Live seabourn sojourn buenos aires to valparaiso november 21

[harbormaster]

We are in Buenos Aires, Argentina about to board the Seabourn Sojourn for a trip around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, Chile. Our ports will be Montevideo - Uruguay, Stanley - Falkland Islands, Ushuaia – AR, rounding Cape Horn (not a port, but a destination) and Beagle Channel, Puntas Arenas, CH, Chilean Fjords cruising, Puerto Montt, CH, Puerto Chacabuco, CH, and Valparaiso, CH.

We are very excited to be returning to the Sojourn, our favorite cruise ship. We sailed her from Singapore to Dubai earlier this year on a World cruise segment. It was one of our best cruises ever due to the fantastic crew and staff. Can’t wait to get aboard. We have been following the Seabourn blog of the reverse of our itinerary, as well as Clarky’s posts and they have increased our enthusiasm. We’ll try to return the favor in terms of posting our experiences aboard this “bucket list” itinerary. It is our first time in this part of South America.

We flew non-stop from Washington Dulles to Buenos Aires, arriving Friday morning. We have rented an apartment in the Recoleta section of the city through VRBO dot com who we have found to be an excellent resource site as we have traveled throughout the world. The apartment, which has a beautiful private garden, is perfectly situated in a beautiful neighborhood, close to many shops and restaurants.

Friday we walked the area, visiting beautiful and haunting Recoleta cemetery, unlike any we’ve ever seen. Eva Duarte Peron is buried here, along with many of Argentina’s other famous people. We then visited the Museum of Fine Arts for a few hours. We ate at a neighborhood restaurant, Melo, recommended by our apartment owner. We retired early to recover from our overnight flight.

Saturday dawned warm and sunny and proved to be high 80 degree temperatures. Everywhere the Jacaranda are blooming and birds are singing. We set off for Plaza de Mayo to see the Casa Rosada and other monuments, then walking casually up to Florida Street, the main shopping area in Buenos Aires. Shops line this street for many many blocks, and small vendors have their stalls laid out on the ground or in small carts. Virtually anything can be bought here, from small souvenir to magnificent leather goods and jewelry. It was a great photo opportunity as well.

We decided to have a late lunch at El Mirasol and enjoyed fantastic Ojo cuts of Argentine steak and a wonderful Malbec to go with it.

To work off our meal, we walked back to the park next to Recoleta cemetery, where on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evenings, there is an excellent artisan market. This is one of the biggest in the city, and the offerings were unique and above average. Tango dancers and music enhanced the fun atmosphere.

We slept well and Sunday mid-morning took a taxi to San Telmo Mercado and walked the area on Defense Street which is famous for its Sunday Market. It seemed as if everyone in BA was out enjoying the warm temperatures and the lively atmosphere of San Telmo.

The shops lining the street had beautiful antiques, leather, jewelry, clothing and weavings. There was an antique market to rival Portobello in London. In addition, artisans had booths set up on side streets.

Musicians played guitar and accordions, old men sang, tango dancers danced and mimes held their poses. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in San Telmo and topped it off with another late lunch. This time we ate at La Brigada, an old Argentine restaurant on Estado Unidas. The restaurant is filled with Argentine sports memorabilia and was vibrant with people enjoying their meals. We had outstanding Lomo steak and salad and, again, a wonderful Malbec for a very economical price.

It now is Monday morning and we are preparing to leave for the ship and our South American adventure. We will post more when we board the ship.

[Keith1010]

We wish you both a wonderful cruise. I hadn't realized you were already in South America. We enjoyed sailing with you both on the Serenity and appreciate the tips you gave us for our upcoming cruise including our visit to Shanghai. Best to you two. I wish you great weather and a wonderful cruise. Bon Voyage.

 

Keith and (Anne Marie)

[A Tucson Guy]

Thanks for the information. We are doing BA to RIO Dec 2012 on Regent. We were thinking of a few precruise days in BA. We can get a great corp rate at the JW Marriott. After reading a lot of information stating BA is a dangerous city, personal safety etc. we are now thinking of arriving in BA the day before the cruise. Do you know what the area close to the JW Marriott is like and how safe did you feel in BA.

Thanks.

 

We are in Buenos Aires, Argentina about to board the Seabourn Sojourn for a trip around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, Chile. Our ports will be Montevideo - Uruguay, Stanley - Falkland Islands, Ushuaia – AR, rounding Cape Horn (not a port, but a destination) and Beagle Channel, Puntas Arenas, CH, Chilean Fjords cruising, Puerto Montt, CH, Puerto Chacabuco, CH, and Valparaiso, CH.

We are very excited to be returning to the Sojourn, our favorite cruise ship. We sailed her from Singapore to Dubai earlier this year on a World cruise segment. It was one of our best cruises ever due to the fantastic crew and staff. Can’t wait to get aboard. We have been following the Seabourn blog of the reverse of our itinerary, as well as Clarky’s posts and they have increased our enthusiasm. We’ll try to return the favor in terms of posting our experiences aboard this “bucket list” itinerary. It is our first time in this part of South America.

