Saturday, 27 March 2021
Suez!
The news of a ship stuck in the Suez Canal has brought back a host of memories...all good. David and I used to cruise. We enjoyed seeing wonderful places together a lot. So we did enjoy both the Suez and Panama canals. Although nothing spectacular happened during our time in the Suez canal we were struck by the fact that the young men in sailors uniform who were pacing the deck were actually carrying guns. On one ocassion when were buzzed by a low flying plane the guns were swiftly out of their holsters. We noticed a lot of men in uniform on the shore at various points. I dont remember any specifc incidents at that time but the crew were clearly ready. To be served cocktails before dinner by young men last seen carrying their guns at the ready made the occasion even more special. I hope the present situation is resolved speedily. Its an awfully long way round.
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2 comments:
Hello Jean. Thanks for sharing those memories. A rather surreal episode with the guns! Pleased all went smoothly for you and your husband.
Hope today is going well for you.
Interesting memories. I wonder how they coped before both Canals were built. Going around the Horn as they describe it took weeks longer before those short cuts were put in place. I suspect that there are still who remember the Suez crisis in the fifties when General Nassar nationalised the Canal, and British and French invaded, only to come home with their tails between their legs.
Britain and France still thinking of Imperial times, not that the world had changed since the war and the Colonial past was just that, past.
But it must be so frustrating, perhaps it is time to reduce the size of these bulk carriers as they must be really gas guzzlers to power them. Albeit, a return to Wind Power would be an improvement, if a little slower. Perhaps we need a return of the Tea Clippers, like the Cutty Sark?
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