What do Timbuktu in Mali, Brighton, Moscow and Peru have in common? They are among locations offering awarding winning internet cafes.
To mark the the opening of the world’s first internet cafe – Cafe Cyberia in London’s West End – 10 years ago tomorrow (Sept 1), Yahoo! Mail has unveiled the best places in the world to surf the net.
More than 1,000 nominations for internet cafes in 111 countries were received from travellers for the first Yahoo! Mail Internet Cafe Awards.
They were entered into five categories with the winners being:
*Best UK Internet Cafe: Cafe Curve, Brighton – ‘A must for anyone who likes style, comfort, typing and keeping in touch.’
*Life Saver: Casa Del Corrigedor, Puno, Peru – ‘For providing tourists with vital information about the situation in neighbouring Bolivia during political unrest in October 2003.’
*Most Stylish: The Phlegmatic Dog, Moscow – ‘A sleek cafe and club on Red Square. The interior is a unique combination of comfort and hi-tech.’
*Most Unusual: Brain wash, San Francisco – ‘A laundromat and internet cafe all in one. Brain wsh is at the height of internet cafe cum laundromat cool.’
*Most Remote: Tele Centre Polyvalent, Timbuktu, Mali – ‘Maybe the last place on earth to find an email cafe?’
*Special Award: Ty Waunarlwydd, Swansea – ‘Situated inside a residential home and day care centre. It proves that age isn’t a barrier to joining the www revolution.’
Yahoo! Europe communication products managing director James Bilefield said: “It’s now second nature for travellers and people on the move to use a local internet cafe to keep up with the news from home and to tell friends and family where they have been.
“However, many internet cafes also provide an essential service for the local community, and in the developing world, a place where people can learn and communicate with others around the globe.”
Report by Phil Davies
