John and Diane's Amazing Adventure - Part II

[Johnny B]

January 30 – Day 25

Off Cape Horn en route to Antarctica

 

We knew that Cape Horn was supposed to be rough, but we didn’t expect to be almost thrown out of bed when the ship rolled what seemed about 45 degrees as we came through the Cape. It certainly is a unique way of waking up.

 

We made our way from Ushuaia into the ocean during the night last night, and at about 7:00 this morning rounded Cape Horn. The waves were huge, the rain was coming down in sheets, and, overall, it wasn’t a very good picnic day. All I can think about is people like Magellan who traveled in (comparatively) tiny ships around the tip of South America. We did see a small ship this morning, probably a scientific vessel headed back from Antarctica.

 

It was a rough start for the day, but it only got worse. As usual, we suited up and headed to the gym. Lesson #1: Hold on to the blasted treadmill! I lost my footing, fell, scraped both knees and sprained my ankle. My ankle did hurt, but the main feeling was one of stupidity for not paying attention to simple safety rules. After limping through breakfast, we headed back to the cabin and said ankle was iced up – just like a real athlete. The next addition was Ibuprofen, and then, an hour later, a trip to the doctor. She checked it over carefully, diagnosed a minor sprain, and told me that after two days exercise would be fine but to avoid really high heels on formal nights. On a cruise?! What is she thinking? Oh well, I guess in the interest of our tours in the Falklands and Buenos Aires, I’d better behave and do what I’m told.

 

We’re out in the high seas all day today and are expected to be off the coast of Antarctica at about 8:00 tomorrow morning, at Palmer Station, where we’ll pick up a team of scientists who are currently doing research there. We’ll spend three days in Antarctica, and HAL has three speakers who are giving presentations to prepare us for what we’ll see and where we’ll go, and they’re certainly getting people worked up. Stay tuned.

[Johnny B]

January 31 – Day 26

Antarctica!

 

OMG. OMG! In one and a quarter world cruises and lots of travel before that, this is the most spectacular thing we’ve ever seen. We knew we were approaching the Antarctic peninsula this morning when we looked out the window and saw snowy mountains in the distance. As we drew closer, we were amazed at the amount of snow and, something new: icebergs.

 

Our job this morning was to pull up alongside Anvers Island and pick up about a dozen young scientists from the Palmer Station, one of the three US research stations on Antarctica. Some of them are there for a year, some for as short a period as a month, and the ones we brought aboard are between 24 and 35 years old. You’d freeze your tush off here,but boy, what an adventure.

 

The folks from Palmer Station presented two programs, one at 10:30 and one at 2:30, because everyone wanted to hear them and the Queen’s Lounge wouldn’t hold everyone at once. Some of the “kids” are scientists doing research and some are support staff, doing such things as IT and laboratory maintenance. They live almost entirely indoors and every month or so have a delivery of fresh food, including fruits and vegetables. They have two chefs but they said that the food, although plentiful, is pretty basic. They were incredibly excited to have lunch at our buffet (with sushi) and take a swim in the pool. When we saw them eating lunch together, every plate was filled with sushi and piles of fresh salad mix.

 

The day was sunny and clear, with high, puffy clouds in the sky. It couldn’t have been more beautiful. The ice pilot had told us that we would try to get through a very narrow passage today – between Anvers Island and another small but mountainous island. We headed there and there were icebergs everywhere, from little bitty ones about a foot in diameter to huge ones probably the size of a large house. A couple of them had seals on them and what we first thought was blood from fish, but which turned out to be seal excrement, red from eating krill (charming detail, yes?) We saw whales rolling around and spouting, and then we saw a penguin colony. The penguins go down to the rocks by the water to catch fish, and then they hike up the mountain in cute little lines to feed the young they have left behind in their nesting area atop rocky outcroppings. Their trail is marked by a red line, also from the krill. We learned far more about Antarctic animal excrement than we ever wanted to.

 

Some of the icebergs in the distance were so large that we couldn’t tell the difference between the largest icebergs and the small mountains covered with snow. What we could tell about, though, was the cold. Oh my! It was in the 30’s with lots of wind, so everyone outside looked like an Eskimo. It was long underwear, shirts, sweaters, down jackets, gloves, hats and scarves. I was afraid that by the time I got dressed we’d be done with Antarctica.

 

We headed up the narrow passage, steering around the larger icebergs (no Titanic action here!). About halfway up the channel, however, there was a huge area spread with large and small icebergs, apparently the result of a recent avalanche. We had to have the scientists back to their base by a certain time, so the captain and the ice pilot decided to turn around and head back. Just for fun, I guess, the ship spun around in a 360 twice. The ice pilot announced that the captain didn’t want anyone to miss anything, no matter what side they were looking from.

