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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Schloss Oberhofen ... it was a photo like this one that brought us here — Oberhofen.
    I wonder what awaits us beyond the entry gate to Schloss Oberhofen.A lovely, colorful setting encouraged us to go out on the castle's terrace first — Schloss OberhofenMui commented that just the terrace garden made the stop worthwhile — Schloss Oberhofen.Parterre garden ... looking toward Thunersee — Schloss Oberhofen.Family dining room on the ground floor of the keep — Schloss Oberhofen.This is where dinner guests washed their hands with lemon water after the fish course.The kitchen was attached to the ground floor dining room — Schloss Oberhofen.When the castle was a bailiwick, the chapel was used as a granary — Schloss Oberhofen.The 15th century murals in the chapel were uncovered in 1955 — Schloss Oberhofen.Watercolor design for the picture gallery and the paneling today — Schloss Oberhofen.The desk in the library was commissioned and used by Count Pourtalès — Schloss Oberhofen.Oriental Smoking Room ... conceived as a "fumoir" to transport the visitor to another world.The Oriental smoking room is styled in the manner of a 16th or 17th century domestic reception room.Watercolor depiction of the Salon Pourtalès and the salon today — Schloss Oberhofen.The sleeping quarters of the domestic servants were furnished simply — Schloss Oberhofen.Bedroom and adjacent small bathroom with original wallpaper — Schloss Oberhofen.A luxury in the 19th century ... bathing basin and toilet — Schloss Oberhofen.The Swiss Cross ... dates back to the last owner of the castle ... an American lawyer — Castle ParkScenes from Castle Park — Schloss Oberhofen.

    OtR: B1 to B2 … Schloss Oberhofen

    17 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Leaving Thun — the first stop on our way from Bern (B1) to Beatenberg (B2) — a very short drive brought us to Schloss Oberhofen … a castle complex with a keep that dates back from the 1200s … on the shores of Thunersee [Lake Thun].

    At one time the castle belonged to the Habsburgs. Ownership later belonged to the Scharnachthal and other Bernese dynasties. For a while it became a bailiwick … after which it was purchased in the mid-1800s by the Pourtalès family for their use as a summer residence.

    The last owner was an American Lawyer — William Maul Measey. He established a foundation in 1940 that led to the castle becoming a museum in 1954 … focusing on life in the 19th century … from the perspective of both the aristocracy and those who served them. Interactive exhibits, such as “At Your Service” — depicting the duties and daily lives of the castle’s servants — added further interest to our visit. The rooms that have been curated are now open to the public … others are waiting their turn for necessary renovation work.

    Our steps took us from the beautifully manicured gardens; to the lake turret … rebuilt in the 1890s; to the ground floor dining room in the keep … where the family took meals served by domestic servants scurrying in and out from the attached kitchen; to the 15th century chapel … that was once used as a granary; to the bedrooms where the domestic staff slept; to the Oriental smoking room … the decor a fashionable theme of the period; to the family bedrooms and the Salon Pourtalès; to the toilet … a luxury few could afford in the 19th century; to the bathing basin of the countess; and more.

    As we were leaving, one of the docents encouraged us to take a few minutes to visit Castle Park … transformed by the Pourtalès family from what was originally the tree garden. We took her advice and meandered for a bit along paths shaded by linden and other trees.

    On arrival at the castle, we had found the vantage point for the photo that brought Schloss Oberhofen to our attention. We wrapped up our stop at the castle with a return to the same vantage point, debated having a drink at the café nearby. But a look at our watches reminded us that we still had to get to our destination. So, we moved on.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    The best spot for a photo op with Thun Castle as a backdrop — Thun.
    No easy way to photograph the castle from the courtyard — Thun.Model showing both Thun Castle and Stadtkirche ... Thun Castle Exhibit.Tapestry showing coats of arms ... Thun Castle Exhibit.Thun execution sword (forged steel) ... blade from ~1300 — Thun Castle Exhibit.Photo op in the Rathaus Tor (Town Hall Tower) — Thun Castle.View from the Rathaus Tower — Thun Castle.View from the Rathaus Tower — Thun Castle.2We're not the only ones visiting Thun Castle.1View of the Aare, Thunersee and Stadtkirche from the Rathaus Tower — Thun Castle.A-wander in Thun Castle.2Glimpse of Thun Castle from the arched porch of Stadtkirche — Thun.Stadtkirche — Thun.Two of the murals in the arched porch of Stadtkirche — Thun.One of Old Town Thun's covered bridges.The locks at the covered bridge makes for a popular surfing spot — Thun.Old Town skyline — Thun.Panorama of Old Town Thun.Old Town Thun photo op along the Aare River.Our lunch spot overlooking the Aare River ... @ Grottino — Old Town Thun.Just look at the size of that flammkuchen ... lunch at Grottino — Old Town Thun.

    OtR: B1 to B2 … Exploring Thun

    17 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Takings side roads instead of the highway, today we traveled from our base in Bern (B1) to our base in Beatenberg (B2). No traffic lights once we left the city … just roundabouts. Unlike our move from Geneva to Bern, today’s OtR [on the road] included two sightseeing stops … both overlooking Thunersee [Lake Thun].

    Our first stop was in Thun. Leaving the car in the multi-level city parking lot, we took the elevator from level -3 to level -7 to then ride another elevator in the parking structure up to Thun Castle … such convenience! It sure beat walking up some steep stairs under the hot sun.

    Thun Castle was built around 1200 by the Dukes of Zähringen. Today, the castle serves as a museum … with each floor of the keep featuring exhibits ranging from the “Treasures from the Thun Town Hall,” to the “Thun Castle as a Ducal Building, Granary, and Prison,” to the “Bernese Hipped Roof,” and more. Stopping to check out the exhibits not only educated us, but also gave us a chance to catch our breath as we walked up the narrow, circular staircase … the site of a fratricide in 1322.

    From the roof, we accessed each of the four towers for beautiful and expansive views of the city in every direction. And then back down the spiral staircase to check out the nearby Stadtkirche, the city’s main Reform church. While the octagonal tower of the church dates back to 1330, and the murals decorating the arched porch are from 1430, the nave is from 1738.

    Next, we returned to the parking elevator, this time exiting on the level that connects the building to medieval Old Town for a stroll along the Aare River to the upper and lower lock covered bridges … both of which date back to 1720. In addition to controlling the water level of the Aare, the locks are a popular spot for ‘surfing’ … several people were trying their hand at doing so. Not only did we enjoy the charming bridges decorated with colorful blooms, but also the town skyline.

    Completing our riverside stroll, on the way back we stopped for lunch at a small café named Grottino. We lucked out with a table in the shade … overlooking the river. The food was delicious … the portions large, but between us we managed to split a flammkuchen [crispy flatbread pizza] and a tuna salad … with room to spare for dessert.

