Friday/Saturday Feb 11, 12, 2011 'DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA

We slept in this am as we were out really late last night with the Tango and I had 5 glasses of Champagne!  It was a great dinner and even better show.  We were not able to get a late checkout as they were expecting a group of over 100 people checking in.  No problem they stored our luggage and we could shower an use the pool and gym  and spa if we wanted.  I hate to buy another suitcase.  Bill and I each got a new leather coat.  Bill's is suede and mine is lambs leather in a pretty brown swing coat .  they measure you and have it made in 4 hours and deliver it to hotel.  So we needed to repack a few of the really heavy suitcases.  When we were done we had 6 checked luggage and 2 carryons, computer bag and shopping bag!  After breakfast we checked out and took a walk around the hotel.  This is like 5th Ave or Madison Ave in NY all the high end shops.  Went into many shops but didn't buy anything.  WE stopped for an ice cream as our guide Dario told us that they had the best ice cream in the world nd I have to agree.  It is much creamer than ours but not heavy like Gellato.  Their dark chocolate was to die for!  We then walked back to the hotel and it was busy.  We decided I could not walk anymore and we had a few hours to kill before our high tea at 4:30 so we went up to the Business Center and played on the computers went down had our tea and before you know it our van was there to take us to the airport.  The traffic was horrific it looked like the BQE during rush hour.  We got to the airport and they told me on the phone to go right up to business class and tell them I needed a wheelchair.  well at the other airport no wheelchair so I wasnt hopeful but they got me one right away and even tagged the luggage handicap so that the porters would take them off and put them together in Atlanta.  It was a smooth but long flight.

4,987 miles to Atlanta and 1562 miles to Phoenix for a total of  6549 and that was only by air.  

I will total the amount of miles we covered by ship.  We arrived in Atlanta and had to go through immigrations and then we had to claim our 6 checked bags and our 3 carryons and go through customs.   They looked at all we had and waved us right through!!!!  now onto Phoenix,

It was a nice flight and we landed almost an hour early and our car service driver was there waiting so that was good.  Bill had him stop for an In and Out burger not for me thank you they kill my stomach.  We got to our house between 11:30-12noon.  yikes all this luggage!.  I did empty 2 suitcases and decided I needed to lie down for a little while as I didnt sleep all night either.  Just took a break and I have 1/2 a suitcase to go plus the two carryons!  I think I need some food haven't had anything since breakfast on the plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          

    Total miles traveled:  LA to Valparaiso Chile  5332.0 Nautical Miles
                                                               6131.8 land miles
   Valparaiso Chile to Buenos Aires Argentina    5455.0 Nautical Miles
                                                               6273.25 Land Miles

Total Nautical Miles:      10,787
Total Land Miles ship     12,405.05
air miles                        6,549.00

Total Land Miles     18,954.05  cruise and air!

So as you can see we are tired after traveling 18,954.05 miles and I am going to bed

