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March 2023
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  • Tui Snider

March 2023

Circumnavigating South America! Read more
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  • Trip start
    March 8, 2023
    Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Italian Beatles

    March 1, 2023, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    I was a little dubious when I learned that an Italian Beatles tribute band was performing on the ship, but both of their shows were a whole lot of fun!

    I appreciate that they covered more than just the early Beatles. They actually performed songs from the band’s entire career.

    As you can see, they even had fun dressing the part. They were certainly cast well. They look a lot like the Liverpool lads.

    Sometimes we could hear slight Italian accents when they introduced various numbers, but who cares?

    These guys, aka “Beatbox,” did a great job and it really looked as if they were having fun on stage.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    St Helena

    March 3, 2023 in Saint Helena ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Greetings from one of the most remote islands in the world! The nearest landmass is 1200 nautical miles away from St Helena.

    It’s easy to see why, after he escaped from the Island of Elba, Napoleon was exiled here.

    A few folks went ashore today, but we were not among the lucky ones. After a handful of tenders launched, the captain announced that for safety reasons, no more passengers could be taken to shore.

    Those who made it to shore, assured us that getting on and off the tender boats was very challenging.

    Our Romanian friends even showed us a video of their boat being tossed around. Their tender was even damaged on the return trip when it smacked the side of the ship!

    Even so, some passengers grumbled about the captain’s decision. But according to the bar staff, a crew member broke their leg last time they were here due to similar conditions.

    Maybe we’ll get lucky next time we’re here!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Copacabana & Mosaic Streets

    March 8, 2023 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    On our way to Sugar Loaf Mountain, our bus swung by the most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana.

    Even the wavy black and white mosaic pattern that makes up the sidewalk running alongside it is iconic.

    This style of pavement reminds me of Portugal, so I assume it’s due to the Portuguese influence here. (I forgot to ask!)

    Along the way to the beach, I saw a lot of street art as well as ugly graffiti. In many cities around the world, people spare statues and churches from spray paint, but not in Rio.

    There’s very little shade, as you can see. I found it interesting how they wet the sand so it’s cool enough to walk on.

    A statue by the beach commemorates Princess Elizabeth, the king’s sister who signed “the golden law,” banning slavery in the late 1800s.

    Some folks spent the day at Copacabana, but a drive by was good enough for us.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
    1111

    Sugar Loaf Mountain

    March 8, 2023 in Brazil ⋅ 🌧 84 °F

    We took a cable car up to the top of Pao de Azucar aka Sugar Loaf today.

    The view was wonderful, but even as fast-tracked tourists, the line to get in was nearly two hours long!

    As expected, Sugar Loaf offers an impressive vista. From here, you can see Copacabana beach, as well as Christ the Redeemer.

    I really enjoyed the birdwatching, as well. A swirl of black vultures circled the mountaintop. I got a much better look at the frigate birds I’ve been seeing since we arrived. There were plenty of other birds in the lush canopy of trees below our viewpoint, but I wasn’t able to identify any.

    Note to self: next time you’re in Rio, bring binoculars!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
    1

    Christ the Redeemer

    March 8, 2023 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Rio’s enormous statue of Jesus stands atop Corcovado Mountain. (“Corcovado” means “hunchback,” for what it’s worth.)

    The statue is called Christ the Redeemer, and was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in 2009.

    After the long wait in stifling heat and humid for Sugar Loaf, we opted out of visiting Christ the Redeemer up close.

    For us, the view of Christ the Redeemer from Sugar Loaf was good enough!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Cariocas, Favelas, & Kite Fights

    March 9, 2023 in Brazil ⋅ 🌩️ 88 °F

    CARIOCA: You’ll notice the word “carioca” all over Rio. (I even saw it on a manhole cover, but it it was in the middle of a busy street, so I couldn’t get a photo.)

    In the 1500s the Portuguese settled in Rio, the local Tuvi tribe described their dwellings as “Carioca” meaning “house of the white people.”

    In time, the Portuguese began calling themselves “Cariocas,” and now the term has come to mean people born and raised in Rio de Janeiro.

    FAVELAS: Brazilian slums are called favelas, because they tend to blossom on hillsides, just like the favela flower.

    Our guide, Gil, pointed out that, “The favelas mix with the skyscrapers here, and while most of the inhabitants are poor, some are not. You might think this strange, but some live in favelas to stay close to their families, while others, maybe, are avoiding taxes. There are many reasons.”

    KITE FIGHTS: Gil told us to look for motorcycles and scooters with antennas on them. “What do you think the antennas are for?” he asked.

    After many guesses Gil revealed the answer and it’s pretty bizarre!

    Kids in the favelas don’t just fly kites, they have kite wars. One way to take down an enemy’s kite is to attach glass shards to your kite string.

    Unfortunately, this can injure and even kill unsuspecting motorists as they whizz by. That’s why many motorbikes have antennas. Hopefully, the antenna will catch the dangerous kite string rather than their throat!

    Crazy, eh?    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Condor Tomb?