    Our sweet treat was excellent gelato from the shop next door to Grottino — Intrigo. And then … time to collect the car and continue to the next stop of our day.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Berntor (Bern Gate) is the main entrance into the walled Old Town — Murten.
    The Catholic Church is just south of the Törliplatz Gate — Murten.A photo op on our way to the Törliplatz Gate — Murten.From the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.From the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.The Catholic Church from the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.On the ramparts of the old city walls and looking up into the roof of one of the towers— Murten.From the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.Towers and turrets ... From the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.A twisted chimney! ... From the ramparts of the old city walls — Murten.The German Church in Old Town — Murten.Love all the flowers decorating the houses — Murten.Charming Old Town Murten.A painting from a temporary exhibit at the Rathaus (Town Hall) — Murten.Inner Courtyard of the castle — Murten.The Murten Elephant!The Murten Museum ... closed when we were there.Rübenloch ... saved from being demolished due to lack of funds — Murten.Three of the fountains around Old Town — Murten.Bye bye Murten ... through the Berntor.

    Bern: Day 2 … Exploring Murten

    16 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    We had two options for our second day in Bern — return to the city to explore what we missed the first day; or explore one of the nearby towns. We opted for the latter … Murten being our choice out of the many interesting places in the vicinity.

    Bordering German- and French-speaking Switzerland, Murten — is a charming town … its Old Town within fortified walls. The Germans refer to it by the name I am using in this footprint. The French refer to it as Morat. Similarly, the lake that the town overlooks is known by both names. The town was founded by the Dukes of Zähringen in 1157. In 1416, a devastating fire destroyed the wooden homes. Rebuilding was done in stone … just as they did in Bern. The cityscape we enjoyed today dates back the the 17th and 18th centuries.

    The main entrance into the walled city is through Berntor (Bern Gate). We entered through the back, stopping to check out the Catholic parish church of Morat just outside the walls … built in 1481 in the late-Gothic style … beautiful stained glass windows.

    Once we entered Old Town through the Törliplatz Gate, we spotted the stairs that give access to the walkable rampart walls and headed up there … and then up several levels through a tower or two to enjoy more of the beautiful cityscape … dotted with towers and turrets. This experience alone confirmed our decision to visit Murten today as being the right one … everything else was a bonus.

    Back down on street level, we stopped in at the German Church … built within the walls in 1710 in the Baroque style … yes, more beautiful stained glass windows. Nearby, homes decorated with colorful flowers charmed us. Narrow, cobblestone alleys eventually led us to the main street — Hauptgasse … lined with arcades housing shops and restaurants. Skipping the hub-bub here, we walked to the next street over for a quieter stroll that took us to the castle … built by the Savoys in 1255 … today’s castle is from 500 years later. A quick look-see around the grounds and we were on our way again.

    Next, we sought out the Murten Elephant — a remembrance of an incident 150 years ago that saw a bull elephant going on a rampage through the city. The nearby Murten Museum was unfortunately closed, so we retraced our steps, this time walking down Hauptgasse … after a quick photo op at Rübenloch, a late-Gothic style building.

    After checking out some pastry shops and restaurants — none of which appealed to us at that moment — we decided to return to our apartment. But first … cold beverages at a café next to Berntor. “Cash only” … we read. “No problem” … we thought. Except that, as it turns out, our Swiss Francs predate the currency change Switzerland underwent a few years back. Our Euros were in the safe at the apartment and no help to us. Good news? Mui exchanged our now-no-good Francs at the Fribourg Bank in town for the new Francs and we were able to go on our merry way without having to wash dishes at the café 🤪.

    By 5:00p, we were back at the apartment.

    Our bags are now repacked and we are ready to move on tomorrow to our next base of operations.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Glimpse of our restaurant from the panorama terrace at the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.
    Dinner tonight was at this restaurant — Bern ... Old City.Al fresco dining overlooking the Aare River — Bern ... Old City.Delicious food at Restaurant zum Zähringer — Bern ... Old City.Almond crisps ... gifted to us by Anna, the hostess at the restaurant.

    Bern: Day 1 … Dinner in Old City

    15 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Although we usually prefer to have our main meal at lunch, today we had dinner reservations at Restaurant Zum Zähringer … just steps away from the banks of the Aare River … popular with the locals but pretty much off-the-grid it seems for tourists.

    With only 6:00p reservations available at the Michelin-listed restaurant, dinner was at what we consider a reasonable time. We opted for a table outdoors … the terrace elevation allowing us glimpses of the river. Service was attentive … the hostess, Anna, a charming conversationalist … the food, prepared by Chef Gaston, delicious. I ordered the schnitzel … served with a warm potato and cucumber salad; Mui opted for the cordon bleu. Dessert — a gooey warm chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream — was on the house … due to what the chef determined was a delay getting our order out to our table. Thank you … though we didn’t think the wait was excessive 😉

    As we were leaving, Anna gifted us with a bag of almond crisps. Yummy!

    Our dinner proved to be the perfect conclusion to our afternoon exploring the Bern Old City.

    A stroll back to the Bern Bahnhof … the streets were much quieter than they had been earlier in the day. A short train ride back to our Stay Kooook accommodations. By 9:00p, we were settled in for a quiet night at home.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Bern Münster Cathedral and panorama terrace from Kirchenfeldbrücke — Old City.
    The steeple was added to the cathedral in the 19th century — Bern ... Old City.The Moses Fountain is located in Münsterplatz — Bern ... Old City.The main portal of the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.The Last Judgment is depicted over the main portal of the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.Archangel Michael above the main portal of the Cathedral — Bern ... Old City.Mural on the side wall of the main portal entrance of the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.Gargoyle on the exterior of the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.Gargoyle on the exterior of the cathedral — Bern ... Old City.Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Ceiling detail ... Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Organ ... Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.Panorama terrace ... has been serving as a promenade since 1531.View of homes from the panorama terrace — Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent — Old City.View of homes, the Aare River, and the elevator one can use instead of walking down to the river.

    Bern: Day 1 … Old City … Münster

    15 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    Bern Münster Cathedral of St Vincent … an impressive landmark in the Old City.

    Late-Gothic in style, the cathedral is the largest and most important late medieval church in all of Switzerland. Construction started in 1421, but it took generations for it to be completed. The steeple, being the latest addition, dates back to 1893. The main portal depicts the Last Judgment … the only image that was spared the iconoclasm of the Reformation.

    Attached to the church is a panorama terrace — platform — built as a place of burial in 1334. During the Reformation, the iconoclasts dumped the shattered sculptures as fill during the expansion work that concluded in 1531. Some of the sculptural stonework was apparently recovered in 1986 and are now on exhibit at the Bern History Museum.

    After wandering around the inside of the church, listening to an organ demonstration, and enjoying the beautiful stained glass windows, we spent some time on the panorama terrace, which continues — since 1531 — to serve as a promenade. Locals and tourists alike were taking full advantage of the shade offered by the trees in the park-like setting, and enjoying the expansive views over the Aare.

