February 28, 2012 - Days 53 - 55

February 26, 2012 – Day 53 – Belém, Brazil

Last night’s awards were fun, but we stayed up too late .

Today we arrive in Belém, Brazil. We will anchor off a small town a ½ hour shuttle ride into Belém. The ship has chartered local riverboats to be tenders. They are double deckers, and can take about 3 times as many people as our tenders do. This will expedite getting to and from shore.

Belém is several hours up a tributary of the Amazon from the ocean. We entered the river last night, and will arrive at 9 AM. It is fascinating to watch the scenery, as this river flows by. There is a lot of debris in the muddy water.

We arrived on time, and Alice and I got to shore about 10:30. The shuttle ride was 30 minutes to a square in the city near the riverfront. When we arrived, the agent who greeted us told us to be aware of our belongings, if we went to the market. Since we always go to the market, this was important to us. We walked to the river, and it started to pour. We had been warned as we left the Prinsendam that it would rain, briefly but very hard, at some time during the day. It came sooner than we expected, and lasted much longer than anticipated. Fortunately we were at the old pier area of the city. It has been redeveloped with 3 large “terminal” buildings. These house many restaurants in one building, many upscale shops in another, and the 3^rd building is vacant. We whiled away about 45 minutes shopping before the rain stopped.

While shopping, we met a couple who had arrived on the bus after us. They had been told by their guide not to go into the market. What to do? We started out by heading toward a church spire that we had seen from the river. It was a few blocks away through a very poor neighborhood. It stood on a square filled with litter and un-mowed grass. The buildings around the square were boarded up or had windows broken out. Only a few locals were here.

The church looked terrible from outside with the typical mold on the exterior. It had an added feature, trees and grass growing from the roof. Inside was another story. Although very old, 1642, the church was beautiful inside. We joined a few local people for some prayers and took some pictures. Then we went back toward the river.

We turned toward the market which was crowded, but not jammed. We worked our way along the stalls when suddenly a policeman approached us. He said “It is not safe for you to be here today.” Oops! We asked if we would be OK on the sidewalk. He said OK, but do not go into the stalls and come right back when you reach the end. He watched us as we moved along. It was interesting, but we decided not to tempt fate. We cut our walk short. There were many kinds of food, fish, and fruits. Some we had never seen before. As we walked back we saw the inevitable T-shirt stalls and other knick knacks.

We caught the next shuttle back to the tenders. While we waited for a tender we commented to each other that this was by far the poorest place we had visited to date. It was sad because the disparity between those who have and those who do not was so great. Some neighborhoods had unpaved streets and garbage everywhere, yet just a few miles away were high-rise apartment buildings with high rents and opulence. Many of the people we saw on the streets looked very unhappy.

We arrived back on board about 3:30.

The captain announced that we would travel back to the ocean and then north to the Amazon where we would enter it and sail west. At about 3 AM, we would cross a large sandbar. This would be shallow water, and would lead to considerable vibration of the ship. He wanted us to know what would happen incase it woke us up. Alice and I noticed it, and went right back to sleep.

February 27, 2012 – Day 54 – Scenic Cruising the Amazon

We woke to heavy clouds and rain. We were well into the Amazon. The water was really muddy. Large clumps of grass and floating debris passed us on the quick current. There is so much silt in the Amazon that when it reaches the Atlantic the muddy print can be seen from space to extend 300 miles off shore.

We watched the gloom as we ate breakfast. We spent the next 2 hours in lectures in the darkened showroom. When we came out the sun was shining. Although the shores were quite a way off, it was good to see green along the banks. We did not see any river traffic in either direction. We were out here alone.

After lunch I sat on the deck trying to read. I kept looking up. I was fascinated by where we were. The sound of the water rushing past the hull, the fresh breeze, the sunlight, and the shoreline all brought thoughts of how far we are from home, and just how special this trip is.

February 28, 2012 – Day 55 – Santarem, Brazil

Santarem will be our first port on the Amazon. It is a center of mining and soy bean farming. We awoke to clouds again. It is after breakfast now, and it should be raining soon.

We will arrive at Santarem at noon. Our tour of the city highlights will depart at 12:30. We are looking forward to this.

It is now 10:30 and pouring rain outside. We hope it ends before arrival.

February 25, 2012 - Days 51 and 52

February 24 – Day 51 – Fortaleza, Brazil

After dinner last night, the captain announced that since Fortaleza is the last city where we can fill our water tanks before entering the Amazon, we will arrive this evening rather than tomorrow morning. While we can get water here, it is a slow process.

We arrived at 8 PM. We were originally told that the gangway would open at 8:30 and close at 1 AM. This surprised us because we had been warned by the port speaker aboard that the area of the docks was adjacent to a Favela. This is best described as a slum area with a high theft rate. He had advised us to take the ship’s shuttle or a taxi away from the docks. With our early arrival none of these would be available. Shortly after arrival we were told that our clearance had been delayed, and the gangway would not open until morning. Port authorities, or a wise captain?