We flew non-stop from Washington Dulles to Buenos Aires, arriving Friday morning. We have rented an apartment in the Recoleta section of the city through VRBO dot com who we have found to be an excellent resource site as we have traveled throughout the world. The apartment, which has a beautiful private garden, is perfectly situated in a beautiful neighborhood, close to many shops and restaurants.

Friday we walked the area, visiting beautiful and haunting Recoleta cemetery, unlike any we’ve ever seen. Eva Duarte Peron is buried here, along with many of Argentina’s other famous people. We then visited the Museum of Fine Arts for a few hours. We ate at a neighborhood restaurant, Melo, recommended by our apartment owner. We retired early to recover from our overnight flight.

Saturday dawned warm and sunny and proved to be high 80 degree temperatures. Everywhere the Jacaranda are blooming and birds are singing. We set off for Plaza de Mayo to see the Casa Rosada and other monuments, then walking casually up to Florida Street, the main shopping area in Buenos Aires. Shops line this street for many many blocks, and small vendors have their stalls laid out on the ground or in small carts. Virtually anything can be bought here, from small souvenir to magnificent leather goods and jewelry. It was a great photo opportunity as well.

We decided to have a late lunch at El Mirasol and enjoyed fantastic Ojo cuts of Argentine steak and a wonderful Malbec to go with it.

To work off our meal, we walked back to the park next to Recoleta cemetery, where on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evenings, there is an excellent artisan market. This is one of the biggest in the city, and the offerings were unique and above average. Tango dancers and music enhanced the fun atmosphere.

We slept well and Sunday mid-morning took a taxi to San Telmo Mercado and walked the area on Defense Street which is famous for its Sunday Market. It seemed as if everyone in BA was out enjoying the warm temperatures and the lively atmosphere of San Telmo.

The shops lining the street had beautiful antiques, leather, jewelry, clothing and weavings. There was an antique market to rival Portobello in London. In addition, artisans had booths set up on side streets.

Musicians played guitar and accordions, old men sang, tango dancers danced and mimes held their poses. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in San Telmo and topped it off with another late lunch. This time we ate at La Brigada, an old Argentine restaurant on Estado Unidas. The restaurant is filled with Argentine sports memorabilia and was vibrant with people enjoying their meals. We had outstanding Lomo steak and salad and, again, a wonderful Malbec for a very economical price.

It now is Monday morning and we are preparing to leave for the ship and our South American adventure. We will post more when we board the ship.

[Hobar]

Thank you so much for sharing your information and enthusiasm. We are right after you so we look forward to any hints, tips, etc, but understand if you are having too much fun to post. Enjoy.

[harbormaster]

LATER MONDAY NOVEMBER 21

Our driver picked us up at noon and we drove the 15 minutes to the port terminal. There were about 20 couples waiting. We filled out health form and chatted for about 15 minutes. We then were called to go upstairs to check in. That took about 10 minutes, we went through immigration, and were bussed to the beautiful Sojourn. It was great to see the waiting line of staff and receive their warm greetings. We were escorted to the Grand Salon where beverages sandwiches were available. We were pleased to see some wonderful staff members whom we knew from past Seabourn cruises. We enjoyed meeting more fellow passengers and exchanging stories of our trips down and Buenos Aires activities.

We were shown to our cabins about 1:30. The room is set up well, with lots of closet space, nice seating area and comfortable bed. We particularly like the fact that there is a real table with two chairs, for in-room dining, working on a laptop, or other functions. It is set up on the side, and leaves the center of the room empty for easy maneuverability. The bathroom is very convenient with separate shower and bath and two sinks. Drawers are a bit shallow, but there are a number of them, so plenty of space. The television has movies on demand and also all the shore excursion information, as well as cable tv. The cabin is a lovely place to call home for the next two weeks.

 

Our stewardess, Meagan from South Africa, came by with offers of different soaps and had already prepared the cabin with our choice of in-room liquor and drinks. She was very upbeat and accommodating. We unpacked and checked the restaurant menus for the evening. We decided to try Restaurant 2 for the evening and made a reservation.

 

Down at Seabourn Square, we were happy to find that Claudio is our shore excursion manager. He was very welcoming and we were glad to see him again. We discussed some shore excursion possibilities, although we also have booked private tours for this trip. He told us the Antarctica trip which had been offered was cancelled due to only 5 people having signed up. However, onboard, many people were disappointed that they could not book it. So, if you take this cruise and want to do the Antarctica side trip, you must book it 30 days before.

 

The ship is not full. It has about 350 aboard and certainly does not feel crowded in any way. We love the sense of space on this ship. Our Captain is Hamish Elliott, our CD is John Hammond, our Hotel Director is Hubert.

