March 29 - Disembarkation day was, as usual, a lot of waiting and sitting - we were given colored and numbered luggage tags to assist in getting everyone off in a timely manner. Since we had no flight to catch and simply had a car waiting, we were some of the last to disembark. One lovely thing about the delay in getting off was that I got to see Stoyan, the bar manager as he was leaving the ship and, a very nice unexpected surprise, Daniella, VP of F&B was just getting back on after vacation! So we had a little chat.
Murphy's, Hudson's and Macchi's were able to gather all of their luggage, some ten or so bags, and the van found us waiting at the curb. It was a very artful (and snug) packing job!
It was about 11:00 a.m. when we made it home and sorted out our luggage and got it all into the house.
We called the Vet immediately to arrange to pick up Guinness and Lacey, but we were told they wouldn't be ready till 3:00 p.m.. We reached a compromise of 12:30 p.m..
I was ever so pleased to be at home again, after 25 days, it was time. Our own bed, our own stuff, more clothes, my own washer! It struck me as I wandered from room to room checking on things, that I love my house. I only wished it came with all of the benefits of Regent! I love the service; having Julius and Roger to care for the room, fresh sheets daily, having the incredible, fantastic buffets for breakfast and lunch, the specialty restaurants as well as the Compass Rose, and Peter's Cosmopolitans, Rosetta's or Kir Imperials. Oh...and the lovely wines offered at lunch and dinner. Even the shows and after dinner entertainment. Although John and I don't often join in, it's quite nice to have it available!
I miss the easy, relaxed, quite routine we fall into at sea, I miss the adventure of seeing new places and meeting new people! It would be hard to imagine the cruise without Danny and Alison! Such fun! A St. Patrick's Day we won't forget! Most of all, I miss the learning. There is such a big wide world out there, and so very much to learn about people, places and things! It's hard to imagine not traveling.
Just as I suspected... it was quite a shock getting home. We met the Hudson's and Murphy's for dinner Friday night for the Murphy's last farewell; with a 5:00 a.m. flight to Boston I won't be at the gate waving good bye! Saturday arrived and I still didn't touch my bags. My cold returned with a vengeance and the unpacking would have to wait. Sunday morning I finally started to unpack, slowly. Sunday afternoon we got ourself together for Easter Sunday at Scott and Lisette's home and, from a quiet dinner for six, it turned into a wild Cuban Easter. Children running and screaming so high on sugar, they are probably still bouncing off the walls. Just about all the Miami relatives showed up to eat. Spanish, English and Spanglish were all part of the conversation; two labs, one Yorkie and dinner for 20 with something for everyone including two cakes to help celebrate Scott's birthday! I was exhausted from just trying to keep track of what was going on! Quite a change from the calm, serene Seven Seas Mariner...
Can't wait to go again! Maybe Europe - that seems out of favor this year! But I'm grounded until our dog sitter Lilia is back in action!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Last Day!
March 24 - It's so unfair! How can it already be over? I
have to pack again? Make my own bed? Face life? Good news is that I will
get to pick up the little fuzzy ones tomorrow morning, Guinness and
Lacey will be sprung from the "Mastiff Suite" at the vets.
When
we saw that Nassau was the last port on the trip, I opted out of all
shore excursions and thought it would be great to go over the Atlantis,
see the aquarium and find a nice restaurant with some great conch
chowder and maybe a fresh grouper sandwich.
We had a quiet, if not late, morning and, after breakfast, began our test packing - you need to test the suitcases to make sure they will carry everything you have. Somehow, even though we really didn't buy too much of anything, stuff grows. You know all of my packages are small, so it's certainly not my fault!
We didn't arrive until noon, berthed at what I would swear is a new pier - Carnival Fascination, Norwegian Breakaway and the Allure of the Seas were all in port so Bay Street will be wild!
It's been long enough since I've been here that I think so much has been filled in, redone and spruced up! Last time I was here, I was caught up in the middle of a fight between two men on Bay Street that involved both grabbing liquor bottles off the shelf of a liquor store and throwing them at one another! Such vivid memories!
The Straw Market has been rebuilt and is now
housed in a nice modern building that looks as if they can pull down the
shutters and protect the building from hurricanes. The whole waterfront
has been redone with a new Señor Frogs overlooking the water. Bay
Street looked freshly painted with the duty free shops all vying for
attention and clients. With so many ships in port, the entire town is
buzzing.
We caught a cab over to Atlantis (Paradise Island) with the expectation of a little walkabout and a nice lunch, and zap...the hotel charges non-hotel guests $50.00 per person to visit the hotel aquarium and beach facilities. We passed.
We then got a recommendation for a good place for conch chowder, Anthony's, a few hundred feet down the road. I wasn't sure when we first entered, but a couple of ice cold Banks Beers got me onboard. Their conch chowder was great! Oh, and the grilled grouper sandwiches with fries? Divine!
I
feel a bit guilty as there is so much to do in the Bahamas. Anything
you can imagine water related is at your fingertips. Snorkeling, scuba,
boating of any kind is all available. The water is a magnificent
turquoise blue, to blue green and so crystal clear you can spot your own
conch resting on the brilliant white sand at the bottom under 20 feet
of water.
Nassau is a cacophonous blur of bouncing jitneys, horse drawn carriages, hustling cabbies, bargaining vendors, trash talking pirates and elbow-knocking tourists.
Take your pick, jump right in and enjoy!
We had a quiet, if not late, morning and, after breakfast, began our test packing - you need to test the suitcases to make sure they will carry everything you have. Somehow, even though we really didn't buy too much of anything, stuff grows. You know all of my packages are small, so it's certainly not my fault!
We didn't arrive until noon, berthed at what I would swear is a new pier - Carnival Fascination, Norwegian Breakaway and the Allure of the Seas were all in port so Bay Street will be wild!
It's been long enough since I've been here that I think so much has been filled in, redone and spruced up! Last time I was here, I was caught up in the middle of a fight between two men on Bay Street that involved both grabbing liquor bottles off the shelf of a liquor store and throwing them at one another! Such vivid memories!
We caught a cab over to Atlantis (Paradise Island) with the expectation of a little walkabout and a nice lunch, and zap...the hotel charges non-hotel guests $50.00 per person to visit the hotel aquarium and beach facilities. We passed.
We then got a recommendation for a good place for conch chowder, Anthony's, a few hundred feet down the road. I wasn't sure when we first entered, but a couple of ice cold Banks Beers got me onboard. Their conch chowder was great! Oh, and the grilled grouper sandwiches with fries? Divine!
Nassau is a cacophonous blur of bouncing jitneys, horse drawn carriages, hustling cabbies, bargaining vendors, trash talking pirates and elbow-knocking tourists.
Take your pick, jump right in and enjoy!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
San Juan
March 22 - Outstanding day in San Juan! I had skipped all shore excursions and planned a shopping day! Yay! Actually a fabulous day. We had our face to face with TSA, immigrations, and cleared by 9:40 a.m.which was a bit later than hoped for; we were meeting Michael De Sadeleer, the GIA certified shopping consultant. He had made a call for me about a gem stone I was hunting.
As a member of the crew, Michael was delayed disembarking and sent us ahead to Blue Diamond, an exquisite designer jewelry store located in old San Juan. He had paved the way for me, with an introduction to Sunny, the owner and Charles the manager. He had let them know what I was looking for and actually, they shipped in the stone for my perusal. That's scary, but made me feel that I was queen for the day! It took about 3 hours to put the deal together, select the setting and select the additional stones, but once completed, it will be spectacular, even if I do say so!
Michael gives lectures during the cruise and is more than willing help anyone on the ship who is looking for something special and offers his services with compliments of Regent. He knows the ports and various stores so well, he can determine where you will be able to find the best deal based on what you are requesting or looking for; no cost or obligation to you. And, most importantly, he will hold your hand. He looked at the stone, and assured me that it was a very good stone indeed; I really needed hand holding on this one. If he's on board, take advantage of his expertise. He can put your mind at ease, when making a purchase.
After a Cafe con Leche and a Cordadito, determining the perfect setting, it was done, and I am officially broke. It will take eight weeks and we'll be in touch throughout the creation of this marvel to tweak the design if needed!
Michael not only helped me, he was everywhere throughout Old San Juan helping a number of people who had requested his assistance. On his recommendation we made our way up to Barrachina, a family owned restaurant that has been in Old San Juan since 1963 offering "Creative Puerto Rican & International Cuisine!" Not only that, they are the birthplace of the Pina Colada...quite honestly the best I've ever tasted! I had two just to make sure! Set in a beautiful courtyard, the bar is circular and can handle most any crowd - Jorge, the bartender, always checks to see if you want alcohol or not. Holy Toledo - so yummy! And NO ice! A very special, very protected, recipe.
I ordered a great Mofongo and Camarones! John opted for a boring old steak sandwich while Michael had a whole Red Snapper a la Criolla that looked delicious! We each savored our choices thanks to the excellent service from Victor as well as great food - and Sunny at Blue Diamond had arranged to pick up the tab! A lovely surprise!
Time to make our way back to the ship for 4:00 p.m. sailing. The Murphy's and Hudson's had been on the Bacardi Tour and came home filled with plenty of trivia - did you know Bacardi owns 150 other liquor brands - as well as rum! And they escaped Senor Frogs!
Our cell phones worked for the first time so we caught up with all of the kids and puppies. All is well, but the fuzzy ones have had a bit of a time with the stress. I know the Vets take really good care of them, but they do so much better at home!
We woke up to the news of the bombing in Brussels, and continued to catch news on BBC, CNBC and MSNBC off and on throughout the day. By channel surfing we seemed to get a fairly accurate, well rounded picture of the story as it unfolded.
As lovely as our day was, it was tragically marred by the terrorist attack in Brussels. In what seems to be a series of bizarre coincidences, our cruising schedule seems to intersect with memorable terrorists events - we were cruising when Seal Team 7 went in for Osama Bin Laden, we were cruising when Paris was bombed, and we just commented on the fact that they had captured the last of the terrorists earlier on this cruise, and suddenly we're faced with the devastating bombings in Brussels. If only there was a way to erase the hatred.
As a member of the crew, Michael was delayed disembarking and sent us ahead to Blue Diamond, an exquisite designer jewelry store located in old San Juan. He had paved the way for me, with an introduction to Sunny, the owner and Charles the manager. He had let them know what I was looking for and actually, they shipped in the stone for my perusal. That's scary, but made me feel that I was queen for the day! It took about 3 hours to put the deal together, select the setting and select the additional stones, but once completed, it will be spectacular, even if I do say so!
Michael gives lectures during the cruise and is more than willing help anyone on the ship who is looking for something special and offers his services with compliments of Regent. He knows the ports and various stores so well, he can determine where you will be able to find the best deal based on what you are requesting or looking for; no cost or obligation to you. And, most importantly, he will hold your hand. He looked at the stone, and assured me that it was a very good stone indeed; I really needed hand holding on this one. If he's on board, take advantage of his expertise. He can put your mind at ease, when making a purchase.
