The end of our South American Adventure

Devil’s Island, French Guiana

March 4, 2016

We are on the home stretch. Today we are at Devil’s Island – the infamous penal colony in French Guiana. Well, actually we are on Ile Royale, one of the three Salvation Islands, the other two being Saint-Joseph and Ile du Diable. The Salvation Islands began as a leper colony. Located seven miles off the coast of French Guiana, the penal colony was established there in 1852 by the government of Napoleon III. The original name for the colony was Bagne de Cayenne (Cayenne Penal Colony), but its prisoners coined the name “Devil’s Island.” The government stopped sending new prisoners in 1938 and closed the facility in 1952.

Our day began with a bit of adventure as the rough seas made stepping from the ship onto the tender a bit dicey. However, having survived, we began our bittersweet visit to the largest island in the archipelago. I say bittersweet because this now mostly uninhabited island saw so much hardship and death over its century of existence. 

Welcome to Devil's Island sign

Today there is a small hotel, a former guard barrack, to help accommodate the more than 50,000 tourists who visit every year, a 1928 lighthouse, and a modern radio/radar tracking station of the European Space agency where scientists monitor Ariane rocket launches from Kourou on the French Guiaa mainland seven miles away. The Guiana Space Centre has responsibility for the islands. 

Of greatest interest are the remains of the prison facilities, including housing for the wardens and their families, a small church adorned with murals painted by the prisoners, and the overgrown ruins of former prison cells. A rough dirt road allowed us to circumnavigate the island. We passed a children's cemetery. Guards and their wives who died while stationed here were buried on Ile St. Joseph and prisoners were buried at sea, which fostered the presence of sharks. 

Murals inside the church

Although the islands have no beaches, there is a "swimming pool" that was used by guards and wardens. It is protected from the heavy surf by strategically placed rocks.

The swimming pool. That's Ile du Diable in the background.

We saw squirrel monkeys and macaws – both introduced species – in the trees and around the trail, as well as agoutis, rodents native to the Caribbean and South America. They look a bit like reddish guinea pigs on stilts.

Macaw and squirrel monkey. Sorry, no pics of the agoutis.

Over the years over 80,000 prisoners were sent here, most of whom were never seen again due to harsh conditions, isolation and disease. Among its most famous residents was Alfred Dreyfus, the Jewish French military officer accused of espionage and later exonerated. A recent book about this is An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris.  He was kept in isolation in a small cottage on Ile du Diable which we could see from Ile Royale.

Dreyfus isolation hut on Ile du Diable

Only three prisoners escaped successfully. The first was Clement Duval, a French anarchist who escaped in April 1901 and found sanctuary in the U.S. The second, and probably most famous, was Henri Charriere, who successfully escaped in 1941. The book, Papillion, and subsequent movie tells this story vividly. The third escapee we discovered from a framed newspaper article at the entry to the church. His name was Rene Belbenoit and he, too, received sanctuary in the U.S.

Belbenoit before (above) and after escape

At the tender pier, as we were preparing to return to the ship, we saw sea turtles nibbling at the rocks. This was a day filled with sad reminders of inhumane treatment. It was also a day filled with wildlife, for which the sea turtles provided a fitting end.

Now we are off to the Caribbean with stops scheduled on Barbados and St. Thomas. This is my final post for this blog. 

Cruising the Amazon

Thursday, February 25, 2016

After a day at sea we entered the Amazon in the wee hours of this morning and later made the second of our three crossings of the equator. The Amazon is wider than we had expected and is light brown due to all the sand and silt. We have been asked to conserve water and reuse towels until March 1 because the ship cannot produce fresh water onboard due to the poor quality of the river water and the sediment that clogs up the ship’s evaporators. We are covered in insect repellant as we sit on our balcony and enjoy the views of rainforest, houses on stilts, and the comings and goings of river busses, motorized canoes, and the occasional pink dolphin.

Amazon river scene

Santarem, Brazil

Friday, February 26, 2016

Our first stop is Santarem where we share dock space with several river busses. These are the “public transportation” of the Amazon. Boats are the only means of travel from town to town. Trips on the river busses take several days and most passengers bring their own hammocks for sleeping. The decks of the busses are filled with hammocks, next to which are bags and food for the journey.

