TayanaLorna

March 6, 2023 - Indigenous Tucano Village We boarded our fast boat once again and motored to part two of the tour - the Indigenous Tucano Village. We docked at a pier jutting out from the sand and walked up to their ceremonial building. At the far end of the beach we could see a wooden staircase switching back and forth to a very high bluff where I assumed the tribe lived - a place we would not be able to visit. As we reached the ceremonial building, the tribal chief and the medicine man greeted us at the entrance. Since it was a "tourist" event, we were invited to take photos with them. Inside the tent, we were directed to seating on low benches running along both walls. Prior to our visit, Piro explained that the Tucano tribes felt the government was doing nothing for them as far as work and education and that they were going to leave the area to return to their ancestral lands. This particular maloca (tribal group) was asked to stay in order to provide cultural education and displays to visitors. Once we were all seated, an elder spoke and Piro translated first for the Portuguese speaking group and then explained the same using less words to the English speakers. We learned that the structure we were seated within was typical for inter-tribal gatherings. Members would perform traditional ceremonial and celebratory dances for us. Each Tucano tribe owned a set of panpipe instruments that were considered sacred and used during their gatherings. I don't recall the reason for each dance but remember that one was in celebration of a successful fishing expedition and one was for a good harverst or a successful gathering of the fruits and vegetables that they eat. Other gathering occasions are for marriages, naming of a child, trading of goods or an initiation ceremony for young boys. We also learned that they do not inter-marry in their tribal group as they consider themselves all brothers and sisters. Individuals belong to their father's group but must marry partners from other groups who speak other languages. The father's language is primary but the entire maloca learns the new woman's language as well. First some of the men performed a circle dance playing the long pipes while those along the outskirts drummed a beat by pounding pipes on the ground. Women joined in some of the skits and for other dances family groups carrying the youngest children performed. The boys joined the elder men for one dance and even the youngest of children took a part by drumming while sitting on the sidelines. It was very colorful and certainly enjoyable experience. At the end we were invited to dance with the tribe and each member - man, woman & child - extended a hand to someone sitting along the benches. I was honored to have the medicine man choose me. He was small, wirey and strong and I barely kept up with him. Following the dancing, the Tucanos laid out what is their typical meal for us to sample if we wished. It consisted of fruits, raw sugar cane, smoked fish, manioc, ants (dead) and catepillars (live). The medicine man performed healing prayers over individual guests and there was a line waiting their turn. Some of the women did face painting. Then we gathered for group photos which Piro said he would post on his Instagram (which we don't use) and we were able to browse and purchase their crafts. Ray bought a nifty blow dart gun and I bought beads and jewelry. Returning to Manaus was a much quicker trip as we were traveling with the current of the Amazon River. Back on the Grand Amazon, we gathered our lugage and had a short wait until our taxi arrived. We were so happy that he was able to pull right up to the door of the ship as the dock was rather commercial with trucks off and on loading goods. We used Victor Transfer Tours and they were excellent in all aspects of reserving, confirming, timeliness and politeness. There was a small extra fee charged for them to come into the port but was well worth it. We arrived at the Manaus Quality Hotel before the 2 pm check in time and had a short wait until our rooms were ready. The lobby was lovely and our room was quite large with a Queen sized bed, a long desk separating the sleeping and sitting area with the sofa, a large wardrobe and shelf area with a refrigerator. It had a nice bathroom with a glass door walk in shower. So we unpacked, rested, caught up on some messages and Internet and showered before dinner. At the hotel front desk we discussed dinner options. A restaurant getting great reviews - Tierra Y Mar - was just diagonally across the street and there was a Korean restaurant not too far a walking distance which I wanted to try. That is a kind of food we never get in P.R. But reception said to get across the street to the seafood restaurant we needed to walk a couple blocks up the road to a pedestrian overpass walkway and then back down the street to the restaurant. He also strongly advised against walking anywhere around there after dark. So I looked at the road with 4 lanes of non-stop busy traffic all going one way with no traffic lights or crosswalks, and decided to not take the chance trying to across the street. I couldn't see the pedestrian overpass it was that far up the road and didn't like the looks of barely a sidewalk across the street to walk back on. Instead we waited until the hotel restaurant opened at 7 PM and had a surprisingly good dinner there. It was very economical with a complete meal costing around $10. As alcohol goes, however, the cost of a bottle of wine was equal to 2 dinners. We ended eating here both nights feasting on the Tambaqui and Pirarucu fish that we would most likely never get again. The second night there was a soup bar where we could help ourselves while we waited for our dinners and it was excellent. It was another really good day in Amazonia. SD1_8611_1.mp4 SD1_8615_1.mp4 SD1_8633_1.mp4

LOL the reindeer pelts sure do shed! Got in the habit of folding it back whenever i sat on a sofa with one. Have enough shedding dogs at home.