 

Guest lecturers for this trip include Richard Cowley who is a Latin American expert, and has escorted four members of the Royal Family on visits to Montevideo. He served as Director-General of the Anglo-Uruguyan Cultural Institute. John Pilkington is known as a broadcaster with BBC World Service and was one of the first people in modern times to retrace the Silk Road from Venice to the Yellow Sea. He also walked the 1,600 mile Royal Road of the Incas in the Peruvian Andes. We are looking forward to their talks, the first of which will be tomorrow evening. Showtime this evening will be Magician Martin John.

 

We had lifeboat drill at 5 pm, changed and met in the Club bar at 6 last evening with other CC cruisers and had an enjoyable time as the ship left Buenos Aires. We then went up to Restaurant 2 and had a wonderful dinner. We were happy to see Priscilla the wine steward from our previous Sojourn cruise. She poured a nice NZ Sauvignon Blanc and we enjoyed the chef’s small plates creations.

 

It was 9:30 when we returned to our cabin. We turned our clocks ahead 1 hour and sat on the balcony a bit enjoying our trip down the Rio Plata.

 

TUESDAY MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY NOVEMBER 22

 

We slept in and awoke to find ourselves docked in Montevideo, Uruguay. It is the largest city and capital of Uruguay. It was established in 1726 as a strategic move during a Spanish-Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento. It is the southernmost cosmopolitan capital city in the Americas and third most southern in the world.

 

We will take the ship shuttle into town today and walk around viewing the city sites and do some shopping. The ship will leave at 5 pm this afternoon.

[harbormaster]

We found Buenos Aires to be a very walkable city. That said as far as safety is concerned, it is strongly advised that you not wear jewelry, carry a lot of money, be a conspicuous tourist and beware of pickpockets. People are mugged for wearing gold jewelry or flashing cash.

The area around the Marriott is a busy area, near the shopping district, with lots of people. The Florida street area has markets and vendors lining it, which is an area picpockets frequent. But, there also is a police presence.

We enjoyed staying in Recoleta which was a bit off the busy tourist area. We did go into the Marriott and it looked nice.

As with any city, be a traveler, not a tourist, be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine. We were so glad we had 3-1/2 days in the city before the cruise. We could have used 2 more. We will return and spend more time. It is lovely with great food and fantastic people.

[A Tucson Guy]

Thank you for the response. Would you feel comfortable posting the link to the apartment you found on VRBO.com?

 

We found Buenos Aires to be a very walkable city. That said as far as safety is concerned, it is strongly advised that you not wear jewelry, carry a lot of money, be a conspicuous tourist and beware of pickpockets. People are mugged for wearing gold jewelry or flashing cash.

The area around the Marriott is a busy area, near the shopping district, with lots of people. The Florida street area has markets and vendors lining it, which is an area picpockets frequent. But, there also is a police presence.

We enjoyed staying in Recoleta which was a bit off the busy tourist area. We did go into the Marriott and it looked nice.

As with any city, be a traveler, not a tourist, be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine. We were so glad we had 3-1/2 days in the city before the cruise. We could have used 2 more. We will return and spend more time. It is lovely with great food and fantastic people.

[LEESRE]

Harbourmaster,

Thank you for your report now that you are Sojourn, good to see that they still have some of the staff onbaord that you know.

We love Sojourn too and found staff we also knew. Wonder if Constantine, a waiter, in the MDR is still there?? You will notice him as he has a blad head and is just like a younger Youll Brinner. (sp)

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[harbormaster]

TUESDAY MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

Montevideo, Uruguay is the largest city and capital of Uruguay. It was established in 1726 as a strategic move during a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region and to counter the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento. It is the southernmost cosmopolitan capital city in the Americas and third most southern in the world.

 

We will take the ship shuttle into town today and walk around viewing the city sites and do some shopping. The ship will leave at 5 pm this afternoon.

 

Tonight’s menu in the restaurant includes first course choices of roasted vegetable terrine, seared Tuna with Soba noodles, curry dusted scallop, black mussel veloute and onion consommé. Entrees include pan seared halibut, duck a L’Orange, Veal Chop, and potato Leek Crepes.

 

The Colonnade is having a different themed dinner each night on this cruise. They will be Spanish, French, American, Old England, Italian, Russian , South American Tuscan Market, Seafood and Polynesian.

 

LATER

 

What a charming surprise Montevideo was today. We took the free shuttle bus into town and walked around the square, then down the pedestrian walkway. (Actually, it also is an easy walk). There were vendors and stalls lining the avenue, and interesting shops. We visited the museum, and walked into the park which had an antique fair. We so enjoyed talking with the people about their wares and learning about Uruguay and Montevideo’s history. Many of the people spoke excellent English and were very anxious to talk with us.

 

We then walked down to the Mercado, which is close to the ship. There are arts and crafts stores with local artisan goods, paintings, jewelry and weavings. We entered the Mercado, on the advice of one of the shop owners and enjoyed a parradillas (bbq) lunch of fabulous chicken , frites and salad. The Mercado is much like a South American beer garden with various restaurants showing off their bbq’d meats and fish and vegetables. We were serenaded by guitar players and thoroughly enjoyed our time.