River busses along the shore in Satarem

River bus passenger with hammocks behind

River scene in Santarem

Santarem is one of the oldest cities in the Brazilian Amazon. It was founded in 1661 and named after the historic city in Portugal. A boom and bust city, over the years the city’s fortunes have risen and fallen on timber, rubber, coffee and gold mining. Today the city is prospering due to the global demand for soybeans so there are several soybean silos at the harbor. Acres of rain forest south of town are now being cleared to allow for planting soybeans.

The city is located on the Tapajos River. There is an obvious line where the Tapajos meets the Amazon due to the contrast in water color. The Tapajos is blue and the Amazon is brown.

Meeting of the waters

As we sailed toward the city we saw pink dolphins (yes, pink) cavorting near the ship. Once docked, we took the shuttle to the center of town – the Praca do Pescadores – the walked about two miles back to the ship along the promenade past craft and food markets. We saw a number of vendors with literally hundreds of colorful hammocks for sale. As noted earlier, these are necessary for travel along the river. And due to the humid climate, they wear out quickly so people are always having to replace them.

As we walked along the shore we saw hundreds of boats large and small, as well as lots of fishermen using nets. It’s quite colorful. We also saw the charming blue church – a prominent feature. We rescued a beautiful large moth from certain death in the busy roadway. Moths are as prevalent as butterflies here, and just as beautiful.

The moth we saved (we hope)

Blue church in Satarem

When we returned to the ship in the afternoon the river busses that had been loading people, cars (in some cases) and cargo that morning were all gone. Later we saw new vessels arriving.

Boca Da Valeria, Brazil

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Today was our most interesting day so far. Boca Da Valeria is a tiny trading village along the Amazon with a population of 120 people, known as caboclos – a mix of indigenous and Portuguese heritage. The dock of the village sits near the mouth of a small tributary we accessed by tender.

The tender taking passengers to the dock

We were greeted by many children all holding small exotic pets – baby sloths, parrots, etc. The idea is you take their pictures and pay $1. I took a bag of some of the chocolates we have left on our pillows each night and became immediately popular with the children. When tourists like us visit it is a holiday – the school closes and the villagers come out enmass to sell crafts, take visitors on boat rides further up the tributary to the village, and generally make a few extra dollars. Although poor by our standards, they live in thriving, in-tact families along the tributary. BTW, the Amazon has over 1100 tributaries, with 17 being more than 1000 miles long. Anyone who has read Ann Patchett’s book, State of Wonder, will appreciate the role these tributaries play in Amazon life.

Making friends in Boca De Valeria

We hired a small boat ($10 for one hour) to take us to the village. Our guide is in his 50s and has 30 grandchildren, four of whom helped escort us around. We saw the new school and met the principal. The computer lab was filled with older equipment, but at least there was one. John got the principal’s contact information to share with local Rotarians in Sharon who may send needed funds via Rotary International. We made a small donation.

Sailing to the village

With the "grandchildren" at the village

As we traveled along the river we saw houses – most built on stilts to accommodate the high waters during rainy season. Most also had electricity and some had satellite dishes. But we also saw outhouses which leads us to assume that indoor plumbing may be a luxury most do not have. We did not ask.

The water level of this small river changes by as much as 8 feet, so the boats have outboard motors with extended propellers that can be raised and lowered to adjust to the depth of the water.

This opportunity to get up-close and personal with residents who live in isolated, difficult-to-access areas along the Amazon was very special.

Manaus, Brazil

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

We are now deep into the Amazon, approximately 850 miles from the mouth of the river, docked at Manaus, the “Paris of the Amazon,” for two days.  It is located four miles from “the meeting of the waters” where the Rio Solimoes meets the Rio Negro to become the Amazon. Population is 1.6 million.

Manaus skyline

Settled by the Portuguese in the 17^th century, the city boomed in the late 19^th century as the sole source of rubber world wide. That brought many very wealthy Europeans who built magnificent mansions and the world famous Teatro Amazonas, the Customs House (built with bricks used as ballast on the arriving ships), and the Mercado Municipal Adolfo Lisboa, a public market designed to look like the Les Halles market in Paris.

