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South America Traveler
sea day
Yesterday in Peru
the borealis players performed on the back deck and then we saw Jo Ashcroft in the show.
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iquique
March 13 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
I went into town with Elizabeth Hilary, Mike and Gareth. We walked up Paseo Baquedano which has many historic buildings. We walked up the promenade by the Pacific and then returned to the centre and visited a coffee shop and then through the towns retail district. We went to the fish market and saw a lot of sea lions in the water and then walked round to see the replica of the Esmeralda.

we are eating at Colours and Taste.Read more
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Sea Day Masquerade ball
March 12, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
The crew did a show in the Neptune Lounge before dinner. Franco is one of the bar waiters. Anya was the only woman performing.
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Cuquimbo
March 11 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Went out with Elizabeth again. We met up with Hilary and headed up to the cross monument which dominates the town. we tried to climb the zigzag path but we were told it was dangerous. So we got a taxi. The monument was amazing ,built at the turn of the century and provided amazing views across the town and countryside.
We then got on a bus and it took us all the way to the mosque. Then we visited the fish market. Elizabeth and I walked further along and we saw a few pelicans and some sea lions.Read more
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Valparaiso
March 10 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I went off the ship with Elizabeth and we got the shuttle bus to Vina del Mar, which is a resort town up the coast .
We walked along the promenade to a pier because we thought we saw a lot of seals in the sea. But when we got to the end of the pier we found they were a lot of swimmers in wet suits.
We walked into the centre via the Flonk museum with Easter island statue outside. Then we went to the Rjoca palace, which was a bit like a national trust property. Lots of beautiful furniture.
We returned to Valparaiso on the shuttle bus and walked into the old town ,past an enormous fruit and veg market and lots of street markets selling everything. We were trying to find the funicular to get to the painted houses. Eventually we went back and found a funicular behind the big shopping centre. It took us up to an area called Colon . There was a good view over the town and we got a beer.Read more
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Seaday
March 9, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Seen handful of whales today
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The bar staff organised an event tonight with champagne in the Obseveratory.
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Last day in Chilean Fjords
March 8 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
We will be out to sea by 2pm. A lot more signs of habitat; ferry boats and signs that they are building a bridge.
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Half way
March 7 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
A quiet day at sea . Photos taken from the bar and restaurant. At night there was a party in the Neptune Lounge with Status, Borealis Theatre group singers and finishing with Howard. Lots of dancing.
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Sea day Skua Glacier
March 6 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
I got up at 7.10 to view the glacier. We were late arriving as it was foggy. The scenery was beautiful with low clouds and then the sun rising. Eventually we got to the glacier which was difficult to see as the sun was directly behind it.
The show was 'una voce', a father and son duo who sing opera and modern things. I have seen them on a previous cruise.Read more
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Punta Arenas
March 4 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
This is one of the most southerly cities in the world. It was initially set up as a penalty colony for Chile but others were sent here, There is a large Croatian community. I had breakfast in the main restaurant and was informed that the Antarctic expedition ship, Richard Attenborough was moord alongside.
I went to the town with Mike, Gareth and Ingrid. We climbed up to the viewing point and then tried to the cemetery. We had a guide and he told us about Sara Braun who came here when she was only 6. She had an unhappy marriage to a shipping millionaire and became the richest widow of her time. She created the cemetery which we visited and was a beneficiary of the city.
It was so windy when we got back to the ship that they had to bus us 300 yards back to the ship. They let the crew walk.Read more
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Glacier Alley
March 3 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
We are cruising up the Chilian Fiords. Spectacular scenery
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Sea days on our way to Cape Horn
Mar 2–4, Drake Passage ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
I went to fitball and didn't have much breakfast as I was going to a solo's lunch. I sat at a table with 5 other women and an engineer called J from Lithuania.
I played bridge with Gareth.
In the evening there was a jazz event by the Borealis Performance Team and the show was Jordan, the head of the theatre group, doing Elton John songs. We arrived at Cape Horn at about 7.30pm. The pilot boarded our ship.Read more
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Port Lockroy
March 1, Bransfield Strait ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C
It was a British research station until 1962. It is now the most southerly post office. Staffed by 4 people in the tourist season, who also monitor the Gentoo penguin colony. There were lots of penguins bobbing up around the ship and I saw a seal on a rocky outcrop. We had been woken at 7 with the news that we couldn't enter the Lemaitre Channel as it was blocked by ice. So we had to miss Delonce and Girard Bay.
The show was the Welsh singer, Sioned Terry. She sang in Welsh and EnglishRead more
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Lots of Whales
February 28, Bransfield Strait ⋅ ❄️ 1 °C
I got up at 7 and went on the top deck . Saw a lot of Whales. I went to the gym and the class was cancelled so I went on a bike and then the rowing machine. Went back outside with thermals this time. Saw a penguin colony, Gentoos .
David Howie the multi instrumentalist was the show. He played piano, fugelhorn, trumpet, Zimmer frame.
it's Charpet's birthday on 1 march so Howard sang happy birthday and let him sing with him.Read more
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Admiraltry Bay
February 27, Bransfield Strait ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C
Got up at 7.30 to view this glacier lined inlet on King George island. Then did pilates in the Neptune Lounge.