 

Back on the ship, John Hammond has arranged for the Montevideo Tango Show to perform in the Grand Salon at 3:30. It was a wonderful show of song, dance and music, with passenger participation. The audience gave an ovation to the group. It was a great way to end our day here.

We’re sailing a bit late because we’re awaiting the arrival of a few passengers who have been delayed because of a volcanic ash cloud affecting the local airports. Once at sea, we’re on our way to the Falkland Islands.

[harbormaster]

Hi Leesre: Yes, Christian is in the Restaurant, as is his wife, the charming Vindora.

[Chairsin]

Love Vindora -- we have run into her on numerous small ship cruises.

[harbormaster]

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23 AT SEA

 

It was nice to have a relaxing day at sea today. We slept in and had breakfast in the room, after getting some cappuccinos from Megan at the Sojourn Square coffee bar. Seas are about 5-7 feet, but the Sojourn is very stable and is handling them well.

 

We attended a Destination Talk by Shore Excursion Manager Claudio. He provided a great overview of all the ports, including photos he had taken on the previous cruise. That cruise was the reverse of our itinerary so it was nice to have real time information about the excursions and ports we’re visiting.

 

A small group of passengers made up the teams for Trivia today. CD John Hammond ran a lively session though, and our team, the Pollos Rellenos (stuffed chickens), won trivia today.

 

This afternoon’s lecture by Richard Cowley was on the Fascination of the Falklands, and he included information on the Falklands history and makeup of the more than 700 islands that are the Falklands. He highlighted the conflict between Britain and Argentina, and spoke of the sites we will see.

 

Also on the agenda today were a navigational bridge visit, golf putting, duplicate and social bridge. There is a bridge group of about 30 who have brought their own teacher along, but Seabourn also provides lessons.

 

Tonight was formal night with a reception at 6:45pm with the Captain. He said that it is looking good to make the Falklands, although the weather will be cold and windy. The total passenger contingent was confirmed at 330, so we are enjoying lots of space onboard.

 

We were invited to have dinner with the Chief Engineering Officer Magnes, and his wife, Linda. We had a delightful evening with them and four other passengers, including CCers Jim and Cynthia. On the menu were foie gras, lobster bisque, salads, chateaubriand, truffled chicken, and lobster.

 

Showtime was “Can’t Stop the Music” a tribute to UK and American bands.

 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 AT SEA

 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! It was a bit rougher at sea last night as we make our way to the Falklands, and the cabin creaked quite a bit. This morning dawned sunny and beautiful with moderate seas. It’s a really gorgeous day about 50 degrees.

 

One thing we have been impressed with on Sojourn is the fact that the officers are very visible, and walking around chatting with passengers. In fact, the Captain came round Seabourn Square this morning and he told us it is looking good to get into the Falklands tomorrow. That’s great news as we have a private excursion booked to Volunteer Point to see the penguins.

 

Today being Thanksgiving, Chef Andrew Soddy is giving a cooking demonstration of pumpkin risotto with goat cheese, and pecan pie with bourbon glazed apples.

 

We’ll do trivia at noon and attend the lecture by John Pilkington on Introducing Patagonia. There is a special Turkey Trivia this afternoon and a Galley Tour as well.

 

On the menu tonight are Smoked Tea Crusted Salmon, Scallops and Beef Ribs, Rack of Lamb, Three Cheese Tortellini, and of course Thankgiving Turkey with all the fixings. Chef Andrew promised lots of cranberry sauce, and CD John Hammond says he gave the chef his grandmothers Corn Pudding recipe. It should be a fun evening.

[JaneBP]

>"We attended a Destination Talk by Shore Excursion Manager Claudio. He provided a great overview of all the ports, including photos he had taken on the previous cruise. That cruise was the reverse of our itinerary so it was nice to have real time information about the excursions and ports we’re visiting."

 

Claudio is wonderful! I would so much rather have a port talk with one of the travel specialists than the dumb brochures that are no help at all.

[harbormaster]

Correction and sorry for the typo. CD is John HOWELL.

[LEESRE]

Harbourmaster,

Many thanks for the reports, I see that Megan is still at the coffe bar, she was great. We had many happy memories of our trip on Sojourn.

Good to see names cropping up that we know.

 

Thanks again.

Rex

[harbormaster]

LATER THURSDAY

 

We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with CD John Howell and a few other guests he invited to share the holiday dinner. Chef Andrew outdid himself and we enjoyed the wonderful pumpkin soup and turkey, stuffing and yes, Aunt Lucy’s Corn Pudding. John was a wonderful host and we all agreed it was an enjoyable festive evening.

 

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2011 STANLEY, FALKLAND ISLANDS

 

Wow what a day we had! We awoke early to smooth seas and to the ship being guided into Stanley Harbor. We were very fortunate that this day dawned sunny and warm for the area with highs in the 50s.

