South America Cruise and Buenos Aires – 2018-19
Background: When we
were on our Greek Cruise (see previous post), we met some people who had been
on a cruise around South America. It sounded enchanting. When we arrived home
after our Greek Cruise, we received some sad news from a friend and from two
relatives – they had been diagnosed with cancer. We immediately decided that we
would go on the South American Cruise as soon as possible. We had already done
a lot of travelling in 2018, but saw no reason to wait any longer for our next
trip. So on December 5, we headed off on our next great adventure.
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| A snowy Moscow airport. And cold! |
Itinerary:
Dec 5 – Depart Phuket, Thailand,
fly through Moscow
Dec 6-7 - Miami
Dec 8 – At Sea
Dec 9 – At Sea
Dec 10 – Santa Marta, Colombia
Dec 11 – Cartagena, Colombia
Dec 12 – Transit Panama Canal
Dec 13 – At Sea
Dec 14 – Manta, Ecuador
Dec 15 – At Sea
Dec 16 – Trujillo, Peru
(Salaverry)
Dec 17 – Lima, Peru
Dec 18 – At Sea
Dec 19 – Arica, Chile
Dec 20 – At Sea
Dec 21 – Coquimbo, Chile
Dec 22 – Santiago, Chile (San
Antonio)
Dec 23 – At Sea
Dec 24 – Puerto Montt, Chile
Dec 25 – Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
Dec 26 – In Chilean Fjords and
Patagonic Channels
Dec 27 – In Strait of Magellan
Dec 28 – Punta Arenas, Chile
Dec 29 – In Beagle Channel
(Glaciers!)
Dec 30 – Going around Cape Horn
Dec 31 – Stanley, Falkland
Islands
Jan 1 – At Sea
Jan 2 – Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Jan 3 – At Sea
Jan 4 – Montevideo, Uruguay
Jan 5-9 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jan 9 – Depart Argentina, fly
through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Jan 11 – Arrive in Phuket,
Thailand
Highlights:
- Panama Canal from on high (the 12th
deck of a cruise ship).
- Cartagena, after missing it in 2006 when we
were in the San Blas Islands on CanKata.
- Cruise Ship living … making new friends, the
entertainment, the food, the fresh sea air, the night skies, and having lunch on the deck while watching the sea go by.
- An entertaining penguin, all by himself,
frolicking in the surf in the Falklands, while his friends stood like soldiers looking on.
- The glaciers – so close up!
- Patagonia – so remote, so picturesque, so
empty.
- Buenos Aires – a surprise around every corner.
So alive, but so sadly slipping into economic hardship.
- Experiencing so much Latino culture, with
people from Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Argentina, and Brazil.
Here is Darrel’s report on our
day-to-day activities:
Dec 5-7 – Underway
You would have thought we had completed
enough travel this year, i.e., trip to Australia and Tasmania in
December/January, then a trip to Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein,
Hungary, and Slovakia in May/June, and then a 10 day cruise to Italy, Greece,
and Malta with a five day stop in Rome in August/September. But no, we thought
we could fit in one more trip this year to South America.
Because we lost all the weight we gained
on our last cruise, we decided to reward ourselves with another cruise
(actually two back-to-back cruises) booked through the same cruise line as our
last one.
We left Phuket on Dec 5 at 2100 and flew
for 11 hours on a direct flight to Moscow. We enjoyed (sarcasm slipping in) our
8-hour stopover in Moscow, which ended up being 11 hours, watching the snow
removal plows and trucks remove the 200 mm of snow that fell as we
landed.
After our flight was delayed a number of
times, and poorly communicated to us English speaking passengers, we finally
took a bus to one of the other terminals (5 in total) and walked through snow
(Loretta was wearing flip-flops) to board our connecting 13-hour direct flight
which took us to a warmer climate in Miami.
We arrived in Miami in the evening of the
6th and after a night cap at the micro-brewery adjoining the hotel, we enjoyed
a well-deserved sleep.
We hit the sack around 2300 and one of us
woke up at 0200 and the other at 0400. After showering and reading our news and
Facebook stuff we headed down for the hotel's complimentary breakfast. Once we
were done eating I mentioned to Loretta that that was the best meal I had
eaten in the last two days. However, while we were sitting drinking our coffee,
I noticed that people were putting a berry syrup on top of what I thought had
been a reconstituted scrambled egg in the form of a paddy. Turns out they
were pancakes. I had put salt and pepper on the three "egg paddies"
and thought they were quite good especially with the sausages (or at least what
I thought were sausages). I guess this tells you how bad the 4 different meals
were on the 2 different flights.
We took a taxi from the hotel to our ship,
the Norwegian Sun, and embarked around noon. This gave us time to get
acquainted with our stateroom and the numerous facilities on the ship before our
departure at 1800.
