SOUTH AMERICAN CRUISE
February/March 2019
Valentine's Day – Santiago, Chile
Gone are the days when the initial journey was exciting, it took 27 hours to reach Hotel Kennedy in Santiago, Chile. We’re in the capital, financial, cultural and political centre of Chile. The city has the Mapocho River running through it and is surrounded by the Andes mountain range which are somewhat obscured in parts by smog. Santiago is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has experienced many earthquakes and landslides
We walked to Parque Arauco a luxurious shopping Mall. Not much luck looking for something ordinary like shower gel as it was all stores like Louis Vitton, Hermes, Armani, in fact every luxury store you can think of. It’s nearing the end of their summer and the temperature at 7pm tonight was 36 degrees. We sat in one of the many open air restaurants enjoying cocktails while people watching and listening to a band. Dinner in the hotel but very tired.
Friday 15 February - Santiago 34 degrees sunny
Great having internet in the hotel especially as we woke early. Only one full day here so it’s the Hop-On and Off Bus Stop Tour. First stop San Cristobal Hill where we took a cable car up and Funicular down. At the top of the hill there were great views of the sprawling city and the beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary.
At the bottom of the hill we walked through the eclectic streets full of murals, numerous bars and clubs in what looked like lock-up garages and onto the cultural bohemian Bellavista area. The bus then drove through the heart of the city, the Plaza de Armas (city square) surrounded by streets of busy small shops and most of the city’s historic buildings . We didn’t get off as it was hot and looked packed full of tourists and shoppers.
Next to the tallest building in Latin America, some 300 metres high is the 6 story Costanera Centre,Chile’s largest shopping mall. We stopped there for lunch, I’ve never seen so many different restaurants ranging from fast food to fine dining in one place but none of them catered for someone who is gluten free. However, we settled for a new experience somewhere that did not serve alcohol and everything was fish.
I had grilled fish with ginger and lime and Rick had a dish with lots of raw fish.This is a very pleasant, modern and vibrant city, most of it being built since the transition to democracy in 1990. It way bigger than we imagined and has a population of approximately 7 million. Our hotel is in the Financial District and is amongst many exclusive tower block apartments. Most of the utility cables run overhead which seem strange in such a modern area but may be due to the possibility of earthquakes.
The picture above is a view from our hotel window, a network of motorways run underneath.In the evening it was buzzing at the Parque Arauco shopping mall with many families there to listen to the live band. This is one of the nicest city’s we have experienced.
Saturday 16 February - San Antonio. 17 degrees and overcast
The taxi ride to the port of San Antonio took about an hour and a half. We passed miles of industrial sites, followed by farming, a few vineyards and then we saw some cowboys and girls on horseback.As we came into San Antonio we were shocked at the poverty. Obviously the progress made in Santiago is not representative of the rest of Chile. The Santiago designer bags were replaced by plastic carrier bags and everyone looked tired and bent.
Norwegian have a slick check-in service and we were on board in no time. Late afternoon the sun finally came out for our sail-away toasted with a few margaritas. Oh no, I’ve forgotten my swimming costumes and I bought two new ones especially. I was shown a black Muslim looking one in the ship shop which I rejected. The Sales Assistant said that the weather probably won’t be good enough anyway.
We dined at extra cost in Cagneys , I complained , well maybe pointed out, that the sauce was so strong that you couldn’t taste the prawns or lettuce. Sorry, but also had to mention that the Caesar Salad came with only one anchovy and you couldn’t see the parmesan cheese. To top it all they came out with a crab cake full of gluten. I must have made an impression as the head waiter came to see me and said he had checked my future bookings and he would now personally take care of me-all a bit embarrassing!
