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March 2023
  • Tui Snider
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March 2023

Circumnavigating South America! Read more
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    Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Chile vs Texas Flag

    March 29, 2023 in Chile

    Today we are in San Antonio. San Antonio, Chile. Not Texas. I say that because the Chilean flag looks so much like the Texan flag, that I keep doing double takes. I wonder why they look so similar, and which flag came first. Where’s Sheldon Cooper when you need him?Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
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    Seaside Memorial

    March 29, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Another pleasant surprise for me in San Antonio was the collection of memorials along the promenade.

    Ports sometimes feature a plaque with the names of those lost at sea, but I’d never seen anything like these. They remind me of roadside memorials for car accident victims that are a common feature around the world.

    Fresh flowers and colorful pinwheels adorn many of these memorials, but my favorite sight was sea lions and seagulls lounging among the commemorative plaques.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Fish Market & Seals

    March 29, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Our ship docked in San Antonio, so it was a 2 hour bus ride to Santiago. After spending so much time in transit yesterday, we decided to simply wander around the port town. Even though the WhatsInPort website said there was very little to do, simply taking a walk sounded better than sitting on a bus for hours.

    Much to our surprise, there is a lovely seaside promenade leading to a charming fish market and a dock where sea lions enjoyed scraps tossed over by locals fishing on the pier.

    Along the way, I bought some pan pipes and a recorder to add to my musical instrument collection.

    The weather was in the 70s with a nice breeze. Wonderful walking weather and such a lovely day!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Moai Museum

    March 28, 2023 in Chile

    Included in Chile’s 16 ethnic groups are the people of Easter Island aka the Rapa Nui.

    Sadly, when Larry and I visited Easter Island in 2019, the seas were too rough for us to disembark. For two days we circled the island, staring wistfully at the iconic stone statues lining the shore, wishing for calm seas that never came.

    So we were happy to see this moai in Vina Del Mar. The Fonck Museum features items from Chile’s diverse ethnic groups.

    We even saw a trio of shrunken heads. Yikes!
    The second floor was dedicated to Chilean wildlife. I was especially taken aback by this giant armadillo.

    We would have enjoyed more time there.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Flower Clock

    March 28, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    The cities of Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar are connected. Even so, it’s easy to tell when you’ve passed from one city into the next because the graffiti is suddenly replaced with an abundance of plants.

    A green thumb seems just as mandatory here as a can of spray paint is in Valparaiso.

    The centerpiece for Vina del Mar is a colorful clock made of flowers. Not only is the time accurate, but it has a functional second hand.

    And, of course, a sleeping street dog finished up the scene.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Valparaiso

    March 28, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    The ship’s included tour took us to the neighboring cities of Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar.

    Our guide was nice, but a bit of a dud. We’ve had some wonderful guides on this voyage; the ones in Cyprus, Jordan, and Jerusalem are standouts in my mind. Why? Because they painted a picture of daily life in their countries. I came away with a deeper understanding.

    This guy, alas, was armed with a few important historic dates, and he knew the names of several tree species, but that was it. We spent 90% of the ride in silence. Oh, well!
    Win some, lose some.

    My impressions of Valparaiso:
    Steep streets with colorful houses stacked on top of each other. Graffiti and murals galore.

    An abundance of gingerbread houses speaks of a Victorian Era heyday. Many neighborhoods seemed fire swept.

    A condor-topped colonnade caught my eye. Wonder what the story is there? I also got a kick out of an energetic one-man band who played in the intersection for tips.

    Our guide told us that Chileans revere copper, so it’s a popular material for buildings and artwork.

    He also mentioned that Chile, which is shaped long and thin like a chile pepper, has 16 ethnic groups. I think the black and white figure in my photos is related to one of those ethnic groups, but I’ll have to look it up later.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Windy Punta Arenas

    March 28, 2023, South Pacific Ocean

    There’s wind, and then there’s WIND!

    In Patagonia, one of the strongest winds is called El Pampero, and it’s a big deal.

    In 2019, we learned a lot about El Pampero when visiting Punta Arenas. I’m sharing some photos from that visit here, because this time around, it was too windy for us to stop there.

    In 2019, we noticed handrails all over Punta Arenas. Our guide explained that these are for safety. He said people sometimes get stuck while walking in high winds. They hang onto the rails until they can be rescued!

    As we exited the ship, there was a tunnel to shield us from wind followed by a handrail for support.

    As for the photo of the shoeshine man, I simply thought it was cute that the local newspaper is called “El Pinguino.”    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    So many dolphins!!!

    March 28, 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Larry often jokes that I should be on a search and rescue team because I’m able to spot sea life so easily. What’s frustrating, though, is when I can’t point them out to others. Not so today…

    Today was a treat! We’ve witnessed so much sea life: Dolphins, whales, seabirds, seals…

    It started with whale spouts right after breakfast. The Shortly after, we traveled beside the largest pod of dolphins I’ve ever seen. It lasted for 20 minutes, judging by the time stamps on my photos.

    It was fun to hear people’s joyful exclamations in other languages. I heard a lot of “mamma mias,” from the Italians and I noticed that they called the dolphins, “delfini panda,” aka “panda dolphins” since they were black and white.

    Sadly, none of my photos are good enough to share. (I finally gave up and simply enjoyed the spectacle.)