After we ate lunch at the large buffet
restaurant and settled into our state room, we aimlessly walked around the
ship. It reminded us of how we toured "old towns" in Europe. We would
walk down a narrow lane and after admiring an old shop, turn a corner and find
ourselves in a quaint restaurant or pub with live music. We would then climb a
hill or stairs and find a spectacular viewpoint or another landmark to
enjoy.
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| One of the dining rooms. |
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| As far up as we could go. Great place to look at the night sky. |
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| In the Spinnaker Lounge at the front of the ship. |
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| The whole ship was decorated for Christmas. |
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| Each night, one of our towels was in the shape of an adorable character. |
At 1800 we happened to come across a
restaurant that had a menu which appealed to us so we decided to eat dinner
there instead of the buffet.
After dinner we went to the theater for
the “welcome aboard” show which included a variety of activities. Following the
show we eventually found our way to the Bliss Lounge where we could dance the
night away. However on this night we were a bit too tired so after a short stay
we decided to make our way back home.
On the way we found another lounge with
music so we stuck our heads in there. It was karaoke and the lady singing
was not too bad so we sat down to listen. The next act was "not too
good" so we started to leave but were stopped by a fellow Canadian who
convinced us to stay to listen to his friend who was up next. We politely
stayed and listened but left during the next howl.
We fell into bed at 2330 and stayed put
until 0700 the next morning.
Dec
8 – At Sea
We woke up at 0700, showered and then
headed off for breakfast. Today, as well as tomorrow, are sea days. That means
no port stops. I was hoping it meant a nice relaxing day where we would loaf
around by the pool and catch some rays. Unfortunately, it meant something
different to Loretta. She glanced at the daily activity sheet and circled the
activities that "we" were interested in. Those activities
included; trivia contests, salsa and cha-cha dance lessons, charades, and an
information session on the ports we are going to visit.
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| Loretta at a dance lesson. |
Besides participating in those activities
we also did our share of eating and attended the theater show which was a
comedian (Alex Ortiz).
We were both having a difficult time
staying awake so we called it an early night and were in bed by 2200.
Dec.
9 – At Sea
Loretta mentioned yesterday how
comfortable she is at sea and how it feels right for her. No we are not going
to buy another sailboat!
For the most part, today is a repeat of
yesterday but with different activities.
As we were eating breakfast I noticed via
Google's Map that we were about 100 miles from Jamaica which is where most of
my family will be tomorrow to attend my niece's daughter's wedding. So close to
a family get-together.
In the morning we participated in two
events, i.e., Sudoku and Trivia Challenges, which, thanks to other members who
asked to join our team, we came in first place for both events.
We attended/participated in other
activities including; pool side relaxing, Ritmo Latino and Meringue dance
lessons, a spectacular theater production (Noybel Gorgoy), cabaret
production and a 50's & 60's sock hop. On the way back to our stateroom we
came across a small piano bar with Beau Tahana playing. He was a very entertaining
pianist and played well-known songs so everyone could sing along.
We climbed into bed just after 2300.
Dec
10 – Santa Marta, Colombia (and Minca)
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| Pulling into Santa Marta. |
Today we
completed our southerly crossing of the Caribbean Sea from Miami to Santa
Marta, Colombia.
When Loretta and I sailed from Trinidad to
Panama, we were instructed by our insurer that we had to stay at least 50
nautical miles off the Colombian coast due to piracy. So we are looking forward
to finally getting a taste of the Colombian culture on this trip.
Santa Marta is South America's oldest
surviving city and the second most important colonial city on Colombia's
Caribbean coast. It was established in 1525 by the Spanish. Santa Marta sits at
the foot of one of the world's highest coastal mountain ranges, the towering
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. So that is what we planned to do today, i.e.,
Head for the Hills.
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| A view from Minca (from Google Images). |
We
disembarked at 0815 and joined up with another couple from the ship to hire a
taxi to take us to Minca, which is a small local community up in the mountains
overlooking Santa Marta. During our visit we took the taxi driver for a coffee
and when it came time to pay I asked the server, who was at least 8 years old
and could only speak Spanish, how much was the bill. She told us the amount in
Colombian Pesos but I showed her my USD so she could convert it for me. But
they only accepted Pesos so Ramon, our taxi driver, said he would pay. He
gave the girl 6000 Pesos and I asked Ramon how much it was in USD. He told me
his conversion and I gave him the equivalent plus bought some extra Pesos from
him to tip our 8 year old server. I guess that the statement in the guidebook
which states that USD are readily accepted in Colombia only applies to the
major cities.
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| Strolling around Minca. |
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| Ramon helping Loretta get to the mountain stream. |
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| The bamboo provided some shade. |
When we
returned to Santa Marta we got Ramon to drop us off in "old town" so
we could walk the area before walking back to the ship. The photos show the charm, colour and quaintness, and we can attest to the safe, friendly feel of the city. The only sad part was that on the busy streets, there were many beggars. Ramon told us that they were recent arrivals from Venezuela.
