Lirio

My condolences QSS and Lois R. 

17C is great to work with business attire.

I work from home so I use business attire above the waist.

15 hours ago, lincslady said:

It is the humidity - and I noticed especially in Singapore that the aircon is set so cold indoors that outside feels even worse than it needs to.  

Same here in Rio  (not all places in Brazil, but in Rio yes!). At home the aircon is always at 17oC.

9 hours ago, drron29 said:

Well I am getting on the Muse tomorrow so I will see if we have  very dissimilar tastes in food.

looking forward for your posts. I will be on Muse next August. It is still time to cancel if you do not like it.

5 hours ago, carefreecruise said:

Log on to My Silversea and study the excursions and select according to your likeing.

I have already done it. But maybe someone is kind enough to tell me some great things or bad choices they made in this area.

In preparation for this cruise any recommendation is welcomed. My preference is hiking, wild life, outdoors.

Ports of call:  Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Haines, Valdez.

After several changes and options around the globe we finally booked a cruise to Alaska with Silversea in the Muse (September 2024). Was not my first option but in the end was the best for us.

We chose D2D because it was cheaper than P2P (5% venetian discount is not applicable to P2P). So, we will have our flights within US included.

Several years ago, I planned a road trip to Alaska and redeemed a flight from Brasil to US with mileages from Varig. Varig went on bankruptcy, and I was very upset I would lose my long-planned trip.

And while I was wondering what to do instead, I received an offer from a TA to take a cruise to Antarctica in a “new” ship Price Albert. At that time, price was very good and without further planning I said yes in the same day. In March 2010 I visited Antarctica because I could not go to Alaska. Now, after 14 years, Alaska here we go.

As I have a tidy schedule, probably I will need go another time for a road trip, I hope it wont take 14 years again.

6 hours ago, JSR said:

@flyers I will look into which restaurants are open on port days and get back to you. 

 

@fletcher here you go:

 

Manaus, Brazil

Day 1- What an incredible day. We started with the abbreviated (by us) city tour stopping at the market and driving by the important buildings. We did a private tour with Sardes from Tours by Locals. We did everything that 5 separate ship tours did and more. He arranged for extra help so I could be lifted on and off the wonderful metal boat. The highlight of Manaus is a launching point for exploring the Amazon by small boat. We swam with the dolphins, had lunch at a floating restaurant, hiked up to see the only large lilies in bloom this time of year and saw a monkey as a bonus, Explored January Ecological Park and saw huge congregations of egrets, and so many other species of birds that Sardes pointed out. floating community with a school boat, floating market, school, and visited a private home for coffee. Then proceeded to fish for pirarucu. Then went to the meeting of the rivers. We made it home in time to shower and headed to the Manaus Opera House for a private Silversea concert. This day was an incredible day giving us an insight into life in the Amazon as well as experiencing the tourist highlights.

Silversea hosted a Grand Voyage event at the Manaus Opera House, other Nova guests were able to purchase tickets to the concert as a tour. We arrived to musicians playing, cocktails, and a few appetizers. The Opera House is dark this time of year so arranging for the Chamber Orchestra and Soprano was a treat. Amazing to experience the beautiful concert hall come to life.

 

Day 2 – The 3 of us split up and each did a separate tour. Nick did the survival jungle hike which he said was interesting and not strenuous, I did the city ship tour by accessible van, and Katie did the Muse Bio Park and music tour. Katie said the guide was not as informative or knowledgeable as the area called for however, the musicians and music was special.  My tour guide was the same one she had as our tours were split between morning and afternoon. My city tour consisted of going to the zoo refuge on a military base to visit animals that were rescued. The animals are mainly confiscated from poachers. If possible the animals are rehabbed and returned to the wild. We went to various neighborhoods and saw different housing situations and vistas. We also drove by the outside of many buildings. It was about my speed after the day before.

 

Day 3 was a half day and we opted to stay onboard as it was scorching hot.

 

 

 

Ual!!!You did a great tour! 

We are considering a cruise for Alaska at Le Soleal. Wi-Fi quality is a deal break for us, as we need to keep daily contact with office. Can anyone comment about the quality of Wi-Fi?

44 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Lirio, is that you? You look different from the last time I saw you in Svalbard, all bundled up in your winter clothes. I guess the tower climb would be even more difficult in a Silversea parka!

 

Thanks for the pictures. I always enjoy your posts.

That´s me several years older....59 at the time of the picture and some kilos more. I am afraid of heights, so I needed 2 trips to Manaus to succeed climbing the 242 steps and the 42 meters high.....

11 hours ago, Fletcher said:

@JSR Anything to say about Manaus?

@Fletcher I visit Manaus more often and should you need any information, just ask. In advance it is hot and humid. 

The visits I like most: Teatro Amazonas and neighborhood square. Museu da Amazônia – MUSA; it is a park and the guided tour is well worth and there is the tower to climb.

Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso a bit far from downtown. Should you have time, please check if the guided tour will be in English (I do not have a recent photo).