March 6, 2023 - Manaus - Pink Dolphins While on board the Iberostar, we learned that one fellow from the Expedition Team led excursions on the ship's turn around days in Manaus. (The Grand Amazon does a 3 night trip up the Rio Solimoes and then returns to Manaus to board guests for a 4 night trip up the Rio Negro - or one could do 7 nights also.) It was quite reasonable at $50 per person so we signed up. Our original plan was to take a taxi to our hotel and hang out there until our room was ready. So we changed our taxi pick up time and boarded a fast boat right next to where we were docked. What a better way to spend the morning. It took about an hour to motor up the Rio Negro passing under the only bridge we saw so far on the Amazon. The Rio Negro is a black water river and does not have the muddy silty look of the Rio Solimoes which is the main branch of the Amazon up from Manaus. We watched the shoreline speed by seeing some nice homes, beaches and high bluffs which looked like red sand or mud. The Boto (dolphin) facility was painted really cute, had rest rooms and changing facilities and two staircases for descending into the water surrounded by an obervation deck. The dolphins are not in captivity but trained to come into the open shelter for fish. Being feeding opportunists, they readily came in close when the trainer threw fish out in the river. They were free to leave whenever they wished but were accustomed to being touched by and around people. We saw dolphins several times when we were on our launch excursions from the Grand Amazon but they only briefly surfaced. It was a treat to see them up close and reaching up for their fish. Two different dolphins came to visit and feed. The dolphins are both grey and pink colored. We learned that the pink color came from scraping their skin - not an injury but a wearing away of the a layer. In the back of the facility building was a pen where one could take a stick rod with food attached to a line to entice the Tambaqui (which they referred to as cod) to the surface. It was a huge strong fish. I included a photo below of Piro's shirt advertising his tour. He is on Instagram. Don't know if he has a website. Have some shots the bridge and some river scenes as well as the pink dolphins. It was an excellent excursion and the dolphins were only half of it. SD1_8583.MOV SD1_8601.MOV

They sure do. And don't let them say you can just run hot water through the coffee machine - its not the same.

Hmmm...now I have gotten Grimbergen Double Dark and Carnegie Porter beers in bottles on all our Viking cruises.

www.gtice.is Gateway to Iceland picked us up at cruise dock (or certain hotels) around 8:30 am took us around the Reykjanes Peninsula with stop for a local lunch and dropped us off at airport between 2-2:30 pm. Our flight was 5 pm. Drop offs were airport first, Blue Lagoon or back to Reykjavik.

We were able to book tables for 4 or 6 for both Manfredi's and Chef's Table by using the booking numbers in the invite others tab on MVJ. We were unable to get a table for 2 at desired times but easily got a table for 6 at Manfredi's and one for 4 at CT.

We have TA credits which come off the cost of the cruise on the Guest Statement. We also have TA OBC (on board credit) which does not appear until on board ship. Viking Vouchers must be used to pay for cruise, excursions, SSBP before cruise begins. Viking OBC can be used for excursions before cruise and if not used beforehand can be used once on board.

We just sailed the Amazon this February/March on Viking Ocean to Manaus then further up the Rio Solimoes on the Iberostar Grand Amazon. Macapa was a technical stop to clear in only. In Santarem any excursion to Maica Lake area is lovely, a hike to the Tapajos Forest is great and exploring Santarem town is nice. Parintins is a small town most noted for the Boi Bumba dance performances in the convention center. Alter Do Chao is definitely for a beautiful beach day. Manaus is a 2.5 million resident, mostly run down, commercial city. However a tour in the historic enter with inside visits to the Opera House and Palacio Rio Negro, a walk around the square and a stop at the huge waterside market is very worthwhile. We also went to MUSA - an outdoor museum on the outskirts of Manaus - for hiking, educational displays etc. Very nice. From Manaus there are tons of tour operators for Jungle Survival Treks, swimming with pink dolphins, waterfall treks, visit to indigenous indian villages, meeting of the waters cruises... We saw lots of birds, monkeys, sloths, caimen, dolphins and insects.