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| We love the "old towns" that have no vehicular traffic, just pedestrians. |
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| Darrel relaxing with the locals. |
The rest
of the day was spent attending the variety of ship activities, which included a
spectacular production in the Stardust Theater and a poor attempt by us to salsa,
before crashing in bed. I would like to blame the poor dancing on my Oofos
flip-flops but after taking them off my dancing never improved. So I guess it
was due to my tired hip - or perhaps Loretta??
Dec 11 – Cartagena, Colombia
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| The gate to the old town, with the town clock in the background. |
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| Entering the old town. |
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| Dressed to impress, and to earn a few dollars by posing. |
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| We were lucky with the weather. The sky was a striking blue. |
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| I suggested a move but he chose to ignore me. |
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| A mix of old and new. |
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| Me and a big, solid, locked door. There are so many in this world. |
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| Juan Pablo II |
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| The Cruise Ship Terminal in Cartagena has a zoo! |
Today we
are in Cartagena, which is our second and last port in Colombia. Cartagena is
the fifth-largest city in Colombia with a population of about 900,000. It was
founded in 1533 however it had been settled by indigenous people back to 4000
BC (way before my time).
The old
walled city of Cartagena was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984
and it reflects a turbulent history of conquistadors and pirates.
We took a
taxi from the ship to old town with another couple from our ship. During our
ride we discovered they are Americans who are living in Ecuador. When they found out we were living in Thailand they
suggested we do a house swap at some time. Something for us to mull over.
Old Town Cartagena was very interesting
and offered lots to see. It is well-maintained and delightfully colourful. We had many vendors approach us but none of them were
overly-aggressive. We stopped for a Colombian beer and did our internet
stuff.
We were back on the ship by 2 p.m. so we had time for a few on-board activities
and the main theater show was a magician.
Tomorrow
is a "remain on ship day" since we are transiting the Panama
Canal.
Dec 12 – Transit the Panama Canal
At one of
yesterday's activities the convener asked how many in the audience has already
transited the Panama Canal. The response indicated that most had. Technically,
this will be Loretta's and my fourth transit (1 on CanKata and 2 on other
yachts and then this one).
The Panama Canal, the world's largest
shortcut, was opened in 1914 and later expanded to allow larger ships in excess
of 1000 feet in 2016. The canal is 80 kilometers long and has 3 locks up and 3
locks down taking you 26 meters above sea level. The canal saves 21 days for
the average freighter that it would have taken to travel the 8000 miles.
For lunch we had key lime pie but it was
no comparison to that made by my niece Shaylynn (or at least I think Shay's was
better, it has been a long time since having it).
The theater show was Flamenco Dancing. Our
legs got tired just watching them.
We sat out on the deck until 2200 chatting
with some other cruisers before heading off to bed.
Today was a day at Sea so we spread our
time watching and participating in the multitude of ship activities, e.
g., trivia contests, chatting, dancing, and the theater show “What the World
Needs Now” - music of Burt Bacharach.
We also crossed the equator so there were
a number of events and parties to celebrate this crossing. We think this is our
7th crossing.
Our niece's daughter, Courtney is getting
married in Jamaica this weekend. We hope all goes well and they have a
beautiful day and a wonderful life together.
Dec
14 – Manta, Ecuador (and Montecristi)
After successfully crossing the equator
last night, we are now in Manta, Ecuador. It is known as the "Tuna Capital".
Manta has existed since pre-Columbian
times and served as a trading post for the Mantas. Its population is just under
200,000.
Also, nearby, is the small town of
Montecristi which is best known for its wickerwork weaving and as the original
birthplace of the Panama hats, which despite their name, were historically made
in Ecuador.
Montecristi was worth the trip. Here we
got to see a number of people making the Panama hats. It appears to take a lot
of strength and dexterity.
The bus ride back to Manta was uneventful. We wandered around their modern and spacious bus terminal, caught the city bus back to town, got off early and walked the beach, and came across a crafts fair that had been set up especially for us cruisers, but no one had told us. We were part of just a handful of shoppers. We felt so bad for all the crafts people who had gone to so much trouble to set up their displays for just a few buyers. So we bought stuff.
Even though we had a big day on land, we
still had energy to take in some of the ship's activities such as trivia
contests, dance lessons, and a theater production showcasing Latin Celebration with the Cuban
singer, Noybel Gorgoy.
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| You can just see Loretta's arm in the back row. |
Dec
15 – At Sea
Today was a sea day so again we had lots
of activities to choose from. We participated in Sudoku and Trivia challenges
and a lecture on Machu Picchu. We also danced along with the band who played a
Beatles Tribute. We broke our routine of eating at the Garden buffet restaurant
and instead ate at the Seven Seas restaurant with another couple who invited us
to join them.