Thursday February 10, 2011 Buenos Aires WE TANGO

Tonight we Tango!  We had a great day shopping and looking around on our own.  The leather shop we went to has complimentary car service they pick you up at your hotel and return you.  They tell us it is only 5 blocks away.  Well if I had to walk these so called 5 blocks I wouldnt be writing this.  Anyway the drivers here are as bad as Italy.  Cars coming in all directions.  4 lanes of cars so close together you can shake hands with the drivers on all sides and then these stupid people on mopeds come inbetween and are now practically on your lap don't open a door you will send them up in the air.  UNBELIEVABLE.  The only other place that I have seen people drive this badly is ITALY,    Cab drivers don't speak English and I don't know why it shocked me they don't speak English in NY either!  Anyway we have reservations for dinner and Tango tonight the car is picking us up between 8-8:30.  He arrives at 7:45.  We arrive at this beautiful hotel Hotel Faena.  Just walking into the courtyard is something.  So in we go find out where the Tango is and we are a little early so we wait.  They let us in and we have a table center near the stage any closer and we would be on the stage.   The tables are all for 2, 4 or a couple of 6.  However many in your party.  You are not sitting with strangers you don't have to worry about getting up to go to the bathroom that your chair will hit he one behind you.  Nothing at all like Moulin Rouge in Paris.  This is delightful.  We order our dinner we have fresh mozzerella with proscuitto and herbs then the most tender big filet mignon with potatoes gratinee.  dessert is a trio, a fruit compote, passion fruit cheesecake and a brownie with dulce de leche.  yum.  I had champagne and they keep refilling it.  They ask me if I want some red wine with dinner I will try it.  Take one sip not my favorite,  Waiter comes over and asks if I want more red wine I tell him no thank you I do not care for it.  He comes back with the champagne bottle (5 glasses later)  The show starts.  Now for those of you who really thought I was going to Tango smack yourself in the head and say.  If she can tango she wouldn't be going in for a hip rebuilt!  DUH!  The show was spectacular and ended way to soon.  We head out and the cars are all lined up waiting to take us back to the hotel.  We arrive at the hotel after midnight.  Now the ride back the traffic is lighter than in the day but our driver is driving really fast and hitting is brakes.  I have my eyes closed it;s scarry.  I could never drive here,  Judy you would be freaking out and Diane you would be on the floor worse than in NY

courtyard going into hotel

our table front and center

can you find us

maybe in this picture

not us

okay you can definitely pick us out here!

Buenos Aires Wed and Thursday February 9,10,2011

Buenos Aires
Yesterday we took a private tour our guide's name was Dario and he was fantastic. He told us that the Argentin people have spanish blood and Italian Spirit.  He saw so much in a few hours thanks to our incredible driver Daniel.  He would let us out and wait while we walked around.  We saw the "Pink House" This is the Government house where Eva Peron stood on the balcony and spoke to the Argentina people right before she died.  He also told us.  People either loved Evita or hated her.  She did alot for the poor she created a middle class.  He said his Grandfather came from the Ukraine and he was a furniture maker it was just him.  Evita made him make 500 chairs to give to the poor.  He did not make any money for a couple of weeks and could not feed his family but he had no choice!  We then went to this coffee shop Cafe Tortoni that has been exinstence since 1858 it was so neat.  We sat had coffee, hot chocolate and the best chocolate mousse cake I have ever had.  Dario showed us on the map all the places to visit today and places to eat and shop. We headed then all around town and they took us to what in NY would probably be the Village.  It was neat.  We learned to TANGO~ We went to a part of town that has all the antique shops and markets it was neat.  The butcher markets were not open they did not open till 5pm after this we went to the Ricoletta Cemetary where all the famous people are buried.  Our tour guide said this is our last stop and we all started to laugh thought it was quite witty.  All too soon we were back at the hotel in time for a rest before out dinner.  Dario made reservations for us at a famous Beef Steak house called La Campana for 8:30.  We took a taxi as it was on the other side of town. The waiter was great he suggested that Bill and I split the TBone steak it is 32.5 oz.  They start you off with rolls and bread with a chutney tomato spread which was really good.  then hey came out with Empanadas.  Wow were they good.  then our steak came and the pictures are below.  Now I know why Clinton ate here!    Now those of you on FB know that I went to the bank atm to get some pesos and it would not give me money so I had to call the 800 number for the bank.  Well it seems that someone went into a Chase bank in Astoria, New York presented himself as Bill and withdrew $3800 from our account with fake ID.  Now the bank in their infinite wisdom has frozen our account and when I asked them why I was told "Its for your protection"  My protection would have been before a thief stole my money,  Now to add insult to injury they will not release any funds.  I told them I was in a foreign country with no money and they kept telling me
"It's for your protection"  BULLSHIT !!!!! excuse my french but I am so angry right now I am ready to kill someone.  Now I find out they are bouncing checks and didn't pay my mortgage or any of the other automatic withdrawals I have.  HOW CAN A BANK GET AWAY WITH THIS.  Monday right after my EKG  I am heading there and I swear it is going to feel like an earthquake all over the country.  I am going to the banking commssion I am even calling the tv station.  I went into the bank before I left they know me in the bank I was withdrawing $2500 and I still had to show two forms of ID and THEY KNOW ME!!!!!!!!  I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE TELLER WAS IN ON IT.  HEADS WILL ROLL.  Okay I feel a little better now.  So below are some pictures

