South America and Antartica

Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday January 21, 2011 at sea enroute to Puerto Montt Chile

Today was a sea day and I needed it. Yesterday’s all day trip to Santiago knocked me out. Took a pain pill after dinner and was asleep before 11pm! Was suppose to get my hair done but something happened and they changed the time from 4:30 to 2pm so I cancelled and did it myself!. I had a penquin tour booked in port Stanley, Falkland islands and because of mypassport fiasco it was never booked and therefore we could not get on anything. So I waitlisted for every penquin tour. We do have one before that in Punta Arenas which is a mile walk but they got permission for me to bring my scooter so that is great! but the one in Port Stanley that we did get on the girl from the excursion desk called me and feels it would be too strenous for me. It is a 4x4 vehicle and she is afraid I won’t be able to get up into the vehicle so after talking with her I decided to cancel. Bill is going to go and take pictures but I will stay on board. Tonight was the first formal night of this leg of the cruise and the welcome aboard dinner we both had the chatubriand. There was a cocktail party before hand and I had 2 grey goose dirty martinis on the rocks. We have seen this show a few times so we did not go. Starting tomorrow the casino will be closed for 6 days due to Local Chilean regulations. The way we have been going I am glad t is going to be closed! Still having trouble posting pictures and the internet is suppose to go down Jan 23 and 24 and then again 27 through 1 of Feb. We will see. went up to computer lab but the guys were not there and the girl didn’t know anything about a mac so I will try again. Tomorrow we will be in Puerto Montt Chile and we have a tour. Will check in tomorrow.

Thursday, January 20,2011 Valparasio Chile

Today was an in-transit day. People were leaving the ship and others coming on. We are still on Yeah! So they had a tour for us to go to Santiago. It was a full day tour and I am exhausted. we are thinking room service tonight we will see. Anyway it was 1 1/2 hours to Santiago from the Port in Valparasio. The city reminded me of New York with all the traffic except it is prettier (sorry judy) but they have trees on all most all the streets and lots of parks, kind of looks like Brooklyn but a big city. They have sections just like NY we went down a couple of blocks and all the car part stores where then then we went down and all the lighting stores were there. The traffic is all over and to make it even more special they had a parade for us. Well it was for the President of Peru and of course streets were closed! but we went to the famous race track where they had hordurves (Shrimp) and wine and walked around there. Then we went back to town to go to the town square by then the president of Peru was gone and we were able to get out and walk around the square and see the Cathedral. After this we went for lunch all the way on top of a mountain overlooking the city. This lunch was not my favorite of all the tours we have been on. They started with A Pico Sour not my cocktail of choice really sour. Then they poured white wine yuck to sweet then they gave you red wine that wasn’t bad. they had pumpkin soup for the first course. Marrianne your’s is much better than the main course was rice and broiled SALMON.... Now you all know I HATE FISH and what I don’t hate I am allergic to. Anyway I did eat a piece of it. Then for dessert we had this super sweet piece of cake I only ate a couple of bites it was even too sweet for me! After lunch we stopped off at a jewelry store to buy Lapis well every other tour we never have time to shop so I didn’t have my charge card and of course I found a great necklace. Oh well I guess I didn’t need it! then we headed back to the ship and stopped to take some pictures of he harbor in Valparasio. so we left at 8:00am and didn’t get back to the ship till 5:30 EXHAUSTED isn’t even the word. I had to take a pain pill at lunch because everything here is steps!!!!! ah tomorrow is a sea day and then we will be entering into the Chillean fjords. Not sure if we will have any internet so if you don’t hear from me you will know why! Last cruise was so empty not even 400 people it was like having a private yacht. This cruise is a sell out and we have a couple of groups yikes!!!!!!!!!!! Saw more people today then all of last cruise. stlll having trouble posting pictures so will when I can

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Wednesday January 19, 2011 Yeah we got pictures from Lima

Finally we got pictures from Lima, Peru. The women sitting there came down from the Andes for a special celebration and then they sit and beg for money. As I said I really liked Lima and the port city of Calleo, Tomorrow we will be in Valparasio and have an all day tour to Santiago. The seas are starting to pick up and the captain warns us that at 6am when we pick up the pilot outside of Valerparsio it will be rough. I saw him in the hall this evening and asked him if it is going to be strong enough to knock me out of bed his answer That depends if you are holding on or not".