    However, the buffet serendipitously featured a dolphin ice sculpture today, so I’ll use that as the featured photo for this post, instead.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Chilean Mystery Bird

    March 26, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    I saw some beautiful birds today: grebes, cormorants, and even a pair of black necked swans.

    The species in these photos, however, is a real puzzler. At first I thought it was a solitary raptor, but as we walked along the seaside park, I saw several of them.

    What makes it strange is that they look like raptors, but they hang out in flower beds. At one point, I saw one run out and eat a beetle.

    I searched lists of birds for this area, but no luck. There were a few pigeons and doves in the flowerbeds, too, and they did not seem worried by these raptors.

    Very strange!

    UPDATE: Thanks to my friend, Heidi, on Facebook, I figured out that this bird is a Chimanga Caracara. They are a type of falcon that behaves just as I described here.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Puerto Montt

    March 26, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    We had a nice time roaming around Puerto Montt on this bright, sunny day. Even though it’s Sunday, the local crafts market was open.

    Beyond that, the little town was a good place for bird watching as I mentioned in another post.Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
    1

    Puerto Chacabuco

    March 25, 2023 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    We had a pleasant time roaming around the seaside village of Chacabuco, petting great big dogs, happy cats, and chatting with friendly locals.

    The flora here reminds me a lot of the Seattle area. I knew the name of nearly every plant we saw: clover, dock, calendula, columbines, etc. Most of the roses were old world, roses that still smell like roses. (I’m sure Shakespeare would approve!)

    There was a small crafts market near the ship. I bought a loose-knit cardigan from the woman who made it. It’s lightweight enough that I’ll be able to wear it in Texas and have pleasant memories of this beautiful day.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Amalia Glacier

    March 24, 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    After a couple rough days and nights, we had a smooth sail up the fjord leading to the Amalia Glacier.

    So pretty! We saw so many seals and seabirds along the way. As we neared the glacier, the water changed color to a milky green.

    The captain anchored near the glacier, so everyone enjoyed the sight. He had the best view of all, however, since he and a video crew took a tender quite close to the mass of ice.

    The weather for this outing was marvelous. One of those days where you feel like the fresh air nourishes you with every breath.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
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    Pink Seas

    March 23, 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 41 °F

    I sure appreciate our window seat at dinner. Tonight’s view was spectacular! Every few minutes the lighting would change. And then, just in time for dessert, the sea turned pink. What a feast for the eyes!Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
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    Wind & Rainbows

    March 23, 2023, South Pacific Ocean

    It was a day of wind and rainbows here at the end of the world!

    We weren’t able to visit Punta Arenas today because it was so windy. The local authorities closed the port.

    Some of our friends feel a little quest from the rough seas, but luckily Larry and I feel fine.Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Tip of South America

    March 22, 2023 in Chile ⋅ 🌧 45 °F

    Today we passed by Cabo Froward, which is the southernmost point of the South American mainland. Cabo Froward is located on the Strait of Magellan a little bit south of Punta Arenas. (Ushuaia is farther south, but it is on the Island of Tierra del Fuego.)

    At the top of the cape stands the Cruz de los Mares, which is a large metal cross. The first cross was erected here in 1913, but every now and then it needs to be replaced due to the stormy weather.

    The one we saw today was placed here in 1987 in honor of Pope John Paul’s visit that year to Chile.

    I was excited to see Cabo Froward. So glad we passed by during the day and that visibility was good.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Quest in Ushuaia

    March 20, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 46 °F

    Our big quest in Ushuaia was to buy some toothpaste. We had fun wandering around the bustling town.

    The population here has boomed ever since the Argentinian government began offering tax incentives and good wages to live here. In 1980, the population was 8,000. Today, it’s 80,000.

    Although many shops had tourists bait, the town definitely caters to locals, as well.

    The thermos you see on the windowsill is hot water for the mug of mate beside it. Mate is definitely the drink of choice in Argentina. I even saw street vendors selling thermoses of it.

    I like the sign suggesting that people should walk like penguins when it’s snowy. Good advice!

    As for the bumblebee, my good deed for the day was moving him from the sidewalk to a grassy spot.

    And yes, we scored some toothpaste along the way.    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler
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    Blown away!

    March 20, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 46 °F

    Ushuaia blew me away, literally and figuratively! The gusts along the dock were so strong that Larry and I linked arms for safety.

    Patagonia is known for strong winds and in some towns there are railings for pedestrians to hold onto if a big one kicks up while they are walking. (I’ll share a photo later.)

    Our ship was supposed to leave at 4 pm, but we had to wait until midnight, when the winds finally died down enough. Even then, the ship rocked and rolled all night.

    Oh, did you hear about that ship that was struck by a rogue wave near Ushuaia in December 2022? The wave smashed several windows of the Viking Jupiter and one woman died.

    We saw that ship yesterday. Larry was quick to spot the patch on the broken windows. I was reassured to see that the damaged ship is only 1/3 the size of ours, but still… Scary!    Read more

  • Tui SniderMarch 2023Traveler

    Tierra del Fuego Park

    March 19, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 39 °F

    After our catamaran trip, we hopped a bus to Tierra del Fuego Park. Autumn is around the corner as you can tell by the colorful forest.

    I enjoyed seeing many different birds, but only managed to get a photo of some geese.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

  • 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

    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

    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

    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

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