Hang out for artist "Order of the Screw"

more of the Cafe all kinds of antiques

We learn to Tango

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Entrance to Cemetary

Me and Dario in front of Evita's grave

3rd balcony where Eva Peron sang Don't cry for me Argentina

monument given by British

Eva Peron's grave

my roses

Us at La Campana Steak house.  Clinton ate here

our 32.5 our TBone steak

my portion

One cow to another!

Today we went to a leather shop that Dario told us was Samantha Brown's favorite shop.  I got the most beautiful brown leather swing coat and Bill got some kind of leather jacket. (My casino winnings).  We then headed to the Evita Museum.  It was in an old house and nice but not that much.  They had some of the clothes she wore and showed videos of the movies she made and her funeral and of course her farewell speech.  Don't cry for me Argentina.  After that we headed to Florida street which is a pedestrian mall and all the shops and shopping mall are there.  We walked around I found a great green leather purse but it was way way too expensive so I didn't get it.  We had lunch and Bill headed down a few more blocks to get a Gaucho buckle and belt!  Nothing to buy for the kids so we headed to our hotel.  Our hotel is located in the best section of the city we have Louis Vuitton across the street and Rolex next door and all the shops on Avenue de Alevear are exclusive.  It is like Madison Ave in NY and this hotel is like the Hotel Pierre.  We have butler service!  They brought me beautiful roses when we checked in  Lovely, lovely hotel.  Great city.  I can't beleive that I really like it here.  They call Buenos Aires the Paris of South America.  I think it is a combination of Paris and New York.  And I will be back!  tomorrow we will sleep in back (had to buy a new suitcase he others are stuffed~ we have tea here at the hotel and then we will leave for the airport.  We will arrive in Phoenix on Saturday afternoon~~~~~~~~ so here are some pictures

butcher market

produce

another butcher shop

Building in San Telmo (Village)

San 

Statue to Volunteer Fireman

February 8th Iguazu Falls and Jungle Lizzards, Racoons and Spiders OH MY!

