"On the Suez canal" Ismailia by uglyscot

Ismailia Travel Guide: 19 reviews and 40 photos

Watching the boats go by

We stayed outside Ismailia at the Sporting village. I thought there'd be things to do , but was told that the pool wasn't open , and anyway women couldn't use it.
I couldn't walk around the grounds all day, even though the Tanzanian football team were practising and I could have watched them.
So, when I 'd finished all my books, I used to sit on my balcony and watch the container ships going up and down the canal. Regular one-way traffic, and then the change over
There are 3 convoys a day.. I ended up noting all the ships, where they were registered etc.

on Sinai

war memorial, Sinai

The first canal to link the Red Sea and the Mediterranean was dug by Pharaoh Senausret III about 1874BC. This was followed by ones of Sety I. Eechau, Darius I, Ptolemy II, Emperor Trajan. , and Amir El Moemeneen. These were via the Nile and its branches. The first direct link was opened on 17 November 1869.
It was nationalised on 26 July 1956.
It is 190.250 km long overall.

We did have a trip to Sinai to see the Israeli command post, and the monument to those Egyptians who died in the 1967 war. It is shaped like a bayonet.

Lake Tumsah

Lake Tumsah meets Suez canal

Another trip took us into Ismailia itself where we stocked up with fruit. It's quite a nice little town.
We were taken on a boat trip on lake Tumsah which has an outlet to the canal itself.
It is not the most exciting place I have visited, but at least I've been there.

Pros and Cons

Pros:pleasant weather
Cons:boring

Last visit to Ismailia: May 2001
Intro Updated Jul 12, 2005
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Reviews (2)

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Ismailiya sporting village Sports & Outdoors (1)

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Comments (7)

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fabrice Oct 12, 2007 at 12:52 AM

the french singer Claude François went to school in this town ; many french visit this place only for that reason
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gilabrand Nov 13, 2006 at 1:59 PM

What kind of experiments do the maids conduct? I visited the Suez Canal in 1971. There wasn't much there.
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EgyPrncs Jun 29, 2006 at 7:23 PM

My father's from Ismailia, so we stay there most of the time but I've never seen a pool that didnt' allow women. Like yurxInc said, maybe it was just your luck that day? And to haldane it really isn't fair to say unless you truly know how it is.
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yurxlnc Mar 27, 2006 at 2:44 AM

Interesting. Someone recommended the hotel you stayed at and was most impressed. maybe you were just unlucky.
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XenoHumph Jul 7, 2005 at 2:14 PM

Interesting! I knew a guy from Ismailia when I was a student, so i am happy to see a few pictures of the place. Thanks!
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freya_heaven Jun 27, 2005 at 3:26 AM

Interesting Intro Shane, I enjoyed watching the tankers going through the Suez canal. (~_~)
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evaanna Jun 12, 2005 at 4:10 AM

I hadn't realised there were still places where women wouldn't be allowed to use a swimming pool. Interesting tips and introduction.