Middle East - Anthony Ham [263]
AM Qattan Foundation ( 296 0544; www.qatanfoundation.org; Al-Jihad St) Offers courses, readings and competitions in journalism, arts, script writing and poetry.
Khalil Sakakini Centre ( 298 7374; www.sakakini.org; Al-Muntazah) Hosts exhibitions of local and international artists.
Popular Art Center ( 240 3891; www.popularartcenter.org; Nablus Rd) Offers film screenings, events, and serves as the home of the Palestinian Dance School.
Ramallah Cultural Palace ( 298 4704; www.ramallahculturalpalace.org; Industrial Zone) A large performance venue with regular events in all artistic genres.
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Getting There & Away
To get to Ramallah, take a bus or sherut (4NIS) from outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, which will drop you at Qalandia checkpoint. Cross on foot, and from there take a shared taxi (3NIS) to Al-Manara (Lighthouse Sq) in the city centre.
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AROUND RAMALLAH
Taybeh Brewery ( 02-289 8868; taybehbeer.net), 15km from Ramallah in the small Christian village of Taybeh, is the Middle East’s only microbrewery, brewing up several varieties of thirst-quenching Palestinian beer. Visit in September (rather than October) for the Oktoberfest, or call in advance to organise a tour and tasting. To get here, take a taxi or service taxi (50/10NIS) from anywhere in Ramallah.
With more than 6000 students (more than half of whom are women), the thriving Birzeit University ( 02-298 2153; birzeit.edu)is a Palestinian educational hub and hosts frequent public events and classes in Arabic. A service taxi from Al-Manara in Ramallah costs 5NIS.
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JERICHO
02 / pop 19,800
Said to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, at 260m below sea level it’s also the lowest town in the world. Its biblical history is rich, as the first place the Israelites conquered after 40 years of desert wandering, and later taken by Baby-lonians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders and Christians. While Jericho’s archaeological sites remain impressive, they are readily surpassed by the surrounding desert landscapes and the views across the Dead Sea to the mysterious Mountains of Moab.
Ancient Jericho
Ancient Jericho’s main sites are best accessed on the 6km anticlockwise loop formed by Ein as-Sultan St and Qasr Hisham St. Heading north out of the centre, the first site of interest is the Mount & Monastery of Temptation, a 12th-century Greek Orthodox monastery, rebuilt in the 19th century, which clings to the rocks at the traditional site where Jesus was tempted by Satan. You could walk here in 30 minutes or take the 1.3km-long cable car ( 232 1590; www.jericho-cablecar.com; adult/child US$9/6, under 3s free; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat), proclaiming itself triumphantly as the ‘world’s longest cable car below sea level’ (we’re sure the competition is stiff).
Across the street from the cable car is the archaeological site of Tel es-Sultan (adult/child 10/7NIS; 8am-5pm), whose remains date back 7000 years, though there’s not much to observe except trenches, mounds and some ancient staircases.
Around 3km past the tourist complex, the road winds to the ruins of a 5th- or 6th-century synagogue and Hisham’s Palace (adult/child 10/7NIS; 8am-5pm) – the impressive ruins of a 7th-century hunting lodge, replete with a beautiful, and oft photographed, Byzantine mosaic floor.
Back in town, look out for the Zacchaeus Tree, said to be the very same sycamore that Zacchaeus climbed 2000 years ago for a better view of the preaching Jesus (Luke 19:1-10).
Sleeping & Eating
Jericho Resort Village ( 232 1255; fax 232 2189; s/d 250/300NIS; ) Near Hisham’s Palace, this easy, breezy series of bungalows has a nice pool, bar and even a tennis court for that sub-sea level knockabout.
Intercontinental Hotel ( 231 1200; interconti.com; Jericho-Jerusalem Rd; d from US$90; ) Near the checkpoint entrance to Jericho on the road from Jerusalem, this luxurious place has all the necessary perks of a big chain hotel, including pools, spa, casino and