one of at least 12 staircases we had to go down

IGUAZU FALLS!  This is pronounced E WAZ ZOO Falls!
Okay no one told me  I was going to the Jungle.  I have been to Niagra Falls and they are beautiful but no jungle.  We arrived last night and got up early this am had breakfast and met our guide Gabriela at 8am per our instructions.  I hired someone to push me in the wheelchair that was the best advice I was given.  We had to wait for a wheelchair.  It is now almost 8:45 finally my chariot arrives!  Well if you saw this wheelchair you would be hysterical.  It is made out of IRON no cushion nothing.  So off we go to catch the train.  Not bad down hill for my driver and we are talking the guide is explaining the flora and fauna and we are all happy.  We get to the train they tell us you can't bring the wheelchair but there will be one there once you get off.  Okay we get on the train.  They pack us in like sardines.  Now Bill and I are not small and this other women from England is as big as me thank God our guide is a tiny tiny because 8 of us in there was a lot.  We get to the stop and there is a wheelchair Yes,  we started to go now it is not concrete but iron grating with supports every two feet.  the wheelchair is going bing bing bing.  My back keeps hitting the iron on the back of the chair.  it is like a bad ride in an amusement park.  I am hoping that this is only a short time.  Wrong Again Celeste it is like this the whole way.   I can't even have a conversation because my words are coming out garbled.   WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY  NOOOOOOOOOOOO
anyway on we go.  We see beautiful birds and then racoons run out right in front of us.  One stole a bag of chips and they were all running after him back and forth across the path.  We run into a couple we met on the ship and have a conversation.  Thank God my driver stopped pushing me or they would have thought I was drunk.  We come to the first large fall.  There are 275 falls in all.  We get wet from the spray.  No problem we have our picture taken by our guide it was good to get out of the chair.  It was starting to feel like the Electic Chair but I was so happy because I could never have walked this.  So clanking along me bobbing up down back and forth we go.  Happy happy campers.  We go to the lower falls or it could have heen the upper who can remember which order we saw it all.  Now we have time to have a sandwich and rest for our Great Adventure.  Now let me tell you.  NO ONE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS DEFINETELY NOT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE.  YOU  go in a 4 x4 truck.  That was the easy part.  You climb a flight of stairs get on the truck and drive for 1/2 hour into the JUNGLE.  We saw spiders that were as big as me!  NO Monkeys although our guide saw one but it moved to fast.  After our drive through this HOT HUMID JUNGLE/RAIN FOREST WHERE IT IS RAINING.  It is time to get on the boat.  Now I Thought okay we go down that flight of steps WRONG.  I am putting a picture of one of the flights of steps there must have been 10 of them.  There were over 250 steps I was told.  I go slow and usually let other people go but these Europeans and Asians were starting to piss me off as there was no where for us to pull over and they were trying to get around me.  Halfway down there are bathrooms so I figure yay we are here.  Wrong.  By now I can hardly breath the hip is beyond hope and Bill is getting freaked out.  A nurse comes over and tells me she is going to help me he rest of the way.  Makes you feel good she is walking with the stethescope, blood pressure machine and first aid kit Down we go.  Let me tell you if when I die and I go to hell it won't be as far down as this was.  So we are almost at the bottom and all those people who pushed past me and almost knocked me down are waiting no boat!  The nurse gets a bench from the little lean too and makes me sit.  Finally the boat comes and there are only 25 more steps plus the one's on the boat!  Yes, I am on the boat and they are explaining we will be going through rapids must wear a life preserver.  I ask if we have to go up all those steps to get back and told yes I tell them no life preserver I rather die than walk up those steps in fact if I have to walk up those steps I will die.  Don't worry they tell me they radioed ahead and my driver  and guide will meet me.  So I relax thinking they will meet me with the wheelchair WRONG AGAIN!  so w go through the rapids it is fun and they tell us to put our cameras in the waterproof bags we will get wet.
Now there is wet and there is soaking wet!  We went right into the falls turning around to make sure each of us got soaking wet.  It was fun and my first thought was Betty would love this my second thought was crap wish she was here so I could smack her for telling me about this!  All too soon and I do mean too soon since I have to go back up it is over.  As promised they are waiting for me.  No chair whats going on.  They tell me they can't get it down but not to worry we are going up a shorter way.  Well the steps are steeper and instead of 250 there are 225! so up we go with my driver (I can't remember his name) holding me and helping me.  Now I am soaking wet and my shoes are starting to slip and I said something but as usual no one is paying any attention to me all of a sudden my shoe goes flying in one direction and me in another.  Yes its true I FELL AGAIN.  ONLY PROBLEM NOW IS I AM ON THE GROUND ON THIS SMALL PATH AND PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO GET AROUND ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I rest for a couple of minutes because my hip and my back where I hit he stone slippery steps is hurting.  They stand me up and now we only have another 200 steps to go.  God take me now!  We finally get tot he top and they sit me in that uncomfortable wheelchair which now feels like a Rolls Royce!  I am exhausted, embarrassed, sore and worrying that we are going to miss our flight to BA.  so we walk a little way and there is a HUGE HILL.  There is no way he can push me up this hill.  Now I forgot to tell you that Bill is carrying my shoes as my feet are so wet and the shoes are so wet they keep slipping off.  So here I am barefoot and they come with a golf cart.  I get on no one else does this isn't good he doesn't speak English.  Oh crap here we go again.  we drive a little way and he goes into the grass and tells me to get out.  I get out barefooted and there in the grass are all these bugs.  so I am trying not to step on any and walk as quickly as I can onto the cement now I am barefooted no cane and hurting you tell me how fast did I walk! finally my chair arrives and he pushes me the rest of the way to the Sheraton Hotel.  Now we look like two drown rats.  Soaking wet and they take us into the spa where they sent our luggage.  I  am getting ready to shower and change and realize I didn't pack an extra bra.  Had underwear an extra pair of pants and tops no bra.  So there is our guide Gabriela in the ladies locker room wth the hair dryer drying my bra while I shower~