Sunday 17 February -15 deg Partly Cloudy rain at times, brightened up late afternoon
I woke Rick to say it’s 8.20 we’ve slept well, then there was a bit of confusion as my watch was completely wrong, then I turned my phone on (I turned it off as it goes berserk at 7am which is 4am in Chile) and what do you know it’s only 5.20 and I am up and about - that didn’t go down well.The lack of bathing costume was not a problem as it was only 15 degrees, overcast and windy.Yesterday we felt so bloated and fat that today we start our fitness regime, 10 times round the deck for Rick and 6 times for me plus 10 mins on the bike, 10 mins on cross trainer then a 30 mins body conditioning class. Should cut down on the alcohol but we have paid for the drinks package. Apart from that a very lazy day, we did watch a sushi demo and a Beatles cover band. The evening restaurant was embarrassing as we are getting too much service. They gave me some Brazilian bread made of parmesan cheese and rice flour and they want me to pre order for the following night. It would be nice to be anonymous. Ricks not got his sea legs yet so had to take some pills.He’s falling asleep at a drop of a hat which is fine but he started snoring loudly in one of the bars. I gave him a kick and the man on the next table said let him sleep he’s on holiday.
Monday 19 February - Puerto Montt - 18 deg Rain brightened up late afternoon
A miserable start to the day as it was overcast and raining. Getting hard work having to eat all the gluten free toast but don’t want to upset anyone. They all seem on standby, who can bring me my toast first.
Puerto Montt is the gateway to the Chilean Lake District and the entrance to a region of South America called Patagonia. This region is shared by Chile and Argentina. We took a tour with the local tour operator, 40 US dollars each, much cheaper than the cruise ship and just had a brief stop in the town to look at the 19th century neoclassical Cathedral made of wood.
It overlooks thes quare, this town looks busy and far more prosperous than San Antonio which is one of the poorest towns in Chile.
We visited Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. The woodland walk was slippery but quite magical as the evergreen foliage was delicate like fairy trees.
Then we came across the Saltos del Petrohuefalls that cascaded over the volcanic rocks. All this was beneath Osorno Volcano which wasn’t visible due to the wet weather.
Llanquihue Lake is the biggest lake we have ever seen (330 square miles), we thought it was the sea and it followed us all the way to Puerto Varas a very attractive tourist town. Most of the houses we have seen today are made of wood. There is a big German influence probably that is why there are so many Germans aboard. Rick slept nearly all the journey there and part of the journey back. I heard him telling the guide that the sea sick pills were the culprit, the guide was relieved as he had thought he was being boring.
Drank our free bottle of champagne and watched a Tango Show from Buenos Aires. The Tango is such a intimate and sexy dance I just love it. Dined in the main restaurant where they are still fighting to give me bread, they have even offered to make me pancakes - looking forward to that!
Tuesday 19 February - Puerto Chacabuco. Partly Cloudy 15 deg
As we approached Puerto Chacabuco, the main port in what is known as the Aisen region, the coastline scenery was dramatic with forested mountains rising out of the sea. Chacabuco is just a small village and dependent on the cruise ships. The original port Puerto Aisen got silted up about 20 years ago with the ash from the volcano that erupts every 6 years, but is the main town with the shops, schools and colleges. This is a very remote, sparsely populated area with probably more cougars than people.
Today it started to rain as we were tendered into the port and Rick was without a coat, it was way too much hassle to go back. Local dancers welcomed us and there was a fast free internet which was amazing as it’s in the middle of nowhere. Caught up with the news at home, Jen had her HSBC bank account cleared out, they did it in two lots by telephone. The bank returned it and she now has facial and voice recognition on her mobile account.
We only had about 3 hours so we found a bus tour and sat in the bus to keep dry while they tried to fill it up. I need to introduce you to Californian Beth and her service dog Eva who we keep coming across on the boat and who was with us on yesterday’s tour, she is very forthright with her views.After about 45 minutes sitting on the bus they got the people from the other bus to join us. Beth and her dog kicked up a real fuss as there wasn’t enough room for her. This upset another group who had been split up and after a big row they got off and Beth got on . Good news was the price was reduced, bad news was that our guide was a boy who had no command over us at all. He was softly spoken with little English and just whispered in your ear. Beth walked all over him. I asked him about a tree and he showed me a picture of a guinea pig!
We had a photo opportunity for a bridge and a pond and a llama - very exciting. By the time we got to the Nature Reserve our guide said there wasn’t enough time to get out and it was 5 dollars to get in so we were turning back and would stop to look at a waterfall instead. Well we all rioted and got to stay there for 30 minutes, that trip costs us 60 dollars. Beth had to leave her dog in the bus. She wears dark glasses all the time but can see perfectly well and also walks well, we think she is a fraud.