 

As we sailed back down the channel, the clouds came in – just at the right time. The rest of the day was pretty dreary, but with spectacular (I wish I could find a more extreme word) mountains, glaciers and icebergs. We’ve got more of this tomorrow – can’t wait.

[RuthC]

We learned far more about Antarctic animal excrement than we ever wanted to.

Oh, there's more to learn. Wait until you get downwind of the colony at another station you should go by. :eek:

[Johnny B]

February 1 – Day 27

Antarctica – again

 

We woke up to something new today – snow! It was just little flurries, but being from coastal California, it was pretty exciting. Later on in the morning it got heavier and actually collected on part of the Sports Deck and had to be swept to the gutters. According to the weather report on our televisions, the water temperature is 37 degrees and the air is 32. Ouch. The picture of John outside in his gym clothes with glaciers in the background pretty much tells the story. We were told that a couple of weeks ago the Veendam was on this route and got 5 inches of snow on its decks.

 

The weather is cloudy and overcast, but we don’t have the biting wind we had yesterday. What we do have today is more icebergs. I swear some of them could be Rose Bowl floats or aircraft carriers, they’re so big. The coolest thing is that several of them have mini-colonies of gentoo penguins temporarily in residence. One iceberg had two groups of penguins, half of which was sliding down the side on their bellies into the water while the other half was leaping out of the water back onto the iceberg. After watching March of the Penguins last night, we have a lot more understanding of what those critters go through just to survive and bring up their young.

 

We also saw crabeater seals (which like to eat penguins) lazing on top of icebergs as well as a few dozen minkey whales, much smaller than the humpbacks, which we see off the coast of California. At just about lunchtime, we sailed by the huge gentoo penguin colony, which did indeed smell just as bad as we had been warned.

 

This morning began with a passage through Scholleart Channel, and then we passed Curverville Island en route to Paradise Bay. I wondered why anyone would consider this “paradise,” but because we have local experts doing narration during our travels, we learned that the bay was a protected inlet where errant boats could go for at least partial shelter. After Paradise Bay, we transited the Gerlache Strait and Croker Passage, and at about 8:00 tonight, as we sit down to dinner, we will pass by Deception Island.

 

This afternoon is pretty laid back, or maybe we’re just getting blasé about all these amazing snowy mountains and huge icebergs. The truly surprising thing about all this is that it’s summer here. I cannot imagine how terrible the winters must be.

 

Tonight is the Winter Wonderland Ball, a formal night on which the theme is “white.” If there’s one thing we’ve seen a lot of here, it’s white – in the water, on the mountains, and, with all this cloud cover, in the sky. Oh well, I’ve got a new white evening dress, so I’m ready to go.

[2bout2c]

In 2004 for the Winter White Ball, one of my "Trivia Team" showed up in dark blue pants, white tuxedo shirt and red bow tie. We reminded him it was white night. He said he dressed for the continent. Blue for the water, White for the continent and Red for the penguin poop. He won a prize for that at the Crows Nest that evening.

[Johnny B]

February 2 – Day 28

At Sea Somewhere in Antarctica

 

The outside temperature is 32, the sea temperature is 37, the seas range between 18 and 27 feet, there are gale force winds (above 50 knots per hour), it’s so closed in with clouds we can’t see, and snow is blowing straight across. Now this is the Antarctica we’d expected. But, as John says, “I got this verandah to enjoy the sun, not to have to shovel snow!”

 

We were awakened at 7:00 this morning by the captain announcing that because of the gale force winds and the huge icebergs, we were not going to be able to enter the Antarctic Sound. Apparently the captain and the ice captain usually just steer around icebergs, but with the extraordinarily strong winds, they can’t do that as well and have decided that it’s better to be safe than sorry. We had a warning of it about 5:00 when I was awakened by the ship’s engine making a grinding noise. It was our U-turn mechanism, I guess.

 

After breakfast, we decided to go out on the aft Lido Deck to check out the weather. Jacques, the head wine guy, was also heading out with his breakfast, to eat outside. As the doors opened, the cold, the wind, and the snow came blowing in, and to get inside we had to hold the doors closed until the automatic doors shut, containing the weather where it belonged – outside.

 

After lunch, we headed out again to the back deck, this time more successfully. What we found was about two inches of snow on the deck and a small snowman that some clever soul had built. There were about a dozen young stewards out there, some without shirts, frolicking about in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other. They’re from Indonesia or the Philippines and have never seen snow. Regardless, the snow continues.