After breakfast in the Colonnade, we boarded the first tender. We had a private excursion booked to Volunteer Point to see the King, Magellenic and Gentoo penguins. Ken Morrison, our driver was waiting shore side with our names on a placard and quickly escorted us to his Land Rover 4 x 4 and we were off. Ken was born on the big west island of the Falklands (there are more than 700 islands which make up the Falklands) and moved to Stanley with his family about 20 years ago. He says he’s still considered a newcomer. Ken regaled us with tales of the Falklands conflict in 1982 and pointed out sites of battles, encampments, downed helicopter wreckage, and discussed what it was like living there during the time.

The Falklands are starkly beautiful with “stone rivers” which came through millenniums of freeze and thaw when large mountains of rocks have broken down into small boulders that have created these fields of rock debris. They make a mosaic on the mountains and a literal stream of rocks on the ground. Gorse was blooming in the fields, as well as spring flowers in town. Some of the island is still fenced off with signs warning of land mines left from the Argentinean invaders.

We first drove on the paved road, then on a dirt track for about 1 hour, and then went totally off road on basically a peat bog surface to get to Volunteer Point. Having a 4X4 was definitely the only way to go, and Ken did a superlative job of finding the best track and avoiding slippery or waterlogged areas. The Falklands have had a lot of rain recently, and tracks, which would be dry and dusty normally in the summer, were waterlogged and deep in mud. We were happy when Ken told us he was the town mechanic! After 1-1/2 hours off road, we arrived at Volunteer Point.

How beautiful it is, with the seas an emerald green, waves crashing on the beach, blue sky, sun and thousands of penguins. There are three types: the King Penguins with their yellow cheeks and about waist high. Then there were the burrowing Magellenic penguins on their nests, and the smaller Gentoo penguins.

We were the first vehicle to arrive at Volunteer Point and had about an hour to ourselves before the caravans of other private tours and ship’s tours arrived. The King penguins were so friendly and walked right up, although we knew the rules said not to touch or go into marked off areas. We saw hundreds of brown furry babies who stayed close to their parents. It was an amazing sight we’ll long remember. The Magellenic penguins stayed pretty much in their burrows on the beach, but we got great photos of them, and then went over to the hoards of Gentoo penguins, some molting their feathers a few babies babies, and many still sitting on their nests. Seals lounged in the sand on the beach. The entire experience could not have been more positive.

We ate the boxed lunch Ken had brought for us and we were off across the peat bogs for another 1-1/2 hour journey back to the gravel and then, paved roads. Ken then took us on a tour of Stanley, which is a charming, clean and lovely town. Ken pointed out the Governor’s mansion, the church with whalebone cross, and some of the homes brought in for residents after theirs were destroyed in the war. He himself has a lovely home with a beautiful greenhouse where he grows fruits and vegetables for the family. He also showed us the town’s racecourse where, in the 1960’s a highjacked plane was forced to land right in the middle of the course, barely fitting within the fence. The plane eventually was stripped and flown out, but the photos of it sitting on the racecourse, wings touching the galleries on each side were amazing.

We did some shopping and reboarded the tender back to the ship. The seas still were fine and the sun was shining. We were scheduled to leave at 6pm, but the Captain announced that one of the tours to Volunteer Point would be a bit late returning. We found out that this was because one of their 4x4s had lost an axle and a few of the vehicles had become “bogged” and had to be pulled out. The passengers affected were quickly transferred to the other cars and all did return safely, not too long after. Everyone we talked with agreed that this long and rocky journey was totally worth the effort. We highly recommend it if you are taking this itinerary.

We cleaned up, had drinks in the Observation Bar, chatting with fellow passengers comparing the day’s experiences, and then went to the Colonnade for dinner. The Colonnade is on the 8th deck aft and is casual with table service. There is an outside dining area, but it was to cold to use. The menu is smaller and features a theme dinner each evening. Tonight it was Old English and we enjoyed Dover Sole and Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding as entrees, along with a Sauvignon Blanc Semillion Blend. All in all, a most enjoyable day and we are so grateful that the weather and seas allowed us to experience this most delightful island.

 

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 26 AT SEA

 

We cannot say enough about how much we are enjoying the Sojourn and especially the warm and wonderful staff. The ship is in beautiful condition, the food has been excellent and the wines very good. Some excellent Malbecs, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blancs are available on the everyday list.

 

We had a small issue with our cabin for a few days, and, upon reporting it, were immediately given excellent service by Murat, the Guest Relations Manager and Hubert the Hotel Director. They graciously moved us to another cabin and were very solicitous about our comfort and ensured that all was well. Murat is exceptional in managing the Reception Desk and dealing with passengers in a friendly and conscientious way. We are so impressed with omnipresent Hubert who is definitely a hands-on Hotel Director and genial with both staff and customers. Just amazing. CD John Howell also is everywhere, and hard working and fun, interacting constantly with passengers. He also has an outstanding singing voice.