After a Cafe con Leche and a Cordadito, determining the perfect setting, it was done, and I am officially broke. It will take eight weeks and we'll be in touch throughout the creation of this marvel to tweak the design if needed!
Michael not only helped me, he was everywhere throughout Old San Juan helping a number of people who had requested his assistance. On his recommendation we made our way up to Barrachina, a family owned restaurant that has been in Old San Juan since 1963 offering "Creative Puerto Rican & International Cuisine!" Not only that, they are the birthplace of the Pina Colada...quite honestly the best I've ever tasted! I had two just to make sure! Set in a beautiful courtyard, the bar is circular and can handle most any crowd - Jorge, the bartender, always checks to see if you want alcohol or not. Holy Toledo - so yummy! And NO ice! A very special, very protected, recipe.
I ordered a great Mofongo and Camarones! John opted for a boring old steak sandwich while Michael had a whole Red Snapper a la Criolla that looked delicious! We each savored our choices thanks to the excellent service from Victor as well as great food - and Sunny at Blue Diamond had arranged to pick up the tab! A lovely surprise!
Time to make our way back to the ship for 4:00 p.m. sailing. The Murphy's and Hudson's had been on the Bacardi Tour and came home filled with plenty of trivia - did you know Bacardi owns 150 other liquor brands - as well as rum! And they escaped Senor Frogs!
Our cell phones worked for the first time so we caught up with all of the kids and puppies. All is well, but the fuzzy ones have had a bit of a time with the stress. I know the Vets take really good care of them, but they do so much better at home!
We woke up to the news of the bombing in Brussels, and continued to catch news on BBC, CNBC and MSNBC off and on throughout the day. By channel surfing we seemed to get a fairly accurate, well rounded picture of the story as it unfolded.
As lovely as our day was, it was tragically marred by the terrorist attack in Brussels. In what seems to be a series of bizarre coincidences, our cruising schedule seems to intersect with memorable terrorists events - we were cruising when Seal Team 7 went in for Osama Bin Laden, we were cruising when Paris was bombed, and we just commented on the fact that they had captured the last of the terrorists earlier on this cruise, and suddenly we're faced with the devastating bombings in Brussels. If only there was a way to erase the hatred.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Antigua!
March 21 - I love Antigua... It's a classic example of British Caribbean, with a ring of forts, quaint colonial architecture and best of all, 365 beaches! One for every day of the year.
Original plans were for a catamaran lobster and champagne cruise, but I opted out of that days ago. Patti and the sun just don't mix, and even with cover I'd be fried after 61/2 hours on the water!
Each time I'd been to Antigua was for a specific reason; a cruise on Star Clipper and later a visit to Pineapple Beach Club. Both delightful events, but never a chance to see the pier area downtown and shop!
It was great! Step off the ship, maybe a few hundred feet and voila! You are there! Right at the end of the the Heritage Quay Pier was a myriad of shops all just waiting for our arrival. Highlights were Diamonds International (and stroll down a bit further for the a DI clearance center), Tanzanite International, Abbott's Jewelry with Gingerlilly (a women's resort shop with lovely clothes), a Del Sol and Cariloha (the bamboo bedding and bath shop). Sound a bit like Bridgetown? Somewhat, but keep in mind, if you make a purchase on one island then see something you like better in another port, you can upgrade without a problem! I think that's a great benefit to shopping in the Caribbean!
I was delighted to find a new watch band for my watch, and someone kind enough to show me how easily they can be changed, so I can have a wardrobe of watch bands! As if I need to worry about is another wardrobe!
On our Cruise Director Jamie's recommendation we walked a bit further up St. Mary's Street to have lunch at Hemingways - established in 1987. They are on the second floor of a small wooden building and have a lovely balcony overlooking the street, and provide classic Caribbean service. I really don't know a kinder way of putting it. It was so slow that it was well over an hour between the time we ordered lunch and it's arrival at the table. We enjoyed sitting on the balcony, catching the lovely breeze and sipping our Red Stripes. We had heard about the fantastic lobster in Antigua and we were going to enjoy some for ourselves; so two orders of Grilled Caribbean Lobster - Market Price. Beware Market Price! With a good deal of savoir faire, we placed the order - hey, we're international travelers, how bad could the market price be! The late lobster was delicious! Served with lemon butter and fries, we were happy campers! Now maybe we were just so hungry by the time it arrived, anything would have tasted good, but they were really tasty. Ah, a bit of relaxation after the meal, a little chat and the request for the bill. OMG! Shocking doesn't begin to describe it! For the price of lunch, we could have hired a boat, scuba equipment and caught our own lobster! Possibly less! Lesson learned. ALWAYS ask the market price!
On the way back to the ship we wandered into a couple of other shops, but there was nothing compelling capturing our attention (or money!)
It wasn't far but by the time we walked back to the ship, we were both exhausted! It was bloody hot outside! It was a delight to get back to the ship and its air conditioning. We both crawled back to our cabins, showered and had a lovely nap!
We were in the Compass Rose for dinner with the regular menu, however four of us had requested escargot. One of the lovely things about cruising with Regent is that with 24-48 hour notice, they will cook anything for you! We enjoyed our little snails and have actually put in a request for a Chinese Dinner on Thursday evening... I love cruising!
Original plans were for a catamaran lobster and champagne cruise, but I opted out of that days ago. Patti and the sun just don't mix, and even with cover I'd be fried after 61/2 hours on the water!
Each time I'd been to Antigua was for a specific reason; a cruise on Star Clipper and later a visit to Pineapple Beach Club. Both delightful events, but never a chance to see the pier area downtown and shop!
It was great! Step off the ship, maybe a few hundred feet and voila! You are there! Right at the end of the the Heritage Quay Pier was a myriad of shops all just waiting for our arrival. Highlights were Diamonds International (and stroll down a bit further for the a DI clearance center), Tanzanite International, Abbott's Jewelry with Gingerlilly (a women's resort shop with lovely clothes), a Del Sol and Cariloha (the bamboo bedding and bath shop). Sound a bit like Bridgetown? Somewhat, but keep in mind, if you make a purchase on one island then see something you like better in another port, you can upgrade without a problem! I think that's a great benefit to shopping in the Caribbean!
I was delighted to find a new watch band for my watch, and someone kind enough to show me how easily they can be changed, so I can have a wardrobe of watch bands! As if I need to worry about is another wardrobe!
On our Cruise Director Jamie's recommendation we walked a bit further up St. Mary's Street to have lunch at Hemingways - established in 1987. They are on the second floor of a small wooden building and have a lovely balcony overlooking the street, and provide classic Caribbean service. I really don't know a kinder way of putting it. It was so slow that it was well over an hour between the time we ordered lunch and it's arrival at the table. We enjoyed sitting on the balcony, catching the lovely breeze and sipping our Red Stripes. We had heard about the fantastic lobster in Antigua and we were going to enjoy some for ourselves; so two orders of Grilled Caribbean Lobster - Market Price. Beware Market Price! With a good deal of savoir faire, we placed the order - hey, we're international travelers, how bad could the market price be! The late lobster was delicious! Served with lemon butter and fries, we were happy campers! Now maybe we were just so hungry by the time it arrived, anything would have tasted good, but they were really tasty. Ah, a bit of relaxation after the meal, a little chat and the request for the bill. OMG! Shocking doesn't begin to describe it! For the price of lunch, we could have hired a boat, scuba equipment and caught our own lobster! Possibly less! Lesson learned. ALWAYS ask the market price!
On the way back to the ship we wandered into a couple of other shops, but there was nothing compelling capturing our attention (or money!)
It wasn't far but by the time we walked back to the ship, we were both exhausted! It was bloody hot outside! It was a delight to get back to the ship and its air conditioning. We both crawled back to our cabins, showered and had a lovely nap!
We were in the Compass Rose for dinner with the regular menu, however four of us had requested escargot. One of the lovely things about cruising with Regent is that with 24-48 hour notice, they will cook anything for you! We enjoyed our little snails and have actually put in a request for a Chinese Dinner on Thursday evening... I love cruising!
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Discover Barbados on Bus #15
March 20, 2016 - My extreme caution paid off and I was bright eyed at 6am this morning! All the better to feast on caviar and mimosas, my dear! Not to say I'm spoiled or anything, but caviar just sets the tone for the entire day! You just know it's going to be a good day!
Downstairs and ready for our "Discover Barbados" tour by the appointed hour and we've exchanged our Destination Service Excursion Tickets for our bus number. Today it's number 15. Makes me a bit nervous thinking that there are 15 buses or maybe more in this group.
Actually, there was a Interport Shuttle from the ship to the terminal, which was lovely; it was about a mile hike otherwise. The took us through the pier and it was a delightful surprise, filled with shopping opportunities - Diamonds International, Best of Barbados, Cariloha (all bamboo clothing, bedding and sheets), Columbian Emeralds, A Duty Free Shop, Del Sol, The Best of Barbados Gift Shop and more! Well at 9:00 a.m. you march past them all and head for your bus. We all piled on, got comfortable (actually, they were beautiful new buses) and headed out to discover Barbados.
Although not the tour I would have normally signed up for, I really enjoyed seeing so much of the island. We drove through a beautiful area of Barbados with all of the magnificent hotels, (even saw one that we offer... Tamarind) on our drive up to Highlands Adventure Center for a rum punch. Now there's only one thing better than caviar and champagne for breakfast and it's having rum punch at 10:00 a.m.! The view was spectacular and that's what the majority of our tour was all about, driving around the island and catching the view of the ocean from the south and the west coast. The rugged east coast is particularly good for surfing, and attracts world class surfers for world championships in November. While the south side is where the incredible beaches and crystal clear water is found. A stunning island! We stopped occasionally for "photo opportunities" which we'll share and made our way to St. John's Parish Church. Originally built in 1645 for 110,000 pounds of sugar. It was badly damaged by a hurricane in 1675, rebuild and again damaged in 1780, rebuilt once more before it was absolutely destroyed in 1831. The present church was completed in 1836. The beautiful Gothic design was greatly influenced by its first Anglican Bishop, William Hart Coleridge. From there we made our way back to the ship and the shopping.
I loved the colorful houses we saw all over the island, very imaginative color combinations. They are built to be moved if they find more land, and in some cases built from the top floor down where eventually a bottom floor can be added when the money is available.
Being Palm Sunday, downtown Bridgetown was pretty well closed, with only select shops here and there open, but the shops at the pier were ready and waiting for us!
I was on a hunt to replace a watch band, which I found in Colombian Emeralds, LTD. We checked out Cariloha but found the sizes ran small, but we hit pay dirt at Del Sol with all sorts of fun stuff and promotions... Fingernail polish that changes colors, fun t-shirts and even hair clips! Happy Grandchildren! We found a sundries store as well and I found Cadbury FLAKES! Wow! Talk about Happy!
We're about to slip our lines and head toward St. John's, Antigua. Catch up with you tomorrow!
Downstairs and ready for our "Discover Barbados" tour by the appointed hour and we've exchanged our Destination Service Excursion Tickets for our bus number. Today it's number 15. Makes me a bit nervous thinking that there are 15 buses or maybe more in this group.