 

* * * *

Last night was our third formal night, the white-themed Winter Wonderland. As we’re at a large table, we generally get an officer who comes to sit with us (and buys the wine – oh darn). Last night was a special treat because Henk, the Hotel Manager, who is the second in charge on the ship, came to join us. The reason we really like him is that he is probably the most personable and funniest officer on staff and is always excellent company. Two years ago he joined us for the first formal night, before we began “cork-forking,” so last night we got to introduce him to it.

 

About a third of the way through the 2008 WC, Bill Fox, the ship’s bridge expert, decided it would be fun to have a game to play between dinner and dessert. There were always a few bottles of wine at the table with their attendant corks. There’s also a beautiful flower arrangement in the middle of our table. It’s in a large, round bowl with an opening at the top – probably 5 inches across. The goal of the game is to get a cork into the flower arrangement, using the fork as a tool. The fork is placed in front of the player, tines pointing toward the bowl. We stand the cork on the other end of the fork, and by pressing on the tines, propel the cork toward the bowl. It’s a great game, and often gets rather hilarious. Henk hadn’t played before (but had heard about it) and he really got into it. After six or seven tries, he finally got the cork into the vase, so we gave him a “Baba Ganoush” cheer (don’t ask – I have no idea how we started that one, but I believe Bill was responsible for it, too). Basically, a good time was had by all.

 

After dinner there was a “Snow Ball” held in the Crow’s Nest, and we thought it was the best dance so far. The band played and lots of people danced (for a change). The room was crowded, people were having fun, but then, finally, it was time for bed.

[Johnny B]

February 3 – Day 29

At Sea

 

This morning the sun was shining, the seas were fairly calm, and everything looked very different from yesterday. Actually, the sun was shining very early. I failed to mention earlier that, since we’re nearly at the South Pole in its summer, daylight lasts seemingly forever. The sun goes down at about 10:00 PM, and by 11:00 there’s still some twilight left. The sky begins to lighten a little after 3:00 AM, and this morning bright sunshine woke us at 5:00 AM. Fortunately, a well-placed shoe held the heavy drapes in place, so the next thing we knew was being awakened by our room steward at 8:00 AM, thinking we must be in the gym. Some days you just have to be lazy.

 

There was another culinary demonstration today with our guest chef Mark Bittman. I’ve been to two of his demonstrations and had the first of two master classes with him, so John has heard me talk about him a few times. The other day when we were having lunch, Mark walked by and said hello, and after John asked me who it was, I told him and he said, “That’s the guest chef? I’ve seen him on the Today show several times. I assured him that it was, indeed, Mark, and that I had just read his column in the New York Times that day. I guess he puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else.

 

The captain came over the intercom this morning, much earlier than usual, to talk about our expected stop in The Falklands tomorrow. He said that weather predictions and a conversation with the Air Force base in the Falklands indicated that there would probably be 20-foot swells and 50 knot per hour winds, so the chances of us anchoring and sending in tenders is somewhere between slim and none. Fifteen of us had booked an independent tour to drive across the island looking at battle sites on our way to Volunteer Point to see King penguins, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. A coupe of us talked to the captain at lunch and he said that he’d probably make a final decision and an announcement this evening. I’m just glad that we went to look at the penguins at Punta Arenas.

 

Tonight is our first Sommelier Dinner at The Pinnacle restaurant. Twice or three times during the WC they have dinners where several courses are served, each paired with an appropriate wine. We did three of them last time, and each one was absolutely wonderful. As usual, they invariable served me something that I thought I didn’t like, but after tasting it prepared beautifully, I loved it. I imagine it will be like that tonight. There are seven of us going, all from our table: Greg, Heo, Bill, Joan, Barbie, John and I are all signed up. Update tomorrow.

[trekker1]

Hi John and Diane,

 

Great descriptions of your spin around the tip of South America. We're missing you back here in SLO!

 

Lauren and Susan

[I&J Cruisers]

Wonderful! I'm sooo enjoying this. Have you ever thought of writing a novel set on a grand voyage. You write so beautifully. You have all the backround, just need to come up with some intrigue. Can't wait to check the blog every morning.

Irene

[Johnny B]

February 4 – Day 30

At Sea (Instead of The Falklands)

 

Two years ago when we sailed across the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Australia, I described the feeling of the rough seas as like a cork in a bathtub. Last night, from about 2:45 until 4:00, it was like a cork in a bathtub occupied by a hyperactive two-year-old.

We bounced and rolled and rolled and bounced, and it was as rough as I’ve ever experienced at sea. According to the ship’s measurements, the seas were at about 33 feet and the winds were about 60 knots per hour, with hurricane gusts up to 80. It got to the point that, even though we like it when the ship bounces, I began thinking, “Poseidon.” Robert and Bronwyn, the tai chi instructors, told us this morning that last night was the roughest they’ve experienced in 14 years of world cruises, so I guess we’re not the only ones. All I could think about was how much worse it would be if we were in those little tenders.