There were a young couple onthe trip who came from Ukraine and the American behind us said that he spent 6 weeks there as an International Observer for their election, now that’s an interesting job.The evening didn’t go too well as there wasn’t time for a relaxing drink before the Flamenco Show.We had a bit of a domestic which somehow lead to a heated discussion on how historically theFrench and British have always hated each other and then that went on to fishing rights, then theScots and English. Perhaps even Brexit would have been safer ground with seven Labour MP’sleaving the party today.
Wednesday 20 February – Chilean Fjords & Patagonic Channels
It was a very rough night and the ship was shaking as it crashed through the 20 foot waves. Thedecks were closed most of the day as the huge waves continued and it didn’t settle until earlyevening when we entered the Chilean Fjords. We both were suffering from motion sickness andspent most of the day in bed. We did manage to watch Mumma Mia 2 and a celebration of BurtBacharach’s music. The couple next to us in the restaurant came from Uruguay, she was a retireddoctor who wouldn’t stop talking. Had to rush back to cabin as a Rick had an upset stomach,probably due to the sea sickness pills.
Thursday 21 February - sailing the Strait of MagellanFerdinand
Magellan said “The sea is dangerous and it’s storms terrible but these obstacles havenever been sufficient reason to remain ashore” Rick isn't so sure that's true.
Ferdinand Magellan the Portuguese explorer was the first European to navigate the Strait in1520.The 350 mile long Strait of Magellan is a navigable sea route linking the Pacific and AtlanticOceans. Apart from the eastern most tip it is in Chilean territorial waters. It follows a tortuouscourse among numerous low mountainous islands with unpredictable winds and currents and has acold and foggy climate.
There was a freezing wind this morning. There only seem to be about 10 Brits aboard but loads ofGermans and Americans. Listened to a talk about the Avenue of Glaciers and Cape Horn. We’vebeen lazy again and not done much apart from lots of walks round the deck. We had a wonderfulevening starting with cocktails in the Champagne Bar and then the cover band Beatles show. It wasgreat as last time they did the very early numbers “She loves you” and “Mr Postman” and so on andthis time it was the later stuff, really good. Then we were sitting in the Italian Restaurant eating a fabulous meal as we sailed by snow covered mountainous islands on our way to the end of the earth- how amazing is that!
Friday 22 February - Punta Arenas (Sandy Point)
Punta Arenas is the main port and the capital city in Chile’s southernmost region of the Magallanesand the Antarctica Chilean. It was used as a base to defend Chilean sovereignty claims of theStraits. From the Chilean side it can only be reached by boat or air, however, there is a road fromthe Argentinian side. Our first impressions of the city was surprise that it was so flat, this is becauseover millions of years the wind and weather conditions made the sand gather at the bottom of themountains . We took a local tour and were lucky as it was a beautiful but chilly day. There were lotsof dogs, mainly German Shepherds, wandering around. They are tame and well fed by the localsbut live outside. Croatian immigration was crucial to the city development and this influence isreflected in many of the names of the shops and streets. Lots of the houses have colourful tin roofs.Today Chile’s principal oil reserves are located in this region along with some low grade coal.sheep, cattle and tourism also play a significant role in the economy.
Victoria Museum. Nao Victoria replica and Beagle replica. The Nao is a copy of Magellan's ship and the Beagle was a British frigate that took Darwwin to the Gallapogas islands How did people sail around the world on these ships!
There has been a lot of investment in the last few years with the new promenade, park, VictoriaMuseum and a 5 star hotel.The tour finished just as the freezing rain started, very pleased to be back on the warm ship.
We are now in the 150 mile long Beagle Channel that separates the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago ontip of South America between Chile and Argentina from numerous small islands. Since entering theStraits of Magellan we have been navigated by a Chilean pilot ship. The channel was named afterHMS Beagle captained by Robert FitzRoy who had Charles Darwin aboard. Early night as we haveto get up early to see the glaciers.
Saturday 23 February - Beagle Channel & Ushuaia, Argentina
This is our most exciting day, we were awake at 5.30 to make sure we didn’t miss the glaciers. They were an amazing blue colour just like Foxes glacier mints and the surrounding mountains looked asif they were topped with icing or sprinkled with icing sugar. Darwin first sighted the glaciers on 29January 1833.