 

This morning the Captain had a Q&A with passengers, joined by Magne the Chief Engineer. It was interesting to hear about the ship’s operation, our journey ahead and both were very interactive with the audience.

We listed to an excellent talk by John Pilkington entitled “Pioneers and Bandits” which included history of Patagonia, including stories of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and their antics and robberies there.

Team trivia today was fun and our team finished ahead in the cumulative points as of today.

Lunch in the main dining room was followed by a lecture by Richard Cowley, “With Darwin to Patagonia.” Both speakers have been excellent and have been generous with their time with passengers during off time.

 

Also on the agenda today were bridge, golf putting, suites tour, Spanish course and Chocoholic Tea Time.

 

Dinner entrees this evening include orange roughy, soft shell crab, sirloin and short rib of beef, double cut pork chop and gnocchi. Appetizers include veal carpaccio, yellow fin tuna Wellington, mushroom minestrone and cream of asparagus soup. Restaurant 2’s small bites includes octopus ceviche, lobster corn dog, chicken brick parcel, butternut squash presse, foie gras sandwich and roasted salmon in Sake Ginger and Orange Soy Duck.

 

Showtime highlights tonight are Volcalist David Karl and Comedian Gary Thompson.

[WesW]

Hi John & Kathy, marvelous post..enjoyed visiting the Falklands through your words--thank you.

[Hobar]

Did you do tour through Patrick Watts, or another tour company? Continue having a wonderful time, and keep those posts coming.

[writer100]

Thanks for the information. We are doing BA to RIO Dec 2012 on Regent. We were thinking of a few precruise days in BA. We can get a great corp rate at the JW Marriott. After reading a lot of information stating BA is a dangerous city, personal safety etc. we are now thinking of arriving in BA the day before the cruise. Do you know what the area close to the JW Marriott is like and how safe did you feel in BA.

Thanks.

Lapeter-Buenos Aires is like any big city. It has parts that are crime-prone, some that are crime-ridden, and some that are entirely safe. The Marriott is on the very edge of Recoleta--which is not ideally where you want to be--adjacent to Calle Florida, which is a bustling sales street akin to Herald Square in New York. Also, the hotel, while a charming edifice, is old on the inside, with uncertain water pressure and all the other defects that come with an old hotel.If your corporate rate is so low that it is inconceivable to stay at any of the top three hotels--Four Seasons, Alvear Palace, Palacio Hyatt--you should nonetheless concentrate your walks in the center of this area, Recoleta. Take a cab to the the Four Seasons, which is at the foot pf Londres Street, the Madsion Ave. of BA, lined with high-end stores and boutiques, and one shopping mall, Pation Bullrich, which boasts lots of imported brands--avoid them; they are all cheaper at home--and a few local ones, plus one of the two best ice cream shops (Freddo's, maybe?) in BA. (And many would say, the world.) West of Londres for five or six blocks square is the romantic heart of Recoleta--fountainned squares, tree-lined streets that meander this way and that, small shops and art galleries and cafes, even a shopping mews or two. How safe is this area? Well, we walk to and from restaurants in Recoleta all the time, and since dinner in BA starts at 10:00pm., we're often out quite late. Because this is the wealthiest part of BA it attracts beggars. It also attracts a heavy police presence. If the Marriott concierge desk doesn't have a walking map of Recoleta, go into the Four Seasons lobby and ask at the concierge desk for a map. You could also ask them to pinpoint the locations of each tiny shopping mews. That way you have a destination. Though wandering around happily lost is a wonderful way to experience the charms of Recoleta.

If you choose carefully, you will find that BA is sophisticated and safe, with an identity that owes something to Paris and Milan.Have I mentioned tango, food, art? It would be unfair to burden others with more of this growing novella. But if you have questions, feel free to contact me at: callmrich1@aol.com.

[harbormaster]

Hi Hobar: We did not use Patrick Watts. At the time we booked a few months ago, I contacted Patrick and he said he was not doing tours that day due to other commitments, he recommended someone else. In the end, Patrick did end up doing the trip and actually had 25 people and a caravan of 4x4s, but we felt we had committed to this other person and stuck to it. As it turned out, we were the only ones with him (usually there are 4 people to a 4x4, we got out first, were alone at Volunteer Point with the penguins, and got back sooner as well. We were happy with our choice.

[clarky]

Harbormaster, Sorry for the late reply but we just arrived home after our cruise. Hope I'm not too late to pass on the information for Valparaiso for you. Personal walking tour given by Leo who met us at the port and spent the whole day with us was CH$25.000 each. His contact details are info@rutavalparaiso.cl We had a wonderful day with him and he took us to the local market upstairs for a very local but wonderful lunch which was very inexpensive. Glad to hear you are enjoying your cruise. Please say hello to Meagan from Mrs Clark (Bunny) we named her keeper as we thought she was a real keeper.

