Suez Canal, Pyramids, and Sphinx

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Suez Canal, the Pyramids, and the Sphinx

Two days before we entered the Suez Canal, an American contracted ship fired a warning shot and killed an Egyptian. Security on the ship was noticeable especially on the promenade deck where many people gathered to watch the transit. We had no incidents, and passed peacefully through the canal and on to Alexandria, Egypt. The actual passage was more interesting in many ways than the Panama Canal. There are no locks in the Suez because the level of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea is the same. It took thirty years to discover that fact after Ferdinand Lesseps claimed there was a distinct difference in the levels, and no one challenged him for thirty years. Finally, it was determined the levels were equal, and construction began.

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida, written to commemorate the opening of the canal, was completed too late for the 1869 opening, and premiered in Cairo in 1871. (Tuck that info away for your next trivia game.) The canal is really in two parts with Great Bitter Lake in the middle which allows ships to pass at this place. The entire canal is 118 miles long and allows ships of up to 50 feet draft to pass. Plans are to increase this to 72 feet to allow super tankers to traverse the canal. As it is, those tankers must off-load part of their cargo onto a canal owned boat and reload it at the other end. The order given ships to enter is interesting. Military ships first, then passenger ships, and then everyone else. Don’t know how they determine who is next - maybe first come, first served. We were second, and were told the first ship was a military contracted ship. There were 37 ships in our convoy and we met the south bound traffic in Great Bitter Lake, as the canals are one way only, unlike the Panama Canal. The canal closes in the evening about dusk.

We entered and noticed armed guard posts every 100 yards or so throughout our trip. As we looked to our right, the Egyptian or African side, we saw green farm land and villages, even cities, along the way, whereas the Sinai Peninsula was desert and no settlements visible. Ferries shuttle across the canal between ships, and there is one tunnel linking the two continents. We could see the exit on the Sinai side, but the entrance from Egypt was too far away to see. The Nile and its tributaries provide water for crops and people. And, FYI, the Nile runs from south to north, unlike other major rivers. We did see some evidence of the six day war in1967, and saw the concrete barriers they slid into the canal to block it. When ships are bombed to block the canal, it takes much longer to clear the debris, so now they can block traffic with these concrete blocks. The canal re-opened again in 1975. There is much history of the canal having to do with the British, the Israelis, the Egyptians, and the French that I won’t go into now. Perhaps you can see how fascinating this part of the world is, and how much we have to learn.

We exited the Canal late afternoon and headed to Alexandria. The next day we were in this beautiful city. We left the ship and boarded a bus for Cairo, the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The trip took about three hours, and as we approached Cairo we could see the pyramids in the distance. They are really only a few miles outside of town. Our first stop was to see the Great Pyramids of Giza. I really can not describe the feeling and the sights we saw. The largest pyramid covers 14 acres! It is so awesome that it is unbelievable to think that people actually built these so very many years ago. We were able to get close enough to actually touch them, but didn’t go inside. There is nothing to see in there because, of course, they are empty, and our guide discouraged anyone from going in.
We stopped a little further away so we could take pictures of them and get the whole pyramid in one picture.

From there we continued to the Sphinx - another breathtaking sight. We learned they spent over $7 million dollars to restore one of the shoulders and coat the statue with a preservative. They are made of sandstone which is, of course, susceptible to corrosion. Even without its nose, the Sphinx is a handsome structure and dominates the area. A most memorable experience.

Our next stop was to board a river boat restaurant and hae lunch on the Nile. Our buffet lunch was nice, and the entertainment included a beautiful belly dancer who pleased the crowd with her dancing. Two police boats escorted us on our cruise, and we returned safely to shore and boarded the bus for our return to Alexandria and our ship. A wonderful experience we will never forget.

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