    A pleasant interlude during our exploration of the Old City.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    The arcades were built after the 1405 fire — Bern ... Old City.
    View from the terrace fronting the Parliament Building — Bern ... Old City.Zähringer Fountain ... (1535) memorial to the city's founder — Bern ... Old City.Zytglogge (Clock Tower) from the early 13th century — Bern ... Old City.Detail from the clock tower — Bern ... Old City.Glimpse of the Parliament Building — Bern ... Old City.Kindlifresserbrunnen (Child-Eater or Ogre Fountain) ... 15th century — Bern ... Old City.Anna Seiler, Justice, Bagpiper, and Samson Fountains — Bern ... Old City.Parliament Building from Kirchenfeldbrücke — Bern ... Old City.The Bern History and Einstein Museums are in this building — Bern.With Herr Einstein — Bern.Relaxing in the park at the Bern History/Einstein Museum park — Bern.Mosaic above the entrance to the Bern History/Einstein Museum — Bern.Bern Minster and the Aare River from Kirchenfeldbrücke — Bern ... Old City.Homes as seen from the bridge — Bern ... Old City.Rathaus (Town Hall) — Bern ... Old City.Nydeggbrücke and Old City — Bern.River surfer from Nydeggbrücke — Bern ... Old City.The Aare from Nydeggbrücke — Bern ... Old City.Panorama of the Old City — Bern.The bear is traditionally associated with the name of the city — Bern.

    Bern: Day 1 … Old City Stroll

    15 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Late start to our sightseeing today … driven partly by our restaurant reservation and partly by the clothes dryer taking its own sweet time doing its job! Regardless, we were on the move shortly before noon.

    A one-stop train ride from the Bern Wankdorf Station to the Bern Bahnhof Station brought us the Old City … a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Founded in 1191, the city sits on the bend of the Aare River … a fast flowing body of water that is a popular place to cool down … saw a number of people just floating down on the currents or surfing upriver against the currents.

    The original city fell victim to a fire in 1405 that burned down 650 wooden houses and killed more than 100 people. In the aftermath, new safety rules required that houses be constructed of stone … resulting in today’s mixed sandstone and wood ‘look’ of the city.

    We’d been told that a couple of hours would be sufficient to see what the Old City has to offer. We took six hours … and ran out of ‘foot-power’ before we could visit any of the museums. Starting off at Spitalgasse, we followed (with occasional detours into side streets) the handy walking tour map that took us to landmarks … the post-fire stone arcades constructed for the craftsmen and handymen rebuilding the houses … now filled with shops and restaurants; the quaint and beautiful fountains; the clock towers; the Parliament … from near and far; the Rathaus (town hall); Münsterplatz … dominated by Berner Münster (cathedral) and the panorama terrace beyond; and more.

    One of our detours took us by the Casino and across Kirchenfeldbrücke, which spans the Aare. At Helvetiaplatz, we stopped to rest in the park surrounding the turreted building in which the Bern History and Einstein Museums are housed. Comfy lawn chairs provided us with an opportunity to rest for a bit before a quick visit with Herr Einstein himself 😊

    Retracing our steps across the bridge, we stopped frequently to enjoy the views. Then onto the cathedral … which I will share in a separate footprint.

    Another crossing of the Aare — via Nydeggbrücke this time — rewarded us with panoramic views of the city … beautiful despite the light coming from the wrong direction in places. This bridge crossing also gave us a chance to see the river surfers. We debated extending our stroll to the Rose Garden. Even walked uphill partway, but then we realized that time was growing short … we had a dinner reservation to keep. So, we trekked back to the Old City.

    It is said that the first animal to be hunted here by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen, the founder of the city, was a bear. Legend has it that the name of the city refers back to that bear. (Recent research would indicate otherwise, however, and places the origin of the city’s name as “Berna” … a Celtic word that means ravine.)

    The bonus for cutting out the rose garden? We had a few minutes to check out the bears at the Bern Animal Park before resuming our walk to the restaurant. I’ll share our dinner experience in another footprint.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    2Former Dominican church in Concise in the Coppet Municipality.
    Almost all of the roundabouts have something to catch the eye — Founex MunicipalityAnother roundabout on Route Suisse ... in the Crans Municipality.One of several vineyards on Route Suisse ... this one in Perroy.Morges Municipality.The Temple of Morges.Finally a glimpse of the mountains ... on the Route de Berne.Cows grazing in Vucherens ... they were close enough to the road that we could hear the cow bells.Village scenery on Route de Berne.Le Château de Lucens is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.Spire of Frauenkappelen on Murtenstrasse.Our Stay Kooook VRBO apartment on the outskirts of Bern.2Check out the video for an interesting concept!

    OtR: Geneva to Bern

    14 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    OtR = On the Road … basically, moving day … sometimes with sightseeing if opportunities present themselves.

    We woke up to rain on our last morning in Geneva. By the time we were finished with breakfast and ready to check out around 9:00a, the sun was out … and stayed out all day.

    Using the underground passage, we walked to the train station with our bags in tow. Perfect timing … within a minute of arriving on the platform, a train heading to the airport pulled up. Five minutes later, we were getting off the train and making our way to the Alamo/Enterprise counter in the arrivals hall at GVA to complete the paperwork for our rental car. A short shuttle ride to Parking 51 to pick up our assigned car — a Peugeot 2008 (small SUV) — completed the process.

    Getting out of the airport was easy. Finding our planned route to leave the city … well, not so much. Between the construction detours and the confusing turns, it took us two tries before we were on our way to Versoix. But finally we were on our way.

    Our stop in Versoix was for logistics purposes. Mui had found a Migros Supermarket Center with plenty of parking … the perfect place to stock up on foodstuff now that we have a car. It was noon by the time we were finished shopping. A quick lunch followed — very tasty sandwiches and a piece of artisanal chocolate to share at a chocolatier called Martel at the Migros Center. And then we were on our way to Bern.

    Our back-roads-route was longer than taking the freeway. But it took us through charming villages and towns that had us itching to do some sightseeing. Alas, not on the agenda today. Instead, I had to make do with drive-by shooting … excuse the color cast on some of the photos as it wasn’t possible to roll down the windshield 🤪. At times, we found ourselves in rural settings … complete with cows grazing on lush, green grass; vineyards of all sizes; fields of sunflowers. With roundabouts a-plenty, I don’t recall hitting any traffic lights until we arrived in Lausanne … miserable traffic there. Once through the big city — the skyline dominated by the cathedral — it was once again smooth sailing.

    For our stay in Bern, we opted for a VRBO apartment in the suburbs of the city … a one-stop train ride from the Bern Wankdorf Station to the Bern Bahnhof. We found the general location of the apartment easily enough. However, with no building numbers visible, finding the actual building took a bit of time. All I can say is thank goodness for our cell phones … and the two-month SimOptions eSims we downloaded and activated before setting off for Geneva. I don’t know how we would have otherwise been able to access the Stay Kooook property as everything — including keys to the building, the apartment, the transportation passes, and more are all electronic.

    Anyway, we are very pleased with the apartment … which is a family studio that can actually sleep 6 people. We opted for it not for the number of beds, but because it has a kitchenette and in-apartment laundry facilities. As well, there is public parking at a rate that is cheaper than what one might find in Bern proper.