Dec
16 – Trujillo, Peru (and Salaverry)
Today is an extra-special day, not because
of where we are, but because it is our favorite grandson's birthday. Happy Birthday Taylor! We hope you had a
terrific day.
Today we are in Salaverry, Peru which is
the home of the mighty Inca Empire (or was). Salaverry is the gateway to the
historic city of Trujillo. Of our 29 days on the cruise and some 20 ports, this
port is one of two excursions that we booked through the ship. All the others
we did or will do on our own. We booked this excursion due to limited
transportation and tight timeframes.
Our tour
took us to a museum to see the artifacts that they have dug up over the years.
From there we went to the Moche Moon Temple which was fascinating to see. On
the way to it we slowed down to see the site of another Moche Temple which has
yet to be uncovered. We were not aware that when these temples were built they
were covered over and a new temple was later built on top of the first, second
and third temples forming a pyramid shaped temple. When we entered the Moon
Temple which has been partially excavated, we could see the colourful detailed
walls. Wow, very interesting and a great way to see the expanse of the temple.
After the temple visit we stopped in a small village and went to see a small
farm which raised a diverse crop of fruits and vegetables.
Tonight,
similar to last night, we joined four other cruisers and returned to the Seven
Seas Restaurant for dinner. They joined us with some others to sing Taylor
his Happy Birthday song.
Dec 17 – Lima, Peru
Today we are in Callao (Lima), Peru from
0900 to 1900. The forecast is cloudy and was only 22 degrees C in the morning.
Next time I see the Captain I may have to try to convince him to turn around
and head to warmer weather.
Callao (pronounced Cayao) is the seaport
for Lima which is 15 km away. Lima is the home for approximately 25% of Peru's
population and is the second driest capital city in the world (Cairo, Egypt is
the driest).
As mentioned
yesterday, we booked two excursions through the ship. This is the second, and
last one. We took this one because the other tours, e.g. HoHo Bus, did not
coincide well with our arrival and departure times. Also, the traffic can be
very congested and we were advised it could take up to two hours to get from
Lima back to the ship just 15 km away. Our tour took us to local markets and a
drive through different sections of Lima.
I forgot
to mention yesterday about the theater production we saw. It was a magician and
we were a bit skeptical as to whether we would enjoy it but after he performed
a number of very impressive illusions we gave him a standing ovation.
Tonight's theater production is called
Lady Luck with three powerhouse vocalists; Nicole Kaplan, Rachel Tyler and
Heidi Webster. They all previously sang in the award-winning musical
Showstoppers.
We are now sailing away from Peru and
heading south to Chile. I hope the name doesn't have anything to do with
the temperature.
Dec
18 – At Sea
Today was a sea day so instead of catching
taxis or busses we caught elevators to go from one activity to another. One of
the activities that we missed was an ice sculpture demonstration located
by the pool area. If it gets any colder I know where they will find a 16 foot
by 30 foot block of ice. We opted for the Seven Seas restaurant again to join
some other acquaintances and then attended the theater show "Rock You
Tonight" which gave tribute to rock icons such as Queen and The Who.
Tomorrow morning will arrive at port an hour earlier since we have passed
another time zone so off to bed we go.
Dec
19 – Arica, Chile
This was our first port in Chile. Arica
was founded in 1541 has a population of just over 200,000 and its main
highlight is a hill, “Morro Arica” that has a sweeping view of the sea. Many of
the cruise ship passengers made the climb or took a taxi to the top, but we
have seen the sea many times so chose to save our knees and did a walk-about
tour of the city. The city had set up a crafts market for us, right close to
the port, so it was a good place for souvenir shopping. We also found a place
to buy hot chocolate, exchange some currency, and get free wifi.
The ship left at 1 p.m. so we had lunch on
board, had a dance class, attended a trivia contest, and saw “Hilarious
Hypnosis Entertainment” in the theatre. It was pretty hilarious. We dressed in
white for the “White Hot Party” and danced until our feet couldn’t take it anymore.
Dec
20 – At Sea
We love the sea days, looking out in all
directions and seeing nothing but more sea. We have been lucky with the sea
state, and neither of us has suffered from sea sickness. The Cruise staff keep
us busy with activities, yet we still find time to relax in the Spinnaker
Lounge which is right at the front of the ship so allows us to keep track of
where we’re going. Every day, the library gives us three puzzles – Sudoku,
crossword, and trivia (not to be confused with the trivia contests where we
team up with others and compete against other teams). The Spinnaker Lounge is
the perfect place to find a comfy chair with a view to sit and do puzzles. And
there is a bar, but we stuck to hot drinks.