Immediately after breakfast Alice and I headed for the shuttle to town. The queue was long and, as we waited ,a couple cut in ahead of us. Oh well, that won’t matter we thought. Hah! They were the last to board this shuttle, and we became first in line for the next one in 20 minutes. We were disappointed at first, but this turned into a blessing of sorts. We got to spend 20 minutes with the local guide who was directing the shuttle boardings.

He was very charming and his English was excellent. He explained that Fortaleza is the 5^th largest city in Brazil at 2.5 million people. He gets to practice his English twice a year when American cruise ships arrive. The rest of his time is spent full-time in tourism. Fortaleza is so close to the equator that the temperature is constant all year, and the daylight hours remain the same as well. So this is the vacation spot of choice for all Brazilians. He likened it to us going to Florida or Arizona during the winter, only better. We learned a lot about him and his family. It was a real joy to have this opportunity. Alice calls this a God Whisper.

It was a 20 minute ride to the Central Market. We arrived at 10 AM, and set off on foot. A cursory stroll through the market led us to conclude we would walk off on our own, and return to shop later. On the way out of the market we got a map at the tourist office, and set off.

Up the block was the cathedral. We visited it first. It is a very impressive structure, somewhat similar to Notre Dame. The exterior has been badly blackened by the effects of the sea air, but the inside is spectacular. The stained glass is beautiful, and there is really a lot of it. The main altar is very simple and contemporary.

We walked out and started our trek to the Cultural Center. On the map it seemed close, and we set off to find it. Pretty soon we were in a neighborhood where I did not feel safe. It was very run down and several people looked us up and down as we went by. We returned to the market, and asked the guide at our shuttle stop how to get to the Cultural Center. He explained the route, and showed us on the map that distances were badly distorted. Many streets were left out.

With his directions we set out again. We are so glad we did not give up. It was some distance, but well worth the walk. This complex contains an art museum, planetarium, artist workshop and outdoor amphitheater as well as some shops and cafes. It covers several square blocks, and is elevated because of the terrain. Everything was closed, but walking through the halls and walkways was delightful. We had a great time.

When we left we were headed back to the area of the cathedral, but we wanted to use a different route. Recognizing the pitfalls of our map we chose to follow main streets until we could see the spires. This worked well, and we turned toward the cathedral, when we saw it. Soon we came to a dead end, and took a side street through a neighborhood tha was being rehabbed. The finished homes were very nice, and the potential for the others was obvious. At the next major intersection we would, again, turn toward the cathedral, and skirt the obstacle that caused the dead end. First we noticed that on the corner was a large building with solid walls that opened to the air for the top 15 feet below the roof. We heard the voices of children at play. Across from this building was a large and beautiful catholic school. I thought the building on the corner must be a gymn for the school so we looked for an entrance. Once inside we found a lap pool on one side. This was not in use so, we kept looking. On the other side was a combination basketball and soccer hall. An enthusiastic group of boys and girls was playing basketball. What fun.

We continued toward the cathedral and discovered that the obstacle was a stream flowing through a forested garden right in the middle of the city behind the cathedral. We later learned that this was the garden of the bishop’s residence. His home is directly behind the cathedral.

We were here to use the cathedral as a starting point for our other explorations. Walking down the streets we saw many shops selling hammocks of all designs and ornamentation. These are commonly used here because of the heat. Nights are not much cooler than days. Our guide had explained earlier that they never need or use sweaters or jackets.

Next came a series of ladies clothing shops. These were everyday wear, not anything special. The locals were out in force. We walked on, and arrived at the public walkway on our map. This is a beautiful park, nicely wooded, with many benches along the paths and buildings on all sides. It is a real oasis. We sat on a bench in the shade, and ate ice cream bars.

We walked on in search of other attractions. On the way we were again off the tourist track, but in good neighborhoods with all sorts of shops. Suddenly Alice stopped to take a picture. We were in front of a casket store. The long narrow shop had caskets standing on end along both sides. The lady proprietor noticed us, and invited us in. She spoke no English, but was obviously proud of her stock, especially a display that she led us to at the very back. It was a three small caskets for animals. The top was for a cat. The remaining two were for dogs of different sizes. Carved paw prints adorned the tops. We got pictures of the various types of caskets, animals, children and adults. The carvings varied from simple to ornate, and all were beautiful.

The caskets were Egyptian-shaped, narrow at the head, broadened at the shoulders, and then tapered down at the feet. Over what would be the head was a removable panel. This allowed for viewing the face at the wake. No ship’s tour appeared here!

Eventually we came to the pedestrian market. This was several blocks with stalls down the middle and shops in the buildings lining the sides. We found all kinds of gadgets, hardware, tools, clothing, and appliances. No one spoke English, but all were friendly and helpful.

Next was a pretty square with an unusual clock tower. It was unusual because it was not very high, and it was very modern. The shops around the square were more upscale.

As we went back to the Central Market to catch the shuttle to the ship, we passed through a pretty park. All along the many walkways were vendors selling all sorts of school books. Summer is winding down, and school will be starting soon.