Actually, there was a Interport Shuttle from the ship to the terminal, which was lovely; it was about a mile hike otherwise. The took us through the pier and it was a delightful surprise, filled with shopping opportunities - Diamonds International, Best of Barbados, Cariloha (all bamboo clothing, bedding and sheets), Columbian Emeralds, A Duty Free Shop, Del Sol, The Best of Barbados Gift Shop and more! Well at 9:00 a.m. you march past them all and head for your bus. We all piled on, got comfortable (actually, they were beautiful new buses) and headed out to discover Barbados.
Being Palm Sunday, downtown Bridgetown was pretty well closed, with only select shops here and there open, but the shops at the pier were ready and waiting for us!
We're about to slip our lines and head toward St. John's, Antigua. Catch up with you tomorrow!
Friday, March 18, 2016
Devil's Island
March 18, 2016 - Another day of cruising in the morning with an afternoon in port after about 2:00 P.M.. Or that was the plan. Although it was cloudy with scattered showers, the seas didn't seem to be too imposing, but once we dropped anchor, lowered the gangway and tenders, there was still a delay. Quite a delay in fact, it was well over an hour while the tenders cruised around the ship. They worked the port side, then the starboard side and continued to cruise their way around the ship for well over an hour while we watched from our balconies and waited to hear it was time to proceed to the gangway to disembark and board the tenders. The call never came, however there was an announcement about 4:00 P.M. from Captain Serena. She had determined that the swells were just too high for passengers to board the tenders safely so although we could take pictures of Ile Royale, Iles Saint-Joseph and Ile du Diable they would be from afar.
There were no organized shore excursions, but simply the opportunity to go ashore and explore on your own. I was disappointed on one hand, but on the other, there was so much pain and suffering lingering on the island, it was almost palpable. As strange as that may sound, I was glad not to have to deal with that.
The ship had shown the movie Papillion the previous evening, with Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen - the story of Henri Cahrriere's successful escape from the island so everyone was very sharp on Devil's Island. Terry Breen had given a talk on Devil's Island the day before and discussed what there was to see. We were actually going to visit Ile Royale, the arrival/reception island where all prisoners disembarked their ship, were processed into the system and began their prison time. Each of the three Islands served a different purpose. Ile Royale was the administrative center, Ile Joseph held the most troublesome convicts and the almost inaccessible Devil's Island held the political prisoners, such as Albert Dreyfus, in isolation.
The penal colony was first opened in 1852 by Napoleon III and it went on to become one of the most notorious prisons in history. Once a prisoner completed his sentence, if it was less than eight years, they were forced to stay in French Guiana for the length of time matching their forced labor; any sentence exceeding eight years, they had to stay in French Guiana for the rest of their lives.
On Ile Royale there is the church, prison cells, solitary confinement, death row and the site of the guillotine remain for your perusal. The bars on the cells and the irons for chaining the prisoners to their beds indicates the harshness of the prison routine. I can't imagine you wouldn't quickly realize what a hellish existence life was for a prisoner: the oppressive heat, forced labor, cruelty from the guards and appalling living conditions, even though set among magnificent tropical flora and fauna.
On a lighter note, I am sorry I missed the gift shop, my favorite part of any excursion! According to Terry, you can send postcards postmarked from Devil's Island, however they are then shipped to France and from there sent on to their final destinations. So don't expect a post card anytime soon! Oh, and the gift shop also carries French underwear of all things!
Lovely dinner in Signatures followed by a couple of excellent Cosmopolitans crafted by Peter, head bartender in Horizons... His secret is Citron Vodka and Cointreau! Ever so tasty!
The ship had shown the movie Papillion the previous evening, with Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen - the story of Henri Cahrriere's successful escape from the island so everyone was very sharp on Devil's Island. Terry Breen had given a talk on Devil's Island the day before and discussed what there was to see. We were actually going to visit Ile Royale, the arrival/reception island where all prisoners disembarked their ship, were processed into the system and began their prison time. Each of the three Islands served a different purpose. Ile Royale was the administrative center, Ile Joseph held the most troublesome convicts and the almost inaccessible Devil's Island held the political prisoners, such as Albert Dreyfus, in isolation.
The penal colony was first opened in 1852 by Napoleon III and it went on to become one of the most notorious prisons in history. Once a prisoner completed his sentence, if it was less than eight years, they were forced to stay in French Guiana for the length of time matching their forced labor; any sentence exceeding eight years, they had to stay in French Guiana for the rest of their lives.
On Ile Royale there is the church, prison cells, solitary confinement, death row and the site of the guillotine remain for your perusal. The bars on the cells and the irons for chaining the prisoners to their beds indicates the harshness of the prison routine. I can't imagine you wouldn't quickly realize what a hellish existence life was for a prisoner: the oppressive heat, forced labor, cruelty from the guards and appalling living conditions, even though set among magnificent tropical flora and fauna.
On a lighter note, I am sorry I missed the gift shop, my favorite part of any excursion! According to Terry, you can send postcards postmarked from Devil's Island, however they are then shipped to France and from there sent on to their final destinations. So don't expect a post card anytime soon! Oh, and the gift shop also carries French underwear of all things!
Lovely dinner in Signatures followed by a couple of excellent Cosmopolitans crafted by Peter, head bartender in Horizons... His secret is Citron Vodka and Cointreau! Ever so tasty!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
March 17, 2016 - Well, in fine tradition we started our day with Irish Coffee and continue to enjoy them throughout the day. I am pacing myself, as there is a long way to go... Funny, they are serving Bushmills in the Irish Coffees, not Jameson - Bushmills is for the Protestants from Northern Ireland, while Jameson is from Southern Ireland, and quite Catholic... But after two, no one really cares!
It's been a quite day as we make our way out of the Amazon. We dropped off our pilots this morning and will exit the Amazon early evening, meanwhile, we are still surrounded by the Cafe au lait of the Amazon.
I have to admit the ship is dong a grand job of celebrating St. Patrick's Day - nothing the crew is particularly accustomed to. There are green balloons and shamrock balloons in the atrium, lunch offered a fabulous green shamrock cake, with a rainbow, leprechauns and pot of gold, as well as a beautiful shamrock shaped loaf of bread. There was corned beef and cabbage, colcannon soup, and even an Irish potato and chicken pie!
This afternoon we're all planning on attending a "St. Patrick's Day Teatime" followed by a "St. Patrick's Party! I'll fill you in! I can only tell you that by the end of the day, we'll all sure to be green!
I didn't plan this trip as a bucket list destination, it just happened, but how fortuitous. It has been an adventure, a luxurious adventure, but an adventure none the less. And once again, you realize how blessed you are, how lucky to have air-conditioning and to be cruising on the beautiful Seven Seas Mariner with an entire staff dedicated to your enjoyment and well being. We must seem like aliens to the natives; we arrive on big ships, we bring money, take a few pictures, buy a few of their crafts and then slip back onto our ship and disappear, never to be seen again.
I have to admit the ship is dong a grand job of celebrating St. Patrick's Day - nothing the crew is particularly accustomed to. There are green balloons and shamrock balloons in the atrium, lunch offered a fabulous green shamrock cake, with a rainbow, leprechauns and pot of gold, as well as a beautiful shamrock shaped loaf of bread. There was corned beef and cabbage, colcannon soup, and even an Irish potato and chicken pie!
I didn't plan this trip as a bucket list destination, it just happened, but how fortuitous. It has been an adventure, a luxurious adventure, but an adventure none the less. And once again, you realize how blessed you are, how lucky to have air-conditioning and to be cruising on the beautiful Seven Seas Mariner with an entire staff dedicated to your enjoyment and well being. We must seem like aliens to the natives; we arrive on big ships, we bring money, take a few pictures, buy a few of their crafts and then slip back onto our ship and disappear, never to be seen again.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Patti Bails - Santarem
March 16, 2016 - It's pouring in Santarem. Not a nice soft day, but a downpour! One look and we all opted out of the Meeting of the River Tour and Eco Maica Lake and Piranah fishing ... all but John. All I could picture was four hours of wet soggy and with the rain, the animals who are really quite clever, take cover, so no animal spotting. With no expectation of any bird or animal, I opted for the cool, air-conditioning of the ship and a lovely breakfast. John on the other hand soldiered on - full jungle gear, bug spray, hat and even socks (realize folks in Florida just don't wear socks). Off he went adventuring.
John's Grand Adventure:
The distance from the ship's gangway to the entry ramp into the river boat was just long enough to thoroughly soak my safari pants and sneakers. Luckily, I listened to my wife and wore my hooded rain jacket. That saved my shirt, cap and camera from the pounding rain. I was the first of 42 guests to reach the boat.
The boat's guide, Luca, spoke very decent English and directed me to the best seat in the house: "Front row and to the left side," he instructed. I chose my seat accordingly, one of 50 white plastic chairs lined schoolroom style from bow to stern. Eventually, the remainder of my group arrived and off we went toward the meeting of the waters: the swift muddy brown Amazon abutting the slower moving aquamarine Rio Tapajos.
As we approached the very noticeable differentiation in color of the waters, we began to see the famous pink dolphin twisting and diving in the rivers. It was breathtaking to see although difficult to photograph due to the speed of their movements.
The ship entered the green/blue Tapaios River and the change in scenery was dramatic. The river narrowed and the jungle seemed to close in on both sides. Palms, vines, flowers, and dense greenery from river bank into the rain forest. Luca announced that he would no longer make further announcements on the boat's antique PA system so as not to disturb the birds lining the river. Unfortunately, the rain hampered the bird viewing although we were able to see some beautiful black and yellow species with brilliant orange beaks. Vultures lurked in the trees and did occasional Ibis, heron and snowy egrets. We managed to come across a few sloth in trees and one iguana lazing on a branch over the river bank.
We were one of four river boats moving slowly and silently back and forth looking for an elusive Toucan, monkey or Panther. Drat, they were all elsewhere this day. None to be seen.
We collectively stopped in an area known to contain Piranha. The crew of three passed out handmade wooden drop lines with a small piece of red meat attached to the small hook. Over both sides, fore and aft, went the handheld lines in hopes of snagging one of the infamous "Devil Fish" as the natives call them. We were allotted 45 minutes to fish. After a half hour of dropping bait, re-bating hooks, moving from one side to the other,we had nothing to show for our efforts. Loud cheers from the other boats informed us that fish were being caught by others, but not by us. Just before the deadline arrived so did the Piranha. One after another were being hauled on board by the guests. The hook was carefully removed, with pliers, by a crew member as we all crowded around snapping photos of this mystical fish with the sharp teeth. After the photos were taken, the fish was unceremoniously dropped back into the river to live another day. Although individually, not dangerous to humans, the Piranha can wreck havoc in a group. Just one drop of blood in the water and the fish arrive en masse. Luca mentioned that a large pack of Piranha can reduce a large man to nothing but a skeleton in less than ten minutes! That comment got the attention of all on board.
Our fishing completed for the day, we continued our 45 minute voyage back down the river into the Eco Maica bay and on toward our ship.
