Suez Canal ,second day
The day started at 5.00am for us. We were subjected to the usual Egyptian malaise, as our pilot only arrived forty minutes late. Although forty minutes was a good result in the context of typical Egyptian lethargy. The early morning temperature was 15 degrees, which is something we are are not all used to after having spent a long period in warmer climes. As soon as Pangaea had entered back into the canal, I was hoisted up to the top of the main mast. At 36 meters above deck you certainly see a lot more and the panoramic perspective of having land closely on either side of the boat is indeed a unique perspective. There was a continual haze above the water due to the temperature inversion, and in fact the rest of the crew on deck were comparatively speaking a lot colder than I was up there. There are some interesting photos which I hope will bring my viewers some perspective of the Suez Canal amongst the desert topography and the passing giant ships.
We arrived at 10.30am at Port Said, and once again this could be an extreme test of our patience as we are subject to a long wait at the hands of Egyptian authorities….Now we going to Italy with quick stopover in Greece .
Having Shisha in Suez ………
After a half way in Suez Canal we are enjoying our Shisha and a local beer Sakara ,tomorrow part two of our trip thru to the Suez Canal
<img src="https://jacekproniewicz.com/2012/11/20121117-174028.jpg"
Entering the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal, also known as “The Highway to India”, is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows transportation by water between Europe and Asia without navigation around Africa. The northern terminus is Port Said and the southern terminus is Port Tawfiq at the city of Suez. Ismailia lies on its west bank, 3 km (1.9 mi) near the half-way point.
When first built, the canal was 164 km (102 mi) long and 8 m (26 ft) deep. After multiple enlargements, the canal is 193.30 km (120.11 mi) long, 24 m (79 ft) deep and 205 metres (673 ft) wide as of 2010.It consists of the northern access channel of 22 km/14 mi, the canal itself of 162.25 km/100.82 mi and the southern access channel of 9 km/5.6 mi.
The canal is single lane with passing places in the “Ballah By-Pass” and the Great Bitter Lake.It contains no locks; seawater flows freely through the canal. In general, the canal north of the Bitter Lakes flows north in winter and south in summer. The current south of the lakes changes with the tide at Suez.
The canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority of Egypt. Under international treaty, it may be used “in time of war as in time of peace, by every vessel of commerce or of war, without distinction of flag.”
Buying the Shisha with the friends
A Shisha (hukkā or huqqah) also known as a waterpipe, arghile, or qalyān is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for smoking flavored tobacco called Mu‘assel in which the smoke is passed through a water basin (often glass based) before inhalation. The origin of the hookah is in India and Persia, or at a transition point between the two. The word hookah is a derivative of “huqqa”, which is what the Indians used to call it. According to author Cyril Elgood , who does not mention his source, it was Abul-Fath Gilani , a Persian physician at the Indian court of the Mughal emperor Akbar, who “first passed the smoke of tobacco through a small bowl of water to purify and cool the smoke and thus invented the hubble-bubble or hookah. Nevertheless, a quatrain of Ahli Shirazi refers to the use of the ḡalyān in Safavid Iran. Smoking the hookah has gained popularity outside of its native region, in India, Iran, Pakistan and the Middle East, and is gaining popularity in North America, South America, Europe, Australia,Tanzania and South Africa.
Hurghada Marina ,Egipt
New Hurghada Marina Boulevard – over 120,000 m2 with over 100 outlets ranging from chic cafés, ravishing restaurants, beautiful bars, superb shops and much much more.
Experience the difference, morning, noon and night with a host of professional European entertainers including street performers juggling, stilt-walking, painting, magicians, street theatre, fire shows and even an ex-world champion BMXer.
Hurghada Al Azahar Mosque
The Al Azhar Mosque (the most blooming), is situated in the El Hussein Square and was constructed in 972 CE on the order of Caliph Muezz Li-Din Allah, designed by Fatimid general Jawhar El-Sequili shortly after the founding of Cairo itself. Located in the center of an area presenting some of the most beautiful Islamic monuments from the 10th century, it was named “Al-Azhar” after Fatama al-Zahraa, daughter of the Prophet Mohamed (Peace and Prayers Be Upon Him). Al Azhar mosque reflects both the Amr Ibn El-As and Ibn Tulun mosques. The Al Azhar mosque was a meeting place for Shi’a students for centures and remains a focal point of the famous university which surrounds it and also the first Fatimid monument in Egypt. Yaqoub Ibn Cals is credited for transforming the mosque into a teaching institute. In 974 CE the first lecture was delivered here making it the oldest university in the world. Today the university built around the Mosque is the most prestigious of Muslim schools, and its students are kept in the highest regard for their traditional training. This university once housed upwards of 10,000 students, today however, classes are taught in adjacent buildings while the mosque is reserved for prayer. In addition to the religious studies, modern schools of medicine, science and foreign languages have also been added.
Architecturally, the mosque represents the many styles and influences that were once present in Egypt, with a large part of it having been renovated by Abdarrahman Khesheda. There are five minarets with small balconies and intricately carved columns. The mosque has six entrances, the main of which, is the 18th Century Bab el-Muzayini (barber’s gate), where students once received haircuts. This gate leads into a small courtyard and then into the Aqbaughawiya Medersa to the left, which was built in 1340 and serves as a library. On the right is the Taybarsiya Medersa built in 1310 which has a beautiful mihrab. The Qaitbay Entrance was built in 1469 and has a minaret on top of it. Inside is a large courtyard that is 275 by 112 feet which is supported by over three hundred marble columns. To the east is the prayer hall which is larger than the courtyard and has several rows of columns. The Kufic inscription on the interior of the mihrab is original, though the mihrab has been modified several times, and behind is a hall added in 1753 by Abd el-Rahman Katkhuda.