Back at the central market, we toured some of the five floors of vendors. We found a lot of clothing and some leather goods, but the prices were high compared to other ports. We ended up buying postcards and cashews, the local specialty. Then we boarded the shuttle.

We arrived back at the ship at 3 PM. This was a great 5 hour visit to a port to which we could see returning. We did happy hour in the Crow’sNest waiting for a 5:30 sail away. Local authorities held us up and we were at dinner when sail away occurred. After dinner we skipped the entertainment and loafed in the cabin until retiring at 9:30. We were beat, but happy.

February 25, 2012 – Day 52 – Sea Day

When we got to the cabin last night there was letter from the captain advising that effective today we are to use water as cautiously as possible. The Prinsendam will be unable to make fresh water anywhere on the Amazon because of the dirty water and the debris that would clog our imports. The self service laundries will remain closed, and the ship’s laundry will only process essential laundry. We take this to mean underwear. Towels will be replaced only if requested. Now we better understand the importance of loading on water in Fortaleza.

These restrictions will last until we leave the Amazon on March 4^th. This is fine with us. We have been taking sailboat showers with a quick wet down, turn off the water, lather up and then a quick rinse off. The retractable clothes line, provided in the bathroom, will be put to good use drying our towels for reuse.

Today is our Mariners Luncheon and a formal night. Too many changes of clothes are required, but it will be fun.

As we entered the showroom for the medal awards that preceded the luncheon, the diningroom manager stopped us. He asked us to remain in the showroom after the ceremony and not go to the dining room until escorted. We are not getting any awards, so to we wondered what was up.

After the ceremony, we were ushered aside and introduced to 3 people with 700 days plus of cruising. We were all taken to the dining room together, and seated at the Hotel Manager’s table. Since the captain does not attend the luncheon the Hotel Manager is the “Top Dog.” We had a grand time with him. He is very personable, and included each of us in conversation. We still do not know why our meager 200 plus days earned us the privilege, but it was fun. The waiter, assistant waiter and wine server for this table were the same crew that serves our dinner table. They were happy to see us and raised their eyebrows when they did. It will be interesting at dinner tonight. We are happy to know that they are so good as to be chosen to serve the boss. We have always been happy with the way they serve us.

I am off to continue reading. Then we will change for church and dinner. Tonight is the first ever Prinsendam Raspberry awards for guest performances and stories. Should be interesting.

Till next time, we find the time winding down. We can’t believe how close the end is.

February 23, 2012 - Days 48-50

February 21 – Day 48 – Recife 2 (cont.)

Our return to Carnaval was executed as planned, with the addition of our tablemates. We left at 7:15 to walk into the small square that we first visited in the morning. It was jumping. The pattern is for local “clubs” to come to the stage with their musical accompaniment and dancers. They perform for some time until the next “club” appears. We could not tell if these  appearances are scheduled for specific times or just to an order of a specific “club” following another. “Clubs” can be formal, such as a church group, or informal, such as a bunch of neighbors. All that we saw were very entertaining and high quality. The rhythms were great, and you couldn’t help but move to the beat.

After a while at the first square, we moved through the streets headed toward the Zero Mark. All streets emanate from here, and it had the main stage. Along the way we moved with the crowd. We never felt hemmed-in or threatened, despite the many warnings onboard about the threat of theft. We passed many of the booths that had been closed in the morning. They all offered either food or drinks. They were lined up on both sides of the streets, and were set up right next to each other. It is hard to understand how they all succeed. The one thing missing was T-shirts. I really wanted one from Carnival, but the only one I did see was in such poor taste, I passed on it.

We finally arrived at the Zero Mark. Wow! The huge stage was full of musicians and dancers. The square was full of revelers. Surrounding the square were raised platforms on every corner staffed with armed policemen monitoring the crowd. There were also jumbo screens all around the square to televise the performances. This was really great and well worth the return to town.

After a while in this square, we moved off to the area where the acts meet, get into costume, get made up, and grab a bite to eat. This was just off of the square along the waterfront. It, too, was packed with people. Some were performers, but many others were just ordinary folks dressed in costume or just hanging out.

As we went back to the main square it started to drizzle. We stood for a while longer to listen. Then the skies opened, and it poured. We got drenched in a warm rain, and started back to the ship. It was fun to pass sidewalk restaurants and see patrons standing with chairs held over their heads, trying to keep dry. The rain stopped and we walked slowly back, taking in the lights, the music and the happiness of the crowds.

Back at the Prinsendam at 9 PM, the security officer told us we were 5 of 20 people who went into town. All aboard was 10 PM. He was happy to see us.

After iced tea in the Lido, Alice and I went to the 10 PM show in the theater. It was a very professional local group that demonstrated the most common dances of the are for Carnival. Most enjoyable, but sedate compared to town.

After the show we went up to the Crow’s Nest for Caipirinhas, a Brazilian sour, and the 11 PM sail away. We retired thrilled that we had experienced Brazilian Carnaval. From what we know of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, we cannot imagine anything topping this.

