I did not really know how to cover this and the next few days so I have decided to give you our impression and post a bunch of pictures and follow that with some of the information given to us by Princess and some of the research I have done.
First of all we began our transit around five o'clock this morning. We arrived last evening and when spots in the convoy were assigned we were given the lead. In some of the pictures you can see ships behind us.
I don't know what pre-conceived ideas I had but it was not what we saw. Mainly the Suez Canal is a big ditch running through sand. Never have I seen so much sand.
But also there are newer modern cities along the canal. Many apartment buildings and mosques.
The call to prayer can be heard all along the canal. The area is steeped in so much history. People have been fighting over this ditch for centuries.
It took almost 12 hours to pass through the canal which I did not expect.
I did not expect to see sculptures and monuments to the builders.
I did not expect to see bridges where you could cross the canal. I don't know why I didn't expect this but I didn't
I don't think I expected to see beautiful clear water. Perhaps I expected it to be sandy.
The day began very cool. I wore my jacket and later it warmed up which was more like I expected it to be.
That was what I expected, this is what it actually is.!!!
The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The 193.30 km long canal is a popular trade route between Europe and Asia.
The Suez Canal is an open cut, without locks, and, though extensive straight lengths occur, there are eight major bends. To the west of the canal is the low-lying delta of the Nile River, and to the east is the higher, rugged, and arid Sinai Peninsula.
The Suez Canal is important because it is the shortest maritime route from Europe to Asia. Prior to its construction, ships headed toward Asia had to embark on an arduous journey around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Because of its strategic location, the canal is both heavily used and heavily protected.
The canal has 13 curves and has a depth of 60 feet. 10% of the world's shipping passes through the Suez. The trip around the Cape of Good Hope is 12,300 kl vs. 7,200 kl using the canal.
Since its completion in 1869, it has become one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes.
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The Suez Crisis began on October 29, 1956, when Israeli armed forces pushed into Egypt toward the Suez Canal, a valuable waterway that controlled two-thirds of the oil used by Europe. In July of that year, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the canal. The Israelis were joined by French and British forces, which damaged their relationships with the United States and nearly brought the Soviet Union into the conflict. In the end, Egypt emerged victorious, and the British, French and Israeli governments withdrew their troops in late 1956 and early 1957. The event was a pivotal event among Cold War superpowers.
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