Should you have time: Palácio Rio Negro.

Some pictures from in July 2023.

41 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Sorry to hear about the medical emergency and hope things work out OK.

 

@Lirio We are offered a full beach day with lunch at Cumbuco Beach, to the west of the city, and a half-day at Futuro Beach with dune-bashing and some sort of eco-walk in a mangrove park.  We'd stay on the ship were it not for the fact that we will have had five days at sea (ie, the Amazon) and face another five days at sea crossing to Africa.  

These are good beaches. Sunday those beaches will probably be crowded Futuro Beach is close to downtown and Cumbuco is bit away. Cumbuco is popular for kitesurf and windsurf. Beaches in Fortaleza are all very windy so, be smart and do not underestimate the sun!

4 hours ago, JSR said:

Setting a goal to catch up today starting with Salvador de Bahia. 2/17/2024 Salvador De Bahia, Brazil. An amazing day filled with exploration of this Afro-Brazilian city. It is a vibrant city full of colors and energy. Had a wonderful day and guide, Sayuri from Tours by Locals! We wanted an Afro-Brazilian perspective, music, and no tourist shopping.  She planned an amazing day. Even balanced as best she could keeping us out of the heat., Started at a photography exhibit, then Acaraje (typical street food) and Visited the shrine to Yamenja, the old town area, street drummers, night life and more!

 

Many people who Took the ship Tours had a totally different experience. They found the city poor, scary, and uninteresting. Our experience was quite the opposite except for learning that it is a poor area economically we found it vibrant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am glad you liked Salvador. The historical area is very nice.

1 hour ago, Fletcher said:

Thanks for that @JSR.  Fortaleza is now our only stop on the Brazilian coast since two other stops and most of the Amazon have been cancelled, apparently due to the Wind's inability to collect fresh water on the river.  Fortaleza looks like a dump and because we are now there on a Sunday we can't even see that rather nice looking theatre.  They are just offering a beach day which isn't what you expect from an expedition cruise.  

 

I'll be interested to learn how the brand new, hi-tech Nova gets on in the Amazon towards Manaus and back.    

The best thing to do in Fortaleza is going to the beaches outside the city. Some are very very nice. The Theatre is also interesting. @Fletcher do you know which beaches are offered?

there is a one night cruise to Doubtful sound  which was my first ever cruise.

Number 1. 

At Minas Gerais State again in Belo Horizonte. In this area there are several iron ore mining facilities. Surrounded by those facilities there is a natural park: Rola Moça.

Today we did a hiking in this park, from where one can see Belo Horizonte in the distance. The vegetation is called Cerrado which is a type of savanna. Low bushes, dry, with several tiny and small flowers with a lot of colors in a rocky soil (iron ore everywhere).

2 hours ago, mysty said:

Today we are in Auckland.  No excursion booked.  We may just meander.

 

Last night the Restaurant celebrated Chinese New Year.

 

 

 

My heart lives in Auckland. Enjoy the city...I will be there April/May.

I wish I was on Rio de Janeiro to see Silver Nova. But I came to my home town. So I will miss her!

I only cruised in small ships. Not many, but I never regretted. SS and Seabourn are great. I wish I could do more. If budget is not a problem, go for it.

2 hours ago, mysty said:

Here is the photo from last night's special request dinner....sapasui.....

 

And here is a very interesting cloud formation last evening.....

 

And there is now a fly in the ointment.  It seems I have developed a bacterial throat infection.  Currently on antibiotics.  Myster will be going off solo for the excursion in Apia.

Get better soon!

We were in Venice last August. Check in was at old Venice cruise terminal. Then bus to Fusina. We made our own arrangement of hotel. We went to old terminal by People Move as our hotel in Venice was very close to that.

You can not get into the Fusina Port by your own. Better to stay close to Venice.

Today we drove back from Punta de Leste to Montevideo. We chose secondary roads along side the beach and had a great day.

In Montevideo, we opted for a hotel close to the airport (we fly tomorrow) in an historical building.

The hotel restaurant is very good. We had a prime rib, and you have the option to choose your knife.

We had a white wine with the breads + olive oil and a Tannat with the meet. Both were very good.

On the other side of the world, I finally went to visit Bodega Garzon (the most famous bodega in Uruguay) where Francis Mallmann runs a restaurant.

I didn’t visit the vineyards and other areas as I am not a wine person. I went to the restaurant that happens to be in the bodega.

Well, food was good, meet (oyo de bife) was spectacular. But I considered the whole experience overpriced and very far (3 hours drive from montevideo). But I am happy I finally came.

We bought 2 bottles of wine to take home and visited the beach in Punta del Leste (and I am not a beach person as well).

And a film from the view from the bodega yard.

Every morning this week a cruise ship passed by my windown arriving in Montevideo. somedays 2. and in the evening sails away. I didnt expect so many cruises here. q

Tomorrow we are going to Punta Del Leste for the weekend and then back home in Rio.