[harbormaster]

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2011 USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

 

Ushuaia is the capital city of Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina and is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. It also is a starting out port for many Antarctica cruises. It is bounded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel. It has a population of 60,000, many of whom are descendants of English speaking settlers and who survive on sheep-raising, lumbering and fishing. Ushuaia’s subpolar oceanic climate is similar to Unalaska and Reykjavik with mean temperatures in summer of 50 F. Snow regularly occurs throughout the year.

 

We ate an early breakfast in the Colonnade and made our way to the pier to board our Beagle Channel catamaran excursion. The weather was overcast with intermittent rain and a curtain of clouds covering the mountain peaks, but the Channel was smooth as glass. This was a nature cruise for about 2-1/2 hours viewing cormorant nests, sea lions, flightless steamer ducks, albatross, lighthouse points and the beauty of the Beagle Channel. Richard’s lecture on Darwin came to life as we say many species mentioned in his journals. The wind is so strong here that trees are whipped and grow sideways making for a beautiful but haunting landscape. After the cruise we walked the town streets, but because it was Sunday, half of the stores were closed. However, we can tell you that if you want to buy a penguin in any variety, this is the place to get it!

 

As a side note, friends took the two-hour horseback riding excursion along the mountainside and said the rain stopped, the sun came out and it was very enjoyable.

 

We reboarded the ship about 1 pm and had lunch in the dining room with wonderful Vindora as our server. We were scheduled to depart at 4 pm, but the Captain announced that officials said that a regatta was going on in the harbor and, since the wind was not blowing sufficiently (in Ushuaia??) they were finishing late. We could not leave until they vacated the harbor. About 5:30 pm, we were on our way.

 

We sailed back up the Beagle Channel and are on our way to round Cape Horn at 7 am tomorrow!

 

Dinner in the Dining Room this evening was Chefs Dinner – a set menu with a choice only of Halibut or Filet Mignon, with appetizer and salad and dessert courses especially prepared by Chef Andrew Soddy. We were invited to sit with Guest Relations Manager Murat and Guest Relations Supervisor Liesl and other guests. Convivial conversation accompanied the dinner and we were astounded to learn one of our tablemates had been a wing-walker in her youth in Australia! A standout on the menu was Roast Pumpkin Risotto and the Hot Raspberry Souffle for dessert.

 

Evening entertainment was “I Write the Songs” based on Billy Joel, Elton John and Barry Manilow.” The entertainment on the ship has been good and we also particularly enjoy sitting in the club before dinner having a drink and listening to the Six of Hearts featuring Pauline. They are outstanding.

 

The staff has been so excellent, we’d like to mention a few who have gone out of their way to make this a wonderful cruise: Vindora and Christian, Andrew and Stephanie in the Restaurant, Felim and Matt who are Bar Staff, Meagan our stewardess, Murat and Jo at reception, Megan at the coffee bar and John Howell who has been outstanding.

 

MONDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2011 ROUNDING CAPE HORN AND GLACIER ALLEY

 

What an amazing, astounding once in a lifetime experience of a day we have had. This day represents why we go to sea and why Seabourn Sojourn is our ship of choice.

 

We woke early at 5am, showered and went up to the front Observation Bar at 5:45 am to get seats for our trip round Cape Horn this morning. The staff had set out coffee, juice tea and pastry already, which helped us wake up.

 

As we approached Deception Island which is often mistaken for Cape Horn, the winds outside were blowing 55 mph, with sprinkling of rain and mist. The seas however, were not overly high. About 6:30 am Cape Horn came into view and we eased our way up to the north side of Hornos Island. Kathy went out to take some photos, and the blowing wind pushed strongly against her, making her few steps become a step, blow backward, step, blow backward journey. It was exhilarating she said.

 

Cape Horn is one of the most evocative names on the map and in maritime history and sits where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet at 56 degrees south. If you were to sail east or west from Cape Horn, the next land you would reach would be Cape Horn! It is not a dramatic site, but there are gales or worse on more than 200 days per year with 20 meter waves quite common. It still is considered one of the major challenges in yachting and the Volvo Ocean Race sail around the world via the Horn and speed records for round-the –world sailing are recognized for following this route.

 

There is a small lighthouse, a chapel and a weather station operated by a handful of Chilean personnel stationed here, along with an albatross sculptural marker. The current lighthouse keeper has a one year old baby.

 

The observation lounge was filled with passengers enjoying this rounding together, and excited conversations were exchanged. Speaker Richard Cowley provided commentary on the history and maritime experiences of the area. Staff passed out delicious hot chocolate.

 

The most amazing thing is that, once we reached the northwest side of the Island and began rounding, the wind died down, the sun came out and it was smooth sailing. Cape Horn had become a calm pool. We sailed past the south side of the Horn itself, a small rock jutting out of the sea, taking myriad photos and videos, stunned with the gorgeous conditions we were experiencing. The 11th deck proved to be a great place to take unobstructed photos of the entire scene, and we recommend going up there to get the best shots.

 

The entire trip round finished by 8 am, and the Captain and other speaker John Pilkington said that they had never experienced such fantastic conditions in prior sailings. We were truly fortunate.