 

Finally, at about 4:00 it got a bit less violent, and we were able to go back to sleep. Of course the dream that came was that tenders were operating and we could get to Stanley, The Falklands, but in an incredibly violent sea. I don’t remember the rest, but I have a feeling we said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

 

Early last evening the wind was strong, and when the captain told us that we definitely would not be anchoring off the Falklands, he warned us that the winds begin first, and then the sea would catch up later. It certainly did. Apparently the captain was up all night on the bridge making sure the ship and its passengers were safe.

 

On a happier note, last evening was our first Sommelier Dinner in The Pinnacle, and it was spectacular. Seven of us from our table participated. As we arrived we were greeted with glasses of Mumm’s Cordon Rouge Champagne (and we ARE Champagne fans). The first of the six courses was soy-glazed beef tataki, rare slices of beef with braised bok choy with a poached egg. I’m not an egg fan, but this combination was really delicious. Next we had roasted eggplant and sesame soup served with crispy chick peas (instead of croutons). The accompanying wine was a Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling from Washington. Third was a combination of seared fresh local corvine (fish) and a small lobster tail. That wine was Villa Maria sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. The main course, pork tenderloin stuffed with field mushrooms was paired with an Oregon pinot noir. After the main course, we had a trio of cheeses served with a Washington gewürztraminer and finally, dessert was peanut butter mousse and fig ice cream, accompanied by a Canadian ice wine. We couldn’t finish every course, but they were all just amazing. As our friend Greg said, “This is really a world-class meal.” We’re signed up for the second of these dinners already!

 

So, some good, some bad, and today the cruise continues under partly cloudy skies but on fairly smooth seas (at least as compared to last night). The “barf bags” are still in the containers near each elevator, but we’re actually hoping for warmer weather as we approach Buenos Aires.

[alwayshappytocruise]

Fabulous commentary and loving every moment of your World Cruise. Would like to share that the Irish Pub in Ushuia is the best way to end your day there!!!............We had calm seas around Cape Horn, rough seas also kept us from tendering into the Falklands.

Best wishes, Lynda

[peug]

February 3 – Day 29

At Sea

 

 

The captain came over the intercom this morning, much earlier than usual, to talk about our expected stop in The Falklands tomorrow. He said that weather predictions and a conversation with the Air Force base in the Falklands indicated that there would probably be 20-foot swells and 50 knot per hour winds, so the chances of us anchoring and sending in tenders is somewhere between slim and none. Fifteen of us had booked an independent tour to drive across the island looking at battle sites on our way to Volunteer Point to see King penguins, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. A coupe of us talked to the captain at lunch and he said that he’d probably make a final decision and an announcement this evening. I’m just glad that we went to look at the penguins at Punta Arenas.

 

I have been enjoying following your accounts. I was wondering about the independent tour. Was it paid in advance? I know when you book thru the cruise line your account is credited when the stop is canceled. Do you get your money back for the independent tour?

[chees]

We were on the Veendam a few weeks ago and were fortunate enough to tender in. We had booked Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts and he collects the cash when we are on the tour itself. No prepayment in case we cannot land.

 

Here are my husband's photos and blog entry from the Falklands:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/RandyHees/FaulklandIslands#

 

http://randyhees.blogspot.com/2010/01/blind-in-coolest-place-on-earth-south.html

 

Tina

[Johnny B]

February 5 – Day 31

(more than one-fourth done – so sad)

At Sea

 

If you ever want a party planner par excellence, ask our tablemate Susie. Even though today was actually Barbie’s birthday, we celebrated last night, since Barbie will be at the Captain’s Dinner tonight. The festivities began with a surprise cocktail party in Greg and Heo’s suite (it is really nice to be friends with someone in a suite). Susie had provided brightly-colored kids’ sunglasses for all of us to wear, so we were wearing them as Barbie came in.

 

Then it was off to dinner, where the table had been decorated to within an inch of its life, also compliments of Susie. There were streamers (saved from New Year’s Eve), those little things you blow, gold-foil-wrapped candies, and little metallic confetti. We had ordered a special dinner: Kosher chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, vegetables – basically like Thanksgiving, except with Empire chicken. (BTW, if you’ve never cooked an Empire (Kosher) chicken, give it a try. It is fantastic.