As a side point of interest to many, Luca mentioned that Coco Chanel once visited the Rio Tapaios and was introduced to the local Rosewood Tree. Enchanted with the odor of the bark, she took samples back home to Paris and, after much experimentation, she introduced
Chanel No. 5 perfume. The direct result of her meeting with the Rosewood Tree on the Tapaios River.
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch... A lovely morning moving along with my needlework! Oh, and our now traditional Bloody Mary at noon!
John made it back just as I checked the cabin and grabbed all his grubby, damp clothes and hit the launderette lottery! Yay! It's been good a good day all around.
Terry Breen's lecture this afternoon was about "Roosevelt's Amazon". After losing the 1912 election TR was a bit at odds and casting about for something to do with himself. He decided to travel to Brazil for a visit, and when he arrived he was invited to join the expedition to look the headwaters of the "River of Doubt" with General Rondon - a well know Brazilian explorer. The River of Doubt was said to be between the Tapajos and Madeira rivers but had not yet been confirmed or mapped. There are two 12 minute clips of live film that survived from the expedition that are without sound from the Library of Congress. Roosevelt's own words typed in narration are included on the black and white clips making for an amazing historical first hand account. What they endured is beyond belief for today's world.
We have now cruised the Amazon for 16 days. Roosevelt's expeditions took months between 1913-1914, while we escaped the heat and humidity making our way back to our luxurious ship after each excursion they endured the elements for months; there was no bug spray in 1913, no way of protecting oneself from the indigenous creepy-crawlies and slithery-dees while today we have countless aids. They had to carry all food they would consume while we dined sumptuously each evening; and when they encountered rapids, and had to porter around them - (according to Roosevelt, there were times when they could only paddle down the river 20 minutes or so before encountering more rapids or falls) we endured no such hardships.
After months of forging ahead and pushing toward the mouth of this uncharted river, TR fell deathly ill; so ill that he asked his son Kermit to leave him behind to die. It was Malaria. Kermit, of course refused to leave his father, and the group eventually made it back to Manaus. And from there, onto a ship headed for the United States. TR was barely able to sit up during his return to the US; he died in 1919 at the age of 61.
Today there is a tributary that runs between the Tapajos and the Madeira before flowing into the Tapajos. Originally it was named RIO TEDEO, now named RIO ROOSEVELT.
How lucky we were to see and explore even a bit of this very raw, savage and unforgiving part of the world, even if we only scratched the surface. It's a trip I wouldn't have missed for anything, even with it's disappointments there were even more delights to balance the scale.
Tomorrow ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
John's Grand Adventure:
The distance from the ship's gangway to the entry ramp into the river boat was just long enough to thoroughly soak my safari pants and sneakers. Luckily, I listened to my wife and wore my hooded rain jacket. That saved my shirt, cap and camera from the pounding rain. I was the first of 42 guests to reach the boat.
The boat's guide, Luca, spoke very decent English and directed me to the best seat in the house: "Front row and to the left side," he instructed. I chose my seat accordingly, one of 50 white plastic chairs lined schoolroom style from bow to stern. Eventually, the remainder of my group arrived and off we went toward the meeting of the waters: the swift muddy brown Amazon abutting the slower moving aquamarine Rio Tapajos.
As we approached the very noticeable differentiation in color of the waters, we began to see the famous pink dolphin twisting and diving in the rivers. It was breathtaking to see although difficult to photograph due to the speed of their movements.
The ship entered the green/blue Tapaios River and the change in scenery was dramatic. The river narrowed and the jungle seemed to close in on both sides. Palms, vines, flowers, and dense greenery from river bank into the rain forest. Luca announced that he would no longer make further announcements on the boat's antique PA system so as not to disturb the birds lining the river. Unfortunately, the rain hampered the bird viewing although we were able to see some beautiful black and yellow species with brilliant orange beaks. Vultures lurked in the trees and did occasional Ibis, heron and snowy egrets. We managed to come across a few sloth in trees and one iguana lazing on a branch over the river bank.
We were one of four river boats moving slowly and silently back and forth looking for an elusive Toucan, monkey or Panther. Drat, they were all elsewhere this day. None to be seen.
We collectively stopped in an area known to contain Piranha. The crew of three passed out handmade wooden drop lines with a small piece of red meat attached to the small hook. Over both sides, fore and aft, went the handheld lines in hopes of snagging one of the infamous "Devil Fish" as the natives call them. We were allotted 45 minutes to fish. After a half hour of dropping bait, re-bating hooks, moving from one side to the other,we had nothing to show for our efforts. Loud cheers from the other boats informed us that fish were being caught by others, but not by us. Just before the deadline arrived so did the Piranha. One after another were being hauled on board by the guests. The hook was carefully removed, with pliers, by a crew member as we all crowded around snapping photos of this mystical fish with the sharp teeth. After the photos were taken, the fish was unceremoniously dropped back into the river to live another day. Although individually, not dangerous to humans, the Piranha can wreck havoc in a group. Just one drop of blood in the water and the fish arrive en masse. Luca mentioned that a large pack of Piranha can reduce a large man to nothing but a skeleton in less than ten minutes! That comment got the attention of all on board.
Our fishing completed for the day, we continued our 45 minute voyage back down the river into the Eco Maica bay and on toward our ship.
As a side point of interest to many, Luca mentioned that Coco Chanel once visited the Rio Tapaios and was introduced to the local Rosewood Tree. Enchanted with the odor of the bark, she took samples back home to Paris and, after much experimentation, she introduced
Chanel No. 5 perfume. The direct result of her meeting with the Rosewood Tree on the Tapaios River.
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch... A lovely morning moving along with my needlework! Oh, and our now traditional Bloody Mary at noon!
John made it back just as I checked the cabin and grabbed all his grubby, damp clothes and hit the launderette lottery! Yay! It's been good a good day all around.
Terry Breen's lecture this afternoon was about "Roosevelt's Amazon". After losing the 1912 election TR was a bit at odds and casting about for something to do with himself. He decided to travel to Brazil for a visit, and when he arrived he was invited to join the expedition to look the headwaters of the "River of Doubt" with General Rondon - a well know Brazilian explorer. The River of Doubt was said to be between the Tapajos and Madeira rivers but had not yet been confirmed or mapped. There are two 12 minute clips of live film that survived from the expedition that are without sound from the Library of Congress. Roosevelt's own words typed in narration are included on the black and white clips making for an amazing historical first hand account. What they endured is beyond belief for today's world.
We have now cruised the Amazon for 16 days. Roosevelt's expeditions took months between 1913-1914, while we escaped the heat and humidity making our way back to our luxurious ship after each excursion they endured the elements for months; there was no bug spray in 1913, no way of protecting oneself from the indigenous creepy-crawlies and slithery-dees while today we have countless aids. They had to carry all food they would consume while we dined sumptuously each evening; and when they encountered rapids, and had to porter around them - (according to Roosevelt, there were times when they could only paddle down the river 20 minutes or so before encountering more rapids or falls) we endured no such hardships.
After months of forging ahead and pushing toward the mouth of this uncharted river, TR fell deathly ill; so ill that he asked his son Kermit to leave him behind to die. It was Malaria. Kermit, of course refused to leave his father, and the group eventually made it back to Manaus. And from there, onto a ship headed for the United States. TR was barely able to sit up during his return to the US; he died in 1919 at the age of 61.
Today there is a tributary that runs between the Tapajos and the Madeira before flowing into the Tapajos. Originally it was named RIO TEDEO, now named RIO ROOSEVELT.
How lucky we were to see and explore even a bit of this very raw, savage and unforgiving part of the world, even if we only scratched the surface. It's a trip I wouldn't have missed for anything, even with it's disappointments there were even more delights to balance the scale.
Tomorrow ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Parintins, The Ides of March and Boi Bumba!
March 15, 2016 - The perfect day with a mixture of cruising the Amazon this morning with arrival in port just before noon. So a leisurely breakfast and coffee followed by a bit of time with my needlework, which I love! You see I'm really slow! I'm working on the same piece that I was doing LIS/CPT! Don't know why I don't pick it up at home, but I just don't. My goal is to do one Christmas piece for each of the children's families... And I'm waaaay behind. So anytime I can get a few stitches in, I'm ahead of the game. Best get busy before I go blind with those tiny stitches!
We dropped anchor a bit ahead of schedule and stared tendering early. We were all signed up for the Boi Bumba show, dutifully turned in our excursion tickets for our tender tickets and patiently waited for our number to be called. We'd heard only good things about the folk dance and although I'm not too folksy, I was looking forward to seeing what there was to see.
The tender was considerably lower than the dock, so, one of the typical river boats tied up to the dock and the tender tied up to the boat. As a group we were helped off the tender onto the boat, crossed the deck of the boat to be helped off and onto the floating dock. I was amazed to learn that during the course of the year, during rainy season, the water can rise 90 feet above the height of low season!
Back to the Boi Bumba. Parintins hosts the annual festival during the last week of June. The three day festival is the biggest celebration in Amazonas and the second largest in Brazil after Rio's Carnival. This traditional Brazilian festival has evolved from a mixture of African and European cultures. It is centered around a ritualistic dance recounting the kidnapping, death and rebirth of a legendary Boi (ox) a metaphor for the agricultural cycles.
Originating on the 18th century plantations the festival arrived in Parintins almost 100 years ago. It's comprised of a vibrant, infectious rhythm and spectacular costumes with at least a million feathers! The last few decades the festival has gained in prominence and every June at least 35,000 people crowd into Bumbodromos, a stadium built especially for the celebrants, who join in the revelries. The fantastic procession incorporates dazzling dressed participants, including mythological beasts. In Parintins there are two distinct competing camps, the red Garantido and blue Caprichosa. Both compete to see who can create the most elaborate, outlandish costumes.
The costumes are spectacular, and I don't think I have never see that many feathers in one place! There were the good guys, the bad guys and some you couldn't quite figure out, but each costume was carefully crafted and, good guy or bad guy, they were all absolutely beautiful!
The show was about an hour long, and no one could resist the infectious rhythm throughout the presentations. Every one was swaying or tapping or clapping! It was an exceptional show and one that none of us will forget!
As we left the show there was a small craft market filled with local artisans and we were able to find a few more of the beautiful Brazilian stone necklaces and additional treasures!
We dribbled back to the ship, as somehow I got separated from the group and made it back first. The heat is exhausting and the tenders can be quite uncomfortably warm, but you know you are in the Amazon! And how exciting! Sorry, but it really is amazing that we are HERE! In the middle of the muddy Amazon, watching for pink dolphin.
The ship is showing PAPILLON with Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen tonight on the big screen in anticipation to our stop at Devils Island... John and I are opting out to enjoy a quiet dinner for two in Sette Mari.
Tomorrow we're in Santarem and fishing for Piranhas!
The tender was considerably lower than the dock, so, one of the typical river boats tied up to the dock and the tender tied up to the boat. As a group we were helped off the tender onto the boat, crossed the deck of the boat to be helped off and onto the floating dock. I was amazed to learn that during the course of the year, during rainy season, the water can rise 90 feet above the height of low season!
