Accommodations and Food

Most of the better accommodations in town are either on or just off Goumhouriya St., which runs parallel to Palestine St. two blocks inland. Two blocks from the southern end of Goumhouriya St. is the Akri Hotel (tel. 22 10 13), where cheap, charming rooms have old-fashioned iron bedsteads and views of the canal. (Singles LE9. Doubles LE15.) About halfway up Goumhouriya St. is the enormous Hotel de la Poste (tel. 22 96 55), which has classy rooms with hardwood floors and all the amenities. (Singles LE10, facing the street LE11.55. Doubles LE13.15, facing the street LEI4.65. No breakfast, no donut.) By the beach opposite the big stadium on the comer of New Corniche and AI-Amin St. is an HI youth hostel (tel. 22 87 02, fax 22 64 33; dorm beds LE3, members only).

Port Said has a number of cheap, convenient restaurants. Popeye’s Cafe (opposite Hotel de la Poste) offers passable salads and burgers (LE2), but other dishes are overpriced. (Open daily 8am-midnight.) Farther north on Goumhouriya St. is the Galal Restaurant (tel. 22 96 68), with standard Egyptian fare at prices more reasonable than Popeye’s. Don’t miss the “camel-to-the-moon” mural. Ignore or befriend the large plastic crustaceans above your table, or avoid them entirely by dining al fresco. (Open daily 7am-lam; closed during Ramadan.) Restaurant Soufer (tel. 22 43 95), just past the Akri Hotel on Degla St. off Goumhouriya St., has superb Lebanese food and a tremendous variety of seafood. Try the shrimp platters (LE10-12) or the kabab (LE9) and kufta (LE7.5O). (Open daily 8am-midnight; during Ramadan 8am-l lpm.) Just outside the Hotel de la Poste is the Restaurant Lourdat (tel. 22 99 94) where you can get a shwarma sandwich (LEI .25) or an omelette (LEI .50). (Open daily 8am-midnight.)

The best way to enjoy the canal is from the Noras floating restaurant (tel. 32 68 04); eruises leave daily at 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. You can pay LE6 (minimum charge J-E2) for the cruise and a drink, or about LE30 for an elaborate lunch or dinner. The boat departs from Palestine St. at the corner of July 23rd St. across from the Port Said National Museum. Otherwise, take advantage of the free ferry ride across the canal to Port Fouad. The crossing affords you a good view and the chance to wander around the less mobbed shops of the smaller port. To catch the ferry, walk to the southern end of Palestine St. across from the tourist office.