    Now to get some rest so that we can explore Old Town Bern tomorrow. Methinks there will be a lot of walking involved!    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    A grebe preening its feathers after its morning ablutions — Geneva.
    Memorial to Empress Sisi ... and a woman pretending to be Sisi on the Lake Geneva waterfront.Giant planters dot the waterfront ... Mui for scale — Geneva.Geese near Rousseau Island — Geneva.Cemetery of the Kings — Geneva.The Synagogue of Geneva.Victoria Hall — Geneva.The Grand Theater — Geneva.Some of the elaborate embellishments on the façade of the Grand Theater — Geneva.Parc des Bastions — Geneva.The Reformation Wall in Parc des Bastions — Geneva.Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Rose window in the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Detail shots from the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Windy at the top of the North Tower of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Spire of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.View from the North Tower of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Panorama from the North Tower of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral — Geneva.Ready for lunch at Restaurant les Armures in Old Town Geneva.Delicious lunch at Restaurant les Armures— Geneva.

    Geneva: Day 2 … Slow Meandering

    13 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    A lazy Sunday morning in our room … and then we were off on a slow meander around the city.

    We walked down Rue des Alpes to the lakefront to begin today’s promenade. I should clarify that while the immediate lakefront we’ve been enjoying is where the Rhône River transitions to Lac Lèman (Lake Geneva), these waters are often referred to as La Rade (the harbor).

    Anyway, first we stopped to check out the memorial statue honoring Sisi, the Empress of Hungary, who was assassinated in Geneva in 1898 … by happenstance, as it turns out … she became a handy target when the assassin’s actual target didn’t show up in Geneva as planned. Nearby, a woman in an all black period costume — not unlike the one Sisi was wearing when she was assassinated — stood like a statue … gazing out over the lake. Not sure if she was an actress or someone who was role-play-traveling, but I snapped a photo anyway.

    Our stroll then took us under Pont du Mont-Blanc to a narrow bridge beyond that allows access to Rousseau Island and the garden in which stands the memorial statue to Jean-Jacques Rousseau … the Genevan philosopher/writer. Of course, this detour provided more opportunities to see geese, swans, and other waterfowl that were a-swimmin’ nearby.

    Once we were on the other side of the city, we found ourselves strolling along quiet streets for a true meander that took us by Cimetière des Rois … Cemetery of the Kings … none that we found, but a pleasant park-like setting; the 19th century Victoria Hall … with its elaborately decorated façade … home of the Suisse Romande Orchestra; the 19th century Grand Théâtre … the largest artistic structure in French-speaking Switzerland.

    Across the street from the theater hall, we entered Parc des Bastions … a tree-shaded green sanctuary that afforded us a respite from the hot sun and an opportunity to rest while sipping over-priced cold beverages. The park is also home to the Reformation Wall … an international monument that features statues and bas relief scenes of the key individuals and events of the Protestant Reformation. To show the importance of Geneva to the Reformation, the wall was built into the old city walls.

    From the park, we took a ramp up to the top of the city walls and found ourselves on the terrace we stopped at yesterday. From here, we were in our ‘old stomping grounds’ … so to speak. As it was after the noon hour, we knew the Saint-Pierre Cathedral would be open, so we wandered in that direction. At the highest point of Old Town, the cathedral dates back to the 12th century … with major transformations in the 16th century. During the Reformation, it became a place of Protestant worship.

    I was so taken by the beautiful stained glass windows, that it wasn’t until we returned to our room that I realized I had not photographed much else. We did, however, take advantage of the chance to climb up the south and north towers (CHF $5 senior rate) to check out the all-encompassing city views. The climb up to the north tower is billed as 157 steps, but we doubled that by doing the south tower as well … yes, gluttons for punishment … narrow, spiral steps. Interestingly, the south tower climb had red and green lights to control traffic going up and down, but not the north tower. Alas, we didn’t realize that we could visit the archaeological site below the cathedral as well … next time.

    We wrapped up our outing with a late lunch at Restaurant Les Armures … adjacent to the old armory in Old Town. We opted for the café-like outdoor setting instead of the white-linen setting indoors … where, as it turns out, Bill Clinton was hosted in 1994! Although the service was a bit iffy — our server made a couple of mistakes with our order — the food was delicious … Mui ordered the perch (sourced from Lake Geneva); I ordered the spaghetti with pine nuts and burrata; and we shared an order of potatoes and raclette cheese. Skipping dessert for the moment, we later sated our sweet tooth with gelato from Manu, a gelateria next door to our hotel … yummy.

    Today’s stroll wraps up our brief stay in Geneva. Tomorrow, we move on to Bern.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Mui makes a friend in Geneva!
    La Grande Roue is Geneva's 110-foot tall ferris wheel.View from La Grande Roue — Geneva.View of the flower clock from La Grande Roue — Geneva.Italia ... one of the ferries that one can ride on Lake Geneva ... from La Grande Roue — Geneva.Pont du Mont-Blanc with Geneva Harbor (Lake Geneva) on the right — Geneva.Peruvian Lilies in one of the fountains in Old Town Geneva.Carrousel @ Place de la Madeleine and a drinking fountain in Old Town GenevaDrinking fountain near Place de la Madeleine in Old Town ... decorated with reliefs of cherubs.One of the three stone mosaics at the top of the stairs leading up to a terrace in Old Town Geneva.Old Town Geneva.Old Town Geneva.Tower of the Temple of the Madeleine in Old Town Geneva.An elaborate door knocker in Old Town Geneva.A quaint passageway in Old Town Geneva.Church bell a-ringing in Old Town Geneva.I love that the fountains are all decorated with flowers.The Old Arsenal with mosaic murals depicting two of the big moments in the history of Geneva.Mural at the Old Arsenal depicting the arrival of Julius Caesar in 58BC.Old Town Geneva.Fountain at the Promenade de la Treille in Old Town Geneva.Le Jet d'Eau ... with a rainbow — Geneva.

    Geneva: Day 1 … Old Town Meanderings

    12 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    After lunch with Didier, we walked along the lakefront together. Our steps eventually took us back to the hotel to rest for a couple of hours during the hottest part of the day. Around 5:30p, we resumed exploring Geneva. Our destination this time was Vieille Ville … the historic Old Town.

    Once again, we crossed Lake Geneva via Pont du Mont-Blanc. Before entering Old Town, however, we stopped to ride the ferris wheel near Jardin Anglais first … fun … all the more so since neither one of us had ridden one since we were children. Great views, too.

    Old Town Geneva is the largest of its kind in all of Switzerland. It consists of a maze of narrow cobblestone streets and alleys; charming squares and fountains decorated with flowers; secret passages; parks, terraces and promenades; and several museums and landmarks … though none of these were on our agenda today since they were all closed by the time we arrived for our early-evening stroll. No matter … we enjoyed the ambiance anyway … perhaps all the more so because at one point all the church bells joined the ringing bells of the cathedral.

    It was just past 8:00p — and still light outside — when we retraced our steps back to the hotel via the Pont du Mont-Blanc. Our reward along the way … a rainbow in the plume of water coming out of Le Jet d’Eau!    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    A photo op at the park next to the restaurant where we had lunch with Didier — Geneva.
    Restaurant La Perle du Lac Genève ... our lunch spot — Geneva.That's Mont-Blanc above my head — Geneva.Lac Léman with Mont-Blanc in the background — Geneva.2This little bird has a discerning taste in dessert 😊 — Geneva.

