scubacruiserx2

Passing by our hotel to lunch because we knew that we had a free dinner there we went back to try lunch at La Tapera . The menu was the same as the night before but we were the only people there which gave us time to interact with the staff who are very laid back . We sat next to the firepit the night before . Here's the ladder on the right ( the naval term for stairs ) which led to the washroom . We forgot that they collected plates or we would have brought a Florida one . Here's one from where we spent our 46th marriage birthday . I ate light with soup and an empanada We split a dessert skyscraper We really like this place and would recommend it . We did indulge in a siesta as an old tradition from my Firefighter days when we worked 24 hour shifts . It works well in Florida to stay out of the hot midday sun .

The return trip to the town . The Hotel on the hill .

We thank you for sharing your input and ideas . The BIG 3 trips that we would like to do is Egypt and the Holy Land . Switzerland and the countries of the Alps and the Big boy . That would be Australia and dive the Barrier reef on a liveaboard for a week and cruise to New Zealand and back through Tahiti and Hawaii to the West coast of the US . We haven't been to Rome but our son and DIL with their son have and loved it . She is from Peru and they were down there for Christmas , and her brother's birthday . The last time that they were down they wanted our son to give a 30 minute speech at his niece's speech at her Quinceañera . Needless to say they are all fluent in English and Spanish . Our next cruise will be our annual family holiday which falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas . We do it then because our oldest daughter and our DIL are both nurses and usually have to work on one or the other holiday . It's only a week on the Neuiw Amsterdam but there's 4 stops including Grand Turk , Bahamas , the DR and Key West .

After breakfast we decided to take a short hike because of the wind and our old knees . Additionally being flatlanders our breathing is not as easy as someone who lives at altitude . So slow and steady it was with hiking poles . We enjoyed it when we were told to go take a hike It had warmed a bit but was still very pleasant My mom's parents lived in the country and had no running water in their house so they had an outhouse like the one that we used in the woods , only not elevated . And this one was more fancy , a 2 seater !

The view of the dining room The view from the dining room The room that we stayed in on our first trip there was on the 1st floor The room that we stayed on the second trip was directly above on the 2nd floor The reading or lounging room on the 2nd floor All of the people that worked there were very nice and it was quite at night . All of the people at the desk were from Buenos Aires . Like us when we were their age we moved from the city . Unfortunately , the city has followed us with people who don't like things quite and /or nature . We had about 40 years before the city caught up to us .

Breakfast back at the Hotel And a breakfast sandwich

Entering El Chalten by crossing the Fitzroy River which was moving fast As busy as bees The city is big with backpackers And Skiers High risk of fire hazard

Thank you Madeleine for you kind words and we're glad that you enjoy the photos and hope that you will enjoy the Star and your trip . If you have any questions please don't be afraid to ask . We hope that you will enjoy your TA cruise . We are sorry that you didn't have good weather and that's why we recommend a longer visit to Antarctica . Our first visit was 4 days and had 2 good and 2 not so good plus the trip to Patagonia first , before the cruise which we liked better Our 3 favorite cruises over the years have been the 22 day Santiago to BA with 4 days in Antarctica and 9 in Patagonia . The Baltic from London including Russia , but not with the current President . We have friends there and none of them approve of the invasion of the Ukraine . We try not to allow the bad behavior of a couple of rotten eggs spoil most of the good people but it's hard when he is the leader . We have had some here in our country that we didn't much care for . Lastly , a Transatlantic on the Eclipse from my home town of Miami to London . We did stay in Russia with a visa but Medvedev was in office . We really liked London and and had a great tour in Lisbon . We would recommend Inside Lisbon there if you've never been .https://insidelisbon.com/ The account of our TA and London / Russia stay was our most successful thread with 380 K views before CC closed it to further replies . But it and the photos can still be seen here .

In this photo you can see our Hotel . It's the red one set on a hill . Here's a video of the ride up the hill . I can't imagine having to walk up the hill with luggage

A Canon with a telephoto

Some photos from my Sony pocket camera . I use it for food , panoramas and video mostly . Mount Fitzroy . What I thought were shadows at a distance were just greenery . It's over 11,000 feet tall ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitz_Roy No gas lines at the only station

Before breakfast the sun out and we took the cameras for a ride . It looks like the mushrooms were sprouting While we were watching the lenticular clouds we were being watched You can hear how windy it is . It's always windy in Patagonia . Mount Fitzroy ( the Captain of the Beagle )

After dinner and a nice warm bath in the bubble tub we sat down to relax and check out the e mail and the weather . It was still raining a little but the wind was fierce . And yet we opened windows a bit . They tilt open at the top a bit but slammed shut . So a square box of dental tape wedged the window open . It sounded like a hurricane was coming , just like the last time we were here in 2019 - not long before Covid hit .