The night entertainment in the Stardust
Theatre was “World Beat” – an excellent show with music, dance and costumes
from all over the world. Then we were
off to the Bliss Lounge to dance a couple of dances, then to the buffet for a
hot chocolate and oatmeal cookie before walking the deck to check out the stars
before heading to bed … we are so very predictable.
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| A ginger-bread village in the Atrium. Christmas is coming! |
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| One of our favourite lounges. |
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| The buffet. |
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| The staff saying good-bye to departing passengers in the Theatre. |
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| In the nightclub. |
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| Line dancing in the nightclub with one of the staff, Jocelyn. |
Dec
21 – Coquimbo, Chile
Today we
are at our second-last port of this leg of the cruise. We arrived at Coquimbo,
Chile at 0800 with a morning temperature of 18 degrees.
Coquimbo, which was founded in 1544, is
the second oldest city in Chile. It is 12 km away from La Serena, a beautiful
Spanish Colonial city.
We took a local bus to La Serena which was
a very happening place. I think everyone decided to do their Christmas shopping
today so there were lots of people and many artisans who set up shops for the
day. We then had a beer with friends and caught the local bus back to the
ship.
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| View from the ship. |
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| Another view from the ship. |
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| The trees were in full bloom. |
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| La Serena was tidy and friendly. |
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| We bought some souvenirs. |
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| The view from the bar. |
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| The bar. |
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| Enjoying some downtime with friends at the bar. |
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| We even saw Santa. |
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| Twin boys with their dad and mom, providing street entertainment. |
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| The clock tower. |
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| Two cruisers and the clock tower. |
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| Men getting their Christmas wrap. |
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| A covered-in crafts fair. |
On the
ship, other than eating, we participated in a few activities and watched the
theater show "The Beatles - Abbey Road" but not by the real Beatles. The music was good but the
singing, not so good. We finished the evening by dancing followed by eating a
bedtime snack. We’re kind of hooked on the oatmeal and raisin cookies that
they put out for the evening buffet.
Tomorrow
is where 90% of the passengers disembark and will be replaced by new
passengers. Time to say goodbye to most of our new friends and hello to some
newer friends.
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| Towel art with a twist. |
Dec 22 – San Antonio, Chile
Today we
are in San Antonio, Chile where the first leg of our cruise comes to an end and
where the second leg begins. Approximately 200 passengers from the first leg
are continuing on to the second leg. Actually, Loretta and I only intended to
do the second leg but as we researched the cruise we decided that doing the
back-to-back cruise worked best for us.
Instead of catching a bus to Santiago or
Valparaiso we opted to stay in the Port of San Antonio and see our new friends
off and watch the chaos of the new passengers arriving.
Because it was an orientation day for the
newbies there were no daytime activities so we relaxed for most part. In the
evening we went to the theater show and then to the lounge for music and
dancing. We are getting quite accustomed to an active nightlife.
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| It was quiet by the pool deck today. |
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| Looks like it's a busy port. |
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| Lots of ships around. |
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| Quiet time in the Spinnaker Lounge. |
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| Darrel enjoying a comfy seat with a good view. |
Dec
23 – At Sea
Today is our first sea day for this leg.
Fortunately the seas are fairly calm (2.5 m waves) so it will give the new passengers
a chance to get their sea legs. We don't expect large waves until we round the
Horn.
We had the usual ship activities and then
later the theater show, Duo Siqueira Lima. Cecila Siqueira and Fernando
de Lima have won two international awards and are recognized for their
technical and interpretive virtuosity as well as for their daring and original
arrangements for two guitars. The highlight for us was when they were both
playing the same guitar … and it was not an easy piece.
Here are some interesting ship
facts:
- It has approximately 1000 crew
representing 64 nationalities working on board.
- The ship has more than 25,000 light
bulbs of various sizes and shapes (that's even more than what we had on
CanKata).
- Provisions 3,000 gallons of ice cream.
- Provisions 96,000 dozen eggs.
- Provisions 32,000 pounds of beef.
This is our 6th cruise (not counting
CanKata) and today we discovered something that may be of interest for anyone
who is considering doing a cruise on any cruise line. By chance we were told by
another passenger that there was a private meeting being held today for members
of "cruise critics" which is a subset of Trip Advisor. Through this
group and website you can find a lot of information relating to cruises.
During the meeting the ship's officers
were present to field any questions. I found this interesting given the group's
name. When we first heard of the meeting and name I imagined it would be a
group of complainers and its main purpose was to vent any problems. What we
found useful by attending this group's meeting was its discussion on excursions
(at a much lower cost) booked privately and not through the shipping line. Not
only that, we also discovered that this group coordinates through the ship's
staff and arranges to disembark before regular passengers are able to do so. A
nice perk for some ports, especially when tenders are used.