UNDER THE FALLS

GOING INTO THE FALLS

GETTING CLOSER

Yes I am nice and clean mostly dry didn't bother with the hair let it curl it is going to anyway with this humidity~  We go to the airport where our driver and Bill go up to the counter they sit me down since I am walking like a cripple at this point and no help whatsoever.  We get our luggage checked and our boarding passes our guide leaves and we go up.  Look in a couple of shops well Bill looks I sit and cry!  we head to the gate..  Plane is late.  No worry a lot of people from Crystal are on this plane and we chat! The one women couldn't beleive i went down those steps.  She is a runner and said it was hard for her.  Bill announces I having nothing to worry about this surgery if this didnt give me  heart attack nothing will.  So we are finally ready to board.  The women at the counter asks me if I need a wheelchair in BA I said yes.  The good thing she changed my seats to the bulkhead lots of leg room.  We fly and land in BA.  No wheelchair I have to walk down the flight of steps.  Dear God what where you thinking when you invented steps.  Is this my hell?  I slowly go down the steps and get on the bus no wheelchair I figure when we get tot he terminal there will be a wheelchair.  WRONG AGAIN.  I AM 4 FOR 4 TONIGHT! Get into the terminal no chair wait for luggage as there is no where at all to sit and get our luggage and our great guide Dario is out there waiting to help us.  Wants to know if we want to go eat or to the hotel.  We both said hotel.  We checked in and this place is gorgeous.  We are still getting our luggage and our butler Alexander comes in with two adaptors and sets up my computer and my cpap machine.  Then the bell rings and in comes someone else with the most beautiful roses and fruit basket.  Now All I want to do is shower again because my feet are completely black from the dye of my sandals! so they all leave we order room service and I go into the bathroom for the first time.  There is a walk in shower a whirlpool tub how I wish I could get into that.  I would feel so good!  but I take a quick shower to clean the dye off my feeet and here is room service.  I got soup and a caesar salad Bill got a club sandwich he aslo showed me what I thought was onion rings and something else i couldnt make out.  So I am enjoying my soup and tell Bill to take the onion rings out of the heater and he takes the two dishes out I start to take bite out of the onion ring and it smells fishy so I spit it out before it really gets into the mouth and low and behold it is calamaria. just what I need now an alergic reaction!.  So we call for room service to come and take it away they call and ask is everything ok bill says of course.  When the waiter came I said w e didn't order his and it is fish and I am deathy allergic he got so upset made me call them hey came to the door and apolgized we were not charged for it in the first place.  So as you can see it has been a most interesting day.  I think I'll go to Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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VIEW FROM VERANDA AT HOTEL

THEIR RACOONS

BABY FALLS

US IN FRONT OF THE FALLS

LIZZARD YUCK

ANOTHER ONE OF THE 275 FALLS

DIFFERENT ANGLE

AREN'T THESE BEAUTIFUL

ME AFTER I FEEL AND SOAKING WET

But i must say that the falls were definetely worth it and I would recommend them to everyone.  The women who couldn't beleive I walked down went to the falls in Victoria and said these are so much better.  Now I have been to falls before but nothing can compare to these.  SPECTACULAR IS NOT EVEN A STRONG ENOUGH WORD.
SO IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN YOU KNOW THERE WAS LAUGHS, TEARS AND DRAMA AND THATS ALL FOLKS FOR TONIGHT I AM EXHAUSTED.  Thank God Dario changed our tour till the afternoon we can sleep late!
GOOD NIGHT I'VE FALLEN AND CAN'T GET UP AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday February 7, 2011 Buenos Aires, Argentina enroute to Iguazu Falls

