Gianna+G

12/22/09 Suez Canal it is hot here in the suez canal and i have been in the suez canal since 7:30 and it is now 3:40. on both sides of the canal there are small trees that have never and will never grow big. during WW1 the canal was a scene of constant attack. also,camels were directed through the sand to help flatten out the soil, and if they found any footprints in the morning they knew that their enemy had been there and they would use the footprints to help them locate mines,etc. they are dredging most of the time. there are two types of dredging,one has a long pipe and pumps the sand onto the knoll [raised island], others have long oioes that go back a far distance. boats that are along the side are filled with sand. there are three large pipes that lead to the boats, two of the pipes pump water into the boat that is used to mix with sand, the final pipe (the largest out of the three) pumps the sand and water back overa hill to lower levels to where the sand is wanted or to where it can be kept.it is mostly natural banks but, occasionally we will see miles of cement walls or stone walls.this morning we arrived to Kantara, which means bridge. this is an old highway that lead to Mecca and Medina. there are tremendous stores at Kantara left from war times.