In 2015 Suzi and I are doing something very different, we are taking a long cruise around South America. These posts chronicle that cruise.
March 16, 2015, Sitka, Alaska How could this be my 75th post for a 68 day cruise? OK, one post was anticipation and this one is a coda, written after we got home but still… I averaged more than one … Continue reading Coda, Prinsendam Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage
February 11, 2020, Santiago, Chile. The shore lecturer said that there was not much to do in San Antonio, the container port for Chile’s capital Santiago, but there were a lot of tours that the cruise line offered to take … Continue reading Too Many Pisco Sours.
When we got to the Parque Nacional Vincente Perez after our taxi ride with Maurice we did what I love doing in Sitka National Park, we took a walk. Instead of along the coastline and through the spruce forest punctuated … Continue reading Parque Nacional Vincente Perez Rosales.
February 9. 2020, Puerto Montt, Chile Muerto Montt, Dead Montt, that is what Lonely Planet says the locals call Puerto Montt, our latest port of call. Lonely planet is not impressed. It claims there’s not much to see here. Generally, … Continue reading Muerto Montt
February 8, 2020, Northern Chilean Fjords off Melchior Island The taxi driver in Puerto Montt is using Google Translate to communicate. He is telling us what the people like to eat. “We like beef and dairy products, and with salmon … Continue reading With Salmon We Are Fed Up
February, 7, 2020, Innocence Island through Conception Canal to Trinidad Canal. Chile In the past 10 months I have had the fun of cruising fjords on 4 continents. At home in Alaska cruising the waters around Sitka and in Prince … Continue reading From Innocence to Conception
February 6, 2020 Punta Arenas, Chile Punta Arenas has seen better days. At least the Plaza Muñoz Gamero, has also seen better days. It’s the city’s main plaza with its statue of Ferdinand Magellan. In November a riot ran through … Continue reading The Joy of the Moment
February 5, 2020, Beagle Channel, Chile Beagle Channel is one of two shortcuts avoiding Cape Horn, the other is the Strait of Magellan further to the North. Beagle Channel was named after the British Survey ship HMS Beagle, commanded by … Continue reading Glacier Alley
February 5, 2020, Ushuaia, Argentina I feel right at home in Ushuaia. The town runs along the channel and streets rise quickly from the front street. Snow capped mountains tower above the town, boats are in the harbor, cruise ships … Continue reading Juneau on Steroids
February 4, 2020, Beagle Channel between Chile and Argentina I mean that literally. We actually sailed (motored, steamed) around Cape Horn Island allowing us to see the cape from every possible approach. I suspect that with the power of Amsterdam … Continue reading ‘Round the Horn.
January 28, 2020, Off of Port Stanley, Falkland Islands There’s no sleeping in on port days in this stateroom. The tender hangs right outside our window and as soon as the ship anchors we hear the whine of the engines … Continue reading Looking for the Vicar of Bray
January 25, 2020, Montevideo, Uruguay Just before sail out I looked to the Stern of Amsterdam and saw some ships over on their sides. I was thinking I didn’t think the tide range was that big in the River Platt. … Continue reading Graveyard for Ships
January 25, 2020, Montevideo, Uruguay We had nothing in particular planned for Montevideo, Uruguay this morning, just get off the ship and watch what happens. Suzi asked “what will you do for a blog post.” I said if a story … Continue reading Future Imperfect
January 24, 2010 Buenos Aires Normally I like a narrative post with stories to go with my pictures. This post is stretch. Ataneo Grand Splendid Books is my second favorite bookstore in the world. It’s an old theater, restored, but … Continue reading My Second Favorite Bookstore in the World.
January 23, 2020, Buenos Aires. One year ago, my dollar would buy just under 38 Argentine pesos. Today it buys somewhere around 62 at the official rate and 80 on the black market. Argentina has undergone massive inflation and devaluation. … Continue reading Black and Blue Tango
January 22, 2020, Iguassu Falls National Park, Argentina The movie “The Mission” opens with a dramatic scene where a Jesuit missionary priest is tied to a cross by angry Guarani people and sent down a towering waterfall. That fall is … Continue reading All Senses Engaged
January 21, 2020, Iguazu, Argentina. When you check into the Grand Hotel Melia Iguazu on the Argentine side the clerk reminds you to keep the door to your balcony closed. If you don’t, monkeys will come in and rob your … Continue reading Is That a Serbian Flag?
January 21, Iguassu Falls, Brazil Lonely planet describes it as a conga line and they are not far from wrong. The Brazilian side of Iguassu falls is crowded with people walking along catwalks from one scenic point to another, stopping … Continue reading A Conga Line (Iguassu Falls, Brazil)
January 20, 2020 Rio You know you’re in Rio when you stand on the rooftop of a Copacabana hotel. Eyes left you see Sugarloaf. Eyes right, you see Copacabana fort. Eyes forward you have Copacabana Beach. Eyes down the Copa … Continue reading Intermission
January 19. 2020, Rio In San Francisco an earthquake brought down the Embarcadero freeway giving the city a chance to revitalize its waterfront making it more pleasant for pedestrians, streetcars and allowing a vibrant waterfront district to emerge. Seattle is … Continue reading Planned Graffiti
January 19, 2020, Rio In Brazil Samba is a major league sport. Every Carnival 12 “samba schools” (teams) compete in Rio’s Sambadrome to see who will “win the Carnival.” Perhaps, more importantly they are trying to make sure they don’t … Continue reading Premier League Samba
On our way to the “Venice and Brazil” tour the bus took us to the “Cultural Center,” which is an old prison with cells converted into stalls for crafts people. The bus took us past the old fort, through downtown. … Continue reading Stay Safe in Recife.
We are not booking many tours on this trip but are getting off the ship to see what we can see. However, in Recife I wanted to take the “Venice of Brazil” tour, that would take us on a ride … Continue reading Amsterdam in Brazil, Canals and Tolerance
This is the second post from Belem, it is a continuation of the last post Delta Town, Belem Brazil. The first set of pictures are of boats on the river. This next gallery of photos is from our drive to … Continue reading Life on the Amazon, Belem Brazil
January 13, 2020, Belem Brazil You could say the riverfront of Belem, Brazil has gone to seed but gone to spore is more accurate. Along the river old buildings, some must have been grand in their day, covered with Portuguese … Continue reading Delta Town, Belem, Brazil