Teatro Amazona

Inside the teatro

Our tour the first day included drive-bys of the major landmarks, a tour of the Teatro – where world-famous opera stars performed – and a visit to the beach and hotel on the Rio Negro. This was a Sunday, so traffic was light. The Teatro – which still features performances – is located on an historic square surrounded by buildings that have been restored. The government pays of all up-keep on these buildings, all of which are privately owned. Also on the square, kitty-corner from the Teatro, is a lovely old church with a single spire instead of the usual two. This church was for the poor and the slaves, as opposed to the more ornate church with two spires for the wealthy. After slavery was abolished and a bit more societal equity realized, the monks who run the church were encouraged to erect the second spire. They refused and used the funds instead to feed the poor.

The single spire church on the square

The harbor is filled with the river busses alluded to earlier. Unfortunately, other buildings in the port area, some covered in beautiful Portuguese tiles, are no longer in use and have been allowed to deteriorate. Manaus, like the other Brazilian cities we have visited since Rio, is shabby and showing the effects of this massive Brazilian recession.

On the second day we walked through busy streets lined with shoe stores up the hill back to the square where the Teatro and church are located. There we had what may have been our best meal on the entire trip – grilled Piranha. Really, it was delicious!

Now we will turn around to head back toward the Atlantic. We have one more stop on the Amazon.

Parintins, Brazil

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Today we arrived at our final Amazon stop, the small city of Parintins. This little city’s claim to fame is the largest Boi Bumba competition/festival in Brazil. The special 35,000-seat stadium, built specifically for the festival is in the shape of a bull’s head. Boi Bumba involves a parade of human and animal characters, and fanciful creatures from Brazilian Indian mythology, and celebrates a 19^th century fable about a resurrected ox. In the competition two teams, Garantido and Caprichoso, compete in extended retellings of the story. Each team attempts to outdo the other with flamboyant dances, dazzling costumes, singing, and parade floats.

There are no roads to this 200-year-old city of 100,000. We anchored in the river and took the tender to the pier where we were greeted with not only a very modern terminal building, but a modern convention center across a street filled with artisan booths. Up the road a short way is the municipal market with fish, meats, vegetables and assorted herbs.

We had a small misunderstanding when John and Bob went off to find cachaça, a Brazilian brew made from sugar cane, while Toya and I waited in the artisan area. At one point we saw them crossing the bridge on the way back, and then we didn’t see them again. When it was time to take the last tender back to the ship we couldn’t wait any longer and returned to the ship where, guess what, we found both. They had assumed that we were going back to the ship, so they didn’t even look for us when they returned. All ended well, however, with just a little anxiety.

Tomorrow, March 2^nd, will be our last day cruising the Amazon. During that night the ship will reach the mouth of the Amazon. This is truly one of the most amazing rivers anywhere. The flow of its water exceeds that of the next seven largest rivers in the world combined. The river’s water enters the Atlantic in such volume it extends 120 miles into the ocean and takes six hours for the ship to reach natural salt water.

Next stop is Devil’s Island, French Guiana. 

In preparation for sailing to the Caribbean, our resident penguins got into some "island life."

Between Rio and the Amazon

Ilheus, Brazil

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

At the beach in Ilheus (pronounced eel-yea-ush)

With statue of author Jorge Amado in front of his home

Another small (by Brazilian Standards) city with the usual square, church and small shops, Ilheus is nothing special. Many of our fellow passengers agree that we could have skipped this stop. Only three memorable things: 1. Author Jorge Amado’s home where he penned his first novel, 2. good dark chocolate from the former “cocoa coast”, and 3. lunch in a “not-tourist” restaurant (thanks to John’s ability to speak Portuguese). That last, however, caused us to miss our anniversary dinner this evening as something John ate made him sick. Nothing serious, but dinner was in the cabin and consisted of broth and crackers. Neither Toya, Bob nor I were similarly afflicted. 