February 22 – Day 49 – Cabedelo/Joao Pessoa, Brazil

Cabadelo was an easy overnight sail from Recife. We entered a river from the ocean and docked at the industrial docks. We learned later that only 2 cruise ships a year come here. This was a first time for the Prinsendam.

We had booked a tour called Oriental City and Ravel’s Bolero, which left at 9 AM.

Because tourism is so new here, they are very happy to see us, and very anxious to please. As a result they have a guide who speaks Portuguese and a translator who repeats in English. Both of these men, on our bus, were excellent.

We headed off through Cabadelo, a town of 70,000, headed toward another river. There we stopped at a waterside restaurant where an older gentleman was rowed into the river while standing in the boat. He performed Ravel’s Bolero on the saxophone to the accompaniment of a prerecorded track. This man performs every evening at sunset. Because of the proximity to the equator, sunset is at the same time everyday throughout the year. He holds the Guinness record for most performances of the same music. He was very good.

The man rowing the boat was also an artist. He fought a rapid current to keep the boat in front of the restaurant, while turning it to give everyone a view of the star. Quite a job.

From there we toured the highlights of Joao Pessoa. This city is a 20 minute ride from Cabadelo. It has 300,000 residents and is the capital of the state. Most of the people work in government or construction. The heart of the city is very old, but the outskirts are new high-rise apartment buildings. Many of these are under construction, and tower cranes abound. The construction is a concrete frame filled in with brick. This is all then covered in glazed tiles about 9 inches square. Most buildings are multi-colored, with the balconies changing color every 5 floors. The tiles are used to overcome the impact of the salt air, which tends to cause mold on concrete. This gives an ugly black stain to the older buildings, while the new buildings look bright and shiny.

We also drove along the beautiful beach. The beach is well used by locals, and is becoming a tourist attraction. Buildings along the shore are limited to 3 stories to allow the sea breeze to reach inland. It is always very hot and humid here.

Along the beach we learned why Joao Pessoa is called Oriental City. It is the most eastern (oriental) city of South America, and the closest point to Africa. In fact it is farther to Sao Paulo Brazil than to Africa.


Upon returning to the Prinsendam we were met by a very sour odor along the dock. I spied grain beside the rails for the crane, and told Alice the smell was fermented grain. They unload grain here, and the spillage blows into the grooves along the tracks where it gets wet when it rains. Then it rots and ferments.


Several hours later the captain confirmed my guess during his report from the bridge. He told it just as I had explained it to Alice. Wonder if I can apply for his job.

At 4 PM 2 tugs helped us turn in the river against the heavy current, and we headed off to sea. Tomorrow is another sea day, cruising to Fortaleza.

February 23 – Day 50 – Sea Day

This sea day is almost over. It has been uneventful. The sea is very calm, and the 2 mile per hour current is pushing us. We can hardly tell we are moving, but we are doing 19 knots.

We have to go to dinner now. Wouldn’t want to miss a meal.

Will be back after our next port.

February 21 - Days 44 - 48

February 17 – Day 44 – Vitoria, Brazil

Today we had a long approach up the river to Vitoria. This is the second largest port in Brazil. It handles grain, iron ore, oil and gas drilling supplies, and many other commodities. It does not handle many cruise ships. We did dock right downtown, however.

When we left the ship, we discovered that the hills of the city, which looked so picturesque from the ship, were actually quite steep. The sidewalks were so steep that in some places they had stairways built in.

We headed uphill to the cathedral. Although it was very nice, it was badly in need of repair. The ceilings showed significant water damage. When we left the cathedral, we headed up even higher.

We were seeking the ruins of the Convent de San Francisco. When we found it, we met a fellow passenger who told us of a hidden route that would take us closer to the ruins. A better photo op. A man, who spoke no English, found us there. He managed to direct us to a different place where a young lady, who also spoke no English, conveyed that she would take us into the ruins. How kind she was. We thoroughly enjoyed this.

Outside, again, we checked our map. We wanted to visit a large park, and then go to the government palace for a free tour. We meandered up and down on some back streets. This gave us views of the neighborhoods that no tour would have offered. There is a great divide between the rich and the poor. The park was very nice. While exploring it, we noticed a school adjacent to it. The schoolyard was also very nice. School was not in session, since it is summer here.

We decided to leave the park, and learn the name of the school. It was the school for science and physics. Several women were raking the yard and sweeping the walkways. Across the street was a bridal shop. Its windows were filled with gorgeous dresses. Unfortunately it was closed.

We crossed through the park, and found the street leading to the palace. The street was very busy. As we waited for a traffic light to change, a young girl called out "hello"  from the bus stopped in front of us. She was practicing her English, so we talked a bit before the bus rode off.

Suddenly, we were at the foot of some stairs. A check of the map confirmed that we were still on course. Some stairs! There were over 150 stairs to the top. We visited an old church there. Then we proceeded to the palace. The tour lasted just over ½ hour. It was very comprehensive, and the guide’s English was very good.

We went out the door and down some stairs to a nice portico overlooking the river and the Prinsendam. After a few more stairs to the riverside and a few blocks to the terminal, we were back aboard. What a delightful morning of touring that did not cost a penny.

