Page 114 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Israel & Petra

112 ❯❯ Streetsmart

Internet and available on TV channels September, while from
Telephone 1 and 33, on the radio, December to February
and also online. or March it can be chilly
High-speed Internet (and, on rare occasions,
and Wi-Fi is available in Opening Hours snowy) in Jerusalem but
virtually all cafés and pleasant along the coast.
places to stay. In some In almost all Jewish Even in winter, most
cities the municipal govern- areas, shops are closed days are fine in Eilat and
ment provides free Wi-Fi on Shabbat, which lasts Petra, which enjoy about
in public spaces. from sundown on Friday 360 sunny days a year.
Israel’s telephone until an hour after sun-
country code is 972; the down on Saturday. This Shopping
Palestinian Territories means that shops, malls,
is 972 or 970 from some and supermarkets are Jerusalem’s Hutzot
Arab countries; Jordan’s closed from 2 or 3pm HaYotzer (Artists’ Colony),
country code is 962. Friday until Sunday Nahalat Shiv’a neighbor-
To call abroad, dial the morning. Shops may hood, and Safed’s Art
access code of the com- be closed on Sunday in Galleries are among the
pany you prefer to use, Christian areas, and on best places in the world
such as Cellcom, Golan Friday in Muslim areas. to purchase Judaica
Telecom, and Partner. Most eating places (Jewish ritual objects).
Foreign cell phones are open throughout the Creative jewelry is avail-
generally work in Israel, afternoon until late at able in boutiques around
but rates can be high, so night, including Shabbat. the country as well as at
it may make sense to buy Except in hotels, almost the Nahalat Binyamin
a local prepaid SIM card all kosher restaurants Arts and Crafts Fair in
from a service provider are closed on Shabbat Tel Aviv. Several enter-
such as Cellcom, Golan and Jewish holidays. prises in and around
Telecom, Partner, HOT Israeli banks tend to Jerusalem’s Old City,
Mobile, or Pelephone. work between 9am and including Sandrouni
You can also rent a local 1pm Monday to Thursday. and Balian Armenian
cell phone upon arrival Ceramics sell authentic,
at Ben Gurion Airport Time Difference hand-painted Armenian
from companies such ceramics. The best
as Global Cellular. Israel, the Palestinian place to look for designer
Authority, and Jordan are clothing is Tel Aviv, espe-
TV, Radio, and three hours ahead of GMT, cially along the northern
Newspapers seven hours ahead of the section of Dizengoff
US Eastern Standard Street. In Bethlehem
The political and security Time, and 10 hours ahead and other parts of the
situation in the region can of US Pacific Standard West Bank, local products
change very rapidly, so it’s Time. Note that daylight include figures made of
a good idea to keep up savings begins and ends carved olive wood, hand-
with the news. In Israel, on different dates. blown Hebron glass, and
two English-language Palestinian embroidery;
newspapers, Haaretz Weather there’s a good selection at
(left-of-center) and the Bethlehem’s Palestinian
Jerusalem Post (right- Most of Israel has a Heritage Center.
of-center), are published temperate, Mediterranean In souks (markets) such
daily Sunday to Friday; climate. July and August as in Jerusalem’s Old City,
both have websites that are very hot and humid on haggling is de rigueur.
let you see the headlines the Mediterranean coast Never accept the first
for free. Online, you can and around the Sea of price – it will be way over
also consult the Times of Galilee, and even hotter the odds. Compare prices,
Israel and Ynet News. around the Dead Sea and decide what you’re pre-
The Israel Broadcasting in the Negev. Israel and pared to pay, then make
Authority (IBA) has news Jordan get virtually no an offer well below that
broadcasts in English, rainfall from May to sum. Bargain firmly until

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