February 22, 2015 Off the East Coast of Brazil. I have posted three pages with pictures of Salvador Bahia, Combat Dancing, one on churches and one on the extended carnival in Salvador. But there are pictures that I took and … Continue reading Loose Ends in Salvador
February 18, 2015 Ilheus, Brazil Ash Wednesday, the churches are open and workers are taking down the bleachers and stages from Carnival and sweeping up the streamers and confetti. The Prinsendam seems to be doing a little penance itself. The … Continue reading Chocolate Colonels
February 19, 2015, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Carnival is over but in Salvador it ends later than in Rio, and Salvador claims it throws a bigger party than Rio, which bills its carnival as “The biggest party in the world.” In … Continue reading Carnival Just Keeps on Coming, Salvador, Bahia
February 19, 2015 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil St. Francis would be appalled but would probably recognize it. I wonder what Pope Francis thinks. In an ironic statement the Franciscan church and monastery in Salvador, Bahia is laden with gold. 19 Lay not … Continue reading What Would St. Francis Do?
February 16, 2015 Sailing out of Rio “The Chrysler Building Gets Religion.” At least that what the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the top of Corcovado reminds me of, although I think this art deco “wonder of the modern … Continue reading The Chrysler Building Gets Religion
February 15, 2015 Rio Dear Friends, Anyone who has traveled in India, North Africa or the Middle East knows the ritual of a visit to Uncle Tonoose’s carpet shop. In South America there is a VERY upscale version of that … Continue reading The Girl in Ipanema
February 15, 2015 Rio I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. Therefore I was rewarded as we sailed past sugar loaf just before sunrise watching the pilot boat drop off the harbor pilot on Prinsendam. We watched the sun behind … Continue reading Manha de Carnaval
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…
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
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
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
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
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
January 12, 2015 Salaverry, Peru Tourism doesn’t wear well on me. I mean that literally. In Sitka I am used to seeing people off of Holland America ships wearing day glow dots with the line’s logo and a big number, … Continue reading Cities that Melt Away in the Rain
January 10, 2015 Montecristi, Ecuador. Montecristi was founded as an inland and upland town close to Manta that was more protected than Manta from English sea dog pirates and privateers. Today most tourists come to Montecristi to see how Panama … Continue reading Politics and Panama Hats, (Montecristi, Ecuador)
January 10, 2015 Manta, Ecuador Manta, Ecuador is a Tuna and Gringo town. Its main business is tuna fishing but it is also interested in attracting American retirees. We saw ads for retirement services, American clinics and of course shopping … Continue reading Tuna and Tourists (Manta, Ecuador)
On the way out of the Panama Canal Prinsendam passes the huge container port of Balboa with the skyline of Panama City beyond. Panama City is a shock. It has a skyline that looks like Dubai or Doha. One skyscraper … Continue reading Dubai on the Isthmus
January 7, 2015 San Blas Islands, Panama, I have to revise my first impression of some of the people who have been on multiple cruises. On San Blas we ran into the “been on 80 cruises” couple who were wandering … Continue reading Unplanned Stop in the San Blas Islands
January 6, 2015, Isla Providencia, Columbia (New Providence Island) Isla Providencia (New Providence in English) was settled by English Puritans in the early 1600s. They made their living by trading slaves and tobacco, and because of their position off the … Continue reading Pirates and Puritans
January 5, 2015 Aboard the MV Prinsendam. Dear Friends, I had expected to find lots of folks on the “trip of a lifetime.” That doesn’t seem to be the case. At our table there’s a couple on their 80th cruise. … Continue reading Getting Our Sea Legs