Originating on the 18th century plantations the festival arrived in Parintins almost 100 years ago. It's comprised of a vibrant, infectious rhythm and spectacular costumes with at least a million feathers! The last few decades the festival has gained in prominence and every June at least 35,000 people crowd into Bumbodromos, a stadium built especially for the celebrants, who join in the revelries. The fantastic procession incorporates dazzling dressed participants, including mythological beasts. In Parintins there are two distinct competing camps, the red Garantido and blue Caprichosa. Both compete to see who can create the most elaborate, outlandish costumes.
The show was about an hour long, and no one could resist the infectious rhythm throughout the presentations. Every one was swaying or tapping or clapping! It was an exceptional show and one that none of us will forget!
As we left the show there was a small craft market filled with local artisans and we were able to find a few more of the beautiful Brazilian stone necklaces and additional treasures!
The ship is showing PAPILLON with Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen tonight on the big screen in anticipation to our stop at Devils Island... John and I are opting out to enjoy a quiet dinner for two in Sette Mari.
Tomorrow we're in Santarem and fishing for Piranhas!
Monday, March 14, 2016
Manaus day Two
March 14, 2016 - Today's excursions all about the economic boom between 1888 and 1912 - The era of the Rubber Barons. The Highlights of Manaus tour took us directly into the world famous Opera House - Teatro Amazonas - built at the end of the 19th Century during the Belle Époque when fortunes were made from the extraction of rubber in Manaus. The opera house was designed by Gabienete Portugues and it was more than two years before construction was completed and the prominent landmark with a glistening dome appeared above the port.
Designed in the shape of a harp, the theater can seat up to 700. The main columns, three curving balconies, and the seats are made from English cast iron and the polished wooden armchairs are made from local jacaranda. The roof is made from red tiles that were imported from Alsace in France, the columns are made from Carrara marble, the outside balconies are built from finely cut Portuguese stone, the cupola was created using 36,000 colorful ceramic tiles also imported from Alsace. The main stage curtain was created by Manaus artist Crispim do Amaral to depict the Meeting of the Waters and a local river goddess, Lara. And even the wooden floors with its light and dark pattern are a reminder of the Meeting of the Waters. There is an area at the top of the Cupola where ice was kept during the performances and would be fanned by the natives to create "air-conditioning". A key feature in the main auditorium is a ceiling rosette whose four pillars were painted in Paris and reassembled in Manaus. The pillars create the impression of gazing up from underneath the Eiffel Tower!
As we entered this incredible treasure, the Amazonas Philharmonic was in rehearsal! The sound was remarkable, as everything about the Opera House was built for the purity of sound. It was another amazing contrast between the primitive and luxurious.
With the exception of the Opera House, much of the Rubber Barron's Manaus is in disrepair and ruin. Some of their magnificent house have been repurposed as a government building, while others are boarded up, and you can only imagine their past glory.
Black mold seems to be everywhere, caused by the humidity, it creeps through buildings both inside and out; it's quite amazing that the residents aren't all sick! It's a constant battle to keep the buildings clean, somewhat of a losing battle it seems. It would take constant care and the residents aren't all that vigilant. After all, it is a jungle.
The visit to the local market was a contrast of exotic fruits and vegetables, meats of unknown origin, fresh fish and herbal medicines.
Manaus was in decline by 1912. The exclusive rubber market had been compromised by an Englishman who over the course of 11 years from 1901-1912 stole and smuggled over 38 million rubber tree seeds out of Manaus in dried caymans and shipped them to Malaysia, where the climate was similar enough to the Amazon they were able to establish rubber plantations. When the trees matured, they were eventually able to surpass the Amazonian production for considerably less labor cost, and Manaus succumbed.
Today there are 2 million residents in Manaus and the city is growing. Industries such as GE, Apple, Honda, BMW, Harley Davidson and Sony all have factories that are producing various components for their products. Once again it's a booming city.
As we entered this incredible treasure, the Amazonas Philharmonic was in rehearsal! The sound was remarkable, as everything about the Opera House was built for the purity of sound. It was another amazing contrast between the primitive and luxurious.
With the exception of the Opera House, much of the Rubber Barron's Manaus is in disrepair and ruin. Some of their magnificent house have been repurposed as a government building, while others are boarded up, and you can only imagine their past glory.
Black mold seems to be everywhere, caused by the humidity, it creeps through buildings both inside and out; it's quite amazing that the residents aren't all sick! It's a constant battle to keep the buildings clean, somewhat of a losing battle it seems. It would take constant care and the residents aren't all that vigilant. After all, it is a jungle.
Manaus was in decline by 1912. The exclusive rubber market had been compromised by an Englishman who over the course of 11 years from 1901-1912 stole and smuggled over 38 million rubber tree seeds out of Manaus in dried caymans and shipped them to Malaysia, where the climate was similar enough to the Amazon they were able to establish rubber plantations. When the trees matured, they were eventually able to surpass the Amazonian production for considerably less labor cost, and Manaus succumbed.
Today there are 2 million residents in Manaus and the city is growing. Industries such as GE, Apple, Honda, BMW, Harley Davidson and Sony all have factories that are producing various components for their products. Once again it's a booming city.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Manaus!
March 13, 2016 - The "Paris of the Jungle" is the capital of Brazil's state of Amazonas. A former river village, it rests on the Rio Negro where it merges with the Amazon. Brought to it's glory in the late 18th century by the rubber barons, it is world renowned for it's Renaissance-style Opera House where the finest opera singers, such as Carouso, Maria Callas, Placido Domingo have all sung. But more about the Opera House tomorrow.
Today we opted for an excursion to see the Meeting of the Waters. There were about 50 of us that boarded the two decker river boat, with plastic chairs, two guides and sailed downstream to see the dark black Rio Negro run together but separately from the Cafe con Leche Amazon. It's fascinating to see them run together with a sharp definition between the two - they stay separated for miles due to the different speeds and different water temperatures and alkalinity.
After seeing the meeting of the waters we slipped down a small tributary and cruised to an outpost where we changed to small motorized canoes for a deeper exploration of the jungle in and around January Lake. I was amazed to hear that during the dry season the lake dries up almost completely, and becomes more of a mud hole. We pushed through the heavy grass and water hyacinths keeping our eyes peeled for wildlife. Snowy Egrets were the most visible, stalking their prey in the deep grass and sitting in the trees; it was fabulous to see perhaps 10-15 in a single tree! There was one bird that we saw that I haven't identified, brownish, with a bright orange beak, but when it flew, it was a flurry of white. We did see Cormorants gathered in a tree, but none of the birds you would commonly associate with the Amazon - the Scarlet Macaws, green Amazon Parrots etc.
Most exciting were the giant lily pads! They must have a "season" as they had warned us that there is never a guarantee that you will be able to see them. They really were amazing and surprising as well! The ones we saw were about 4 feet across or smaller, some new and pristine while others that had been around for a while were quite dog-eared. Surprising were the spines on the bottom side of the pads, about an inch long and quite imposing. There were all sorts of insects - little tiny frogs, grasshoppers, spiders and a variety of dragonflies.
Back to the outpost, and out of the canoes - easier said than done... Talk about an inelegant dismount!
It was a pleasant, if not long return to the ship, but even with the heat and humidity, being on the moving boat made it very comfortable.
We are out of Code Red! We can serve ourselves, and the laundry is open! Holy Toledo, the stampede!
After seeing the meeting of the waters we slipped down a small tributary and cruised to an outpost where we changed to small motorized canoes for a deeper exploration of the jungle in and around January Lake. I was amazed to hear that during the dry season the lake dries up almost completely, and becomes more of a mud hole. We pushed through the heavy grass and water hyacinths keeping our eyes peeled for wildlife. Snowy Egrets were the most visible, stalking their prey in the deep grass and sitting in the trees; it was fabulous to see perhaps 10-15 in a single tree! There was one bird that we saw that I haven't identified, brownish, with a bright orange beak, but when it flew, it was a flurry of white. We did see Cormorants gathered in a tree, but none of the birds you would commonly associate with the Amazon - the Scarlet Macaws, green Amazon Parrots etc.
Back to the outpost, and out of the canoes - easier said than done... Talk about an inelegant dismount!
It was a pleasant, if not long return to the ship, but even with the heat and humidity, being on the moving boat made it very comfortable.
We are out of Code Red! We can serve ourselves, and the laundry is open! Holy Toledo, the stampede!
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Boca da Valeria
March 12, 2016 - Today we traveled back in time - well sort of - to the tiny fishing village of Boca da Valaria which is nestled between Parintins and Santarem. The small little village gives you a glimpse of life on the Amazon year's ago. As we arrived on the tenders we were greeted by dozens of beautiful children, all wanting to take your hand and show you the village or escort you to their fathers or grandfathers skiff for a ride up the tributary.
Although we've been in the Amazon for days, this small village gave you the impression that you really were IN the Amazon. Rich vegetation, grass huts, log canoes, and a life of hunting and fishing that hasn't changed for centuries.
There were other children holding precious little, fuzzy three-toed sloths, that made me want to cry after hearing they will live only about two weeks once taken from their environment. Others had green parakeets on sticks, while others had larger Amazon green parrots. Michael, the shopping expert, had brought two soccer balls for the settlement and he was mobbed as soon as he stepped off the tender! He was able to hold onto the balls until he made his way to the school and wisely gave the soccer balls to the teacher.
There wasn't much to the village, but there was the school, the church and a few dozen houses all up on stilts. And, I saw my first, and probably only, Toucan; they are breathtakingly beautiful; sleek black body and brilliant orange beak, white tipped wings and throat.
We stayed a little less than an hour. Already we'd walked the village, checked out the handmade crafts, and visited with some of the children. The heat was oppressive, and we didn't mind heading back to the ship. In fact, there were many people that stayed on the ship, but they missed a memorable experience and the rich contrast between primitive and modern Amazon.
There were other children holding precious little, fuzzy three-toed sloths, that made me want to cry after hearing they will live only about two weeks once taken from their environment. Others had green parakeets on sticks, while others had larger Amazon green parrots. Michael, the shopping expert, had brought two soccer balls for the settlement and he was mobbed as soon as he stepped off the tender! He was able to hold onto the balls until he made his way to the school and wisely gave the soccer balls to the teacher.
We stayed a little less than an hour. Already we'd walked the village, checked out the handmade crafts, and visited with some of the children. The heat was oppressive, and we didn't mind heading back to the ship. In fact, there were many people that stayed on the ship, but they missed a memorable experience and the rich contrast between primitive and modern Amazon.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Cruising to the Amazon
March 9, 2016 - It was another day at sea, and Terry Breen's lectures at 10:30 a.m.; it's been informative and one of the highlights of the day. This morning's lecture was on the flora and fauna found along the Amazon - those that we are most likely to see from the ship, those that we are likely to see on the shores, and those far away that we are unlikely to see.
