Mocha Rena , on Mafad St. off Main St. to the right before Rukab's. The
funky, modern atmosphere in this French-Italian cafe attracts a suave, young crowd-it's
a good place to start the nightlife circuit. One of the few places in Ramallah where you
can get a breakfast that doesn't involve salad (pancakes NIS10-18; omelettes NIS18;
crepes NIS18-20). Lunches and dinners run about NIS15-35; a slice of delicious NY-
style cheesecake for dessert is NIS15. Open daily 9am-midnight.
Cafe Ole , on the second floor of a building on al-Anbyara St. off Main
St. a block from Manara Circle. There is no food here. One of Ramallah's most popular
bars, with Th night disco parties (cover NIS25, includes 1 beer) and general drunken
revelry all other nights (no cover). Open daily 4pm-midnight, Th until 2am or later.
Mandy Tatchi , on al-Anbyara St. opposite Cafe Ole. The Arabic music
doesn't exactly match the Chinese decor, but you'll forgive the incongruities as soon as
you taste the scrumptious food. Very reasonable prices for your favorite Chinese dishes
(NIS20-40). Stay to eat or get take-out. Open daily llam-llpm.
f2 DAYTRIPS FROM RAMALLAH_
TAYBEH. This predominantly Christian farming village several kilometers from
Ramallah is the site of Taybeh Beer Brewing Co. the only beer brewery in the
West Bank. Owner Nadim Khoury gives free tours and tastes. Taybeh means
"delicious" in Arabic; their three brews happily live up to the name. (Take a Tay-
beh Village-bound service from Jamal Abdel Nasser mosque in Ramallah's center. Call a day in advance. Open M-
Sa 8am-4pm.)
Twelve kilometers northwest of Ramallah is the extensive,
impressive campus of Birzelt University, the largest university in the West Bank.
Birzeit's 2500 students have a history of vocal opposition to the Israeli occupation;
the university was often shut down by the Israeli Army during the 1980s and was
closed altogether from the first years of the intifada until April 1992.
Today, Birzeit remains a vital presence. The university takes pride in its history
and its strong leadership position in the West Bank, and it has even developed an
Internet training program and an extensive web site. Foreign
students can study at the university through the Palestinian and Arab Studies
(PAS) Program (for details, see Alternatives to Tourism, 6). (To get here from Ramal-
lah, take a Birzeit-bound service from Manara Circle for NIS3.)
Serene mountains surround the city of Nablus, founded in 72CE by Titus near the
site of Biblical Shechem as the "New City" of Flavia Neapolis. Enjoy the serenity if
you can; the city is not called Jabal al-Nar (Hill of Fire) for nothing. Home to
some of Palestine's oldest and wealthiest families, Nablus has a tradition of impas-
sioned resistance to foreign occupation. Its citizens fought the Turks, the British,
and the Jordanians and were wholly consumed by the intifada. Nablus, one of the
largest Palestinian cities, is home to the West Bank's second-largest university, al-
Najah. Since 1996, its new, wealthy neighborhood of Rafiddiyah has also housed
the first Palestinian stock market. Tourists looking for eye-catching sights will find
few, but those searching for an uncensored glimpse of the Palestinian present will
find it. Nablus is a very conservative town-dress modestly. Because so few trav-
elers make their way here, residents of Nablus tend to be curious and friendly;
accepting invitations of hospitality can be very rewarding.