    Geneva: Day 1 … Lunch w/Didier

    12 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We met Didier on an Antarctic expedition that took us from the tip of Argentina to the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island … by way of the Ross Sea. When we bid Didier farewell in February 2015, we promised to visit him in Geneva … ‘his city’. Well, it took us 10 years to do so, but we kept our promise today.

    When we contacted Didier to see if he was going to be home during our short visit to Geneva, he not only said yes, but also promised that he had a very nice, special restaurant in mind for lunch. He kept his promise.

    A 10-minute walk through the city brought us to Restaurant La Perle du Lac Genève … overlooking the lake … with France’s Mont-Blanc a hazy silhouette beyond. The food was fantastic … the ambiance was great … the camaraderie was perhaps the best part of our all-too brief reunion. Hopefully, we’ll get together again someday … without letting another 10 years pass.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Breakfast in our room at Hotel Suisse — Geneva.
    Notre Dame Basilica — Geneva.On the Rhône side of Pont du Mont-Blanc — Geneva.One of the water taxis that ply the river and the lake — Geneva.Grebes and swans a-swimmin' on the Rhône River — Geneva.Mateo generously shared pieces of his bread so Mui could feed the swans — Geneva.Le Jet d’Eau de Genève ... an iconic symbol of the city since 1891.Le Jet d’Eau de Genève and Lac Léman — Geneva.Le Jet d’Eau de Genève and Lac Léman — Geneva.Four Seasons Fountain ... Jardin Anglais — Geneva.Four Seasons Fountain ... Jardin Anglais — Geneva."The Key is in the Tree" sculpted by R. Schultz out of a 120-year-old sequoia — Jardin Anglais.The flower clock is actually operational — Geneva.National monument commemorating Geneva joining the Confederation of Switzerland — Geneva.Mausoleum at Jardin des Alpes that commemorate the life of Charles II, Duke of Brunswick — Geneva.Brunswick Monument at Jardin des Alpes — Geneva.Brunswick Monument and Le Jet D'Eau — Geneva.

    Geneva: Day 1 … Morning Stroll

    12 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Breakfast in the room … having a kitchenette made it easy; then a stroll down to Lac Léman … known to Americans as Lake Geneva. But before we got that far, we detoured to the Notre Dame Basilica when we noticed the doors were open.

    Our stroll down to the waterfront was a pleasant one … comfy temps, a light breeze, and sunshine galore. Our route took us to Pont du Mont Blanc … the bridge that marks the transition between Lac Lêman and the Rhône River. We slowly made our way across the Rhône side of the bridge, stopping frequently to take photos of the scenery … and the swans, grebes, and mallards swimming about as they eagerly grabbed any handouts that might come their way.

    Using the path under the bridge, we crossed over to the lake side for a closer look at Le Jet d’Eau de Genève … an iconic symbol of the city since 1891 that technically is a pressure relief valve for a hydraulic plant. The jet shoots water up to a maximum height of 460 feet (140 m) … at a speed of 125 mph (200 mph) where the water exits the system.

    After a detour to Jardin Anglais to check out the Four Seasons Fountain, we walked along the lake side of the bridge and returned to our hotel … this time taking a route that found us at the Jardin des Alpes, where we stopped for a few photos of the Brunswick Monument.

    Noting that the clock was ticking down towards our lunch date with Didier, we hastened our steps to complete our morning stroll in Geneva.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    A nice bonus on our ADB-GVA flight ... plenty of legroom and elbow room.
    Bye bye İzmir ... we'll see you again in September.Peek-a-boo view of the Alps.Peek-a-boo view of the Alps.If the iPhone location tag is to be believed, this is Matterhorn.So many receding glaciers in the Alps.2On the train from GVA to the Geneva City Center.Our quiet room with a kitchenette — Hotel Suisse.View of the train station from our room ... the Coop grocery store is in the shopping center below.

    Hello Geneva!

    11 de julho de 2025, Suíça ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    An on-time departure from ADB … a smooth flight with no one sharing the exit row seats with us (not only more legroom, but more elbow room as it turns out) … views of the Alps (and perhaps even Matterhorn) … an on-time landing at GVA.

    What more could we ask for from a travel day?

    Well, it would have been nice if passport control at GVA had lived up to the efficiency for which the Swiss are known. It took us 1.5 hours to get from our arrival gate to the baggage carousel … and all but 10 minutes of that time was spent inching along the immigration queue, waiting for our turn to have our passports stamped by one of only four immigration agents on duty!!! With so many flights arriving at the same time, no idea why more of the 14 or so kiosks weren’t staffed this afternoon.

    The good news? Everything went smoothly once the formalities were completed. Our bags were waiting on the carousel when we arrived to collect them; we had no trouble finding the train platforms for the one-stop ride from the airport to the Geneva city center … no tickets needed thanks to the transport passes provided by our hotel … and no wait to get on a train either.

    A short walk from the train station put us at Hotel Suisse, where we will be staying for three nights … its convenient location being one of the reasons why we opted for this hotel. Check-in was quick and soon we were settling into our room on the second floor … a quiet one as requested. Then, off to Coop for groceries … just steps away from the hotel … this convenience being another reason why we opted for this hotel. Our room has a kitchenette that will come in handy for breakfast … maybe even light dinners since we plan to make lunch our main meal of the day on this trip.

    Now to get some rest. Tomorrow we’ll explore Geneva a bit … and also meet a friend for lunch.    Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    Looks like we are set for an on time departure.

    Our Air Chariot Awaits!

    11 de julho de 2025, Turquia ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Or so we hope!

    Instead of boarding from a jetway, we are going to be shuttled to the aircraft by bus. That means we can’t see the plane from the terminal. Have to trust that not only is our aircraft parked on the tarmac, but that the A/C is on when we get there!Leia mais

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  • CH & IT Roadtrip
    A glimpse into our plans for this roadtrip.

    Off Again!

    11 de julho de 2025, Turquia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Actually, we’ve been ‘off’ since 4 May … that’s when we left Colorado.

    Since then, we’ve been in İzmir, Türkiye. Our primary purpose here is to help mom as she continues her struggle with Parkinson’s.

    We don’t normally come during the summer months as it gets oppressively hot. This summer thus far has been no exception. We are trying to survive the summer heat that settled over us like an unwanted cloak almost as soon as the calendar turned from May to June. Thanks to the wall A/C unit we had installed at Mui’s sister’s apartment — our base of operations when we are in İzmir — we are surviving. Being outdoors is definitely a challenge … one that we are hoping will change later today.

    Mui and I are waiting for a taxi to pick us up momentarily to begin the ‘travel chapter’ of this trip that will see us exploring Switzerland … with a dip into Northern Italy. In other words, we’re off to seek cooler temps as we explore new-to-us places. Considering the recent heatwave in Europe, however … well, we shall see if the ‘cool quest’ bears fruit.

    Another ‘travel chapter’ will follow our CH & IT [Switzerland & Italy] roadtrip before we return to İzmir in mid-September. But that’s for a separate FindPenguins adventure, so I won’t get into it here.