Iberostar Grand Amazon - Day 2 - Janauari Lake Region The afternoon's scenic cruising brought our river boat to our final anchorage in the Janauari Lake Region where we would have our next excursion. There was only one choice of excursion at 4 pm and we were split into boats based on our language. We would have a scenic ride through the flooded forests, a stop at a houseboat bar/restaurant selling local crafts, and have a walk to see the Victoria Regina giant lily pads. When we entered the narrow channel under a canopy of interlacing tree branches, it was a magical experience and a hush fell over the folks on launch. We were mesmerized by the calm reflective waters, the colorful scattering of fallen tree blossoms and the sound of birdcalls. Our boat would reach a point where we were positive this would be the turn around point, but we kept going through the grasses sometimes having to rock a bit to dislodge a log under the hull. Jefferson pointed out the dark tree trunks rising out of the water telling us the darkened line was the high water mark. Just 2 or 3 months earlier this creek was impassable and forest floor. Two or 3 months in the future, the water would rise so high that visitors would see the birds at the tops of the trees. When asked how the trees survived several months submerged in the water, we learned that they were evolved from seaweed. Amazing. We did see monkeys several times and captured a pretty good photo of a pair. We passed a huge tree fallen in a windstorm and observed the strangler vines trailing from the trees to the water. Exiting the narrow creeks, we arrived at our "land" stop at the Paraiso Verde Restaurant near Lago Janauari where we checked out the local crafts and took the raised walkway to see the lake filled with lilly pads. I had read the suggestion that when purchasing locally made items to support the locals where they live further up the river rather then at the Manaus market. We did just that buying several souvenirs and gifts. It was nearing sunset by the time we finished our shopping and walk, and we were treated to a colorful sunset during our ride back to the Grand Amazon. We made it back in time to have a shower and drinks on the top deck before attending the Captain's Gala Farewell Dinner at 7:30 PM. Dinner was followed by colorful dance performances in the Theatre. We were greeted at the restaurant entrance by the captain, and the chef had prepared a special seafood appetizer which was delicious. We had a sumptous spread of food and once again were able to sample the river fish Tambaqui and Arapaima (pirarucu) which were delicious. Dessert consisted of the usual cake and sweets offerings plus an ice cream bar with several choices of toppings. Yum! It was our third night on board and we couldn't believe that early the next day we would be back in Manaus. We wished we had reserved a week long trip like our South African friends instead of the 3 nights. Monday would be an early morning with the Grand Amazon passing through the Meeting of the Waters around 6 am and returning to dock around 8 o'clock. Our on river adventures were not quite over as we had signed on for another excursion conducted by Piro. Once we reached town, the ship would hold our bags while we boarded a fast boat to take us up the Rio Negro for the morning. So stay tuned, more to come. I wish we had taken more still pix of the dancers costumes as I see the videos I posted for earlier events are not playing too well.

We did the Viking welcome back cruise around Iceland in 2021 and loved it. We spent a small fortune doing optional excursions with several of them being out and about for 8-10 hours. Some days we did a morning and afternoon excursion. We learned so much from our excellent guides and enjoyed the scenery during the drives. The sailing into the fjords was spectacular. Neither of us had to drive and we didn't have to spend the time finding a place to stay. We didn't need to read books to understand what we were seeing, learn about the history or culture, know the folklore, geology, agriculture or the formation background of family names. We missed the Westman Islands due to unfavorable tendering conditions, however I was grateful to have the down time at the end of the cruise. We had a late afternoon flight home purposefully planned so we could do a private excursion around the Reykanes Penninsula with airport drop off. The only extra things i would do would be renting a car at the airport to see the south coast to Vik and back before the cruise, and stay a couple nights to see Reyjkavik after the cruise. Make it a 2 week vacation instead of 1.

Iberostar Grand Amazon Day 3 - Manacapuru Region This morning we had a choice of a 5:30 AM sunrise excursion and two 8:00 AM excursions - one was a hike through the Manacapuru region and the other was a boat ride through same area. We passed on the sunrise trip and Ray chose the hike. We had the early continental breakfast and headed down to the theatre to gear up. As the groups were leaving, I had a chance to photograph the launch boats. On the way they passed by some dog guarded anchored houses, a very nice home up on what was currently high ground (but check out the dock ready to float in front of it), caimen, birds and more birds and beautiful scenery. The hike was truly though a dense rainforest with barely a trail. Good thing Jefferson knew where he was going. This was the only time when mosquitoe repellent was required as they were swarming all over those without it on. As before, Jefferson was an excellent guide. Back on board there was a lecture on The People & Culture of the Region at noon time followed by a buffet lunch at the top deck Tucano Grill or in the Karup Restaurant. We like to dine outside watching the river go by and once again had a tasty meal. Many of the Brazilians ate outside also pushing several tables together making a noisy bunch. That afternoon a band played on the top deck with many of the guests dancing. The ladies came to our table inviting us to join their dancing so Siddhia and I did. Piro played guitar and sang in the band, Jefferson played fiddle and there was a drummer. I can't say they were fantastic but it was certainly fun joining in with the partying. There was one child on board - a boy of 10 years or so. He had the pool to himself most of the time and loved it. We had another excursion at 4 PM that afternoon but I will leave you with these pictures first. P1010088.MP4 P1010090.MP4

Thank you. It would been amazing to be there during high water. The river was up maybe 10-12 feet when we were there. We were very happy to be able to motor through the magical flooded forests that visitors in their winter to fall season miss but all the Toucans and parrots were to high to see well.