Salvador, Brazil

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Unlike Ilheus, Salvador is a major city and the original capital city of Brazil. We docked within walking distance of the historic district, so no shuttle busses are required. Next to our ship is The World, a ship on which all cabins are privately owned condominiums. We had heard of this and one other ship with private residences, but this is the first time we have actually seen one.

The World, a private residence cruise ship

A short walk through the Mercado Modelo – a busy tourist market housed in the original Customs House built in 1867, and we arrive at the Elevador Lacerda. Built in 1868, this tower with four elevators transports us (for the princely sum of fifteen centavos – about four cents US) to the restored historic center at the top of the mountain.

Salvador is considered the cultural capital of Brazil. It was founded in 1549 and was a major port for sugarcane and slave trade. Thousands of slaves brought to Brazil 400 ago to work in the sugarcane plantations makes Salvador Brazil’s most Africanized city. From religious traditions like Candomble to music and art, the African influence is evident everywhere.

The historic district is filled with narrow cobblestone streets, lovely squares surrounded by Colonial-era buildings, and 16 of the city’s more than 318 churches. The “ladies in white”, reminders of the slave women who tended the homes and helped raise the children, were everywhere ready to pose for pictures. This is a city that has never forgotten its slave roots and honors the memory of those who labored. In front of the old customs house is a monument to the days when cruel owners brought their recalcitrant slaves for public flogging.

With one of the lovely "ladies in white" - although not all are dressed in white.

John’s ability to speak Portuguese allowed us to hire a pedal-cab for a short tour. However, it was so hot and the streets were so hilly that we got off before the appointed time, paid off the exhausted driver and walked. In addition to sugar cane, Salvador was an important port for the country’s gemstones and gold, so jewelry shops are everywhere. Gemstone prices in Brazil are quite a bargain and we picked up some green Amethyst earrings for a song!

We stopped at a little café for a beer where we saw a beautiful elderly woman in African-style dress. She appeared to be known to the staff and held court in one corner of the dining room. Here, near the Equator, beer is served in glass bottles encased in individual coolers (see the picture) to keep it cold.

Keeping cool in Salvador

A little more shopping and then back to the ship.

Belem, Brazil

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

We stopped in two more cities – Maceio on the 19^th and Recife on the 20^th – and spent two days at sea before arriving in Belem. This is our last port before entering the Amazon. Rubber made Belem rich in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Today it is an important trading center for fish, shrimp and timber. This is a tender port, but near the pier are the markets and a delightfully restored dock area filled with shops and restaurants.

We wandered through the market past vast quantities of dried and fresh fish, meats, vegetables and other assorted foods as well as crafts and, of course, souvenir tee shirts and caps. Then we walked through several blocks filled with various shops selling shoes, clothing and other retail items. Belem is an  infrastructure-challenged city where stepping off a curb requires stepping over an open drainage conduit. No wonder mosquitoes thrive here.

In the restored Docks complex we enjoyed a little air-conditioned shopping, caprinas and snacks while waiting out the rain before boarding the tender for our trip back to the ship. We sailed at 9:00 p.m. through several thunder storms. The lightening was spectacular! Now it’s on to the Amazon for a week.

Rio, beautiful Rio

February 14, 2016 – Day one

After two days at sea and a stop in Santos – Brazil’s largest port, but otherwise simply a bland city with a nice beach – we arrived in Rio. Last night – my birthday – we attended a special Valentine’s Day wine dinner where a lovely violin/piano duo played “Happy Birthday” for me.

We have heard so much about the polluted waters, the extreme poverty, and the crime that we were a bit apprehensive about this visit. What we saw as we sailed toward the city was unbelievable beauty. The city wraps itself around the mammoth granite mountains and along the many beaches. It is possibly one of the most beautiful cities we have ever seen.

For the first day we booked a shore excursion through the ship that featured highlights of Rio and a trip to see the big guy atop Corcovado Mountain. There is massive construction in preparation for the Summer Olympic Games in August. We are not optimistic that it will be finished in time.  We were also not optimistic about our own survival as we waited in a large warehouse full of busses with running motors before boarding our assigned bus and beginning our tour. But survive we did. When we did leave the warehouse we were greeted by the sight of several large floats from Carnival traveling to the next celebration. The various neighborhoods host Carnival events on various nights during the week. Today is the last day.

