Steak, Hold the Salt
February 9, 2015 Buenos Aires, Argentina, Suzi and I decided to look at the lights of Buenos Aries. We arrived at the Obelisk in the Plaza of the Republic, which sits in the middle of July 9 Avenue, the widest … Continue reading Steak, Hold the Salt
Four Icons in Buenos Aires
February 9, 2015 Buenos Aires, Argentina Today seemed to be a battle of icons and it fought itself out in many different visual images and in discussions. There are four icons in Buenos Aires, two are almost universally loved, and … Continue reading Four Icons in Buenos Aires
Forty Seven Years Late
Feb 8, 2015 Montevideo, Uruguay “Travelers see what they see, tourists see what they came to see.” GK Chesterton. We honestly didn’t know what we came to see in Montevideo. Forty seven years ago Suzi and I came within a … Continue reading Forty Seven Years Late
Recycled Carnival
February 8, 2015 Montevideo, Uruguay A week from tonight we plan to be at the Sunday night carnival parade in Rio. Today we are in Montevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo’s carnival lasts for 40 days, starting the 40 days before Ash Wednesday. … Continue reading Recycled Carnival
Surrounded by Acres of … Penguins!
Bertha Beach is the home of Gentoo Penguins. Some look a little rough, they are in the middle of their annual molt. They have finished fledging their chicks, took a swim out to feed and now have to sit very … Continue reading Surrounded by Acres of … Penguins!
Falkland Four Wheel
February 5, 2011 Stanley, Falkland Islands Dear Friends, Patrick Watts advertises a very nice Falkland tour in 4 wheel drive vehicles. He commissions locals who own the cars to take us around, four people to a car. Our driver was … Continue reading Falkland Four Wheel
Antarctic Coda
It’s a day at sea after the Falklands and the Captain, the Expedition Leader (A professor from New Zealand), the Ice Pilot (a retired USCG admiral with 16 years’ experience on heavy icebreakers) and the Chief Engineering Officer are giving … Continue reading Antarctic Coda
Antarctic Metropolis and Teflon Rocks
February 3, 2015 King George Island, Antarctica. I was startled when I got an SMS message sailing into Admiralty Bay on King George Island. King George is the largest of the South Shetland Islands off the coast of Antarctica and … Continue reading Antarctic Metropolis and Teflon Rocks
Ice Bergs, History and Politics
February 3, 2015 Antarctic Sound, Antarctica. Dear Friends, Antarctic Sound, at the very northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, is packed with history and ice. The ice is the reason for the history. It’s named for a whaler turned research … Continue reading Ice Bergs, History and Politics
Paradise to a Whaling Captain
February 2, 2008 Andvord Bay, Paradise Harbor and Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctica, During the Alaska summer I get little sleep. I don’t sleep with curtains drawn so generally wake up early and go to bed late. I figure I will make … Continue reading Paradise to a Whaling Captain
…To Teach Them Whales to Dance
February 2, 2008 Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctica I am used to photographing whales, but not this way. I am either in a small boat at sea level or on the second deck of a two deck Allen Marine catamaran. But on … Continue reading …To Teach Them Whales to Dance
Feathered Dolphins.
February 2, 2008 Paradise Harbor, Antarctica. They look like dolphins swimming alongside the boat, but very small dolphins. But looking closely they are penguins, Gentoo Penguins. They move quickly thought the water, up for breath, down to swim. These penguins … Continue reading Feathered Dolphins.
Two Prayers
February 1 Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica At our Unitarian Fellowship Kathy quoted a theologian saying there are three prayers, “Help,” “Thanks,” and “Wow.” There was a lot of praying on the deck of the Prinsendam as we cruised out of Palmer … Continue reading Two Prayers
Railway at the End of the World
January 30, 2015 Ushuaia, Argentina The train at the end of the world started as a convict work train. It’s a narrow gauge railway that used to run from the Prison in Ushuaia into the forests of Tierra del Fuego. … Continue reading Railway at the End of the World
An Earring and an Ear Patch
January 31, 2015 Drake Passage Dear Friends, My respect for the captain grows. He saw the weather in the Drake Passage and decided to hold the ship in Ushuaia for several hours, giving us more time in the city. We … Continue reading An Earring and an Ear Patch
Quick, Before it Melts
January 30, 2015 Beagle Channel, Chile It’s called Glacier Alley with glaciers to the north of the Beagle Channel pouring down from the Tierra del Fuego ice field. Beech trees line the South shore of the channel. It’s pretty spectacular, … Continue reading Quick, Before it Melts
Or is This the End of the World?
January 30, 2015 Ushuaia, Argentina. Here is the second claimant to “end of the world.” Ushuaia is a newer town than Punta Arenas. It was founded in 1870 by missionaries from the Falkland Islands wishing to convert the natives of … Continue reading Or is This the End of the World?
Is This The End of The World?
January 29, 2011 Punta Arenas, Chile Dear Friends, Punta Arenas, Chile and Ushuaia have a rivalry. Both claim to be at the end of the world. Both claim to be the furthest south city in the world. Looking at a … Continue reading Is This The End of The World?
Penguins!
January 29, 2015 Tierra del Fuego Dear Friends, Penguins! What else can I say? Morning came too early after the “night of bells and whistles.” We anchored off Punta Arenas (see separate post) and got on a bus to take … Continue reading Penguins!
Bells and Whistles
January 29, 2015 Sailing the Magellan Straits We were jolted out of bed by the ship’s horn and alarm bells. I turned over in bed and said to Suzi “This can’t be good.” We had just gotten to bed a … Continue reading Bells and Whistles
Germany in Chile
January 27, 2015 Riding it out at sea. Dear Friends, “Sitka is a nice place to live but you wouldn’t want to visit there” is the old aphorism. If you live there you get the advantage of all the beautiful … Continue reading Germany in Chile
Ultimate Survivor
January 24, 2015 Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile Alexander Selkirk started it all. A Scot sailing on a British privateer, he didn’t like the way the ship was being run. He thought it was dangerous and would founder (turns out he … Continue reading Ultimate Survivor
Sea Day!
January 23, 2015 On Board the Prinsendam, My kids say that our family doesn’t take vacations, we go on field trips. I may have slowed down a bit but days ashore are busy. On a cruise ship we have don’t … Continue reading Sea Day!
Up and Down in Valparaiso
January 22, 2015 Sailing out of Valparaiso, Chile, Valparaiso is the port for Santiago, Chile’s capital. The ship offered several tours to the capital and the wine country. In our two port days we never got beyond gritty Valpo and … Continue reading Up and Down in Valparaiso