Iberostar Grand Amazon - Finishing Day 2 - Manaquiri Boat Ride The afternoon excursion choices were Pirhana Fishing or a boat ride through the Manaquiri region. We chose the boat ride and it was wonderful for bird watching and scenery. At least 6 of us were interested in birding and Jefferson, our guide, was able to name everything we pointed out. The driver stopped or slowed considerably whenever there was a sighting. We saw farms and domestic animals, a pile of harvested West Indian pumpkins and had a major rain storm. It poured rain and when the bolts of lightening danced vertically from cloud to the water, our launch pulled over to one of the houseboats. Jefferson spoke with the residents and we were invited to seek shelter. It was a combination home and store. Some of us purchased beers and a bottle of 151 Rum was passed around. They were very kind to allow us respite from the downpour. We decided that ponchos were the absolute best way to go as our cameras and legs stayed dry. The images I am including here are kind of mixed up with the scenery and houseboat and I cannot figure out how to get them into the order I want. Ah well. The one photo below shows the path we took off the main Rio Solimoes where our river boat was anchored. Back on the Grand Amazon, we chose the next days excursions, joined our friends on the top deck for drinks and sunset, and proceeded to a fabulous meal at our reserved table in the Karup Restaurant. The evenings entertainment was by Piro, an indigenous Tucano, who vocalized what sounded like bird calls, played different sized pan pipes and ended with a wonderful rendition of John Lenon's "Imagine". On a small ship such as the Grand Amazon, the "Expedition Team" leads excursions, gives lectures, provides entertainment and is generally available to answer questions and provide information about the region. With only 50 of us aboard, it was nice to have this personal service. P1010036.MP4 P1010038.MP4

I don't know how Viking gets the $75 pp additional cancellation fee but folks have reported that it is charged indeed.

You must be in a Veranda stateroom. No worries, make reservations as soon as you board. Reservations are usually taken at the desk in the entrance to both restaurants on Deck 1 on the first day. After that the desk at the portside entrance to World Cafe on Deck 7 will have a person making reservations. Both Manfredi's and Chefs Table are no charge and open to all guests.

The arms of both our DV stateroom chairs were tattered. The 2 veranda chairs were falling apart. Friends in other staterooms complained about the same. The teak railings on some decks needed varnishing. Took the Sea in 2021 for a TA. Our PV sofa arms were getting very worn then, however, the deck crew was busy painting and varnishing on Decks 2 and 8 on our sea days. Was hoping she would have some down time or dry dock before our next cruise.

Ha, I knew what you meant! I too was looking forward to a perfect brand spanking new Saturn in February 2024. Haven't been on a new Viking ship since Jupiter. Our cruise this year on the Sea had some "condition" disappointments.

I agree that many of the walking surfaces will be cobblestone, bumpy uneven surfaces and stairs. Besides the terrain issue, i believe bringing any mobility device other then a cane, walker or trekking poles must be approved in advance by Viking. They may also require a travel statement from your doctor. So sorry that your wife broke her foot.

The WiFi has been sketchy on most of the Viking ships and has been even worse on sea days. In the stateroom descriptions, it says there is direct dial cell service and satellite service. Folks who inadvertently used their cell phones with the ship's cell service have reported hundreds of dollars in charges. Cell phones should be on airplane mode when on ship and cellular service only used if it is land based. I would think that satellite service on ship would cost an arm and a leg plus your firstborn. We had a satellite phone cruising on our sailboat for emergencies only because it was so costly.

We had a Blue Nose ceremony in 2018 on the Midnight Sun cruise but not on the Iceland Welcome Back cruise in 2021. Strangely enough there was no shellback ceremony when crossing the Equator on our Amazon cruise last February when we were clearly at or just south of it for several days.

I found massages to be popular especially on sea days so would reserve on line in order to get what I wanted. I also have gone to the Spa desk to change and make reservations too. You can reserve but you don't pay until after the service - unless you are a complete no show.

On the Sea at end of February, we were ushered to the Star Theatre where we watched a video about how to don a life vest. Then we were free to go to lunch. When the rooms were ready we still had to watch the safety video to the end. No pre boarding or daily Covid testing, no temperature check machines, masks optional, no social distancing tables or seating. Quarantine 5 days in cabin if Covid positive, no separate cabins.

All the DV rooms on all the Viking Ocean are the same size. Now i thought the Jupiter DV room felt bigger because it had the 3 drawers in the closet. We had cruised in a DV on The Star previously which did not have those drawers.

We have not done much on arrival day other then eating and staying up until 8 or 9 pm in new time zone and getting a good night's sleep. Next day we would be ready to go early. Arrived in Iceland at 6:30 am, Viking transfer to conference center for breakfast then to ship at 11 am. Just enjoyed ship. Arrived in Barcelona at 3 pm, Viking transfer to hotel, out to early dinner then early bed. Had all day private tour next day.