We were told that we had a free dinner at the hotel so we made it for the next night . The first night we wanted to go the place where we ate the last time that we were there . It's small inside and it's 2 stories with the wash rooms up a steep stairway . I had the soup of the day and someone else had Gunaco Berry Cheesecake and a sugar tower

When we checked into our hotel they were as nice as they could be with warm cookies and helping us with our bags , but refusing a tip . The shower The tub They even had a drinking fountain for our service dog , which we don't have . The view

We must be getting close to El Chal'ten now The turn marker at 23 , head West old man . Entering the town on a cold, windy , rainy day The strike had a far reach . The gas line was an hour long but the locals got a short cut . It had been 4 hours since leaving El Calafate so we stopped at the Tourist Reception for a map and to wash our hands . No maps , but I got lucky and got the handicapped stall . In many countries unlike the US , cruise and airline industry , people don't acknowledge the ADA by giving front row seats . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990

Thank you well spotted ! Our favorite spot was the cabin as it had a forward and a Starboard balcony . Our normal preferred spot is aft , out of the wind so Spice was a good spot also . Here's our video of the cabin.

At our first viewpoint of El Calafate it didn't look too promising We did see varied wild life We were hoping that it would not try this stunt that we saw the last time we were there As we had seen the results of a big fail this time

We had slept in a couple of hours and ate a later breakfast and it was busy . We had overheard some English speaking people who were upset that their flights had been canceled on Wednesday and they had to spend another night because of a labor strike . We had seen a gathering at a park when we had rented the car and we remembered that our guide told us that there would be a strike in Buenos Aries on Wednesday because a lot of the Trade Union people didn't like the new President of the country . We filled our gas tank before we left on our trip to El Chalten the night before because the stations wasn't busy and there are no gas stations in the 3 hour trip . I guess we should call them service stations since , in a Back to the Future moment , the attendant filled the tank and cleaned the windows . So with full stomachs and a full tank we set out East toward the airport . We turned North on the famous Route 40 , think Route 66 in the US . It runs 3,100 miles North and South . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Route_40_(Argentina) We would first pass Lago Argentino before crossing the Rio La Leona which links North to Lake Viedma where we would turn left and head West to the town .

On our last night in El Calafate we went back to Bocanada instead of Pura Vida . This was our favorite place to eat there . This time we had Curry and Pad Thai in addition to Sushi . As we left the Hotel to go to dinner we saw a rainbow in front of the hotel . It was better than what we ate on the Star . https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g312851-d13004531-Reviews-Bocanada-El_Calafate_Province_of_Santa_Cruz_Patagonia.html

When and how did you get a post cruise questionnaire ? We never got one and we were on the January 7th cruise . HAL sends one for each of us within 5 days and wants it returned within the 5 days .

So what was the single biggest thing that we disliked about this cruise to Antarctica on NCL and our stay in Patagonia ? Well the most obvious is the cost , the time and it being inconvenient . But the worse thing for us is the weather . Not there , but here . We hate leaving the good weather here this time of the year . When I woke up this morning it was 49 F in Punta Arenas , 48 F in Ushuaia and 47 F here where we live . The difference ? It will get to 68 F here today but the humidity is 98 % It's funny that when my FIL came to visit us one January from Michigan , he complained about it being cold and said that he would never come back in January . Pat and I used to work together at a place that made artificial Kidneys . She worked a 12 hour day shift and I worked a 12 hour night shift . There were some Russian people that worked with me and when we stepped outside for a smoke break one night they complained about the cold ! One of the ladies said that she had never been so cold ! 🤪 I had never been to Russia before or I would have quoted her the Russian Proverb . There is no bad weather , only bad clothing .

Returning from the glacier to El Calafate thru the lens of a different camera . Lenticular Clouds ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_cloud

On our trip back to El Calafate from the glacier , we stopped at an area near the entrance to the park . It has restrooms and a place to eat near the river if you bring your own food . There are funny bushes that look like a ball that grow in the trees The river Funny rocks on the trip back Bird Sanctuary at El Calafate . This is the first time that I have uploaded a video on CC without using Youtube . C2198.MP4

Leaving the walkways in front of the glacier Blossom of the Chilean Fire tree also called Notro Moss on a limb under the canopy The Parking lot One last look before going up The 1st view from the parking lot All of the walkways have signs asking people not to climb on the fence but El Nino did it anyway with mom's encouragement for a photo while big sister watches . The Parking lot Puerto Bajo de las Sombras View from the Mirador In this aerial map you can see the glacier and where it makes contact with the land . The ice dam had broken and in the videos you can see the water from the Canal de los Tempanos slowly moving into the Brazo Rico . They are all fed from the larger Lago Argentino to the North . https://www.google.com/maps/@-50.4401176,-72.9841115,15473m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu