Next stop: Athens, Greece.
We passed through the Suez Canal on the way to the port of Alexandria. From there, we were scheduled to take a bus tour driving to Cairo to see the pyramids and the sphynx.
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| Unfortunately, the weather turned blustery and cold. Instead of highs in the 80s promised by the excursion brochure, we had a high of around 60 and a lot of wind. The port of Alexandria was shut down --- apparently it is not sheltered and ships are not allowed in when the wind is blowing at 40 knots. |
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| I found the trip through the Suez Canal no more interesting than sailing on the ocean. The view doesn't change very much except for an occasional bridge. We did see a pair of soldiers, one with a camera, the other with his guns --- the camera man was taking a picture of his friend with the Queen Mary 2 in the background. |
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| I counted 31 ships waiting for the port of Alexandria to open, not counting our own. We waited about two hours past our scheduled arrival time. Then the commodore cancelled the stop. The crew scrambled to produce a revised Daily Programme, drafting a lecturer and all the entertainers who were unable to get off in Alexandria. |
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We were scheduled to take a tour to Cairo to see the pyramids
and the sphynx, but it didn't happen.
Next stop: Athens, Greece. |