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Postcards from the Transition

Postcards from the Transition.

  • Topics
    • Winds of Change
      • Winds of Change, Africa
      • The Fall of the Wall
      • Velvet Revolution
      • Arab Spring
      • Balkan Turmoil
      • 9/11
      • Soviet Union
    • Christmas Markets
    • Lent and Easter
    • Holy Land
    • Pillars of Hercules
    • Architecture
      • Boardwalk Towns
      • Bridges
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      • Religious
    • Transportation
      • Trains
      • Ferries
  • Europe
    • Balkans
      • Albania
      • Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
      • Serbia
      • Turkey
    • Central Europe
      • Czech Republic
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      • Poland
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    • Southern Europe
      • Gibraltar
      • Malta
      • Spain
    • Northern Europe
      • United Kingdom
      • Iceland and Faroes
      • Isle of Man
      • Baltic States
    • Western Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany
      • Netherlands
  • Africa
    • Kenya
    • South Sudan
    • Tanzania
  • Caucasus
    • Armenia
    • Azerbaijan
    • Georgia
  • MENA
    • Ceuta (Spain)
    • Egypt
    • Israel
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    • Morocco
    • Oman
    • Qatar
    • Palestine
    • United Arab Emirates
  • N. America
    • Canada
    • Contiguous US
    • Cuba
    • Greenland
  • S. America
  • Alaska
    • Sitka
    • South Central Alaska
    • South East Alaska
  • Cruises
    • Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017
2025 Pole to Pole, Cruises2 Comments

2025 Pole to Pole, MS Volendam

Cruises2 Comments

Cruise Blogs.

Welcome7 Comments

Welcome! Come in and explore.

S. America1 Comment

Clang, Screech, Ding, Ding, Ding

February 15, 2015 Rich McClear

February 14, 2015 Santos Brazil, We’re sailing out of Santos for a rendezvous with Carnival in Rio.  I wrote about Santos Coffee Museum, football and beaches in my last post (click here).  But because we couldn’t get to Sao Paulo … Continue reading Clang, Screech, Ding, Ding, Ding

S. AmericaLeave a comment

The Planters down in Santos all say…

February 14, 2015February 15, 2015 Rich McClear

February 14, 2015 Santos Brazil I knew three things about Santos, Brazil, they have a beach, Santos FC was the home club of Pele, arguably the greatest football player, and they “got a lot of coffee.”  I know the last … Continue reading The Planters down in Santos all say…

S. AmericaLeave a comment

Just a Beach Day, With a Giant Hand and a Totem Pole

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 Rich McClear

February 11, 2015 Punta del Este, Uruguay Dear Friends, It was going to be a beach day.  I had gone through my guide books and decided the highest and best use of this day would be sitting on the beach … Continue reading Just a Beach Day, With a Giant Hand and a Totem Pole

S. America1 Comment

Thoughts on the Rio Platta

February 11, 2015 Rich McClear

February 10, 2015 On the Rio Platta sailing away from Buenos Aires Buenos Aires has given me a lot to think about.  How can a first world country become a third world country?  Argentina was one of the few countries … Continue reading Thoughts on the Rio Platta

S. AmericaLeave a comment

A Temple of Books

February 10, 2015 Rich McClear

February 10, 2015 Buenos Aires, Argentina Sometimes you do see what you come to see.  Several months ago someone posted an article on Facebook from the Guardian listing the 10 most beautiful bookstores in the world.  Buenos Aires is home … Continue reading A Temple of Books

S. AmericaLeave a comment

Steak, Hold the Salt

February 9, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. America1 Comment

Four Icons in Buenos Aires

February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. America1 Comment

Forty Seven Years Late

February 9, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Carnival, Lent and Easter, S. AmericaLeave a comment

Recycled Carnival

February 8, 2015February 27, 2017 Rich McClear

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

S. America1 Comment

Surrounded by Acres of … Penguins!

February 7, 2015February 7, 2015 Rich McClear

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!

S. America1 Comment

Falkland Four Wheel

February 7, 2015February 7, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. America1 Comment

Antarctic Coda

February 6, 2015January 22, 2016 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. AmericaLeave a comment

Antarctic Metropolis and Teflon Rocks

February 5, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. AmericaLeave a comment

Ice Bergs, History and Politics

February 5, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. AmericaLeave a comment

Paradise to a Whaling Captain

February 5, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. America3 Comments

…To Teach Them Whales to Dance

February 4, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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

Antarctica, S. AmericaLeave a comment

Feathered Dolphins.

February 4, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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.

Antarctica, S. America2 Comments

Two Prayers

February 4, 2015March 16, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. America, TrainsLeave a comment

Railway at the End of the World

February 1, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. America1 Comment

An Earring and an Ear Patch

February 1, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. AmericaLeave a comment

Quick, Before it Melts

January 31, 2015 Rich McClear

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

S. America2 Comments

Or is This the End of the World?

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015 Rich McClear

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?

S. America1 Comment

Is This The End of The World?

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015 Rich McClear

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?

S. AmericaLeave a comment

Penguins!

January 30, 2015 Rich McClear

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!

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