 

After dinner it was time for presents. We had treated Barbie to the Sommelier Dinner the night before as her present,and she got some lovely gifts after the birthday dinner. The best one, however, was a little pink plastic “Barbie” cell phone from Eloise. If you push a button, it rings, but if you push a second button, it talks or sings to you. We were wondering why we were having so much trouble understanding it until we realized the talking and singing were in Chinese! The birthday cake, also in pink, was layered sponge cake and strawberry mousse, served with vanilla ice cream. It was then topped off by Champagne, provide for everyone by the Captain, as a “sorry” for not being able to call at The Falklands. Barbie said it was one of the best birthdays she’d ever had.

 

* * * *

 

Today’s high point was our trivia team winning for the second time in three days. There are six people on a team, and we may not get all the answers right, but we do have a good time. I think our philosophy is: “If you don’t know, come up with the funniest possible answer.” Today we scored 14 out of 16 to tie with another team. In the tie-breaker, we pulled it out and, for our trouble, each of us won a HAL collapsible umbrella. Two days ago we won HAL picture frames. Our team is called “The Cambridge Cuties” after Hannah’s master’s degree earned there recently, but she’s getting off in Buenos Aires, so we’re renaming the team “Baba Ganoush.”

 

It’s finally sunny today and the seas are really calm. Several of us ate lunch next to the indoor Lido pool, and the sun came streaming through the glass roof. They had opened the roof slightly, so the breeze kept us happy. As we spent two hours over fairly small lunches, we decided that this is a marvelous way to spend four months.

 

Tonight is formal, with a “gnome” theme. I really don’t get it, but I’ll let you know tomorrow.

[Johnny B]

February 6 – Day 32

At Sea (en route to Buenos Aires)

 

Today is the day that the girls at the front desk hate: it’s quarterly statement day. Early in the morning everyone finds their current statement in their “mailbox” outside the room, and it seems that about half the people on the ship have to complain about it. If you walk by the front desk area, you hear things like, “But I didn’t sign up for that tour,” or “I’ve never even been to the spa.” The young ladies at that desk are the real angels on board; they listen carefully and politely to each complaint and then very tactfully point out that, “Yes, madam, that IS your signature.”

 

After ten days of spectacular scenery accompanied by rotten weather and nasty seas, a lot of people who just booked the first segment are getting anxious to disembark tomorrow in Buenos Aires. We’ve heard several different numbers, but the most reliable ones seem to be that about 350 people are getting off and almost 200 are getting on. I guess it will be even emptier next segment, from BA to Mumbai. Two years ago every cabin was filled, but that was before the recession, so now we hear that HAL is offering incredible deals for segments – some less than $100 a day, we hear. If you have some free time and want to see Asia, this is a good time to do it.

 

Today was cooking class with Mark Bittman again. We prepared an Asian lunch consisting of fried rice with chicken and peanuts, a chopped salad, and sweet and sour green beans. We were supposed to have rice pudding for dessert, but it took too long, so that didn’t work. We were really sorry to say goodbye to Mark (he’s disembarking tomorrow in BA) because he’s probably the most down-to-earth guest chef we’ve met, to the point that he claims he’s NOT a chef, just a food writer who likes to cook. He’s casual in his outlook and his food preparation and he comes up with extremely healthy, tasty meals.

 

This afternoon the sun came out, the weather was warm, and everyone’s looking forward to Buenos Aires tomorrow. We’re up before 6:00 to head to Iguazu Falls for the day and then immediately to a tango show/dinner upon our return.

[cccole]

As with your last world cruise reports, I start most mornings with a cup of coffee while enjoying the review of your activities. There is a couple, with the screen name "whiterose," who are supposed to board the Amsterdam on Monday in Buenos Aires. They were worried Thursday morning about getting out of Dulles because of a HUGE snowstorm. If you happen to meet up with them would you please let us know? Everyone is hoping that they figured out a way to leave Dulles before Sunday morning so that they could join your incredible voyage. Thanks for letting us enjoy your cruise!!!!! Cherie

[jig]

Hi,

 

Just found your log. I read it years ago too. I was on the Amsterdam last year and we had 2 1/2 days of perfect weather. Just some snow on the first morning. Sunny and amazing tnhe rest of the way. Capt. Toomey, the ice captain, said it was his best sailing ever. We were lucky. I missed the Falklands in 2003 and prayed that we would get there this time and we did. Looked a bit rough but made it in to see the Kingb Penguins. The great thing about life is you can try it again.

I know Greg and have been looking at his Photo Blog. My girlfriend, Mary , is from Sydney and is a real good friend of his. Please tell him hi from both of us.

Enjoy your wonderful trip. We will be on the Amsterdam in July on it's 14 day Alaska trip.