    For now, I will leave you with a rough map of our planned bases of operation. Will we stick to the plan? I guess we’ll find out eventually!    Leia mais

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  • Life in Colorado
    Our "welcome home" sunrise on 13 March — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Our "welcome home" sunrise on 13 March ... as the skies get brighter — Colorado Springs, CO.Our "welcome home" sunrise on 13 March ... changes color — Colorado Springs, CO.Colorful sunrise on 14 March — Colorado Springs, CO.Storm clouds on the horizon on 14 March — Colorado Springs, CO.And then it starts snowing suddenly ... on 14 March — Colorado Springs, CO.17 March ... another colorful start to our day — Colorado Springs, CO.17 March ... another colorful start to our day — Colorado Springs, CO.17 March ... another colorful start to our day — Colorado Springs, CO.2Aftermath of the 18 March snowstorm ... too windy to document the storm itself — Colorado Springs.

    Sunrise & Snow

    19 de março de 2025, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F

    The morning after we returned from Antarctica — March 13 — we had a beautiful sunrise … from deep pinks and mauves, to pastel colors, to golden hues.

    [For those who are following the Antarctic trip … yes, I am still working my way through the thousands of photos I took so that I can complete my footprints.]

    There was more color in the sky the next morning, too. But on the horizon were clouds foretelling of a storm on its way. A few hours later, it was snowing. The white stuff moved out quickly … by nightfall, any accumulation was gone.

    The cycle repeated. And then came the bombogenesis on the 18th … an unexpected snow storm … with no warning … raging through the night. No idea how much snow really fell in our area. With the winds gusting up to 60 mph, the dry snow was blown about hither and yon all night. I’m not sure if the storm fit the true definition of a bombogenesis, but it sure felt like a snow-bomb had exploded!

    The rest of the week is forecasted to have seasonal weather. We shall see.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    4

    Route Overview

    12 de março de 2025, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌙 43 °F

    FindPenguins has a nice feature that creates a quick overview video of trip routes. No real work required on my part. Just click the button and the app does all the work.

    Now that the trip is in the rearview mirror and all of the footprints are complete, I thought it would make for a fun end to this journal … the last footprint for this trip.Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    At IAH as the sun rises through the raindrops — Houston, Texas.
    The rising sun colors the grey metal of the 757-300 that we are flying to DEN.Pikes Peak in the distance signals we are almost home.Welcome to DEN! — Denver, Colorado.

    Onward to Colorado & Home

    12 de março de 2025, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    True to their word, at 5:00a, the crew opened the aircraft doors and we began deplaning from our EZE-IAH flight.

    Going through immigration was the easiest it’s ever been with Global Entry. We didn’t even have to take out our passports, or use one of the DIY kiosks. Instead, we got in the Global Entry line, walked up to a camera that took a photo, turned around and gave our last name to an immigration officer, and got the wave to continue.

    Collecting bags at the first point of entry is such an antiquated process when there is customs service available at your final destination. In this instance, however, we didn’t mind as we wanted to see if we could jump on the 7:15a flight to DEN. Turns out that we could, although the only seats available were clear in the back … a window and a middle seat … two rows apart. It was sad to give up our exit seats, but oh well. Short flight anyway!

    Having re-checked our bags, we turned the corner to go through security. OMG! What a disaster! No TSA Pre✓at that particular check-point. A long, slow-moving line. It was 5:35a. Boarding for our flight was at 6:25a. Would we make it?

    Long story short, we did. But it was a stressful 25 minutes … and then we had to hot-foot it to our gate in Terminal C.

    More …. when I get home!

    At 🏠 ….

    It’s now 8:00p MST. We landed at DEN almost 12 hours ago.

    My body is still on BsAs time, however, and thinks that it is 11:00p. “Bedtime,” it says to me. But I want to stay up for another hour to better synchronize to local time. Best to keep occupied. What better way to do that than to write about the end of today’s story

    The UA agent who switched us from the later flight to the 7:15a flight had suggested that we might be able to switch to better seats at the gate … adding, “Passengers often miss this connection.” As it turns out, we were able to change the middle seat to a window exit.

    Our 2-hour flight was uneventful. I did a bit of writing to while away the time, but mostly looked out the porthole and enjoyed the scenery. Surprisingly, I took very few photos … my ‘shutter finger’ just wanted to rest, I guess!

    A glimpse of Pikes Peak signaled that we were at home. Not really, though. UA2433 still had a short distance to go to DEN to land and then we’d be making our way back home to Colorado Springs.

    We were wheels down at 8:30a … at the gate by 8:41a … all bags accounted for by 9:10a. We had texted our driver, Vincent, while in Houston to alert him to the change of plans, so he was standing by to drive us home.

    By 10:30a, about the time we would have taken off from IAH had we not switched flights, we were at home sweet home … bringing our trip to a conclusion.

    Unpacking our bags will be the true sign of the end of our trip. But that can wait until tomorrow!    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Just a short distance to go before we land at IAH.
    On the ground at IAH — Houston, Texas.We have to wait until 5:00a before we can deplane ... @ IAH — Houston, Texas.

    Hello Houston!

    12 de março de 2025, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    I had my longest and best sleep on a flight ever. Must have been really tired. We had about 1.5 hours left to land at IAH when the cabin lights came on and I decided to get up. Mui was just getting up as well.

    By the time we finished folding and putting away our bed linens, it was our turn to be served breakfast. Mui took the omelet option as he always does; I opted for the French Toast with vanilla and blueberry sauce. It was quite tasty, but just a bit too sweet at 3:50a CST.

    An hour later, we were on the ground, taxiing to Terminal E at IAH. By 4:50a, we were at our gate.

    At the moment, we are on hold at the gate. We have to wait until 5:00a to deplane because immigration and customs officials come on duty at that hour.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

    On Our Way to IAH

    11 de março de 2025, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    It’s getting on towards midnight … Argentinian time. Texas is two hours behind; Colorado three hours. My eyes are starting to get heavy, but before I succumb to sleep, let me catch up today’s travel story.

    Boarding began on time. As is the case with most USA-bound flights, there was a last minute security check as we made our way to the counter to scan our boarding passes. Usually, these checks are done randomly. However, everyone had to go through the process tonight. It was a cursory check, really, so we were on our way without much of a delay.

    Soon enough, we were in our Polaris seats and getting settled. When the flight attendant for our section came around with bubbly, we each took a glass to toast the conclusion of a successful Antarctic expedition. A great swansong adventure to the region. Should have taken a photo … as Jan would say, “If there is no proof, it didn’t happen.”

    The 777-200 pushed back at 8:55a … ahead of the 9:05p scheduled departure, and we were wheels up at 9:10p. A good omen for an on time arrival.

    As UA818 climbed up to its cruising altitude, we enjoyed the twinkling lights of Buenos Aires spread out below us. Before long, we were leveled off and the flight attendants were coming around with warm nuts and beverages. The meal service followed soon after. Dessert was the best part of the meal … ice cream with chocolate sauce.