This was a Sunday, so the traffic was light. The streets are lined with large trees that provide much needed shade and relief from the heat. This was a pleasant surprise in such a large city as the trees were not confined to merely a few special avenues.  As we drove we saw the Yacht Club (in Portuguese – Iate Clube) on the infamous polluted bay that is supposed to host the sailing events for the Olympics. The bay beach was virtually empty on a hot Sunday due to the pollution.

When we arrived at the Tijuca Forest at Corcovado Mountain we boarded a 115-year-old cogwheel tram for the trip through the forest up the top. On the way up we were talking with two young people out sightseeing, but still suffering the effects of some late-night Carnival partying. One was an American who has been living in Rio for several years. Her friend is from France and works for Microsoft.

At the feet atop Corcovado

The trip up is so steep that at some points I had to hold on to keep from falling out of my seat since I was sitting with my back to the front of the car. In addition to the tram there is a very winding road to the top for cars and small vans. At the end of the ride we boarded elevators, followed by a choice of either an escalator or 230 stairs (we chose the escalator) to the 2,400-foot summit. There, at the foot of the 125-foot tall granite covered in soapstone statue, we were treated to amazing views of the city, sea, and countryside. We were lucky to be here on a clear day, so our views were unobstructed. Truly awe-inspiring.    

Before heading back down the mountain we stopped for a drink at the café where we had another interesting conversation with a young man from Egypt who laments what is happening in his country and how the government and the people no longer seem to care about keeping the cities clean and caring for the country’s historical monuments.

While waiting for our return tram we were entertained by monkeys in the tree-tops feeding. One was a female with her baby riding on her back. On the way down I was seated facing up, so no worries about falling out of my seat. John, seated in front of me, got into a conversation with two young Brazilian men from Sao Paulo. They spoke excellent English, but were “charmed” by John’s Portuguese. Not only is his Portuguese from Portugal – a different accent than Brazilian – but it is also a bit different from “modern” Portuguese since it is no longer his primary language and has not evolved.

The show on board tonight was a “Celebration of Carnival” with lots of samba music, dancing and beautiful, scantily=clad Brazilian women. At the end the show continued out of the theater and to the reception area of the ship. The average age of passengers on this cruise is 73, which means the ship is usually very quiet. But not tonight!

February 15, 2016 – Rio Day Two

Today we booked a private tour with Seattle friends Brook and Sharon. We started at Sugar Loaf Mountain – two mountains linked together by cable cars. Again we enjoyed a spectacular view of Rio. Although not as panoramic, these views were more intimate because we were not so high. At the top of the first of the two mountains we walked along an elevated walkway through the tree-tops. Although we saw signs instructing us not to feed he monkeys, unfortunately we never saw any.

The cable car system taking visitors to the tops of the two mountains was completed in 1914, and the story of how they were constructed is the subject of an interesting exhibit on the first segment. Also included are two of the earlier cars as well as life-size bronze statues of the founders.

With one of the first cable cars and the engineer at Sugar Loaf

After a delicious lunch at the famous Copacabana Beach we visited the amazing Escaladora Solara. This is a stairway whose sides and steps are covered in thousands of colorful tile squares from all over the world. It was built by a rich man in memory of his young wife and unborn child who had been killed in an accident. We did not climb to the top due to the heat, but learned later we had made a wise decision because the top of the staircase is at the base of a favela where lots of “dodgy” characters hang out. 

At the Solara stairs

Even we merited a tile!

So, goodbye beautiful Rio. We are off to Ilheaus.

Two days in Buenos Aires

Day One – comings and goings

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Lots of activity this morning as over 130 of our fellow passengers left the ship – including several we have grown fond of. We said goodbye to Lew and Theresa from Washington DC; to Ian and Elspeth from Edinburgh, Scotland; and to Jurg and Elo from Switzerland. Even with new passengers coming aboard, we are now 70 fewer – lots of extra cabins!