Jeffrey

[OldCodger73]

As with your last world cruise reports, I start most mornings with a cup of coffee while enjoying the review of your activities. There is a couple, with the screen name "whiterose," who are supposed to board the Amsterdam on Monday in Buenos Aires. They were worried Thursday morning about getting out of Dulles because of a HUGE snowstorm. If you happen to meet up with them would you please let us know? Everyone is hoping that they figured out a way to leave Dulles before Sunday morning so that they could join your incredible voyage. Thanks for letting us enjoy your cruise!!!!! Cherie

 

whiterose has updated her thread. Because of the snowstorm they were unable to catch their flight to Miami continuing on to Buenos Aires. The plan is to try and join the ship in Montevideo and if they still are unable to get out of DC, then at Capetown.

[cccole]

Thank you. I just took a break from preparing for the Super Bowl and saw your post. I would be sooooooo disappointed. cherie

[Johnny B]

February 8 – Day 34

Buenos Aires

 

I knew we were going to Iguazu Falls. I didn’t know that we were going under it! The last 36 hours have been some of the wildest we’ve ever had.

 

It started Saturday night with Rhonda and Casey’s wedding. Well, it was sort of a wedding. They met in the smoking section of the Crow’s Nest bar and soon decided that they really must get married – sort of. The wedding was set for Saturday night, February 6 at 11:00 in the Crow’s Nest (of course.) We were among the lucky invited guests, and while some people thought it was irreverent and “tacky,” the guests thought it was more fun than they’d had in a long time. Rhonda dressed in a long white dress she had bought along with way, along with a really pretty veil. She wandered around the ship early in the evening, and most people thought it was really strange.

 

After the show we headed up to the Crow’s Nest where the ceremony was about to begin. Steve, the Assistant Cruise Director, was doing the honors. There was a small wedding cake, and everyone was taking pictures. After the “ceremony,” which included anointing the bride (with Jack Daniels), Steve pulled out another sheet of paper and began reading the “divorce” document. Maybe it was one of those things where you just have to be there, but it was extraordinarily fun.

 

After getting to bed after midnight because of the “wedding,” we had to get up at 5:45 to be ready for our 7:00 transfer to the airport to fly to Iguazu. Unfortunately, I woke up at 4:00 and then couldn’t go back to sleep. We were both awake by 5:00, so we had plenty of time, and when we got to the airport at 7:15 for our 10:05 flight (what?!) we found out it was late. We ended up spending four hours at the

airport.

 

Getting off the plan in Iguazu we were hit by a wall of hot, humid air. It was in the 90’s with humidity almost as high. Our guide, Ary, and our driver, Carlos, escorted us to the park where we took a little train (shades of Disneyland) and walked almost a mile over a boardwalk, which protects animals, the rainforest flora, and a couple of rivers. Then, there it was: Iguazu Falls. We often hear the word “awesome” but this truly was. There are 14 miles of deafening waterfalls, which cascade down a 230-foot gorge. It is a World Heritage Area which is shared by Argentina and Brazil. The amount of water which comes over the falls is second largest in the world, and if you’ve ever been to Niagara Falls, it would fit in a corner of this place.

 

We looked, gasped, took pictures, saw rainbows and generally were mightily impressed. Then Ary suggested that we might want to take a boat ride to see them up close. I would have said no, but John thought it was a great idea, so off we went. This part was an extra $50 per person and included a 30-minute ride through the rain forest with narration on top of a jungle vehicle. Then we got to the river and were directed into a boat that looked like a Zodiac but was made with fiberglass. We were given bags in which to keep things like cameras and shoes, and then off we went. Without any warning, the boat took off like the proverbial bat out of . . . and headed upriver. Soon we heard and then saw the thundering falls. I had expected that we would just get a closer look at them, but no – we were going to get up close and personal. We zoomed around the pond made by the falls and then, almost without warning, we were driving under them. Needless to say, we were soaked to the skin. (I hadn’t been told that I was entering a wet tee-shirt contest.)

We then had to drive in fast, tight circles until we were at about a 45-degree angle and then drove under another part of the falls. We continued this for about 20 minutes (it felt like an hour) and finally drove downriver a bit and tied up, allowing us to disembark, take our things out of the bags (dry, thankfully) and hike waaaaay up the hill. Our guide met us, we changed into our tango show clothes and we headed back to the airport. After we’d been dropped off, we went through passport control and security and then realized that our camera was missing. We think that since our guide Ary was holding it for us, it must have been in the front seat by his feet. A lot of today has been spent trying to track it down. Wish us luck.

