Ramallah is booming with inexpensive options. We did a little bit of research for the folks at Bir Zeit University who maintain a Travel Guide for Ramallah. Here's what we found:
Zoom
4F, Office 11, Al-Irsal St, Muschmar Center
Hours: 8:30am-midnight M-Sun
Rates: 3.5NIS/hr (<$.9)
Carma Cyber Club
6F Lo'lo'at Al-Manarah Bldg. Manarah Square
Hours: 8am-midnight, closed Fridays
Rates: 4NIS/hr ($1)
Palsoft
5F Al-Natcha Bldg
Hours: 9am-11pm; Fri 2-11pm
Rates: 6NIS/hr ($1.5)
NT Internet Cafe
6F, Borj Asa'a Bldg.
Hours: 9am-midnight, Fri 2pm-midnight
Rates: 10NIS/hr ($2.5)
K5M Restaurant/Internet cafe
Rokab St.
Hours: 11am-11pm, closed Sundays
Rates: 15NIS/hr. ($3.75)
|
|
| Syria - Damascus |
|
| |
|
| |
We didn't check it out but heard that the Al-Assad Library has connected machines for 300SL ($6) an hour. But no email and "they watch what you're doing". We also heard a rumor that you can get online at the University of Damascus free of charge.
|
|