We’ve said goodbye to Chile and hello to Ushuaia in Argentina otherwise known as the “End of theWorld”. This windy town is on a steep hill and is the gateway for Antarctica cruises. To face the biting wind we put on as many layers of clothes that we could and took a catamaran to see the sealions and Magellanic penguins. We also saw some Imperial and Magellanic Cormorants and the LesÉclaireurs Lighthouse. The highlight was seeing some Orca whales. There was a funny but tense moment when our guide mentioned the Malvinas and Rick said “do you mean The Falklands?” to which she replied “You have been told the wrong history. The Malvinas is ours”. The Americans and Rick tried not to laugh out loud.We didn’t go into the town but here are a few interesting facts:• The indigenous people , Sellnam Indians and The Yaghan arrived there about 10,000 yearsago.• Ushuaia was founded informally by British missionaries around the 1860’s.• In 1874 the first Argentine citizens arrived and the Argentine President established the areaas a penal colony for re-offenders to help establish sovereignty over all of Tierra del Fuego.• Ushuaia has an airport• The main economic activities are fishing, oil and gas extraction, sheep farming and tourism.• In 2014 Top Gear presenters were chased out of Ushuaia as locals were angry by their numberplate reference to the Falklands War.It appears that Argentina still have ongoing territorial disputes with Chile and the British. Gone are the days when you could just stick a flag in the ground and claim sovereignty.Back onboard it took a while to thaw out but we did take off one layer for supper at the Mexican restaurant. I ate and drank very sensibly but the same can’t be said for Rick. Even the waiter wassurprised that Rick managed to eat three whole chillies and at this very moment he walking up and down the ship trying to work off some of his supper.It’s been a long but amazing day.
Sunday 24 February - Cape Horn
We we woken about 6.30 am by the Captain to inform us that we would soon be reaching CapeHorn. This is where the Pacific, Atlantic and Antarctic Oceans meet. Luckily today's weather and sea conditions were good but that quickly changed as we left. Before Cape Horn was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 ships had to sail through the Straits of Magellan with its unpredictable currents and strong winds. For 300 years sailing around the Horn was extremely hazardous and thousands of seamen lost their lives and vessels. In 1914 after the completion of the Panama Canal it was no longer necessary for ships to sail the dangerous passage round the Horn. In 1832 Charles Darwin was on HMS Beagle when it nearly got shipwrecked. After seeing the Beagle replica the other day it seems incredible that any sailing ship could survive the Horn’s unpredictable weather even more so with the earlier ships. We only saw one side of the island. Rick has woken up with a cold, he can now add that as another reason for falling asleep as soon as he sits anywhere. I keep saying the most ridiculous things which I blamed on the altitude but Rick informs me we are at sea level but it could be the latitude! We became an honorary Fuegean by attending a traditional ceremony and being baptised with CapeHorn sea water. Another lazy day just walking round the decks, reading and eating. There was a pleasant atmosphere in the Observation Lounge as cruisers were playing cards, board games and dominoes. We enjoyed the Variety Show, they have some very talented singers and dancers.Unfortunately, we didn’t take full advantage of the Mexican experience as Rick wasn’t feeling tip top.
Monday 25 February – Falkland Islands
Big disappointment the Captain decided it was unsafe to send tenders out and turned the ship round.65mph winds and a storm on the way with 110mph winds. Don and Helen had arranged for their friend Karen to show us around and to see where they lived, it’s a shame as very unlikely we will come this way again.This is as close as we could get to The Falklands – very bare and barren, no trees. So we have another two days at sea with more reading, walking and lots of eating. It’s too cold to sit outside and not much of interest going onboard. That is one of the downsides of the Norwegian Cruises, daytime entertainment is limited to trivia. The gym is excellent though but it’s difficult to get motivated when the weather is cold and windy. We are missing unlimited internet access as WiFi on board is ridiculously expensive i.e.$0.99 a minute, $75 for 100 minutes or $125 for 250 minutes.Cruising is a growing industry and Norwegian are building more ships and a new cruise terminal in Miami. The new ships are going to be aimed at the more luxury and family market. There are quite a few families aboard many with young children, it’s a good way to holiday with extended family.A memorial service was held for the Falklands soldiers who lost their lives. I suppose some of the guests had made this journey for that very reason. It was arranged at the last minute after we were unable to visit Stanley. Very few attended but it was emotional and we were given rose petals to throw into the sea whilst we made our tributes.Interesting lunch the weird lady on the next table has done this trip 13 times and is thinking of doing it again once we reach Buenos Aires. Very nice German couple the other side. Light lunch turned into full on lunch. We stopped by at the library where one of the dancers was holding fort. The principal singers get a cabin to themselves, the dancers share with a bunk bed and the cleaners and waiters can have 4 to a cabin. We feel sorry for our room steward Mustfa who hardly ever sees the light of day. He says he takes big breaths on the balcony which I am not sure he has, perhaps he uses ours.
