Through the Suez Canal

What an experience to view the journey through the Suez Canal from the top of a ship - watching both sides change, narrow and widen.

The idea of linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea by canal dates back 40 centuries, starting with the Pharaohs era through by the Islamic era, until it was dredged reaching its current condition today.

"The completion of the Suez Canal was a cause for considerable celebration. In Port Said, the extravaganza began with fireworks and a ball attended by six thousand people. They included many heads of state, including the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor of Austria, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Prussia and the Prince of the Netherlands. Two convoys of ships entered the canal from its southern and northern points and met at Ismailia. Parties continued for weeks, and the celebration also marked the opening of Ismail's old Opera House in Cairo , which is now gone."   - Suez Canal official website

The passage takes between 11 and 16 hours at a speed of around 8 knots (9 mph). The low speed helps prevent erosion of the banks by ships' wakes.  Toll revenues to Egypt totaled $5 billion in 2016.