    During dinner, I finished the movie I had started after we took off … Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Pierce Brosnan in “The Great Lillian Hall” … the story of an actress who finds herself suddenly diagnosed with a form of dementia as she is preparing for a major new role. The story is apparently inspired by the life of the late American stage actress, Marian Seldes.

    Now, the movie is finished; my bed is made up; I’ve got my United jammies on. Time to get some sleep.The app shows the flight duration as 10 hours and 30 minutes. However, before take off, the cockpit announced that we would cover the 5,066-mile distance to IAD in 9 hours and 44 minutes. If that’s accurate, we still have 7+ hours to go. Plenty of time for a good snooze that should keep me going until we get home tomorrow. Mui’s already snoozing, so he’ll be rearing to go, too.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Pretty much a straight shot from EZE to IAH.

    Killing Time @ EZE

    11 de março de 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Funny coincidence … Karin & Wilco, our neighbors on Ortelius, are apparently in the room next door at the Posada … once again our neighbors. We found that out when they came down to breakfast shortly after us.

    Our request for a late checkout could only be accommodated until 1:30p as someone else was due into the room at 2:00p. Oh well. At least we didn’t have to check out at 11:00a and were able to prep for our travel day at a leisurely pace.

    The hotel’s transfer van took us to EZE @ 1:00p. Who should we run into when we entered the terminal but Maria and Jan, new friends we made on Ortelius. They were waiting to check their bags, but had an hour to go before they could do so. We had four hours to wait because the counter wasn’t due to open until 5:05p. So, we joined forces and went to Pan de Quotidien for a light lunch. In short order, we were joined by Karin & Wilco, and Ingrid, another fellow passenger.

    Around 2:00p, we said our farewells to everyone as they left to check-in or make their way to security. We went for a stroll to stretch our legs and find a quiet spot where we could while away a bit more time.

    Eventually, it was our turn to go to the counters designated for UA to leave our bags in the care of the airline. Easy peasy. Going through security was was easy … very few people in the queue, and things moved along quickly. Then came immigration! We were first directed to the e-kiosks to complete the immigration process on our own, and then it was just a matter of going to an e-gate where our facial scans were matched to the passport scan. In no time at all, the formalities were completed.

    We walked through Duty Free and picked up a bottle of Amarula. But the check-out line was so long that we returned the bottle to the shelf and left empty-handed. A short walk then took us to the Star Alliance Lounge … which could do with a refresh. Not much in the way of snacks and stuff, but at least the seats were comfortable and it was better to while away our time until boarding here instead of at the gate.

    Speaking of boarding … it is scheduled to commence at 8:15p … in 45 minutes time. More once we are on the plane.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    A comfortable enough room for an overnight stay at Posada de las Aguilas @ EZE - Buenos Aires.

    Settled in @ the Posada

    10 de março de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    After an uneventful flight from USH, AR1887 landed at EZE close to its scheduled arrival of 9:45p. We deplaned onto the tarmac and were transferred to domestic arrivals by bus.

    It took awhile for the bags to show up, but once the conveyor belt started moving it wasn’t too long of a wait for our bags to arrive in quick succession.

    Next step was to call the hotel for the included transfer. We tried the number we were given several times — using WhatsApp and WePhone — but got no answer. It was already past 10:30p, so we decided not to wait around.

    Arranging for a ride at the Taxi Ezeiza stand just outside the secure luggage claim area, we had a speedy drive to Posada de las Aguilas (Inn of the Eagles). The good news is that when we explained that no one had answered the phone, the woman at the front desk apologized and immediately refunded the cost of the ride to us in cash, so we are not out of pocket for that expense.

    Assigned to room 11 on the first floor — top floor of this place — we left the two bags we won’t be needing at the check-in desk and followed our escort through the grounds to our room … which has everything we could want for an overnight stay. Because we have an evening flight tomorrow, I booked us a superior king room so we have a comfy place to kill time. We have requested a late checkout, but won’t know until we go down for breakfast as to the actual time we have to leave. It is dependent on availability of the room.

    In any event, it is now past midnight and time for bed. We have no intention of setting the alarm for tomorrow morning. Breakfast is served until 11:00a, so we can have a leisurely morning.

    By the way, we got a nice surprise when we landed and cell service was once again restored. We have been upgraded to Polaris business for our flight to Houston tomorrow night! Thank you United!    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Farewell selfie at USH with Luce and Taras — Ushuaia, Argentina.
    Dark skies as AR1887 begins its run for take off from USH — Ushuaia, Argentina.Whitecaps in the Beagle Channel is often a sign of a rough Drake Passage crossing to Antarctica.

    Aboard AR 1887: Farewell Ushuaia

    10 de março de 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

    Arriving at 1210 Avenida Maipu shortly before 2:00p, we went inside to collect our lugagge. It was easy enough to find them as there were very few bags left. It was then a quick Uber ride to the airport.

    The check-in line at USH wasn’t too long, but it was moving at a snail’s pace. No worries. We had plenty of time to kill. When our turn came, we checked our bags and asked for exit row seats … quickly granted by the agent.

    There was no line at security, so we were done with the formalities in no time. There were a few familiar faces as we wandered around the small concourse. We stopped to chat with fellow passengers, and also spent time with Luce, one of the dive guides, and Taras, Ortelius’s third officer. Then, finding a couple of seats near an outlet, we whiled away the time surfing the web while charging up our phones.

    Around 5:00p, we moved over to gate 6. Embarkation was scheduled to start at 5:30p. With no aircraft at the jetway, however, it was obvious that there was going to be a delay.

    The B737 that was to whisk us away arrived around 5:45p. Once boarding was called, it went smoothly. The aircraft pushed back at 6:32p, but then we had to wait on the apron for a military aircraft to land before we could continue onto the runway. It was 6:50p before we were wheels up.

    The flight has thus far been uneventful. The itinerary showed the flight duration as 3 hrs and 30 mins … the cockpit said it would be 2 hrs and 55 mins. That means we should touch down at EZE more or less on time.

    More when we get to our hotel …    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    L to R: Ocean Endeavour, Viking Octantis, Ortelius, & Ocean Nova ... all heading south later today.
    Memorial to a ship that went down with all hands in the Strait of Magellan in 1949 — Ushuaia.Gulls along the Beagle Channel — Ushuaia, Argentina.Memorial to a Fuegian musician — Ushuaia, Argentina.Home of an early settler (1927) saved instead of being demolished — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mural depicting the train that took prisoners to Tierra del Fuego to chop down trees — Ushuaia.Symbols of the land ... winds cause trees to be mis-shapen; Fuegian fox — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World ... now a museum — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.Top: What's left of the prisoner train; Bottom: Traction Engine ... Presidio — Ushuaia, Argentina.Replica of the San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse ... Presidio — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina."Lost Hopes" ... @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina."Mara, Smoke in Tifffany" by Diego Buey @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia."Fitz Roy ... Return of the Beagle 1831" @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia."Mission of Ushuaia & the Bridges Family" @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia.Wooden door built by the convicts for the entrance of the Parochial Church of Ushuaia @ the PresidioPainted penguins @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia.View from the grounds of Maria Lola Restaurant — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    Cold Day Exploring Ushuaia

    10 de março de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    With our flight to Buenos Aires scheduled for 6:15p, we had plenty of time to kill in Ushuaia.

