Suez Canal and Port Said, Egypt

Day 33 and34 - Suez Canal - Scenic cruising

The Dawn Princess joined the Second Northbound convoy. Throughout the early hours of the morning we proceed towards the Great Bitter Lake in the middle of the Suez Canal. Throughout the day we proceed with this convoy all the way through the canal and arrived at the Great Bitter Lake about 10:00 am. This is where north and south bound convoys pass.

The Suez Canal is an artificial waterway running north to south across the Isthmus of Suez in northeastern Egypt. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, an arm of the Red Sea. The canal allows two-way water transportation, most importantly between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation of Africa. When it opened 1869 the Suez Canal was 101 miles long nearly twice as long as the Panama Canal.

We arrived in Port Said and spent over night to drive into Cairo tomorrow. As we arrived a little early to Port Said we got off the Ship and walk around the city with our friends, Arnold, Ros, Garry and Joanne. Port Said is a young city in Egypt, as it is under 200 years old. It sits on the North side of the canal where the canal meets the Mediterranean Sea. The people were very friendly. Two women sitting on their balcony invited us up to visit. We did have to decline. I think that after the revolution of 2011 the people are very happy to have the tourist back. The news reported that Egypt lost 5 billion dollars in tourist revenue. Port Said is in the desert, it is dust and sandy. Next, Cairo and the Pyramids we are so excited!