Suez Canal, Israel

Monday, April 04, 2011 – at sea – at anchor near the Suez

10:00 AM tour of the workshop of the onboard florists. They do phenomenal work in a small area – approx. 8x10. They have the most incredible flower arrangements I have ever seen, incorporating horns from India, Vietnamese hats from Vietnam, specific colors relating to each port…the flowers are flown in from Amsterdam approx. every two weeks and some flowers are purchased in local ports. Eddy and Callista – great arrangers!
Our formal themed night – Arabian Nights! Here is the poem presented at dinner tonight with our free wine, since we had itinerary deviations.

“This segment’s unfolding out of one thousand and one
Like a story within a story, with a golden frame redone
With Middle-Eastern folk tales told around the candlelight
Where Ali Baba, Sinbad and Alladin’s stories reunite
No adventure could be less exciting or diverse
On this themed formal night prior to Suez’ traverse
Past days wonder of the world wait mystically for our return
When our traveler’s yearning will cease the moment of upturn
So dream into this wondrous nightly blue
And know the wine is free , from us to you!”

Unexpected Boys sang Broadway tunes as we sat anchored two miles south of the Suez Canal entrance. Paulette Mitchell is the guest chef – she has written 13 cookbooks and is on TV. Arabian Night ball – the costumes were amazing!

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 – transit of the Suez Canal –
The idea of the canal was first thought of by Pharaoh Necho in the 6th century BC! Necho actually began the canal and 100,000 workers died during construction and the Pharaoh was ultimately forced to abandon his dream. There is evidence that a narrow channel was actually excavated in the 13th century BC even though exact details are lost. Work began in 1845 – 11 years for construction. Today, the canal is 118 miles long separating the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The canal allows two-way north-south water transport from Europe to Asia without circumnavigating Africa. The canal has no locks because there is no sea-level difference and no hills to climb. Approx. 25,000 ships pass through the canal each year, approx. 14% of world shipping. Giuseppe Verdi’s opera masterpiece, AIDA, was written to commemorate the opening of the Suez Canal. It was completed too late for the 1869 opening and premiered in 1871. Ships pay approx. $205,000 for the 8 hour transit in a convoy. 10 years to complete, northern terminus is Port Said, southern terminus is Port Tawfik. It is single-lane with passing places in Ballah By-Pass and the Great Bitter Lake. It is owned by the Suez Canal Authority o the Arab Republic of Egypt. Average workers per day: 30,000. Maximum ships per day: 80. 7,350 miles are saved by transiting the route instead of going around Africa.

Beautiful day to transit the canal – we are close enough to land on either side to enjoy the Army barracks, small towns, oil fields and rigs (prior to the transit), lookout posts, memorials to veterans…it is a very interesting day and one I highly recommend…you are as close to land as if you were on a river cruise.
Glad to be in the Mediterranean. Enough said.

I went to the Pinnacle Grill tonight for a murder-mystery dinner! We started off in the Hudson Room lounge meeting the “disenchanted” characters in the Disenchanted Kingdom – you know…Salmonella, Princess Apnea/The Narcoleptic Beauty, Samuel T. Pan – the brother of Peter Pan, Polly Dent, the Denture Fairy, the Little Merman (he looked GOOD in this emerald green mermaid legs!), Ambivalent, the Not-so-wicked sorceress, and Lou, the Magic Plumber. I was “Princess Goody Two Shoes”.

We had a speech during the excellent dinner by Graham Grimm, the third cousin, twice-removed, of the more famous Brothers Grimm. We were at the Annual Not-So-Famous Fairy Tale Convention Dinner, a celebration of all those who have lived in the shadows for all these years. We enjoyed an Antipasto platter with Turkey Flat Rose wine from Australia, potato and leek soup scented with truffle with a Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier form California, a shrimp and lobster salad on a bed of greens with tarragon dressing with a Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay from Washington, a medium seared petite filet mignon with asparagus, balsamic drizzled cherry tomatoes and slow fried new potatoes with a Columbia Crest Grand Estate Merlot from Washington and a chocolate, hazelnut and coffee cake with raspberry sauce with an Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest from Chile (my favorite!). A murder had been committed and as the characters circulated among the tables we needed to figure out the murderer. Nice evening but way too much wine for me!

“The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear.” – Jennings Bryan

Wednesday, April 6 –Ashdod, Israel for Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Haifa, Tel Aviv…close enough for several destinations

We had a 6AM passport control check face-to-face with customs. They were onboard.
Jerusalem is the very soul of the inhabited world. It was a beautiful day as we docked and we were slightly anxious about the port call so we had decided to disembark, see how we felt and then either get a taxi or remain on the ship. We had turned down offers to host a ship’s tour. We found a driver to take four of us to Jerusalem for the day but on the way in our new Mercedes there were internal computer messages stating something was wrong with the car. We stopped twice on the highway before they called for another car. We were on our way and Gethsemane, along with all the tour buses in town. We were there about 10 years ago so it was time to renew the memories. Home of the Last Supper (Coenaculum), Zion Gate, Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Ethiopian and Coptic churches all believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected), Wailing Wall, Dung Gate, Garden Tomb (through Damascus Gate – we took our driver there as he had never been there - where Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected)). Walked through the Cardo (marketplace) and the Via Dolorosa, the path along which Jesus walked while carrying his cross. It was a very nice day but we were glad to get back to the ship.

The Ashdod Academy of Dance were invited onboard; an all-female troupe ages 15-22 with energetic moves for modern and traditional Israeli dances. Wow! Everyone onboard was stunned by their professionalism and energy, costumes and choreography. We talked with them after the show and they travel frequently – LA, Brazil, China…they bring a new dimension to dance. We really enjoyed the day but were glad to pull out of the port.

“Plan for the future because that is where you are going to spend the rest of your life.” – Mark Twain

Thursday, April 7 – in the Aegean Sea!

Out of the Middle East. It seemed like a long-time coming.

Chorale rehearsal. Amsterdam singers and dancers in Las Vegas Nights.
“Cheerfulness is full of significance; it suggests good health, a clear conscience, and a soul at peace with human nature.” – Charles Kingsley