Dec 24 – Puerto Montt, Chile
Today we anchored at Puerto Montt, Chile. Puerto
Montt is a port city in southern Chile's Lake District and a gateway to the
Andes Mountains and the Patagonian fjords. Just outside the city is an active
volcano.
Because we anchored rather than docked we had to
use tenders to get to and from land. We had booked a tour with an independent
tour company before leaving home so our day was pre-planned.
Our tour took us to some sites in Puerto Montt
and then to the Petrohue Falls - very beautiful. Then the highlight, which was
to Mount Osorno where we took the ski lift up to 1425 m which gave us a great
view above the clouds. Loretta mentioned what great place to spend Christmas
Eve. On the way back to Puerto Montt we made two more stops, one at Green
Lagoon and the second at Puerto Varas.
After returning to the ship most of the
activities were related to Christmas. Not sure why since Christmas isn't until
tomorrow. Ho Ho Ho.
Dec 25 – Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas to you all.
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| We were given song booklets for a Christmas singalong. |
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| Some of the cruise staff lead the singing in the Atrium. |
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| Lots of people joined it. |
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| Balloons falling from the sky made it even more festive. |
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| We were visited by elves. |
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| We ate in the dining room and had quite a view. |
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| One menu option. |
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| Another menu option. |
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| Darrel photo-bombed Mary and Doug. |
Christmas is definitely all about giving. Loretta
and I stopped giving Christmas presents to each other as soon as Dylan left the
nest. But this year Loretta thought it would be nice to buy each other
something small during our travels here in South America. This way we are
helping the locals by buying their crafts. So this morning we took turns
exchanging gifts (I say take turns because we only had one gift bag which is
really for a gift we are giving to a crew member) and when Loretta opened hers
she immediately said "Oh (not Ho) this will be a perfect gift for one of
our Thai friends.” Yes, Christmas is definitely all about giving.
Today we are anchored in Puerto Chacabugo,
Chile. Puerto Chacabugo is a town in Patagonia known as a jumping-off point for
the Aysen fjords.
Dec 26 – In Chilean Fjords and Patagonic Channels
Today we were at sea, in Chilean Fjords and
Patagonia Channels. Unfortunately the day was overcast but what we did see was
breathtaking beauty. We also saw a whale and some Orcas.
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| Sky, clouds, rocks, and water. |
The evening was spent watching Vanessa
Hollingshead, a comedian, and a Battle of the Sexes game show followed by some
Karaoke before retiring at 2300. We sang ourselves to sleep.
Dec 27 – In Strait of Magellan
Besides sightseeing from the Spinnaker Lounge
with large panoramic windows (and the frequent trips outside to take in the
views) we participated in events and took in the evening entertainment. We had a choice of jazz, opera, an art auction, soul, strings, or "Pure Variety". We started with the variety and went from there.
Tomorrow we are in port so hopefully the weather
will cooperate.
Dec 28 – Punta Arenas, Chile
Today we are in our last Chilean port, Punto
Arenas. From the original name "Sandy Point," this southernmost city
in Chile had its humble beginnings as sparse penal colony near the Straits of
Magellan. Today, Punta Arenas is regarded as a geopolitical point of interest
given its strategic location as a gateway to the Antarctic Peninsula.
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| Loretta and a penguin. |
We met some friends who were celebrating their
anniversary tonight and they invited us to join them for dinner so we went to
the Seven Seas restaurant again for dinner. After dinner we went to watch The
Beatles - Abbey Road and then to a rock and roll party where we danced for
almost an hour (ouch). Cruising has turned us into party animals.
Dec 29 – In the Beagle Channel (Glaciers!), and at Ushuaia
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| It was worth going outside for some photos. |
We arrived at the dock at noon, which was done on
purpose so we passed through the scenic Beagle Channel during daylight. The
highlight of the channel is called Avenue of Glaciers where we passed by four
or five glaciers reaching down to the sea level. A beautiful site to see.
Back on the ship we played some games, ate
and then called it an early evening. And finally warmed up.
Tomorrow morning we round Cape Horn so our
fingers are crossed for calm seas.
Dec 30 – Going around Cape Horn!!
Today is a sea day. Besides the usual sea day
activities, the main focus was on the rounding of Cape Horn and related Fuegean
celebrations. We didn’t join in because it would involve having ice water
poured over our heads. After rounding
the Horn we set a heading towards The Falkland Islands.
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| We were glad we weren't in CanKata for this passage. |
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| Keeping his hands warm. |
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| I chose a warmer view. |
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| The ship had a bizarre way to celebrate -- dumping ice water on our heads! |
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| Some of the brave celebrants. We weren't among them. |
Dec 31 – Stanley, Falkland Islands
Today we arrived at the capital of the Falkland Islands, Port Stanley. This quaint city is home to a small population and to the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral, the southernmost cathedral in the world.