This is a large, very busy container port so passengers are not allowed to walk from the ship to the terminal. Instead we board shuttle busses for the 10-minute ride to the terminal building where we meet our tour bus, and where others catch taxis or book private tours. In addition to the Prinsendam’s many disembarking and embarking passengers, two other cruise ships were boarding very large numbers for cruises that originated in Buenos Aires. It’s a busy place.

As we got off our shuttle bus to begin our two-day tour we saw friends from last year’s world cruise, Jay and Barbara from England, waiting to board. They will be with us the rest of the journey to Fort Lauderdale.

This afternoon we began our two-day adventure exploring this beautiful city. It is called the “Paris of South America” and we can see why. It has a very European feel in both its architecture and ambiance. Traffic is light because it’s Fat Tuesday, the last day of the Carnival celebration.

Our guide, Paola, gave us a rather detailed history of the Eva Peron era. It is apparent that Eva is still revered here as she is the reason there are social services here today. We visited a monument to her constructed at the site of the house in which she died – which had been torn down by the elites who had fought her efforts to help the workers. We also visited Eva’s grave in the famous Recoleta Cemetery. Ironically she is interred there surrounded by the mausoleums of the social elite in Argentina who hated her so much. The door to her mausoleum is always adorned with fresh flowers.

           At Evita's tomb.

As we passed under the over-pass of a relatively new highway we saw a monument in the dirt to the hundreds of people whose bodies had been found there as the excavations for the highway began. They are among the hundreds – maybe thousands – of the “disappeared” who were incarcerated and never heard from again during one of Argentina’s several repressive military regimes.

Remembering the "disappeared."

We are amazed how Buenos Aires continues to thrive in spite of near constant upheaval in the national government. After only 30 years of a fragile democracy the country is once again in military hands – the Peronistas. They are the reason the mayor of Buenos Aires decided to erect a statue of Peron so many years after his death.

The Plaza de Mayo, the main square, is currently occupied by the tents of hundreds of protestors against the current government policies which are privatizing many services and reducing social services. Many of the banners mention Evita. There are also references to the “mothers’ movement” seeking information about their missing sons and relatives who are still unaccounted for as part of the “disappeared.” A group of army veterans from the Falkland War (the war of the Malvinas) whose veteran benefits have been ended have occupied the square for the past eight years. The square is adjacent to the Casa Rosada – the pink government building. This is where the crowds that cheered Evita gathered, so if you saw the movie, you will recognize the building.

Another highlight of our tour was the 75-foot metal flower. Located in one of Buenos Aires many beautiful parks, it opens and closes daily with the light. Paola told us that the flower broke on the day its creator died, but has since been repaired.

Giant flower sculpture

We had an early dinner in an Argentinian steak house in Puerto Madero. This area is the old dock-lands of the city that fell into neglect after construction of the new port in 1926. A regeneration project begun in 1989 has transformed the area into a fashionable neighborhood of apartments, shops and restaurants. Because we were unfashionably early, there were not many people about. An elderly gentleman from our bus had his Rolex watch stolen while there. It is difficult to generate much sympathy, however, since we have received numerous warnings about not wearing expensive jewelry and avoiding walking alone. He was doing both.

In the evening we were treated to a tango show at one of the city’s most famous tango theaters. Tango is enjoying a renaissance today. There are tango clubs all over the city where the young people visit to dance the nights away. Jay, our friend from the world cruise who just boarded this ship today was a dance host on the Amsterdam. He and Barbara have just spent the last three weeks here perfecting their tango!  The tango show clubs are a bit like the Fado Houses in Lisbon.

As we were returning to the ship about 10:00 p.m. we passed a long line of ship’s crew members just leaving to “paatee” the night away. Buenos Aires has a very vibrant night club scene that kicks off about 11:00 each night and lasts into the wee hours. Ah, to be young again.

Day two – the neighborhoods

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

This morning we were off again to visit the neighborhoods of San Telmo and La Boca – two of Buenos Aires’ most historical and artistic centers. At the Plaza Dorrego in the San Telmo neighborhood – where independence from Spain was sworn in 1816, we had coffee in an historic coffee house with our guide and friends, Toya and Bob from Chicago. The rest of our fellow tourers were at the Starbucks across the street using the Wi-Fi. Go figure.