Well the time has come we had to leave the ship and it was not a pretty sight they had to drag me off kicking and crying! Last night Bill went to the superbowl party and I returned the last book to the library and had $20 in my purse so I went into the casino put it in a dollar machine and hit for $400 plus my original $20.  Wonderful.  We got off the ship this morning after all the hugs and goodbyes we sailed off our luggage waiting.  The Concierge was there with a cart for our luggage of course we needed 2 carts and we went outside and there was our guide.  What a great guy he took all the luggage immediately and we headed to the Alvear Palace Hotel to drop our luggage and then head to the airport.  Now we are in the van the the first words I can think of is "HOLY SHIT"  these people drive worse than New Yorkers wait even worse than Massachusetts.  We get to a corner to turn left we wait for the left turn signal only problem is the traffic coming also has the light our driver just goes I am holding my breath and saying the rosary.   I feel like Shelly in The In-Laws "Did we hit that kid on 34 Street"  Now I decided this is not going to work I need to just close my eyes and pray.  Okay I open my eyes and we pull up to the most exquiste hotel we go into the lobby to get a safe deposit box no sense bringing my jewelry up to the falls, next we head to the airport.  Okay can someone pinch me I feel like I am back in the 50s.  Our guide comes in with us gets us situated with boarding passes and we learn even though we have what is considered a carry on in the USA it is 2 meters over the weight.  So it has to be checked.  They call for a wheelchair and tell me to have a seat at the coffee place.  They say it could be 5 minutes or 30 minutes.  Okay we wait 30 minutes no chair now I am starting to freak out because it is a long walk and I don't want to miss the plane so we walk to the end of the hall and I ask the policeman where I have to go.  He doesn't speak English I dont speak Spanish now Bill is starting to freak out.  The cop takes us to the elevator and says 2 with his fingers.  So up to 2 we go now all the gates are there and we still don't know where to go so I figure go into the shop they will speak English.  Yeah the girl tells me I have to look at the monitor and find the gate okay now to gate 4 we follow the signs go through security in like 2 minutes  get there gates 5-10 no 4 follow another sign oh we now have to go down an escalator.  Up down.  get to gate 4 people no one in charge see a family I met on the ship confirm they are going to the same place and sit.  Finally they call it (in Spanish) and we go up to the door we now have to board buses and when we get to the plane we have to walk up all those steps!  Lord help me! it was a quick flight 1 1/2 hours and we were landing one drink and a snack box.  got off the plane and alas it was a small airport only 4 gates but you did not have to go outside!  got our luggage and our guide Gabriella was waiting.  Into the car we go to the Shearton Iguazu Falls.  Beautiful hotel and we have a suite the entrance and the bathroom were as big as our stateroom we have a huge veranda with the most gorgeous view of the falls.  We get settled into the room and go explore the hotel.  Buy some hats so our heads don't burn.  I guess we should have brought our swim suits oh well!  we go down to have dinner and as we walk into the dining room I see a familar face it looks like the ships photographer then I hear Oh Mrs Gilbert  what are you doing here and there is Storme from the Shore Excursions desk!  I get a hug they are there escorting  the crystal group for the day to the falls!  It was nice to see the people almost snuck back on board with them!  Had a wonderful buffet dinner with Argentina Beef, chicken and all other kind of things. Don't have pictures of the suite but here are a few pictures of the view from our living room and bedroom
have a great night.  Tomorrow we are doing the falls.