Our main objective here was to look for the King Penguins. We have already been up close and personal to penguins in South Africa and Tasmania but we thought it would be nice to see the big guys. The ship offered excursions to see the penguins but the cost of $279 USD per person persuaded us to look for another option. However when we landed ashore the only excursion that went to the King Penguin colony was not available so we, along with two other friends, hired a private tour guide and he took us out to two bays with the Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins and to other sites of interest, including a mine field – a leftover from the Falkland Islands conflict between the UK and Argentina. After returning to Stanley we walked around town and visited a top-notch museum. We stopped in at a pub to try one of four local beers but the waiter talked us out of it so we all had a Strongbow Cider which was highly recommended by the waiter.
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This totem pole was erected by soldiers after the conflict in 1982.
Canada is second from the top. |
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| This little fellow is wondering, "What conflict?" |
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| Penguins sunning in Gypsy Cove. |
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| This guy wasn't keen on the beach. |
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| A closer view. |
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| Our guide pointing out some flora. |
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| The sand was very white. |
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| We didn't stray off the paths, just in case. |
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| A camera-shy bird. |
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| Still avoiding the camera. |
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| Ha, gotcha. |
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| An unfriendly coast for dinghy landing. |
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| It was a beautiful day for touring. |
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| Our friends Mike and Barb playing in traffic. |
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| A bit rusty. |
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| People have been known to steal these signs for souvenirs. Sheesh. |
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| Not concerned in the least about mines. |
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| The town was picturesque, and very tidy. |
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| The closest we got to church. |
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| Whale bones. |
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| The museum was very well done. |
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| A museum display. |
Back at the ship, after having dinner with two other couples, we partied hard to
bring in the New Year.
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| Darrel jokingly misrepresented our route following the celebrations. |
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| The party crowd. |
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| The atrium was the perfect spot. |
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| As the champagne flowed, things got blurrier. |
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| The count-down from the Captain. |
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| Balloons! Happy New Year! |
Today is a sea day which is perfect
scheduling given most the passengers were up partying until the wee hours
of the morning. The party was great. There were events throughout the
ship but party central was held on the three interconnecting decks at the
atrium. There must have been some 800 people there dancing and singing when the
clock approached midnight. The numerous waiters and waitresses were
continuously trying to work their way through the crowds to serve
champagne. The workers must have worked all night cleaning up the mess
following the party because everything looked perfect the next morning.
Today we participated in a number of ship
activities and attended the theater production which is a repeat of one of the Cast’s
super performances they did on the first leg.
We
noticed the water colour today in the Argentine Sea was no longer a black colour
but aqua, similar to what we had in the Caribbean Sea. We are still a hundred
miles off the East coast of South America but it is quite shallow in the area
we were in at around noon today, on the Continental Shelf. Upon checking, we
found that the water depth was just 64 meters, whereas off the shelf it drops
to 5000 meters.
Jan 2 – Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Back at the
ship, we enjoyed our usual trivia games, theatre show, a lovely dinner with new Thai friends, and nightclub
entertainment. So far we are enjoying the new year!
Jan 3 – At Sea
We filled the
day with trivia contests (we would always join up with friends for these,
knowing that six brains from a variety of countries and backgrounds would help
us get at least half the questions right), dance lessons for Loretta, walking
the deck, and the usual eating and entertainment, including some painful
karaoke. We enjoyed some star gazing off the bow of the ship and saw the
International Space Station.
Jan 4 – Montevideo, Uruguay
Back at the
ship, it was a bit busier than the usual – there was a Farewell Dance Party, a
Karaoke Super Star Final (with some very decent singers), and the Activity Card
Prize Redemption. Whenever we had taken part in a ship activity (trivia game,
dance lesson, etc.), we were given an initial on an activity card. Today we
were able to exchange our cards for NCL Gifts like key chains, fans, and even a
t-shirt. So we had fun and were rewarded for it. Bonus!
We did our last
night of star gazing, and once again saw the International Space Station. Back
in Thailand, we have a lot of light interference from the nearby airport, so it
was a treat being out a sea once again and enjoying the full splendor of the
night sky, including the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds.
Jan 5-9 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
We had a smooth
departure from the Norwegian Sun. We caught a taxi to our nearby hotel,
unpacked, and then went out exploring. Our hotel was in the heart of the city,
right by the landmark “Obelisco”, right next door to a tango theatre, and close
to restaurants, shops and mini-marts.
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| Checking the map. |
Our neighbourhood:
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| The Mall. |
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| Done exploring. |
Jan 8 - Colonia,
Uruguay
From Buenos Aires, we took a one-hour ferry to
Colonia, Uruguay. The ferry terminal was within walking distance of our hotel. There
was a ferry we could take in the morning, but that meant spending the whole day
walking around a little town, so we caught the noon ferry which meant we had to
hustle to see all that we wanted to see. Not a problem, and we even had time
for an ice cream cone each. We asked for “two”, meaning two cones, but ended up
getting two scoops each, which wasn’t really a hardship but was more than the
local currency we had so we had to use a charge card. What a person has to do
to enjoy an ice cream.