With Toya, Paola and Bob at San Telmo coffee house

Then on to La Boca – a fun, busy, colorful neighborhood with lots of tango dancers on the street and many artists. The walls of the buildings are painted many vivid colors and covered with murals. This was the area where approximately 6 million immigrants from Italy, Spain and Central Europe landed at the port between 1880 and 1930. Being short of supplies to paint their newly-built houses, the residents used whatever leftover paint they could find from the shipyard. The result is varied, to say the least. After roaming around the open-air market, “La Caminito”, among all the shops and craft and artist stalls, we ended up purchasing a print from a man who was minding several artists’ stands. Snoozing on a chair behind the easels was a cat. Although it is a stray, it comes here every day where the man feeds it. Not exactly a pet, but almost. I did get to have a small “kitty fix”.

At home among the art stalls

As the tour was ending we had the choice of getting off at the central, up-scale shopping center on Florida Avenue and taking the ship’s shuttle back later, or returning with the tour. We got off and enjoyed mingling with the crowds, walking up and down the wide pedestrian through way. We had a light lunch at a small sandwich shop. Later, as we approached an intersection on our way back to the shuttle stop, we were delighted to spot Lew and Theresa, who were spending a few days in Buenos Aires before flying home to DC.

And so, we bid adios to Buenos Aires. Next stop, Santos, Brazil. We will be in Brazil for almost two weeks.

Old and new in Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay

February 8, 2016

After two days at sea, today we arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay. What a change in the weather – from daily highs in the 50s to today’s expected 80s. The past two days have been bitter sweet as we have said goodbye to friends who are departing in Buenos Aires tomorrow. We have exchanged cards and promises to keep in touch. We have invites to visit in Switzerland and Edinburgh. Over 130 of our fellow travelers are leaving the ship in Buenos Aires, and although new passengers will be boarding, we will finish the journey with 70 fewer guests.

We are docked near the city and can easily walk into town – our favorite situation – no shuttles needed! Although we had scheduled a tour that included a drive around town and a trip to a winery, we cancelled in favor of simply exploring on our own. This is a wonderfully walkable city, although eerily quiet for city of 1.5 million. That’s because today is the second day of the three-day Carnival. We saw confetti left over from the previous night’s celebrations. However, the architecture and squares are charming and, as the day progressed, we saw lots of families out enjoying their holiday.

Montevideo skyline

Uruguay is the smallest country in South America and wedged between Argentina and Brazil. It has a distinctly European feel to it. Montevideo flows from its Old City – Ciudad Vieja – on the peninsula to the New City – Ciudad Nuevo – a bit more inland. A lovely “gate” marks the end of the Old and the beginning of the new. We walked from the pier, past the old gate and through the Plaza Indepencia, all the way into the new city along the main shopping street Avenida 18 de Julio, where we had lunch at a little pastry shop next to another square. Montevideo has done a wonderful job of preserving its architecture intermingled with newer design buildings.

At the gate between old and new Montevideo

On the way back to the ship we found a lovely little shop – Esencia Uruguay – that specialized in Uruguayan wines and chocolates, so we bought some chocolate and a couple of bottles of wine. Wine making is a relatively new industry for Uruguay, so they have a way to go to match the quality of neighboring Argentina.

All in all, it was a pleasant day – although we had to learn to handle the heat again after the previous weeks in the Antarctic. Rain was in the forecast but, luckily, it held off until we were back aboard.

Strange floating junkyard of old ships

Tonight was celebration of Chinese New Year on the ship, so staff was decked out in Asian-style garb. We attended a special wine dinner featuring Asian cuisine.  Now we’re off to Buenos Aires for two days.

Penguins and off-roading in the Falklands

February 5, 2016

After a very rocky day at sea with 20-foot waves, we were delighted to awaken to sunshine, calm seas, and land – Port Stanley, capital of the Falkland Islands. The Falklands is known for its isolation, its barren terrain, its role as the center of a conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982, and, most of all, for its sheep. With a population of fewer than 3,000 people, it is estimated that there are about 500 sheep per person.