    Our original plan was to throw our luggage in a rental car and drive out to Tierra del Fuego National Park to do some hiking. However, checking the forecast a few days ago, the weather looked less than ideal for spending time outdoors. So, we canceled the rental and came up with a new plan that involved visiting the old Presidio; sipping hot beverages at a café; sating our tummies at a nice restaurant; and treating ourselves to ice cream at Almendra.

    The new plan required that we find luggage storage somewhere in town … a problem that was resolved when EL Sara announced that we could leave our bags at the Oceanwide-contracted storage location until 2:00p.

    It turned out to be a typical Ushuaia-weather-day … with everything from sleet to rain, to overcast skies; to the sun peeking out at times. Rinse and repeat. And strong, cold wind gusts as we walked down the pier after disembarking Ortelius.

    Once off the pier, the wind wasn’t too bad, so we followed the waterfront to take photos of Ortelius and today’s batch of expedition vessels that would be heading south before the end of the day. Along the way, gulls and southern lapwings provided entertainment.

    Leaving the waterfront, we walked up to the Presidio next. I had a hunch that we were probably going to be too early. But what the heck! A little uphill walking never hurt anyone. I was right. The doors would be opening at 10:00a. That was 45 minutes away.

    To kill time, we walked over to Avenida San Martín in search of hot beverages. We found what we were looking for at Ana y Juana. The place turned out to be a good choice and we whiled away more time than we intended as I took advantage of the good wi-fi to upload all of my draft FP footprints.

    By the time we returned to the Presidio — officially the Cárcel del Fin del Mundo (the End of the World Prison) — it was getting on towards 11:00a. We purchased our admission and went in for a whirlwind look-see.

    The prison dates back to when Ushuaia was a penal colony. Operating between 1902 to 1947, it consisted of five wings radiating from a central hall … with 386 cells housing roughly 600 inmates at its peak. Today, it houses a collection of museums under the auspices of Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia. As such, it is one of the a major tourist draws for anyone who spends any appreciable time in the city.

    We started out by checking out the artifacts scattered around the courtyards … such as an engine and train car from back in the day when they were used to transport prisoners to Tierra del Fuego to chop down trees; and a replica of an old lighthouse that was built in 1884 … operated through 1992.

    Inside, skipping the Maritime Museum, which we explored in-depth in 2007, we wandered through the Prison Museum … some of the wings restored; others still pending renovation. The Antarctica Museum was seemingly missing a number of the exhibits we saw in 2007. The Art Museum had several new exhibits, and some of the prison cells were painted with murals depicting historic scenes from the early days of the penal colony. Unfortunately, the Art Gallery was closed until 3:00p, so we did not get to see that part of the museum.

    We left the museum around noon for our 12:30p lunch reservation at Maria Lola at 12:30p. We arrived 15 minutes ahead of schedule, so we waited a bit, wandering the grounds and taking photos of the view of the city while we waited for the restaurant to open.

    By 12:35p, there was still no sign of activity … nor a sign to explain why the restaurant wasn’t opening. Bearing in mind the luggage pick up deadline of 2:00p, we gave up on Maria Lola. Doña Lupita, the empanada place where we had lunch pre-expedition, was not far. So, we headed there instead. Soon enough, we were ordering our empanadas … fried please … though my choclo [corn] empanada was baked. Good, simple food.

    Next up … sweet treats at Almendra, the ice cream shop … and then a quick stop at La Anonima for a couple of bottles of water. It was now 1:30p … time to head to the storage place and collect our luggage.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Hello Ushuaia ... from Ortelius at the pier.
    Hello Ushuaia ... from Ortelius at the pier.The bags are offloaded and waiting to be identified ... disembarkation soon — Ushuaia, Argentina.Map showing landings and zodiac cruises ... from our expedition trip log.

    RWSE Day 28: 5,489.6 NM Later …

    10 de março de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    All good things must come to an end!

    And so it has for the first-ever Remote Weddell Sea Explorer expedition … in Ushuaia … where we started 28 days ago.

    We were up well before EL Sara’s wake up call at 7:15a. Last minute items placed in the bags; zippers pulled and locked; weights verified … all under the airline limit of 15 kg. We placed the bags in the hallway outside our cabin and went up to the bar to get out of the way of the staff and crew rushing to move bags into the reception foyer … the staging area until the conveyor belt could be extended to start offloading everything.

    Breakfast was announced at 7:30a. It was a hurried affair. Now that the expedition was truly at an end, everyone was anxious to get going. At 8:10a, EL Sara made the first call for disembarkation.

    Captain Remmert was at reception, shaking hands and bidding everyone safe travels. We reciprocated … wishing godspeed to him and the ship’s complement on their return to the Antarctic. All indications are that Ortelius is in for a rough crossing back down to the peninsula.

    Finding our bags in the line up on the pier, we took them to the truck that would be transferring them to Avenida Maipú 1210 for storage. Satisfied that the bags were loaded, we then went around, bidding farewell to shipmates and the expedition team before heading off on the long walk from the ship’s berth to the port gate.

    The wind was blowing strong. It was downright cold. For a minute, it felt like we were back in Antarctica. We really could have used another layer of clothing in Ushuaia today.    Leia mais

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

    RWSE Day 27: Charcot Wants an Answer

    9 de março de 2025, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    First though … here’s a link to the passenger slide show Expedition Team member Claudio screened for us tonight (the file is too big to post here):https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/RWSE/FP-J…. I hope you enjoy it!

    And now … for Charcot’s question.

    I read the following quote by Charcot not too long ago …

    “Why then do we feel this strange attraction for these polar regions, a feeling so powerful and lasting that when we return home we forget the mental and physical hardships, and want nothing more than to return to them? Why are we so susceptible to the charm of these landscapes when they are so empty and terrifying?” ~~ Jean-Baptiste Charcot ~~

     I’m not sure I have an answer to his question.

    Even after four trips to these southerly latitudes … even after this expedition to one of the most remote regions of the world … the conundrum remains unanswered in my mind.

     The polar regions — both south and north … and I include Greenland and Svalbard in here as well — have certainly held an attraction that has brought us back to the icy scapes of the world again and again.

     Perhaps we were infected with ‘the incurable ice virus’ that I read about as we were preparing for our first Antarctic expedition. Perhaps we ‘fell into the clutches’ of the peaceful, pristine, and quiet nature of these regions. Perhaps we were ‘captivated’ by the wildlife that seemed completely impervious to our presence. Perhaps we just wanted to be different and see places that most people don’t think about much … let alone visit. Perhaps it is all of the above. One thing is for sure, however, it wasn’t the weather and sea conditions — at times quite horrendous — that led to our repeated ‘scratch the polar itch’ adventures.

     When we set off on our first Antarctic expedition, we thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. That proved wrong … so very, very wrong.

    Will there be another polar journey like this one sometime in the future?

    Only time will tell!    Leia mais

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