It was Arctic night. I dressed up in blue and white.
The show was Brendo singing Matt Munro songs. He was very goodRead more
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Sea Days to Elephant Island
Feb 25–27, Scotia Sea ⋅ 🌬 3 °C
2 Sea days on the way to Antarctica . A typical breakfast by lido pool after a class in the gym. I got some pictures of penguins from Isabel's husband.
I arrived at Elephant Island in the afternoon of day 2. It was misty but I saw a whale in the distance. We saw a large iceberg while we were playing bridge .
The mist cleared and we went up on deck to see the glaciers and some large icebergs.Read more
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Falklands
February 24 in Falkland Islands ⋅ 🌬 9 °C
we had to get tenders to go ashore The captain said it was on the limit of being able to go ashore because of the swelling.
Mike, Gareth and I got the tender at 10.45 and it was quite a smooth journey..
We went to the shop near the quay and bought postcards. I sent one with quirky penguins to Fionn and Ronan.
We walked along Ross Street which is along the front and saw was memorials for 1982 and 1914 wars. Also plaques celebrating achieving city status in 2022. One of the masts from the SS Great Britain was displayed on Victory Green.
We had a coffee in the supermarket cafe and then went to the Victory Inn . Unfortunately they didn't have any local beer and we ended up drinking Doombar, only £2.80 a bottle.
in the evening the show was a Welsh singer doing songs from musicals.Read more
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Sea days on route to Maldives
Feb 22–24, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
Day 1. I had a quiet day as I had a cold. I went to the talk by a royal l marine, Tony Green, about the Falklands war. in the afternoon I went to the classic concert
Day 2. We had to go to a briefing about entering the Antarctic region. They told us rescue can take up to 5 days. The evening entertainment was a multi instrumentalist.Read more
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Montevideo Uruguay
February 21 in Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
I went on a tour with Ingrid in a minibus. Only four of us. The first stop was the cathedral in Constitution Square. Then we went to Independence Square where there was a building built in the 20s which was the tallest building in South America. A similar one was built in Buenos Aires and the intention was to shine a light between the two, but it didn't work due to the curvature of the earth. There were other Art Deco buildings and a statue of Artigas who was a local hero. Beneath the statue there was a mausoleum where his ashes were held.
We saw a statue of cattle which was near the football stadium, where the first world cup was held. Then we ended the tour at the beach. There is a very long beach in the city.
After the coach dropped us off we had a walk round the old town and ended up at a lovely palace which was furnished with the items that belonged to the last family.
I decided not to go to diner as I had a cold and wanted an early night.Read more
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Buenos Aires day 2
February 20 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I went on a Fred trip to the Tigre Delta, where we took a boat tour. It was through a community where there is no access by car. It was interesting to see supermarket boats, hospital boats and a school for the local kids.
We sail out of Buenos Aires at late afternoonRead more
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Buenos Aires
Feb 19–21 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
We found out last night that there was a general strike in BA .So all the tours were cancelled. I met Jane on the deck and agreed to go out with her and Katherine. We got a taxi with a nice driver called Miguel and did a 4 hour tour.
It is a very green city. There is a park that is larger than Central Park in New York. There was a big metal flower which retracts at night but keeps getting broken. There were lots of geese in the gardens and several lakes. it was beside the law faculty of the university. education is free but students have to provide books and accommodation. Then we went to the planetarium but it was closed because of the strike. There were some large lumps of meteorite outside. It was on the site of the first football match.
We went to the rose garden which was beautiful. Then to the Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron is interred. There are thousands of mausoleum which people/families buy.
Finally we went LaBoca which is a big contrast to the rest of the city. The colourful houses were built by Italian fishermen.
In the evening there was a performance by a local folk group. Music and dancing . the men were dressed as gauchos.Read more
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Two sea days between Brazil and Sea Days
Feb 17–19, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
A formal night tonight and surprisingly we got invited to the captain's table. In the morning they had a Rio carnival parade around the pool. in the evening we met up for cocktails before the meal. Ludamilla from Slovakia, Geoffrey and Jane from Isle of Man and castle in Kent. Caroline and her partner who I see in the gym and Captain and his wife, Mia.
We all went to the show afterwards which was songs from around the world.Read more
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Ilhabela
February 16 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Got up early to go on a 4x4 trip to the beach and waterfalls. Met Clare who was on the same trip. Swam in the Atlantic. Then we went to the waterfalls . Quite a climb but no time to swim .
Howard was on in the observatory late so Mike and I were dancing up there.Read more
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Rio de Janeiro day 2
February 15 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Went Pilates but I was the only one so we cancelled. Lazy morning and then went on a trip to the Botanic gardens. We had a good guide not a botonist but had researched a lot of the plants and did a good tour.
We saw a lot of the carnival floats on the way there and a lot of scantily clad youngsters on the way back, who were preparing for the carnival tonight.
Party on deck with Howard playing . Sailing out of Rio in the dark.Read more
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Rio de Janeiro
Feb 14–16 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Day 1 I had a trip to Christ the Redeemer . Long queues to get on the train and rather dhatic as there were 5 Fred coaches all arrived at the same time. We stopped at Coca Cabana beach on the way back. Very different to the last time I was there 10 years ago. Howard played in the Lido bar.Read more
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