Dr Breen let us know that there are over 5 million species of insects, 900 species of birds, 138 species of parrots & parakeets (always in two), in addition to the magnificent Scarlet Macaws, Sargent Majors, 14 species of Tucans... More than enough to keep me happy! I hope I'm lucky enough to see just a few of them!
On the river, the Amazon, not the Rio Negro, we should begin to see giant rafts of grass and islands of hyacinths, and farther up the river, the giant Victoria Regina water lilies, large and sturdy enough for an adult to stand on!
We should have the chance to see river Otters, Manatees, Tucuxi, the grey river Dolphins, and the Boto, the pink Dolphins, and with over 3000 species of fish (contested by Jean Michel Cousteau to be closer to 5000) taste a few exotic fishies...The Tambaqui, and Pirarucu (related to the catfish...but HUGE!)
Along the trails there are over 1200 species of Orchids, leaf cutter ants, Amazonial ant eaters, Auuoti, Capaybara (the largest rodent in the world, can be as big as a pig!) Kouatimunde, slight, and 25 (and counting) species of primates. Over 300 species of hummingbirds, and the "Jesus Bird" that walks on water!
What we won't see are the Boas and Anacondas, doubtful we will see he Roseate Spoonbill and the Hyacinth Macaw, and the most primitive bird in the world (closest to it's dinosaur ancestors) the Hoatzin. 22 species of Marmosets, from the size of your finger to about a foot long, and the magnificent Ocelot and Jaguar, both endangered with fines and imprisonment for the purchase of items using their skins.
We learned that there are over 22 species of piranhas, and that although they are bony, they make tasty eating...and forget the scene in the movie that depicted the cow being gobbled up by the school of piranha. Piranha tend to leave you alone unless you are bleeding, so don't bleed in the water! One more scary creature is the Candiru - attracted by urea expelled by the fish; it swims into the gills of fish and sucks them dry of blood. But this nasty little parasite is also attracted to human urine, so don't be peeing in the river! You'll be sorry!
The variety of fauna is astonishing, the Blue Poison Dart Tree Frog, the Red Eyed Tree Frog, the Morpho Butterfly, Walking sticks, the Peruvian leave-mimicking katydid, Tree hoppers.. And the list goes on! What an amazing Eco system. And we've only touched the surface.
There are only about 750,000 indigenous people left in Brazil. They have been moved to reservations much like the American Indians, however they are much more isolated to maintain their lifestyle and as they are susceptible to our modern day diseases.
In the course of our travel down the Amazon to Manaus, we will be crossing the Equator three times, and there will be no doubt when we enter the Amazon, although at five in the morning, most of us are unlikely to actually "experience" the entry. We will be entering north of Marajo Island (an island at the entrance of the Amazon the size of Maryland) tomorrow morning, and then cruising to Macapa for a service call to pick up our pilots for the remaining trip up the Amazon to Manaus.
We are still under code Red, so all of our meals and snacks have been served to us, which I don't mind at all. It's comforting to know no one else is touching the serving utensils, or bread or anything. The ship continues to be cleaned multiple times a day, inside and out, every surface that is exposed, and I'm very impressed by all that they are doing to protect us.
Dr Breen let us know that there are over 5 million species of insects, 900 species of birds, 138 species of parrots & parakeets (always in two), in addition to the magnificent Scarlet Macaws, Sargent Majors, 14 species of Tucans... More than enough to keep me happy! I hope I'm lucky enough to see just a few of them!
On the river, the Amazon, not the Rio Negro, we should begin to see giant rafts of grass and islands of hyacinths, and farther up the river, the giant Victoria Regina water lilies, large and sturdy enough for an adult to stand on!
We should have the chance to see river Otters, Manatees, Tucuxi, the grey river Dolphins, and the Boto, the pink Dolphins, and with over 3000 species of fish (contested by Jean Michel Cousteau to be closer to 5000) taste a few exotic fishies...The Tambaqui, and Pirarucu (related to the catfish...but HUGE!)
Along the trails there are over 1200 species of Orchids, leaf cutter ants, Amazonial ant eaters, Auuoti, Capaybara (the largest rodent in the world, can be as big as a pig!) Kouatimunde, slight, and 25 (and counting) species of primates. Over 300 species of hummingbirds, and the "Jesus Bird" that walks on water!
What we won't see are the Boas and Anacondas, doubtful we will see he Roseate Spoonbill and the Hyacinth Macaw, and the most primitive bird in the world (closest to it's dinosaur ancestors) the Hoatzin. 22 species of Marmosets, from the size of your finger to about a foot long, and the magnificent Ocelot and Jaguar, both endangered with fines and imprisonment for the purchase of items using their skins.
We learned that there are over 22 species of piranhas, and that although they are bony, they make tasty eating...and forget the scene in the movie that depicted the cow being gobbled up by the school of piranha. Piranha tend to leave you alone unless you are bleeding, so don't bleed in the water! One more scary creature is the Candiru - attracted by urea expelled by the fish; it swims into the gills of fish and sucks them dry of blood. But this nasty little parasite is also attracted to human urine, so don't be peeing in the river! You'll be sorry!
The variety of fauna is astonishing, the Blue Poison Dart Tree Frog, the Red Eyed Tree Frog, the Morpho Butterfly, Walking sticks, the Peruvian leave-mimicking katydid, Tree hoppers.. And the list goes on! What an amazing Eco system. And we've only touched the surface.
There are only about 750,000 indigenous people left in Brazil. They have been moved to reservations much like the American Indians, however they are much more isolated to maintain their lifestyle and as they are susceptible to our modern day diseases.
In the course of our travel down the Amazon to Manaus, we will be crossing the Equator three times, and there will be no doubt when we enter the Amazon, although at five in the morning, most of us are unlikely to actually "experience" the entry. We will be entering north of Marajo Island (an island at the entrance of the Amazon the size of Maryland) tomorrow morning, and then cruising to Macapa for a service call to pick up our pilots for the remaining trip up the Amazon to Manaus.
We are still under code Red, so all of our meals and snacks have been served to us, which I don't mind at all. It's comforting to know no one else is touching the serving utensils, or bread or anything. The ship continues to be cleaned multiple times a day, inside and out, every surface that is exposed, and I'm very impressed by all that they are doing to protect us.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
International Woman's Day
March 8, 2016 - At noon each day the Captain gives an update from the bridge on our location, time to the next destination, weather conditions, sea conditions and a little briefing. Today the briefing was about International Woman's Day. Chances are you have never heard of Woman's Day. Evidently more renown in Europe than the U.S., it's a day to honor women and bring to light the need for equality both in the work place and at home.
Our Captain Serena Melani, is an inspiration. In a private conversation she mentioned how difficult it was to be hired by any of the lines as a deck officer. During her time at sea, she spent a number of years sailing on Carnival as a junior officer before taking a respite on cargo ships. She chose to return to passenger ships, and was hired by Regent as a Staff Captain, and now recently promoted to Captain.
The ship's resident anthropologist, Terry Breen's lecture was on the Amazon, the second longest river in the world (75 miles shorter than the Nile). She dispelled more than one myth, and in most cases with 30 miles between the shores, we are no longer expecting to have to make our way, vine by vine with machete through the jungle. Some of the more amazing facts are that 10 of the world's largest 20 rivers are part of the Amazon! Well over 3,000 tributaries drain into the Amazon basin; one days discharge at the mouth of the river could supply every U.S.household with water for 5 months (over 7,100,000 cubic feet per second)!
She mentioned that Manaus is 900 miles up river and the river is still navigable beyond that! As we sail into the Amazon, we will take on board two Amazonian pilots, as the river shifts and changes so often the navigation charts aren't currently accurate.
It was a fascinating talk, and I'll fill you in with more tidbits in the next blog!
The ship is under Code Red - the GI virus has spread and now there are 11 that are confined to quarters. As scary as this sounds, it is actually quite comforting to see how they handle the sanitation aboard. Think of everything you might touch during the day, and that is now handled by a person. Most notably is service in the buffet, both in the Veranda and the Coffee Connection. No longer can you reach across and help yourself to bacon, eggs, bread, fruit etc, there is someone there that serves you, so you do not touch any serving pieces. The tables at my favorite spot along the walkway on Deck Six are constantly being wiped down; the wicker chairs throughout the ship are wiped down along the back and sides where you might pull the chair out to be seated. You can no longer help yourself to coffee from the expresso machine, there is someone there to assist. Every surface is wiped, re-wiped, and wiped yet again. EVERY surface! Our doors, the elevator buttons, they have removed the hand cloths from the bathrooms and replaced them with Kleenex...messy but cleaner. Everywhere you see the ship's crew carrying spray bottles of cleaner and disposable cleaning cloths. The ship's staff is meticulous and conscientious. We have found out that any one under quarantine has their photo distributed to the crew and if anyone is found to have broken quarantine they are put off of the ship in the next port of call...Regardless of where that might be! I am quite impressed with the diligence and thoroughness. I spoke to Captain Serena a few minutes ago, and we are holding steady - no new cases. Good news.
For now I'm off to read a bit, or maybe work on my cross stitch (same one as last time!)
Our Captain Serena Melani, is an inspiration. In a private conversation she mentioned how difficult it was to be hired by any of the lines as a deck officer. During her time at sea, she spent a number of years sailing on Carnival as a junior officer before taking a respite on cargo ships. She chose to return to passenger ships, and was hired by Regent as a Staff Captain, and now recently promoted to Captain.
The ship's resident anthropologist, Terry Breen's lecture was on the Amazon, the second longest river in the world (75 miles shorter than the Nile). She dispelled more than one myth, and in most cases with 30 miles between the shores, we are no longer expecting to have to make our way, vine by vine with machete through the jungle. Some of the more amazing facts are that 10 of the world's largest 20 rivers are part of the Amazon! Well over 3,000 tributaries drain into the Amazon basin; one days discharge at the mouth of the river could supply every U.S.household with water for 5 months (over 7,100,000 cubic feet per second)!
She mentioned that Manaus is 900 miles up river and the river is still navigable beyond that! As we sail into the Amazon, we will take on board two Amazonian pilots, as the river shifts and changes so often the navigation charts aren't currently accurate.
It was a fascinating talk, and I'll fill you in with more tidbits in the next blog!
The ship is under Code Red - the GI virus has spread and now there are 11 that are confined to quarters. As scary as this sounds, it is actually quite comforting to see how they handle the sanitation aboard. Think of everything you might touch during the day, and that is now handled by a person. Most notably is service in the buffet, both in the Veranda and the Coffee Connection. No longer can you reach across and help yourself to bacon, eggs, bread, fruit etc, there is someone there that serves you, so you do not touch any serving pieces. The tables at my favorite spot along the walkway on Deck Six are constantly being wiped down; the wicker chairs throughout the ship are wiped down along the back and sides where you might pull the chair out to be seated. You can no longer help yourself to coffee from the expresso machine, there is someone there to assist. Every surface is wiped, re-wiped, and wiped yet again. EVERY surface! Our doors, the elevator buttons, they have removed the hand cloths from the bathrooms and replaced them with Kleenex...messy but cleaner. Everywhere you see the ship's crew carrying spray bottles of cleaner and disposable cleaning cloths. The ship's staff is meticulous and conscientious. We have found out that any one under quarantine has their photo distributed to the crew and if anyone is found to have broken quarantine they are put off of the ship in the next port of call...Regardless of where that might be! I am quite impressed with the diligence and thoroughness. I spoke to Captain Serena a few minutes ago, and we are holding steady - no new cases. Good news.
