AMER – The sleepy farming village of Amer overlooks the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important waterways.
Last week, the village was suddenly thrust into the limelight after a massive container ship, the Ever Given, got stuck nearby.
The contrast between tranquil village life and the busy artery of global shipping is stark. Farmers in Amer eke out a living tending to small fields and livestock, while before them pass behemoths of world trade — vessels carrying millions of dollars’ worth of cargo.
But the canal is also a source of intense pride for residents of the area, including the nearby town of Suez. They call it “our canal” and the older ones still remember then-President Gamal Abdel Nasser's decision in 1956 to nationalize the