Tuesday 26 February - At Sea
Yes, another day of eating, drinking, walking, reading and playing card games. Without WiFi we are being forced to make our own entertainment, perhaps this is not a bad thing. We have watched a few average films and some very good pre supper shows. It’s a bit warmer outside with occasional showers. We are not expecting the weather to improve until we reach Montevideo. I haven’t worn a dress yet as we are living in jeans and fleeces. We are managing to keep up with the Brexit news by watching BBC World News, Fox and CNN. In the afternoon we listened to Keizer Wiley taking us through a Rock and Roll journey. Then predinner show was tribute music by Queen and The Who, it was an amazing show. We both now havecolds. The lure of the cocktails has diminished but wine is still very much on. We don’t seem to be able to stay up after our dinner probably because we’ve eaten and drunk so much that we can hardly move. The weather is improving.
Wednesday 27 February -Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Today we are in Puerto Madryn, gateway to the Peninsula of Valdez, the biggest wildlife sanctuary in the world. The town has a long sandy beach with some decent holiday homes alongside. At Punta Lorna Reserve we saw a permanent colony of sea lions with cormorants nesting in the rocks, they look very much like penguins from a distance. We decided against taking a tour to walk among alarge colony of Magellanic penguins as it was a 7.5 hours trip and cost $299 each. Others who just went into town were lucky as some penguins and sea lions showed up. We did get to walk on a desert path to see the fauna. This region is a tourist spot for observing whales and dolphins but it isout of season. For $369 you can get to swim with the Sea Lions, can’t think how that appeals to anyone. We are in a sandy desert with gorse like shrubs, home to lots of wildlife like guanacos,larger hairy armadillos, foxes, ostriches, flamingos and much more.Nearly all the tourist attractions are a long drive from Puerto Madryn across the dry sandy desert.This is Dinosaur country. In 2013 a shepherd spotted the tip of a gigantic fossil bone. This turnedout to be a 2.4m long femur which belonged to the largest dinosaur ever discovered. In the digs that followed they uncovered more than 220 bones belonging to seven different dinosaurs, giant plant eating titanosaurs. We visited the Egidio Feruglio Paleontology Museum in Tralee that was featured in the David Attenborough documentary “The Giant Dinosaur “. The 37 Metre long Titanosaur hasbeen reconstructed in a nearby hanger but a building is being constructed next to the museum to display it. My cold got the better of me but we still managed to fit in two shows. The first being the Argentinian Pampas Devils. They strutted around the stage playing drums, tap dancing and twirling ropes with weights attached either end. The adult comedy show didn’t start until 10.15, our first latenight.
Thursday 28 February – At Sea
Last day at sea on our way to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.Yesterday evening we met a couple who were at the Falklands Memorial Service. Apparently there was an earlier service that had been requested by the Argentinians. We missed this because when it was announced they didn’t mention a time. The English couple were amazed to find the lower theatre full of Argentinians with just a handful of Brits. The Hotel Manager who only speaks English was officiating. Very quickly it got completely out of hand with them all punching the air and shouting slogans. The Hotel Manager had to get The Cruise Director to come and put a stop to it all. The Brits were very shaken and that is why they put another service on, the one that we attended.I wonder what would have happened if they had been able to actually visit Stanley.The weather was warm enough for us to sit outside. It’s very unfortunate but we are both not feeling that well. Apart from the colds we must have caught a bug as our stomachs aren’t quite right and weare feeling light headed and haven’t really enjoyed our meals for a few days now. I somehow managed a glass of Prosecco last night but wine and cocktails are off.The ships performing cast put on an amazing show of music and dancing from all around the world.We are so tired and feeling poorly but hopefully it will have passed for us to enjoy Buenos Aires as that is one of the highlights.