We weren’t sure we would be able to visit today as yesterday’s weather had been so inhospitable. Ships – and lots of cruise ships visit here – sometimes have to skip this port because the seas are too rough for the tenders to make the trip safely from the ship to land. About ten years ago a sister ship of ours, the Amsterdam (on which we circumnavigated the globe in 2015) was anchored here. Many of its passengers were ashore when an unexpected storm came in that prevented the tenders from running and stranded the passengers. The local residents rallied and took in the stranded passengers overnight, providing accommodations, food, and, in some cases, prescription medicines. Now, before every cruise ship season (October – March or April), the local authorities take an inventory of who has rooms available and how many are handicapped accessible in order to prepare to offer assistance if needed.

Our tour today was to Volunteer Point, a major nesting ground for King, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins. This was a 7-hour tour that forced us to get up several hours earlier than our preferred time. Four hours of the tour were spent in a Land Rover (two hours each way) to cover the 47 miles from town.  Twelve miles of the trip (both ways) was off-road, and I do mean OFF! If we had thought the seas had been rough the day before, that was absolutely calm compared to the ride we had to Volunteer Point. We drove in and out of peat-boggy holes, up and down nearly vertical hills. It was so rough that my FitBit recorded about 8,000 “steps” which were “earned” on the drive.

Our driver, Elsa, is the co-owner with her daughter of Estancia Excursions (www.estancia-excursions.com) and a 6^th generation Falkland Islander. The company is named after her farm of approximately 13 thousand acres with 3000 sheep. We passed it on our way to volunteer point. The “real road” on which we traveled from Stanley the first 35 miles of the journey, before going off-road, was not much more than a gravel country road that did not exist until about 1985 – after the UK and Argentine war.  Elsa said that while it now takes a bit over an hour to get to town, before 1985 it took 3 hours to get to town. Most of the farms are situated on inlets because, without roads, the farmers had to send wool, and receive supplies via boat. Or drive for miles over rugged terrain and over rocky mountains. 

The country side, in addition to peat bogs, has many rock rivers. They look like glaciers, but with rocks instead of ice. They are the result of the large rock mountains expanding and contracting over the years until finally they break down into rivers of rock. When the road was constructed in 1985, geologists had their first opportunity to measure how deep the rock rivers were.

Elsa pointed out various sites from the war, including a mine field where Africans from Nairobi are working very methodically to clear the existing mines. We also saw the remains of two downed Argentine helicopters as well as sites where both British and Argentine troops had been positioned. Elsa and her family hosted a group of British paratroopers in their home at Estancia. The local farmers turned up in force with tractors and 4 x 4 vehicles to transport the troops to a vantage point. Our friend Bob, who took the “war” tour instead of visiting the penguins, said the Argentines might have won if they had not made a strategic mistake – showing up. ;-)

Nairobi workers clearing mines from the field

Volunteer Point is a beautiful 2-mile stretch of white-sand beach. The penguins’ rookeries were nearby and, as it was hatching season, the adult penguins made a constant trip from the rookery to the sea and back with food for the babies. The chicks are very curious and, if you are quiet and still, will come very close to check you out. We saw one Gentoo chick literally “posing” for one of our fellow passengers. Down the beach are large numbers of adolescent and “teen” chicks that have been pushed out to fend for themselves while mom and dad are busy feeding the newer hatchlings. One small group was in various stages of molting. One in particular, whose remaining baby feathers made it seem as if he was wearing a ruffled collar, seemed to enjoy our attention.

Magellenic penguins burrow, so you have to watch where you’re stepping. In one case we spied one hiding in his burrow. As we peeked inside, he put his back tail out the burrow hole and proceeded to poop for our benefit.

Gentoo penguin colony

Magellanic penguin in burrow

On Volunteer Beach

The penguins and your truly

Nose to nose with curious king penguin

Junior king penguin showing off - when he finishes molting his colored areas will be orange instead of yellow.

Down to the sea in shifts - king penguins

Out for a stroll

It was an interesting and tiring day. I think we are officially penguined out – a bit how we felt after seeing our umpteenth pagoda in Myanmar and Indonesia last year.

Now we have two days at sea coming up before our next stop – Montevideo, Uruguay on the 8^th.