 

We went up to the Restaurant for breakfast, viewing the beautiful scenery as we cruised back up toward Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel once more.

 

Richard Cowley’s morning enrichment lecture was “Rivers of Ice and Mountains of Fire.” His subject was the tango and its history from the gauchos to turn of the century Buenos Aires, to present day. He accompanied his excellent and funny talk with some great, classic tango music, concluding with Carlos Gardel.

 

Team trivia was very tough again today, but our team, the Pollos Rellenos triumphed again and we remain in cumulative first place, by a hair.

 

John Pilkington, the affable and enjoyable speaker from the BBC, spoke this afternoon about “A Shipwreck, A Glacier and A Surprise.” He talked about the seafarers who’ve foundered on the Patagonian coast, took us on a flight over the stunning Moreno Glacier and told us of a last minute trip to Antarctica which left him stranded there for 18 days when his pilot took off without him! Quite a surprise and a riveting talk! Ballroom dance class with Elena and Dmitry featured, what else?, the tango.

 

For our second astounding experience, we then made our way back up to the Observation lounge for viewing of Glacier Alley in the Beagle Channel. On our way, passing Ushuaia, the sun was out and we were able to capture photos of the peaks and the city in the clear weather that we had not been able to get on our original visit.

 

The weather was a bit colder with wind, but the seas very calm as we passed the first of the astounding glaciers that soar over the channel. We have been to Alaska and loved it, but this experience is equally if not superior to the glaciers there. The height and width of them is mind-boggling.

 

We decided to go down to the back of the Sojourn, off the Club Bar to capture shots as we passed the glaciers on both sides of the ship. We, along with Claudio the Shore Excursion Manager and three other people, were the only people on the fantail there. We felt as if we were sailing our own yacht through a dream world.

 

The wind did whip as we captured shot after shot of 5 glaciers, named after countries. We felt we could touch them and the stark mountain peaks surrounding them. As we stood looking at the Romanche glacier, a rainbow appeared off the fantail and it added to the magic of the experience. The stunning hanging glacier with huge waterfall was awe inspiring. We were cold, wind shipped but joyous with the wonders we were seeing. Patagonia is an astounding, surprising place that we know we will explore further.

 

We had room service for dinner which was served exactly to our order, quickly and efficiently. As we sat and ate, another rainbow appeared just off our balcony adding an ending punctuation to our day. We watched a movie and talked about the most wondrous experience aboard the magical Sojourn.

 

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2011 PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE

 

We continued our trip overnight into the Straits of Magellan and docked at 8 am in Punta Arenas, Chile. The name means Sandy Point and it is the largest city south of the 46th parallel south, with a population of 130,000. It is recognized by its red-painted metal roofs. Excursions here included a trip to Otway Sound to see the penguins, an Estancia Tour, an 11-hour land/flight trip to Torres del Paine National Park ($1,199 pp), and a city tour. Since we had seen lots of penguins in the Falklands and a recent trip to New Zealand, we opted to take the ship’s free shuttle bus to the main square. Punta Arenas is a lovely city with colonial architecture and friendly people. In the main square, vendors had wooden carts selling penguin themed items, hand knit shawls, sweaters, and lapis jewelry. We enjoyed walking through, and then walked around the city, viewing the restored buildings and shopping at artisan shops. Surrounding the Plaza are mansions of the wealthy sheep farmers of the 19th century. About 1 pm we went down to the waterfront on O’Higgens Street to Sotitos, for lunch. We had a fantastic meal of avocado salad, fresh King Crab (for which Punta Arenas is known), and shared a plate of spit roasted lamb, paradillas style. We had a crisp Chilean Sauvignon Blanc as well. The crab and lamb were phenomenal and we highly recommend this, to Americans anyway, medium priced restaurant.

 

After our lunch we walked a bit more and took the shuttle back to the ship. A short napped restored us. We are having dinner with new friends from New Orleans at the Colonnade, which is doing a Tuscan Buffet. Tonight at 9:45 pm is the “Rock the Boat Dance Party” which features the entire Entertainment Team.

[newlondon]

Harbormaster, You are so lucky to have made all your ports. When we did this cruise last year we hit 120mph winds and could not get to Ushuaia or around the Cape. I'm very envious!!

[pater15]

Thank you so much for your postings. I can tell you love the Seabourn as much as we do. We will be passing you in Valparaiso to board the Sojourn on Dec 5th for the same trip around the horn. This will be our 10th Seabourn trip, we did the Baltic a few years back on the Sojourn. We always say that we don't care where the ship is going, as long as we are on it. However, this trip will be different as we have not been to this part of our great planet. Please keep posting as you have time....

[jocar3]

Harbormaster: We made this trip around Cape Horn on the Pride in 2009. The sea was like glass. Jan Stearman, our cruise director, and other staff members took the Kodiak ashore and with all passengers passports intact, had them all stamped with the Cape Horn stamp. Where else but on Seabourn could that happen!