Just before dusk, we departed for the trip down the river to the sea. This time we got to see the whole route. It was very nice. We had been docked in the old town. As we headed out the river mouth, we discovered the new town. It was packed with high-rises woven among the hills. As the sun set, we agreed that we would like to revisit Vitoria.

February 18 – Day 45 – Sea Day

This is a scheduled sea day and a formal night. Several days ago we had requested a tour of the bridge, and were told they would et us know if it could be arranged. Last night, we learned that it would be today at 1:15.

At 1:15 the 4^th officer met 10 of us in the Crow’s Nest. He explained the ground rules, and took us down to the bridge at the front of deck 11. It is rather small, as this a small ship, but it is state of the art. We were on autopilot, as we were well out to sea. The first officer had the helm, but did not need to touch anything. Their were two lookouts on the side bridge and three radars monitoring the waters around us. One radar showed a freighter 11 miles away. The name, size, and home port were displayed on the screen along with other information. We would not contact the vessel unless it changed course. We do not come closer than 1 mile to any vessel, except in harbors.

The Prinsendam’s course is plotted and recorded by GPS on a large display. It is also plotted manually on paper charts by a bridge officer. I observed a note on the chart table. It was the thank you that Alice had sent to the navigator for plotting the voyage on a large map of South America. We had left the map at the front desk at the beginning of the cruise. Maria, at the front desk, explained that, because of the length of the voyage, they might not plot on private maps. Last week, it was returned all plotted. We were extremely grateful, and Alice wrote the note. We were very happy to see that they kept it in a place where those who worked on the map could see our appreciation.

An officer answered a question about the captain’s orders. All of his instructions to the bridge are issued in writing, and recorded in log books. Also, all activity on the bridge is recorded. This included our tour and Q&A. We became highly complimentary of the captain, as we left the bridge.

At dinner, the six of us decided to have a group photo taken in our formal wear. We proceeded to a place where the camera was set up. As the photographer posed us, we saw the captain going down the stairs in his formal uniform. Steve called out for him to join us, and he started back up. Then, he said we wouldn’t want him in our picture, and he turned down again. We persisted, and he came back up to join us. You may recall that, some time ago, I mentioned how the captain avoids being photographed. We are very proud to have a photo with him.

February 19 – Day 46 – Not Salvador, Brazil

This day was to be our call at Salvador, Brazil. Because of the unrest there and the chaos of Carnaval, we are sailing on to Recife. So, today is a sea day with open bar from noon till 2. We all survived the day, and the bars reopened, fully restocked, on schedule for Happy Hour at 4.

We learned that, to further make up for missing Salvador, we will overnight in Recife. We will arrive on Monday morning and depart on Tuesday at 11 PM.

February 20 – Day 47 – Recife, Brazil

We arrived at the pier in Recife promptly at 9 AM. This city was settled by the Dutch because it is low, flat and has many rivers running through it. These create islands. 5 Miles away is Olinda, a city founded by the Portuguese in the foothills.

Recife has an old city and a new city with condos and hotels along the beaches. We are walking distance from the sights of the old city. We plan to do our own walking tour.

Recife has one of the most famous Carnaval celebrations in Brazil. It started on Saturday, and will end on Tuesday. It takes place in many parts of the city. It also has varying degrees of intensity. The site closest to the ship is considered good for family celebrations. We have been told the crowds will be large when things get going in the afternoon. We were cautioned not to wear jewelry or take expensive cameras or watches, and to consider putting our money in our shoes because money belts become a prime target. The large crowds bring an undesirable element that leads to these cautions.

At 10 AM, Alice and I set out for our walk. We soon found ourselves at a square surrounded by closed street booths and bars. In one corner of the square a large stage had been erected. A 12 piece band was doing a sound check when we arrived. Sean, you would have loved this. The sound system was excellent, as was the mixing of the various instruments. The sound man had a large board, and was very good at meeting the bands requests. They played a full number with vocals, and blew us away.

Then we ducked into a “closed “ bar that was cleaning up from the early morning. They let us take some pictures as we stayed out of their way. Outside again, the street cleaners were out in force. They used brooms for confetti and water for stale beer and wine. Very efficient.

The center of the square was a park with a cute fountain and several electric sculptures that light up at night like our Christmas decorations. These are here just for Carnaval. On another corner of the square we found a very small Tourist Information office  The young man gave us directions to the shopping mall where we could buy Carnaval trappings. He said that people would start coming into the area at about 4 PM. The partying would go on until 4 AM. Aside from some shops and the bars, this was a holiday. So is tomorrow.

We walked to the mall, marveling at the decorations along the way. The crowd was very thin. The mall was locked when we arrived, so we asked a policeman if we had come to the right place. He confirmed that we had. We returned to the mall, but found no way in. We walked on, and stopped to drink some water. I looked back down the street to see a young lady unlock what appeared to be construction doors at the mall. This exposed nice automatic glass doors. We went back and shopped a bit. Surprisingly there were no T-shirt shops. Rats! I really want one from Carnaval here.