The historic quarter, Colonia del Sacramento, has
colourful facades, peaceful parks, vine-draped shops and palm-fringed
boardwalks set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is very laid-back and a
great place just to wander around. We had a pleasant ferry ride back to BA.
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| The ferry didn't feel crowded until we exited. |
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| The quaint little town was definitely worth the ferry ride. |
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| A tempting shop. |
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| A clever mural. |
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| There was a nice park to rest in. |
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| There were ruins to explore. |
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| Lots of restored old vehicles in the streets. |
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| We could have rented bikes, but chose to walk around. |
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| There was no shortage of places to get a snack. |
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| A town with a view. |
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| It sometimes reminded me of small town Saskatchewan. |
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| Or small town Ontario. |
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| Do I smell ice cream? |
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| Yup, two of them (scoops, that is). |
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| Everyone was polite and patient. It didn't take long to exit. |
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| On the way home, we stopped at the mall. |
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| We did a bit more sightseeing, too. Lots of interesting architecture. |
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This is where we stayed. We had access to the top floor balcony,
so had our nightcaps enjoying the city lights. |
Buenos
Aires Walking Tour - Jan 9
We also joined a free walking tour in Buenos
Aires conducted by a volunteer university student who had very strong political
views and wasn’t afraid of letting them be known. So we had a bit of insight
into the issues when we heard about the protests in the streets a few days
later.
We also heard the delightful legend about the
Kavanagh Building.
Its construction was commissioned in 1934 by Corina Kavanagh, a
millionaire of Irish descent
who sold two ranches at the age of 39 to erect her own skyscraper. It was at
the time the highest skyscraper in Latin America. Corina Kavanagh
lived for many years on the 14th floor in the largest apartment, the only one
that occupies an entire floor. According to the legend, the shape and location of
the building was designed as a revenge. Corina, who was from a wealthy but
not an aristocrat family, fell in love with the son of the Anchorena family,
who were both wealthy and aristocratic. The Anchorenas, who lived in a palace
on the other side of Plaza San MartÃn and who had built a church that they
could see from their palace, disapproved of the engagement. In
revenge, Corina made only one demand to the architects: that her building would
block the Anchorena family's view of their church. We saw with our own eyes
that it does, indeed, block the view. And Corina’s building faces away from the
church, turning its back on it. Good for Corina!
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| While waiting for the tour, I attempted a selfie and got photo-bombed. |
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| Our tour guide, probably already talking politics. |
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| The view from walking level is totally different from on the HOHO bus. |
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The basilica that Corina built in front of.
You can see a piece of her building on the left. |
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| The street was named after her. |
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| The famous view-blocker. |
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| A lovely place, but with no view of the basilica. |
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This place provided refreshments and the toilet stop.
The women had to commandeer the men's room. |
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| Waiting for the women. |
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I missed the discussion on this.
Art, I guess. |
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| Clever joining of art and nature. |
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| The affluent Recoleta neighbourhood and its cemetery. |
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| The tombs were extravagant. |
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| This is the one we wanted to see. |
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| Some tombs were neglected. |
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| Many were well-kept. |
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The tomb of Liliana Crociati.
She died at the age of 26
in an avalanche in Austria.
Here she is in her wedding dress with the family dog.
Her mother designed the tomb and her father
wrote a poem " ... why, why ..." on a plaque. |
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| On our way back to the hotel, we found a pizza place. |
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Reminder: don't snack on the bread unless you want to pay extra for it.
But we did, and then couldn't eat all our pizza. |
After the walking tour, we were able to use the hotel’s facilities
to freshen up, change, and book a cab to the airport.
Jan 9 – Depart Argentina, fly through Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
It was a long
trip home – a 3-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Sao Paulo, a one-hour stopover,
then a 12-hour flight to Addis Ababa, then a 5-hour stopover in Addis Ababa,
then a 10-hour flight to Bangkok, with a two-hour stopover and where we were
supposed to claim our baggage. But although it arrived in Bangkok, it didn’t
get to the proper baggage claim area in time, so we had to catch our flight to
Phuket without our luggage. Our bags didn’t get to Phuket until 30 hours after
us. They both had “urgent” tags on them.
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| We bought nothing. |
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| Our time in the airport was a blur. |
Jan 11 – Arrive in Phuket, Thailand
We were without
our bags, but our taxi driver showed up quickly, the weather was warm, it was
splendid to sleep in our own bed, and the next day we were quickly reminded why
Thailand is called the “land of smiles”. So nice to see all our Thai friends
again!
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And the sun sets on another great adventure.
Thanks for your interest.
Loretta and Darrel. |