For now I'm off to read a bit, or maybe work on my cross stitch (same one as last time!)
Monday, March 7, 2016
Recife, and Olinda, Brazil
March 7, 2016 - Up and off to meet the group for breakfast; we kept looking for the Hudson's who were among the missing. Oh no! With further investigation we found that they are "confined to quarters" due to the possibility of the gastro intestinal virus! Now Donna and I have been meticulous about washing our hands maybe 100 time a day, so this was quite surprising to me, but they are under quarantine until the ship is certain they are free and clear of the virus.
It's sad but they will miss not only the shore excursion today, but our first specialty restaurant dinner at Prime 7!
The Murphy's and the Macchi's headed down to the theater to exchange our excursion tickets for our bus number tickets, and wait to be called. We piled onto the bus and drove through town to a undisclosed (hey, I had no idea where we were) location to change into mini-buses.
Olinda is situated just above Recife, with narrow streets and little room for buses. Olinda is the best preserved Brazilian colonial city, a 16th century town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were dropped just across from the Catedral Se at the highest point of Olinda. After a walk through of the Cathedral, we enjoyed the grounds in the back of the church that offer spectacular views of the port area and Recife below. In Olinda, the narrow, cobblestone street and charming plazas are lined with small shops and stands selling local wares including paintings depicting Olinda, lace scarves, wooden carvings, ceramics and various touristy offerings. It was a lovely, leisurely, but very hot stroll to our meeting point at Convento Sao Francisco. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we didn't make it down the hill to the Mercado da Ribeira, originally a slave market that has been converted to artisans shops.
I found that in this Brazilian heat, the shade is your friend. Find the shade and seek out a breeze, it's all good!
After the mini-bus careened down the hill, delivering us, somewhat breathless, to the big buses, we wandered through Recife, both the old town and the very new (with a number of huge skyscrapers). We stopped at the beach for a quick run through the sand before moving on to the Capela Dourada at the Igreja Sao Francisco for a tour of one of the most unusual chapels I've seen. The statues of Christ and Mary had real hair! The chapel is also know for the beautiful blue and white Portuguese tiles used to decorate the main altar. The intricately carved side altars, the arches and beams are all heavily gold leafed.
By the time we returned to the pier, we were all ready for the cool refuge of the ship... A bit tired, hot and hungry! After lunch, a nap was in order... Ahhhh.
The time for our much anticipated dinner at Prime 7 has arrived! Bitter sweet without the Hudson's, but we'll do it again when they can join us. Prime 7 specializes in prime cuts of beef: sirloin strip, bone in rib eye, filet mignon, prime rib, but they also offer marvelous lamb chops, fresh fish and veal, so there is something for everyone. Prime 7 is in a small, intimate setting, service is exceptional, and in fact, our waiter, Gideon, was our waiter in Prime 7 on the LIS/CPT cruise in November. Very enjoyable dinner, although I wasn't thrilled with my filet, the foie gras was delicious as was the wedge salad. John was considering the bone-in rib eye but, at 18 ounces, he opted for the smaller 12 ounce sirloin instead. Wise choice. And it was delicious.
Another quiet day at sea tomorrow, cruising our way to the Amazon.
It's sad but they will miss not only the shore excursion today, but our first specialty restaurant dinner at Prime 7!
The Murphy's and the Macchi's headed down to the theater to exchange our excursion tickets for our bus number tickets, and wait to be called. We piled onto the bus and drove through town to a undisclosed (hey, I had no idea where we were) location to change into mini-buses.
Olinda is situated just above Recife, with narrow streets and little room for buses. Olinda is the best preserved Brazilian colonial city, a 16th century town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were dropped just across from the Catedral Se at the highest point of Olinda. After a walk through of the Cathedral, we enjoyed the grounds in the back of the church that offer spectacular views of the port area and Recife below. In Olinda, the narrow, cobblestone street and charming plazas are lined with small shops and stands selling local wares including paintings depicting Olinda, lace scarves, wooden carvings, ceramics and various touristy offerings. It was a lovely, leisurely, but very hot stroll to our meeting point at Convento Sao Francisco. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we didn't make it down the hill to the Mercado da Ribeira, originally a slave market that has been converted to artisans shops.
I found that in this Brazilian heat, the shade is your friend. Find the shade and seek out a breeze, it's all good!
After the mini-bus careened down the hill, delivering us, somewhat breathless, to the big buses, we wandered through Recife, both the old town and the very new (with a number of huge skyscrapers). We stopped at the beach for a quick run through the sand before moving on to the Capela Dourada at the Igreja Sao Francisco for a tour of one of the most unusual chapels I've seen. The statues of Christ and Mary had real hair! The chapel is also know for the beautiful blue and white Portuguese tiles used to decorate the main altar. The intricately carved side altars, the arches and beams are all heavily gold leafed.
By the time we returned to the pier, we were all ready for the cool refuge of the ship... A bit tired, hot and hungry! After lunch, a nap was in order... Ahhhh.
The time for our much anticipated dinner at Prime 7 has arrived! Bitter sweet without the Hudson's, but we'll do it again when they can join us. Prime 7 specializes in prime cuts of beef: sirloin strip, bone in rib eye, filet mignon, prime rib, but they also offer marvelous lamb chops, fresh fish and veal, so there is something for everyone. Prime 7 is in a small, intimate setting, service is exceptional, and in fact, our waiter, Gideon, was our waiter in Prime 7 on the LIS/CPT cruise in November. Very enjoyable dinner, although I wasn't thrilled with my filet, the foie gras was delicious as was the wedge salad. John was considering the bone-in rib eye but, at 18 ounces, he opted for the smaller 12 ounce sirloin instead. Wise choice. And it was delicious.
Another quiet day at sea tomorrow, cruising our way to the Amazon.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Lazy Days!
March 6, 2016 - A glorious, lazy day at sea filled with the relaxed rhythm of the ship. We met Danny from Ireland and his wife, Alison from England - Danny is now retired and they are traveling the world. As with most Irishmen, he's full of stories and bits of information about just about everything; a delight to listen to and chat with. He is from Donegal and after our last driving trip around Ireland, it was so interesting to have additional details of the various cities and towns we visited. He passed on a bit of little know trivia regarding Guinness - it actually was first brewed in Cashel before moving to St. James Gate.
We are definitely into the groove of cruising. As a group, we usually catch up during the day, but always meet before dinner at a bar close to our choice of dining venues. It's usually the Mariner Lounge outside the Compass Rose and Prime 7 dining rooms, but tonight we're going to try to get into the Italian restaurant - the transformed La Veranda - Sette Mari So we're meeting in the Constellation Lounge with the magnificent 220 degree view.
Sette Mari. Wow! In a word, fantastic. Way too much to eat, but all quite delicious... I'd be content with just the buffet offering abundant salads & various antipastos. Oh my! But I sacrificed to research and ordered the Veal Marsala while John opted for the Osso Buco, both were outstanding!
Tomorrow Recife, (pronounced "heh see fee") with an excursion to Recefi & Olinda and Prime 7 for dinner!
We are definitely into the groove of cruising. As a group, we usually catch up during the day, but always meet before dinner at a bar close to our choice of dining venues. It's usually the Mariner Lounge outside the Compass Rose and Prime 7 dining rooms, but tonight we're going to try to get into the Italian restaurant - the transformed La Veranda - Sette Mari So we're meeting in the Constellation Lounge with the magnificent 220 degree view.
Sette Mari. Wow! In a word, fantastic. Way too much to eat, but all quite delicious... I'd be content with just the buffet offering abundant salads & various antipastos. Oh my! But I sacrificed to research and ordered the Veal Marsala while John opted for the Osso Buco, both were outstanding!
Tomorrow Recife, (pronounced "heh see fee") with an excursion to Recefi & Olinda and Prime 7 for dinner!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Ahhhhh
March 5, 2016 - Very quiet day today finding our own rhythm aboard. Reacquainting myself with Nenad, the IT god, I'm now wired. Today, I'm catching up with the blog, as I've neglected writing since we left Coral Springs for Rio.
There was a very good lecture by Terry Breen, cultural anthropologist for Regent, discussing the 2016 Olympics. Following the successful bid for the Olympics, reality set in and Rio has been working like mad to clean up the city, complete the venues located in five places around the city, many of the venues were used for the PanAmerican Games so Rio had a leg up. The biggest challenges Rio faces in the sprint to the finish line in August are two fold: money to finish in time and cleaning up the Enseada de Botafogo for the water sports - which is still filled with raw waste.
Lunch was a trip as we met a fascinating couple. They looked like street people, he very large, long hair and scruffy beard, from Montreal; she thin and wrinkled from Martinique. Finding out that her parents arranged for her marriage and at that, she headed to Paris for 6 years, but on her return, there was still a list of potential husbands waiting for her! So once again she took off, this time to Montreal! This couple celebrated their 50th anniversary with an around the world cruise on Seabourn and now cruising MIA r/t on Regent for 72 days around South America!
I've been hard at work since lunch and am headed for a Rosetta before going up to dress for dinner...Formal optional tonight! Jewels and Champagne! I'm there! Tomorrow Champagne and Caviar for breakfast! Oh the life!
There was a very good lecture by Terry Breen, cultural anthropologist for Regent, discussing the 2016 Olympics. Following the successful bid for the Olympics, reality set in and Rio has been working like mad to clean up the city, complete the venues located in five places around the city, many of the venues were used for the PanAmerican Games so Rio had a leg up. The biggest challenges Rio faces in the sprint to the finish line in August are two fold: money to finish in time and cleaning up the Enseada de Botafogo for the water sports - which is still filled with raw waste.
Lunch was a trip as we met a fascinating couple. They looked like street people, he very large, long hair and scruffy beard, from Montreal; she thin and wrinkled from Martinique. Finding out that her parents arranged for her marriage and at that, she headed to Paris for 6 years, but on her return, there was still a list of potential husbands waiting for her! So once again she took off, this time to Montreal! This couple celebrated their 50th anniversary with an around the world cruise on Seabourn and now cruising MIA r/t on Regent for 72 days around South America!
I've been hard at work since lunch and am headed for a Rosetta before going up to dress for dinner...Formal optional tonight! Jewels and Champagne! I'm there! Tomorrow Champagne and Caviar for breakfast! Oh the life!
Friday, March 4, 2016
Back Aboard the Mariner!
March 4, 2016 - Luggage out by 7:00am and ready to board the bus to the pier by 11:00. Check out, hurry up and wait! They failed to advise us we had to identify our luggage before boarding the bus, so that was a little hitch, but otherwise it was a pleasant tour of Rio on the way to the port and seamless transition to the ship.