Friday 1 March - Montivedeo
Both feeling unwell, apart from the cold I had really bad stomach cramps. We drove through Independence Square with its monument to General Jose Gervasio Artigas. Montevideo is Uruguay's capital and it’s warm. They love their football here, and although a little embarrassed they have forgiven Suárez for biting another player during the 2014 World Cup - our guide said he was a gentle person really. During the last century all the countries we have visited have all suffered under dictatorship .Uruguay on the surface appeared fairly stable economically. It was hard to take everything in but our guide said that Cannabis had been legalised for patients who are prescribed it for health purposes and anyone can grow up to six plants but they can’t sell it. There is no educational qualification needed to attend University, however, there is a 40% drop out. They import bauxite from Australia and refine it into aluminium using cheap electricity from the hydro electric plants inthe Andes. They are big meat eaters as they have 6 cows per head of population. It’s middle class represents 60% of its population. Most of the street signs were sponsored by Movistar and Netflix. Even though we both felt a bit weak as it was our last night we tried to make the best of it. Rick was amazed by the Cripton Magic show where he cut people in half and made them disappear. These last few days we haven’t been able to take full advantage of our drinks package and speciality dining and tonight was no different. Well this is the end of the cruise, we have enjoyed it but are ready to be on firm ground again. We’ve seen some amazing natural wonders but I doubt if we will ever come this way again. Next cruise will be somewhere where the sun is shining and the sea a little calmer.
Saturday 2 March – Buenos Aires
We’re now in The Hilton and it’s lovely to be able to spread ourselves out and have full internetaccess. Rick is very tired and keeps coming over hot, cold and tingly. I’m still a bit shaky and the stomach pains keep coming on in phases. More paracetamol needed so we walked to the shopping area. The roads here are huge and they are building a new freeway through the centre of the city which has made for lots of diversions. Prices seem quite reasonable but they have 47% inflation! For some reason the hotels we have recently been staying in have stopped supplying shower gel but they give soap, shampoo and conditioner samples. Also, in this 5 star Hilton hotel we have reusable paper cups in the room, why no china cups as they are totally reusable? The Argentinians like to be the very best at everything or they have to have the grandest and if they don’t quite make it they just talk it up. They have always envied the French culture and have copied their huge avenues and grand buildings. Many of the people are of Italian decent as a result of the mass immigration 1880 to the 1930’s.The second open balcony from the left is where Eva Peron made her speech. Argentinians are football and tango mad.The Dictator, Jorge Videla died in a Buenos Aires prison aged 86. During his rule between 1975 and 1981 an estimated 30,000 people disappeared. Passing through the underground motorway is a memorial to them. La Boca is a very touristy spot and not particularly safe if you are not on a tour. The balcony scene displays Maradona, Eva Peron and a famous tango dancer.
Sunday 3 March – Buenos Aires
Another lovely sunny day . Rick hasn’t got his land legs yet, the ground is still moving. Walked through the city to the very grand Opera House one, if not the best, for acoustics in the world. Cheap and also free tickets are available for all Argentinians. I think this is brilliant as at home it’s so expensive to go to the opera, although they have now started showing some performances in cinemas.It was such a lovely day that we walked along the river and then spent the rest of the afternoon drinking Margarita’s by the hotel swimming pool. We were fascinated by the women's bottoms as they were all very round and firm, I'm sure they must have had implants! They were mostly wearing thongs and quite a few of the women were much younger than their partners.It was our last night and we were determined to see a Tango Show and eat an Argentinian steak.Our appetites are not yet back to normal digging into his big, fat juicy looking one. The standard size steak here is 445g ( 15.69 ozs) and considering it was mass catering and very touristy at the show it was cooked just right and was very tasty. We ended on a high as the show was wonderful and when one of the singers sang “Don't Cry for Me Argentina” it brought tears to our eyes, it was so emotional.
Monday 4 March
We both still have colds, coughs and a virus that has made Rick think he's got shingles so we are ready to go home today. As I said before the next cruise we take will be somewhere hot with calm seas