We left the mall, headed toward another river with a well decorated bridge. As soon as we got outside there was anther stage and another sound check. Great! Crossing the bridge, we found yet another stage just being built. No sound yet. 


We walked through the neighborhood to another decorated bridge and a different river. We walked along this one to a 4th bridge. Crossing this one led us to the opera house, the Palace of Justice, and a beautiful park. The park was surrounded by a plywood fence to keep the revelers out. We had passed at least 2 churches similarly protected.

Beyond the Palace of Justice was a 5th bridge that took us back near our starting square. We opted to go a different way, and found the main stage with a good sound check taking place. People were starting to arrive, but the crowd was still small. It was 1:45. We headed back to the ship, and were having lunch in the Lido at 2:15.

At 5 PM we went to the gathering place for our catamaran tour of the city. The bus ride through the city was difficult, but we arrived at the dock on the river and set out with about 70 other passengers on a 1 ½ hour river cruise. This took us along the same route and sites we had walked earlier. The difference was that it gets dark here at 6 PM all year round, and we were at sea level now. The lighting on shore and on the bridges and the music from shore made all of this very special.

At 9 PM we were back aboard and snacking in the Lido.

February 21 – Day 48 – Recife 2

We are dogging it this morning. Yesterday’s sensory overload has caught up to us. We plan to dine aboard at 5:30 and head to the square about 7. We want to hear and feel the vibe of Carnaval. One of the dining room stewards said the crowd last night was so thick, it just carried him along. A half hour walk back to the ship took him 2 hours.

I will let you know about our experience next time.

February 16 - Days 41 - 43

 February 14 – Day 41 – Rio de Janeiro 1

At 6 AM I was up on deck watching as we came through the dark along the coast of Brazil leading into Rio. We passed several oil platforms being refurbished before returning to sea. The sun was just starting to rise when I caught my first glimpse of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, wich overlooks the city of Rio. It was many miles away and really looked puny. We continued to weave our way into the harbor, and were docked by 7:30.

This city is huge. The population, including the surrounding area, is 10,000,000. It seems like they are all on the road at once. At 9 AM we left on a 4 hour tour of the sights of Rio. It included a ride on the cog train up to Corcovado, the mountain and statue overlooking the city. We saw many sights, but the highlights were:

Passing the permanent concrete bleachers set up along both sides of the street next to the highway. Carnival is going on now, and they will receive high usage over the next week until Ash Wednesday.

We went through one of the 22 tunnels that connects the city’s neighborhoods separated by the mountains within the city. This led us to Ipanema Beach. We drove by this wide expanse of sand until we got to Copacabana Beach. Here we got off the bus, and walked the beach. Our guide explained that Brazil does not allow topless bathing, but dental floss bottoms are OK.

Next, we passed Sugarloaf Mountain on our way to the train station for the ride to Corcovado. When we arrived at the top, the size of the statue was awesome. What was puny from the streets, was huge up close. We walked completely around the statue. At 2,300 feet the views were very impressive. The city has a national park with a rain forest running through the heart of it. It is beautiful!

Next stop was the cathedral. It is built like a large cone, and can hold 20,000 people. It has only 4 stained glass windows, one at each entrance. They run from the top of the entrance to the top of the cone. Amazingly beautiful!

Our 4 hour tour took 6 hours. We loved it.

After dinner, we had a Samba show onboard. Wow! Energy, beauty and talent all rolled into one fantastic show. We were glad we had not booked the Samba show and dinner ashore. We have not heard any comments about that show, but our show has gotten raves from all who saw it.

Alice and I closed out the day with a walk on the top deck. We marveled at the city lights and the stars. Are we really doing this? It is all so good, and so hard to believe.

February 15, 2012 – Day 42 – Rio de Janeiro 2

We are glad we did the highlights yesterday. Today we are taking the free shuttle provided by H. Stern Jewelers to their world headquarters in Ipanema. We joined 14 others for a minivan ride. After touring the “plant” we were told where the beach was, and advised to return to the same location for the free ride back to the ship.

At the beach we walked across a wide, flat expanse of fine sand. Then it was downhill in somewhat firmer sand to another wide stretch of hard sand at sea level. Finally we were at the water. Alice shed her shoes and walked into the ocean. It was cold! We had been warned about this, but had to experience it. 


As we walked back to the street, Alice found the sand to be really hot. We settled onto a wall at street side, and while Alice put her shoes back on, we chatted with an older local gentleman. He lives in Ipanema, comes to the beach everyday and is very proud of his city. He was very cordial, and invited us back.

H. Stern delivered us back to the Prinsendam. After lunch, I read and relaxed, while Alice brought her journal up to date. We skipped the comic magician’s show, and retired early.

February 16, 2012 – Day 43 – Buzios, Brazil

Buzios is on the coast about a hundred miles north of Rio. We are told it is where the wealthy of Rio go to escape. It has many nice beaches and resorts. We arrived early in the AM, and anchored. Tender service started before 9:00.