Check in on board with luncheon waiting for us in La Veranda, and by the time we'd finished it was time to make our way to our suites and unpack. Not an easy chore, but I'm not complaining! It was so very nice when it was all done and you are feeling of being organized and able to finally find things again! 21 days before I have to worry about that again!
The group met at the Mariner Lounge for a drink & hors d'oeuvres before dinner in the main dining room, The Compass Rose. I was looking for all those we'd met before, and was surprised, and somewhat saddened, to find that life goes on...many were on vacation, others transferred to other ships, but there are still enough from the LIS/CPT trip onboard to make us feel very much at home. Our staff captain from LIS/CPT is now our captain! Captain Serena Melani.
It was Jimmy Murphy's birthday and we did celebrate - we of course had cards for him, and a few celebratory drinks followed by a lovely dinner and birthday cake! And many well wishers, all was helped by a "Happy Birthday" crown Jimmy wore for the evening!
Going to Rio? Stay at the Sheraton Rio, eat elsewhere, call Guilherme for a tour (+5521) 7838-1693!
Check in on board with luncheon waiting for us in La Veranda, and by the time we'd finished it was time to make our way to our suites and unpack. Not an easy chore, but I'm not complaining! It was so very nice when it was all done and you are feeling of being organized and able to finally find things again! 21 days before I have to worry about that again!
The group met at the Mariner Lounge for a drink & hors d'oeuvres before dinner in the main dining room, The Compass Rose. I was looking for all those we'd met before, and was surprised, and somewhat saddened, to find that life goes on...many were on vacation, others transferred to other ships, but there are still enough from the LIS/CPT trip onboard to make us feel very much at home. Our staff captain from LIS/CPT is now our captain! Captain Serena Melani.
It was Jimmy Murphy's birthday and we did celebrate - we of course had cards for him, and a few celebratory drinks followed by a lovely dinner and birthday cake! And many well wishers, all was helped by a "Happy Birthday" crown Jimmy wore for the evening!
Going to Rio? Stay at the Sheraton Rio, eat elsewhere, call Guilherme for a tour (+5521) 7838-1693!
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Exploring Rio
March 3, 2016 - We were asked by the Concierge to start our tour at 7:00 a.m. rather than 8:00 a.m. as the tickets for the Tram do Corcavado were sold out for the day. Our driver/guide Guiherme warned us that if we were not in the first lines we could miss seeing one of Rio's highlights - the incredible statue of Christ the Redeemer. Guilherme (Bill in English) was a magician. He maneuvered both traffic and the crowds with ease and grace - he knew all of the ins, outs and shortcuts. He guided us through lines, throngs of tourists (the cruise ships were in!) and even recommended specific seats on the cog train. We arrived at the first level and took some time to ooh and ahh over the spectacular views before taking the escalator up to the statue. Cristo Redentor, sits on the summit of Morro do Corcavado and towers over Rio. It is Brazil's most recognizable landmark, officially inaugurated in 1931 to mark the centenary of Brazil's independence. The work began in Paris in 1926 with the sculptor starting on the hands and the head. The enormous statue sits in the middle of the gorgeous tropical Parque Nacional da Tijuca. It is even more impressive that you can imagine - having seen pictures all of my life, being there was beyond description; I was in awe of the massive size, amazed at the logistics that it must have taken to ship the 98' statue from Paris, haul it up the mountain by rail, assemble and attach it to supporting pillars. There is also the feeling of wonder that comes from being in such a magnificent, world famous sight and seeing it in person for first time after having seen pictures and read about it all your life. There was an electric excitement just being there! It's so incredibly beautiful and one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.
Our next quest was Sugar Loaf Mountain whose name is derived from its shape; (named by the early explorers as sugar was formed into a loaf, exactly like the mountain.) The monolithic quartz and granite mountain has been guarding the entrance to Guanabara Bay for time immemorial. The early explorers thought they had sailed into a great river when they named the mountain and christened their new discovery Rio de Janeiro. The Sugar Loaf experience takes in two mountains, the Morro do Urca and Pao de Acucar and although you may scale both mountains, it is certainly less demanding to use the two cable cars; first to the 705 foot Morro da Urca, before ascending to the summit of Sugar Loaf. Once again unforgettable, sweeping views of Copacabana, Ipanema, Corcavado, Tijuca and Christ the Redeemer in the distance.
Pretty pooped by this time, we were working on fumes. Bill offered us a break at Cafe Urca, a small corner bar. No tables, but a walk-up famous for shrimp empanadas, cod balls and those tasty Caiparinas. We gathered our snacks, crossed the street and made ourselves at home on the sea wall under the shade of a huge leafy tree. Oh so tasty, particularly with the homemade hot sauce!
We had one more sight on our list, the Mosterio Sao Bento, a Benedictine monastery built between 1617 and 1641. Although the exterior reflects the simplicity of the time, it gives no hints to the opulence of the gilded Baroque interiors. A number of the works on display were carved by one of the monks, including the main altar which was created in 1675. It was stunning! It is still a working monastery with daily Mass and a full Gregorian chant service on Sunday.
We had quite a drive around the city as taking in just three sights took eight hours! Traffic is horrendous, but the slow crawl gave us plenty of time to see what there was to see!
The Murphy's made it to the hotel but unfortunately missed the day of sightseeing. However we have dinner planned at the hotel's Italian restaurant. As it turned out, no Italian dishes, but a buffet again with great salads, dreadful steak and tasty deserts... Caiparinas not as good as the upstairs bar!
Pretty pooped by this time, we were working on fumes. Bill offered us a break at Cafe Urca, a small corner bar. No tables, but a walk-up famous for shrimp empanadas, cod balls and those tasty Caiparinas. We gathered our snacks, crossed the street and made ourselves at home on the sea wall under the shade of a huge leafy tree. Oh so tasty, particularly with the homemade hot sauce!
We had one more sight on our list, the Mosterio Sao Bento, a Benedictine monastery built between 1617 and 1641. Although the exterior reflects the simplicity of the time, it gives no hints to the opulence of the gilded Baroque interiors. A number of the works on display were carved by one of the monks, including the main altar which was created in 1675. It was stunning! It is still a working monastery with daily Mass and a full Gregorian chant service on Sunday.
We had quite a drive around the city as taking in just three sights took eight hours! Traffic is horrendous, but the slow crawl gave us plenty of time to see what there was to see!
The Murphy's made it to the hotel but unfortunately missed the day of sightseeing. However we have dinner planned at the hotel's Italian restaurant. As it turned out, no Italian dishes, but a buffet again with great salads, dreadful steak and tasty deserts... Caiparinas not as good as the upstairs bar!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Out the door!
March 1, 2016 - We took the puppies to the vet for boarding around 2pm and Mom is feeling guilty about my fuzzy ones ... even with my booking the "Mastiff Suite" and VIP package. Then a final bit of packing, closing suitcases, moving suitcases, and waiting, waiting, waiting. There are three couples traveling together... The Hudson's, the Murphy's and the Macchi's, our friend Jeannette was going to be with us, but after arriving in Florida, the weekend before the cruise, she wound up in the hospital and had to cancel at the last minute. A disappointment for us all.
Three couples, three different airlines and three different departures. Our flights were close enough to the Murphy's so we shared a limo to MIA for the flights to GIG. The Hudson's were flying to ATL for an ATL/GIG on Delta. We arrived in plenty of time for the Murphy's to make their 9:30 p.m. on TAM, while ours was at 9:50 p.m. on AA. We stayed in touch via cell phone to discover that we were all delayed, Hudson's, Murphy's and Macchi's, but the Murphy's flight was ultimately canceled. They spent the night in a Miami hotel while the Macchi's and the Hudson's arrived in GIG the morning of March 2 within nine minutes of each other. We met up in baggage claim, Ms. Hudson and I secured a van to take us to the hotel with our eight pieces of luggage plus carry ons while the gentlemen found an ATM for Brazilian Reais.
We were on our way in no time, with heightened anticipation of discovering Rio.
We were all booked at the Sheraton Rio Resort, checked in to find they expected rooms to be available by 2:30, so we immediately settled in the lobby bar and ordered 4 Caiparinas... They were the most delicious I've EVER tasted. This bartender had the magic touch! After two each, a couple of dishes filled with peanuts, it was past time for lunch!
The resort located on Leblon Beach with beautiful views of Loblon and Ipanema, the pool, beach restaurants and bars scattered throughout. After an uninspiring lunch, we headed for the front desk to obtain our room keys. The hotel offered an early check-in if available; unfortunately the hotel was fully booked so check-outs took longer than anticipated so it was 2:30 p.m. before we settled in for a nice, much needed nap. We had agreed to meet at 7:00 p.m. to explore our dinner options. We settled on the newly renovated, newly opened steakhouse. It was a stunning setting, outside under the pergola, soft, gentle ocean breeze, and for us old people, just the right lighting. FYI: Caiparinas at the restaurant were not as tasty as they were in the Lobby bar. The salads were spectacular, the steak mediocre, and desert tasty. Early to bed in anticipation of a busy day seeing the sights in Rio - as if exhaustion had nothing to do with it!
Three couples, three different airlines and three different departures. Our flights were close enough to the Murphy's so we shared a limo to MIA for the flights to GIG. The Hudson's were flying to ATL for an ATL/GIG on Delta. We arrived in plenty of time for the Murphy's to make their 9:30 p.m. on TAM, while ours was at 9:50 p.m. on AA. We stayed in touch via cell phone to discover that we were all delayed, Hudson's, Murphy's and Macchi's, but the Murphy's flight was ultimately canceled. They spent the night in a Miami hotel while the Macchi's and the Hudson's arrived in GIG the morning of March 2 within nine minutes of each other. We met up in baggage claim, Ms. Hudson and I secured a van to take us to the hotel with our eight pieces of luggage plus carry ons while the gentlemen found an ATM for Brazilian Reais.
We were on our way in no time, with heightened anticipation of discovering Rio.
We were all booked at the Sheraton Rio Resort, checked in to find they expected rooms to be available by 2:30, so we immediately settled in the lobby bar and ordered 4 Caiparinas... They were the most delicious I've EVER tasted. This bartender had the magic touch! After two each, a couple of dishes filled with peanuts, it was past time for lunch!
The resort located on Leblon Beach with beautiful views of Loblon and Ipanema, the pool, beach restaurants and bars scattered throughout. After an uninspiring lunch, we headed for the front desk to obtain our room keys. The hotel offered an early check-in if available; unfortunately the hotel was fully booked so check-outs took longer than anticipated so it was 2:30 p.m. before we settled in for a nice, much needed nap. We had agreed to meet at 7:00 p.m. to explore our dinner options. We settled on the newly renovated, newly opened steakhouse. It was a stunning setting, outside under the pergola, soft, gentle ocean breeze, and for us old people, just the right lighting. FYI: Caiparinas at the restaurant were not as tasty as they were in the Lobby bar. The salads were spectacular, the steak mediocre, and desert tasty. Early to bed in anticipation of a busy day seeing the sights in Rio - as if exhaustion had nothing to do with it!
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