 

Oh, did I forget to mention the tango show? It was a CSI tour to Senor Tango, with dinner and a show. You’d think a 4:00 AM start and a long day in heat and humidity would do us in, but we’re fools for a good time, and that’s what the tango show sounded like. Even though our flight was late getting in and we couldn’t get an ATM to work, we eventually headed off to Senor Tango, where our friends had saved us seats. You have to understand that I almost never eat red meat, but when the choices for the dinner were beef, chicken or fish, I decided that since I was in Argentina where beef is king, I’d better try it. It did not disappoint.

 

The 9:00 dinner was followed by the 10:00 tango show, and boy, was it good. It started, believe it or don’t, with horses on stage, doing their own little dance. There was an excellent orchestra and six couples who danced throughout the show, along with some excellent vocalists. One act was even danced to “Hernando’s Hideaway.” The tango is all you’ve ever thought it would be: graceful, sexy, and really a physical challenge. Those feet get kicked back so often that I’m amazed the dancers don’t have bruises everywhere. The show lasted two hours, and the final act was the owner singing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” in Spanish. As he got near the end of the song, Argentinian flags dropped from the ceiling – there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

 

Getting back to the ship at 1:00, you’d think we’d sleep like the dead, but we woke up at 6:30 this morning, ready to go. I’ll save that part until tomorrow.

[I&J Cruisers]

WOW!!! Just incredible. Sounds like you're having a blast.

Irene

[Johnny B]

February 9 – Day 35

Montevideo, Uruguay

 

I cannot tell you how much I love sea days. We have done so much in the last 72 hours, that the eight sea days beginning right this minute (!) as we pull away from Montevideo will be coming in right on time. .

 

While we’re in port, we really do try to fit in as much as humanly possible. We’ve never seen most of these places, so we’re not ready to join the group that sleeps late, goes out and finds somewhere for lunch and then comes back for a nap. Maybe one of these days, but I somehow doubt it. In addition to all of our sightseeing, we’ve had that camera problem bugging us – BUT THEY FOUND IT! Now we’re emailing back and forth with our Latin America independent tour agent about how to get money to the Iguazu agent to pay them for shipping it to Cape Town. We’re hopeful it will all work out.

 

After our marathon first day in Buenos Aires, yesterday was pretty tame. We woke up early – no idea why – and tried to get in touch with someone, somewhere who could help us with our camera. At 10:00, we and a small group of friends had booked a 3-1/2 hour walking and public transportation tour of the city with a terrific little company called Buenos Tours (buenostours.com) Our guide was Jessica, an American expatriate who’s lived in BA for 2-1/2 years. She knows the city, the history, and the transportation. We taxied to our beginning point and then never looked back. We began in Independence Square, with the cathedral on one side, the original 1751 city hall on another, and at the end of the square, Casa Rosada, or “The Pink House.” It’s the headquarters of the president of Argentina, but she lives about an hour outside of town. It’s probably most famous for having the balcony where Eva Peron gave her most famous speech and as the real setting for Madonna singing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” in the movie Evita.

 

We walked and talked and listened and learned and stopped for mid-morning hot chocolate and warm churros at Tortoni, the most famous café in BA, a city of cafes. We took a ride on the subway, which was built in 1913 and still uses the original wooden cars on the main line. Great photo op! Then we continued into Monserrat and San Telmo, the home of the tango and famous for antiques.

 

After Jessica was done with us, we took a taxi to La Boca, the “wild” and artistic part of BA. At the center of La Boca is Caminito, a pedestrians-only street filled with brightly painted buildings which house outdoor restaurants and markets. The great thing about these restaurants is that they usually have a couple dancing the tango in the street. We had lunch at a former red-painted (what else?) brothel called La Perla. It was pretty quiet (and inside) and the food wasn’t too bad. Finally, after having enough time eating, shopping, and watching the tango, we grabbed a cab back to the ship. After dinner, we could hardly operate, so we skipped the show and had one of the best night’s sleep of the cruise.

 

Today is (was) Montevideo, a city I never expected to visit, but one to which I think we’ll return. We had heard it was eminently walkable, so walk we did – about four miles worth. There is a large pedestrian area, filled with cafes and shops and just regular folks. The “Old Town” section is large and well-preserved and we got some great photos of everything from a donkey pulling a cart to ornate French-looking balconies on old buildings. In fact, both Buenos Aires and Montevideo show a great deal of French influence. We read that population of Montevideo is almost exclusively of European origin, since the army displaced most of the indigenous people in the 17th and early 18th centuries.