We left at 9:30 and returned at 2:00. We had no tour, but chose to walk the waterfront and surrounding neighborhoods. The Costa Musica is anchored near us. It is much larger than we are, and disgorged many passengers even before we went ashore.

We went opposite the flow of the masses. Our meandering led us to a small neighborhood around a lagoon with all sorts of waterfowl. It was quiet and peaceful. We spent a lot of time there. Then we walked back to a stretch of beach far away from the pier. It seemed to be all local people here. No cruisers. More peace.

After a leisurely return to the pier area, we went the way the masses had gone earlier. This led to the shopping streets and town center. We were really lucky. Our chosen path of travel had brought us here when most of the others were finished and returning to their ships. What fun we had.

Now we are back. Lunch is over and the blog is caught up.

The captain advised us early this morning that Salvador, the port scheduled for Monday, will be deleted because of a travel advisory issued by the U. S. State Department. There have been over 50 homicides recently. The police are on strike, and the military is trying to keep order. A place best avoided.

To make up for this we will stay here a few extra hours today, and we will have an open bar from noon until 2 PM on the day we were to visit Salvador. Better to die of drink than bullets, they say.

Until next time.

February 13, 2012 - Days 35 - 40

First Glimpse of Antarctica!

Zodiac Coming from Palmer Station (in upper left corner)

Here We Come!

Supplies Going Aboard Zodiac

View of Caldera at Deception Island

Some pictures from Antarctica. First view, then Palmer Station with zodiac coming to ship. The zodiac up closer. Fresh foods for the station from the crew. Deception Island, an old volcano with a narrow entrance, which we could not negotiate.

February 8 – Day 35 – Sea Day

Looking back over yesterday’s post, I see that I failed to mention the Q&A with the captain, expedition crew and ice pilot. We did not even know we had an ice pilot aboard, but it makes sense that Holland would do that.

This gentleman was an icebreaker captain in the coast guard. He operated in the Arctic, but has been doing piloting in Antarctica for some time. He is very conversant with the ice formations, and knows how close to approach and when to avoid it. The captain said the pilot had proved invaluable, especially in the low visibility situations.

The captain also pointed out that now all commercial vessels are required to carry systems that broadcast their identity along with their radar print. This enabled him to contact other vessels in other channels, during the blizzard, to determine if he could take us to a place of improved visibility. All responded visibility was no more than 1/10 of a mile. That is why we went back out to sea earlier than anticipated on the first day. Ships always retreat to ice free waters for the nighttime.

Formal night was bearable. The menu was very good. After the entertainment, we stopped by the photo counter to ask if they had a photo of the captain. We had not seen any, and were convinced that this fellow is so very nice that passengers would happily purchase his photo. We certainly would buy one. The photographer informed us that the captain is camera shy, and he has no photos for sale. We talked with Shannon at some length about the captain. He raved about him. One impressive comment he made was that this is the first captain he has sailed with, who not only greets and encourages his crew, but does the same for the concessions staff, such as himself. The captain knows all of them by name, and frequently stops to ask how things are going, and how families are, etc. They love him.

As for today, the sea is following; we have a wind pushing us and a 2 knot current helping us, as well. This all adds up to a speed of 21.9 knots and a very smooth ride. I even think we heard the stabilizers retract for a while this afternoon.

In his 1PM report, the captain said this is all well and good because we are expecting to be early for our scheduled 10:30 meeting with the river pilot, who will take us up the Rio de la Plata to Buenos Aires (BA). The river is very wide and shallow with a narrow shipping channel dredged into it. BA is 160 miles up river. The passage is scheduled to take about 9 hours, so we will arrive in early morning.

During dinner, the captain advised all that a cruise ship had left BA early. Since it is not possible for 2 large ships to pass in the channel, we will have to meet him at a passing basin and be delayed about 4 hours in arriving in BA. That means a 10 AM arrival.

February 9 – Day 36 – Buenos Aires, Argentina

First of all, this day marks a milestone in our cruising history. We have now spent more days aboard than on any other voyage. Alice is having a ball, and wonders why she ever worried about the length of this trip.

That is the good news. The bad news is that, when we went to breakfast, we were told that our arrival in BA had been further delayed. The captain came on the PA, before we left the restaurant, to explain that the Argentine Coast Guard controls all river channel movements. They ordered the Prinsendam to wait in the ocean until a caravan of heavily laden freighters exited the river. This did not occur until 5 AM, so we will not arrive in Buenos Aires until 2 PM.

We had scheduled a 4-hour tour of the city’s highlights, including a subway ride and a visit to a famous café in the morning. We had a tango show scheduled for the evening. We were expecting a leisurely day, if we arrived on time. We were only at leisure until arrival.