    March 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    In Buenos Aires, it’s a point of pride that Pope Francis hails from here. Today we visited the church where he was once a bishop.

    Armed guards stood in the doorway of a large tomb for a famous general. If you look closely, you can see that I’m getting some serious “side eye” from the soldier!

    What really caught my attention, however, was a nearby niche for a general named La Heras. To me, it seems that a bronze condor adorns his sarcophagus.

    I’ve never seen a condor (or is it a vulture?) in funereal art before. Yet another thing for my research file!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Guessing Game

    March 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    I posted this street sign on Facebook and asked people what they thought it meant.

    The replies were hilarious, everything from:
    “Dancing businesswomen crossing,” to “beware of people tossing Thor’s hammer,” and more.

    A couple people guessed correctly, however; it means there is a school nearby.

    That was certainly it my first guess, either!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Recoleta Relics

    March 12, 2023 in Argentina

    While wandering through the Recoleta neighborhood, I was struck by the colorful paint job adorning this typical neoclassic exterior.

    I rather like it! What do you think? To me, it really fits the city’s personality; bright colors layered over rigid history.

    Inside the church you see here, I saw some intriguing religious relics. Sadly, they were behind a metal gate, so we weren’t able to see them up close. Ah, well!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    The Pink House

    March 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 95 °F

    In the USA, our president lives in the White House. Here in Buenos Aires, he lives in the Casa Rosada, aka the “Pink House.”

    Back when Duarte was in power, his beloved wife, Evita, would address her adoring public from the windows on the first floor.

    During the pandemic, people began leaving stones around the base of the statue you see here to commemorate those who lost their live to Covid. The stones are now behind a plexiglas barrier, and remain as a touching memorial to a difficult time.

    As for the white tent, a group of indigenous people have been waiting here to have an audience with the president for over two years. I asked our guide about it, but she didn’t have much more info to offer.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Boca’s Famous Caminito

    March 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 95 °F

    There’s a famous tango song called “Caminito,” that you probably know, whether you realize it or not.

    Caminito, which simply means “little street” is a shady alleyway in the heart of Buenos Aires.

    This part of town is called Boca, a neighborhood known for colorful buildings, artwork, cafes, and tango dancers.

    Locals used leftover scrap metal and paint from the nearby boatyard to create an artsy neighborhood that is one of the most popular spots in town.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Argentinian Dogs

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Fishermen often speak of “the one that got away.” I feel the same way when I miss a great photograph!

    Today, I saw a man surrounded by at least two dozen dogs. By the time I realized he was a dog walker waiting for the light to change, it was too late to take a photo.

    I saw several more dog walkers today, but nothing like that first one! Oh, well.

    What’s funny is that we didn’t see any dog walkers yesterday. According to our guide, “That’s because it’s a weekend. People only need dog walkers during the week when they are at work.”    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Buenos Aires Trees

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Buenos Aires is a big city, but it’s full of parks, public art, and great big trees. We came across a huge ficus in Recoleta. I like how the city has built supports for so many of its limbs.

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Recoleta Cemetery

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Larry and I spent a sweltering afternoon darting from shadow to shadow in Recoleta Cemetery.

    Here are some of my favorite monuments. In a separate post, I will share some stories behind the stones.

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Buried Alive

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    There’s a tragic story behind this beautiful art nouveau tomb: After Rufina Cambaceres’ burial, cemetery workers heard shrieks coming from her grave!

    Sadly, by the time they disinterred her, the young woman had suffocated. Much to her family’s horror, there were scratch marks on her face and on the lid of her coffin.

    It’s now believed that Rufina had merely been in a coma, and unfortunately did not regain consciousness until it was too late!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Honeymoon Avalanche

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    While honeymooning in the Alps, Liliana Crociati de Szaszak and her husband were killed in an avalanche.

    Meanwhile, Liliana’s beloved dog, Sabu, is said to have died at the same moment as she, even though he was back home in Argentina.

    Liliana’s parents modeled the interior her tomb after her bedroom, and hired a sculptor to create a statue of her and Sabu to stand beside it.

    As if all this wasn’t touching enough, a bronze plaque expressing her father’s raw grief and anguish over losing his daughter in the prime of her life is affixed to her tomb, as well.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Evita’s Tomb

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    The most famous grave in Recoleta Cemetery is that of Evita Peron. Although Argentina’s beloved first lady died of cancer in 1952, her body was not buried here until the 1970s because the military government worried her grave would become a site for protests.

    When her body was finally added to the Duarte family crypt, it was placed in a heavily fortified crypt 15 feet underground so that her remains will no longer be disturbed.

    As you can see, the face of the mausoleum has several plaques in her honor, and people still leave fresh flowers in her honor to this day.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Anarchist’s Tomb

    March 13, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    I am not much of a student of Argentinian history, but judging by all the “anarchy” signs adorning this tomb, Mr. Falcon was a well-known anarchist! Something else to research later.

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Montevideo

    March 14, 2023 in Uruguay

    Between the heat and humidity, it was sweltering in Montevideo. One of our stops included Uruguay’s parliamentary building.