 

One of the best things today was a lunch stop at the “market” near the port. I expected a traditional market with lots of produce and other things, but this market only has restaurants and bars. We chose our restaurant, pulled up bar stools, and spent the first 15 minutes watching the cook put all kinds of animal products on a hot, wood-fired grill. The choices on the menu included many kinds of disgusting (to me, anyway) organ meats, sausages, ribs, steaks, paellas of different kinds and, what interested me to watch in cooking, was a big round chunk of white cheese which was thrown on top of the grill, cooked until melted on the outside, and then topped with some green herb and served with a basket of bread. I didn’t notice that one until after I ordered, so I had beef ribs (incredibly popular at Thursday night farmers’ market in San Luis Obispo). These were ribs unlike any I’ve ever had. Instead of being a long rib with meat attached, they were cut crossways, with a row of little bones and then two large pieces of boneless, very tender meat. As I said, I’m not much of a meat eater, but I’ve now had it twice in three days, so I’d have a hard time convincing anyone of that. John had lamb and said it was delicious. We topped it off with the local drink, Medio y Medio, a half and half combination of white wine and Champagne.

 

The cook even let people come behind the bar to have pictures taken with him. As we ate, Sean, the Pinnacle chef, and his long-time

friend Ray, who’s the new guest chef, came and chatted with us and interviewed us for Ray’s shipboard video. Ray is doing his first culinary demonstration tomorrow, featuring lobster, so I’ll be there. I’ve also already signed up for his two cooking master classes.

 

We pretty much collapsed back at the ship at about 4:15, and now that we’ve pushed off, we’re headed out to the South Atlantic, but still within sight of land. We’ve loved BA and Montevideo, and although we’re looking forward to Africa, South America has been everything we expected and more.

[fishbabe]

thank you for taking the time to post for us. I was an avid reader two years ago.

 

It will be interesting to know how you feel about the Eastbound travel. I loved our recent Westbound TA. Those five 25 hour days in a row were wonderful!

 

Hi Jan,

 

Yes, we are also following this thread. In fact, we had such a great time on our WestboundTA this past Fall (must have been ldog!) :cool: that we are doing an Fall Westbound TA in 2011, combining with the Amazon. We'd love to do an Eastbound TA, but it's not in the works for schedule reasons right now. But we are really enjoying the report on this thread.

[Johnny B]

February 10 – Day 36

First of 8 Sea Days (Hooray!)

 

There is nothing like enjoying a gently rolling sea while sleeping and then being able to sleep late in the morning. We woke to blue skies, a deep blue sea, and flying fish – such a treat. After all the exercise we’ve been having in the last 3 days, a quick decision was made to skip the gym this morning and go aft on the Lido deck for breakfast, where it was beautiful and warm.

 

The morning included my second visit to the infirmary. The first was for a sprained ankle when we hit a big wave and I was only holding on with one hand. Two years ago I went an entire four months without even knowing where the infirmary was (Dolphin Deck, fore) and here I’m visiting twice in three weeks. Apparently something hit me in the eye in Iguazu Falls and, according to Dr. Gisela, did not cause an abrasion to my cornea (a very good thing) but it did irritate the white of my eye, causing a lot of red and some discomfort. Now I’ve got little drops to put in every four hours, with an invitation to come back tomorrow if it’s not mostly better.

 

At 11:15 was our culinary demo with Shawn, the Pinnacle Chef, and Ray Bear, the new guest chef and best buddy of Shawn. Since they’re both from Nova Scotia, they really, really believe in lobster, so today’s recipes (and samples) were for lobster and bacon macaroni and cheese (a nice budget meal), lobster scalloped potatoes, and (cooked) lobster sushi. They really are very simple to prepare and delicious to eat. After that, I really didn’t need lunch – but had a little anyway.

 

While I was at the demo, John went to the Exploration Speaker Series to listen to Howard Walker, a former ambassador to Madagascar, Togo and Comoros as well as acting ambassador in Tanzania and South Africa and lots of other diplomatic posts. He’s also a college professor and lives both in the US and South Africa. He spoke about “Shifting Centers of Power, and talked about geopolitics and how political/economic power in the 21st Century is changing in the world. More talks are scheduled and will emphasize the increasing role and importance of China and India on the world stage.

 

This afternoon we’re setting clocks ahead yet again – now we’re four hours ahead of the East Coast. That’s the problem with an eastbound voyage. In 2008 we absolutely loved all the added hours, about one every four days) which gave us an extra hour’s sleep, but this time it’s the other direction. I think what bothers me the most is the effect it must have on the crew. For example, our room stewards have most of their time off in the afternoon, but on these days, they get one fewer hour. I hope they are recompensed somehow.

 

Tomorrow’s just another sea day, and after today’s nap, I should be caught up enough on rest. to really enjoy it.

[jig]

Hi,

 

The Greg and Heo mentioned have a blog with lots of pictures. The site is http://www.cruisedownunder.blogspot.com .

I had 8 days at sea crossing from Mauritius to Perth. Loved everyone one of the days.

Jeffrey