A comfortable position to view the suez canal
Monday April 20 2009 - Quiet day at sea after our long day in Upper Egypt, as we sailed North in the Red Sea. I spent some time around the pool and in the evening we watched the movie ‘Body of Lies’
Tuesday April 21 2009 - We were up early this morning and had our breakfast on deck 5 as we would be spending the whole day travelling through the Suez Canal. It was something I’d always wanted to do and we planned to spend the whole day on deck, Jim and Lucy joined us and we were happy to have a great location to watch the passing scenery. Early on we travelled through the outskirts of the town of Suez, mostly industrial buildings along the canal’s edge.
Ferry crossing area, typical several places along the canal
The town quickly gave way to sandy banks, some places built up 20 or 20 feet other places only a few feet above the water line. We moved to the starboard (East) side of the ship to take advantage of the rising sun and waved to the occasional military personel stationed along the bank. The canal is 119 miles long and shortly before lunch, we were in Great Bitter Lake where water from the Mediterranean meets water from the Red Sea and evaporates allowing a constant flow of water into the canal from both sides. The canal has no locks and at places it is only wide enough for single transits, though there are wider sections allowing ships to pass.
Jim and Jim about to sample the Chinese liquor
We were joined by Pat and Jim and the six of us sat eating and drinking the day away, by 03.00 we were sampling Jims Chinese liquor, he had paid 75 cents a bottle in Shanghai and it was eminently drinkable and also quite potent and we soon were singing to anyone who would listen, including a boatload of Egyptians who passed us by.
Mosque on the canal bank, close to Port Said
Half way along we passed the town of Ismailia but otherwise it was all sandy banks with occasional ferry crossings and bridges in two places, one place had a massive open grandstand where about two or three thousand soldiers were marching to an accompanying band. We reached the edges of Port Said around 04.00pm and by 05.00 we were tied up to the dock, which was covered with vendors’ stalls selling all kinds of souvenirs. I really enjoyed the transit and it was all the better for the company and the brilliant warm comfortable weather and the accompanying beverages, of course.
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