    As you can see, I got some “side eye” once again from the soldier standing guard. I pitied him in that wool uniform on such a hot day!

    Our guide described Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina as a sandwich, “with Uruguay being the cheese in the middle.” I’m not sure how far one can carry that metaphor, but I was surprised how different the economies are.

    Argentina, for instance, experiences so much inflation that people pay for things, such as rent, month by month. Locals were happy for us to spend US dollars there, because it’s a much more stable currency than their own.

    Meanwhile, Uruguay has a much more stable economy than Argentina. Their inflation is a mere 9% per year, rather than that much (or more) per month.

    When our Argentinian guide was telling us about their inflation, a German woman asked, “But are people happy here?” to which the guide replied that, “Sure! We are happy people. We are used to our problems here and know how to live with them.”

    As we travel the world, I imagine what it would be like to live in all these different places.

    Partway through our tour, I realized I was no longer sweating - not a good sign in severe heat. After that, I stayed on the bus for the rest of the tour. After we returned, took a cold shower, drank a bunch of water. I was too wiped out to join Larry for dinner, but I ventured out for ice cream later that night.

    Phew! The heat really wiped me out!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    World’s Biggest Dinosaur

    March 16, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    In 2013, scientists discovered a new species of dinosaur in Patagonia. The creature lives 95 million years ago and is now considered the biggest creature to have ever walked the planet.

    We didn’t have time to stop at the museum in Trelew because it was a long drive to see penguins, but I was delighted to see this roadside dinosaur.

    Trelew intrigues me, as well, since it was founded by Welsh immigrants. As our guide explained, unlike most Europeans, “They weren’t out to conquer. They simply wanted to live with us. They taught their children Spanish and were very peaceful.”

    It’s certainly not the usual tale of foreigners showing up in foreign lands. Makes me curious if any Welsh traditions have been woven into the local culture.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Folk Saints

    March 16, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    As we drove down to the Patagonian coast to see penguins, we passed several shrines for folk saints. Two saints in particular were the most popular.

    The first is called “La Difunta Correa.” Our guide said she many people in both Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay revere her.

    The legend surrounding La Difunta dates back to the 1840s, when a woman perished from thirst in the desert. Even after death, her toddler survived because he continued nursing from her, and this was considered miraculous.

    To this day, people pay respects to La Difunta Correa by saying prayers and leaving offerings such as coins, rosaries, water, and even bottles of milk at her roadside shrines.

    The one in my photos was at a gas station in Trelew. It’s pretty fancy, but there are smaller ones dotting the landscape all over Patagonia.

    The other Patagonian folk saint I saw shrines for is Gauchito Gil. His shrines feature red banners and sometimes even paintings of Gauchito Gil himself, a rugged Argentinian cowboy with flowing black hair.

    I didn’t learn the full story for Gauchito Gil, but his legend also dates back to the 1800s. People pray to Gauchito Gil for good luck, health, and more.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
    1

    Penguins in South America

    March 16, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    We visited Punta Tombo, the world's largest nesting colony for Magellanic penguins!

    As you may have guessed, these penguins were named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Apparently, when he and his sailors tried eating a few of these “strange ducks,” they did not like the taste. (That’s probably a good thing, or who knows how many penguins we’d have today.)

    Everyone warned that the penguins would be smelly, but much to our surprise, they were not. It was also rather quiet. Another surprise, since every documentary I’ve seen has focused on the hectic quest for obtaining nesting space and getting mates.

    At this point in the season, the penguins have mates, nests, and if they’re lucky, they also have a chick or two that’s nearly grown. So basically, there’s no need for them to yell at each other like an episode of the Jerry Springer show.

    In fact, we seemed to have arrived right at penguin siesta time. You could literally watch the tuckered birds fall asleep. They'd find a comfy place in the sun, start blinking slowly, then flop down to catch some zzzz's. It was so cute!

    Although, at times, it was a bit disconcerting. We saw one penguin laying on its side with a flipper sticking straight out. We worried it was dead, but no, it was merely snoozing.

    We also saw guanacas, a type of llama indigenous to the Patagonia region. They are pretty skittsh, because over the years gauchos (Patagonian sheepherders) would eat them.

    We also saw herds of sheep tucked in the rough scrubby landscape. These are the sheep that yield Merlino wool, which is an amazing fabric. It's an excellent wool for travelers because it's soft, warm, and wicks moisture.

    We even saw an armadillo! Considering that they are nocturnal, this was quite a surprise.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Lighthouse at the End of the World

    March 20, 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌧 37 °F

    This lighthouse in the Beagle Channel off the coast of Ushuaia is a local icon known as “the lighthouse at the end of the world.”

    We were lucky to have such good lighting when we visited there today because the weather turned gray and the seas turned rough. So rough, in fact, that our catamaran operators informed us that our trip would be the last on of the season!

    We even spent some time in a nearby cove to wait out the weather before returning g to the port. I’m glad we were lucky enough to get a ride, since many others were not.    Read more

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