This leg of the journey has been the most relaxing cruise we have ever taken. I have read 10 books since I left home and Bill has actually read a large book on George W Bush!!!!!! Hope you all have enjoyed coming along and look forward to comments or emails as we start our next leg of this great adventure. As of tomorrow we have sailed from Los Angeles to Valparasio Chile for a total of 5,332 nautical miles o 6,131.8 land miles

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tuesday January 18th enroute to Valparasio Chlle

Still no photos. I did speak with the tech guys and I have an appointment to go up there tomorrow and they will try to help me so that is good Didn't have time today. tomorrow i have the third of my three hot stone massages for this trip and then I am relaxing while most people are busy packing up to get off the ship on Thursday. We are going on an all day trip into Santiago Chille on thursday. You can tell we are not in the calm waters. Since we got on board you can hardly tell you were on a ship it was a smooth as glass today it has been a little more pitching I beleive is what the Captain called it. Bill made fiends with the captain tonight, The girl who does my massages his is the hid cruise I have been lucky enough to have Camilla anyway she told me the captain loves cars. Bill had a classic car magazine that he was finished with so he brought it with him to th cocktail party and old the captain he was welcome to it but did he want Bill to put it at the front desk for him. His eyes got as big as saucers and he he said NO NO I will take it now thank you and proceeeded to put it under his arm as he welcomed more people he was so funny he was afraid he wouldn't get it!

Tonight was the last formal night of this cruise and had my favorite dessert baked alaska! Tomorrow is the last sea day. The water will be getting rougher the farther south we go. So far it is great for sleeping it rocks you. So until I get the picture situation straightened out no pictures again........ I know you are all sad but wait there will be plenty and I want them before we get to the penquins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Happy Martin Luther King day! Today was one of those I didn't want to get up. With the all day tour yesterday that was a lot of walkng and a lot of stairs plus moving the clocks forward today I was in pain. We got up and had some tea and coffee and went to the lecture by Tom Faranda who is a Globalist and he has been so interesting! After that we had some fruit and a roll for our breakfast. Today was the huge grad gala buffet but we didn't go instead we headed back to the cabin I sat on the veranda and read and Bill took a nap. After that we headed up to the grill for some lunch then proceeded to the Palm Court which is on the top deck front of the ship and is all windows. We both love it up there so we sat and read and then it was tea time so we had our tea and a chocolate cream puff and before you knew it was already 6pm. We decided we didn't want a big meal for dinner and I didn't feel like getting dressed up tonight. So we went back to the room and watched the lecture that we missed this afternoon. Ordered club sandwiches and i got into my nightie took 4 advil and got into bed. Bill went down to the cigar lounge. We turn our clocks ahead another hour tonight. That is 5 times on this segment which ends on Thursday in Valpariso/santiago. I am hoping maybe on the next segment we get to turn them back somewhat who knows.

I am still having trouble downloading pictures it let me do one and for 2 days now i have tried to do more but it isn't working. Tomorrow I will head down to the computer room and see if they have some hints....

We have one more sea day tomorrow and a formal night. Thursday we have an all day tour of Santiago. We have been reminded again that we might lose internet service so if I don't update here or on FB you will know that it is out~ My honey just brought me a cup of tea and chocolate chip cookies.....

night all

Monday January 17, at sea

Callao/Lima Peru January 16, 2011

Lima Peru
The ship docks in Callao Peru which is about 30 minutes to Lima depending on traffic. Today being Sunday there was hardly any traffic. The thing I noticed immediately about Callao was that it was a clean pretty port not seedy like most ports. I have to say I have wanted to come to Lima since I was in the third grade and read a book about a girl from Lima and I was not disappointed. We had a fabulous tour today it was to a private home to see Mr. Enrico Poli's private art collection. There wasn't a spot in any of the numerous rooms where there wasn't a painting, or clay pot or mask. The owner himself gave us the tour he is 87 years old and a character who dislikes the Catholic church and is obsessed with sex. Very funny tour. We then proceeded to Casa Luna which is owned by the Luna family and he has a collection of Nativities over 1500 of them. Beautiful home. We then went to the Plaza where they were having a procession for the patron saint of the Andes so there were people all over. We then walked through the plaza to another private home called Casa Aliaga. This is where we had an outstanding lunch and it was built in the 1700s, The hors'dovers were great chicken liven pate, gucamole and hearts of palm with mayo and a small pickle they were outstanding the lunch the first course was a warm asparagas souffle. The main course was filet mignon, new potatoes, broccoli and carrots. Wonderful followed by banana mousse with chocolate sauce. Of course it was served with Peruvian Wine!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was an all day tour and we didn't get back to the ship until after 5 in which Bill hi tailed it to the cigar lounge to watch the end of the game and I went to the Galaxy Lounge to watch the Peruvian Dancers that they brought on board. I went in between to the stateroom and Remi the Matre'D called and wanted to know the score and why didn't Bill call him. He called the other day to so I told him Bill was in the cigar lounge and we went to watch the game with Bill only thing is he was rooting for New England., When we went for dinner I called him over and he wouldn't come he was hiding from me. It seems he likes New england because Tom Brady's father cruises on here! Oh well it doesn't matter since the Jets beat them!!!!!!!! Go JETS.
Now I was only able to download one picture not sure why but the picture downloading on here is not easy much easier to send to fb. So I will try later if we have internet. We were warned again that it will be out alot lately so I wanted to post this while I can and if you want check out FB for more pix