Our tour left at 3 PM and was due back at 7 PM. It was great. We got a good overview of the city, and visited most of the guidebook sights. Café Tortoni was the famous café stop. Very nice. We meandered back to the ship after dropping a couple, who had a package that included dinner, off at the tango restaurant and theater . We got to the ship at 7:30. The bus for our tango show, without dinner, was just boarding. We were directed to hop aboard. We proceeded back to the same tango theater.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tango show. It was more than we had expected. It included dances from many periods of tango history. It even had a fusion tango with great contemporary music. You should have heard the moans from some fellow passengers over this. On the way back to the ship, our guide explained that the fusion segment was representative of the young people’s effort to keep tango alive. We found it invigorating. Others found it sacrilegious.

We got “home” at 10 PM, just in time for a folkloric music and dance show in the ship’s showroom. This demonstrated a wide variety of dances from different periods and parts of Argentina. It was very well done, and very enjoyable. When it ended at 11, we went to the Lido for a snack. We had not eaten since a light lunch at noon. The Lido was closed except for coffee, iced tea and crackers. We grabbed some crackers and retired.

February 10 – Day 37 – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Today we are on our own in BA. We learned enough about the city on yesterday’s tour to take the ship’s shuttle to the end of the walking street in downtown. This is Florida Street, a very long pedestrian street, with all sorts of shops, malls, and “gallerias” along both sides. We had a ball. Even did some shopping. Now we understood why BA is called the "Paris" of South America.

At the end of Florida Street, we encountered some marchers, demonstrating in an orderly fashion, against some unknown evil. We listened to their band play for a while, and then we moved to the main square and the president’s manor. From there we trekked to a huge obelisk in the center of the Boulevard 9^th of July. This street marks Argentine independence. It is 6 lanes of automotive mayhem in each direction. We followed it back toward Plaza San Martin, our starting point. We boarded the shuttle, and returned to the ship five hours after leaving. What a day. We loved it.

The captain announced that we would be departing a 6:30 PM. At 6:30 a tour, that had left at 6 AM for Iguaçu Falls, had not returned as scheduled. They arrived just before 8 PM. They had plane problems, and were forced to return to the airport for repairs before resuming their trip. Sometime after we went into the showroom for the evening’s entertainment, the ship left BA headed for Montevideo. This is 140 miles down river, and we will start scenic cruising as we approach at 7:30 AM.

February 11 – Day 38 – Montevideo, Uraguay

At 7 AM there is no sign of anything scenic. During breakfast, the captain explained that 2 weeks ago a grain transport had run aground and blocked the channel at Rosario, a city up river from BA. This caused incoming grain transports to have to anchor in the ocean off the river mouth. The ship had just been re-floated, and the channel opened. Accordingly, the coast guard had decided to start letting the accumulated grain transports proceed up the river. We were ordered to anchor outside the channel to let them by. This went on for hours. We arrived in Montevideo at 12:30 PM.

Alice and I headed off on foot to explore the city. We had no tours. We walked and walked. What we found was a very old city with extremely diverse architecture. Each block had buildings more interesting than the last. There were many plazas, parks and squares. One had a flea market. Seemed like home, but all was Spanish. I had hoped to buy some leather belts because Montevideo has a reputation for fine leather products. We were cursed by the siesta. Almost all the shops were closed. After walking several miles, we found an information booth at city hall. We asked where we might find an open leather shop, and were given directions. The man assured us that the block had many shops, and they would be open.

His directions took us to a street that went through a fairly good neighborhood. It was fun to see the local shops, restaurants and bars. These were not tourist spots. There were no other tourists on this street, but we felt safe. As we got to the blocks he had identified, there were no shops of any kind. We checked out the neighborhood only to find run down housing. Oh well, back to the ship.

On the way back we visited a square dedicated to the founder of Montevideo. There were two police officers from the canine unit at the entrance. Montevideo is safe for tourists because the police presence is large enough to deter crime.

Closer to the ship was the Puerto Mercado. We walked in expecting to find a shopping mall. It was a mall alright, a dining mall. It was a huge building, full of restaurants of all types, preparing various meats over open fires on waist-high shelves. It was like ovens without walls. Intriguing!

Back onboard, we had dinner. Then we watched the sail away at 8PM from the Crow's Nest.

February 12– Day 39 – Sea Day

Today is supposed to be a catch up day at sea. Too many lectures and presentations prevented any chance of that. 

This is a formal night to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The ship is decorated in grand style for dinner and the Cupid’s Ball, which follows the evening entertainment. We stayed to dance the last dance. Then we collapsed in bed.

February 13 – Day 40 – Sea Day

We got up after 8, but last night we were out until 11:30. We spent the morning in the tech lab learning some photo editing techniques from the Textpert, Will. He is very good. We stayed for another session on photo organization. Two good hours that consumed our morning. 

This afternoon we attended the port lecture on some of the resort cities we will visit after Rio. Yesterday we heard the talk on Rio. We arrive there tomorrow. Sure hope the weather improves. We are in and out of rain this afternoon.

Although the wind is not coming from the starboard side, we are heeling to port. The captain assured us that this is not a problem, but simply the result of burning off the remainder of the light fuel we were required to burn in Antarctica. This had been loaded into the starboard tanks. In Buenos Aires, we had filled the port tanks with the standard heavy oil. Tomorrow we will refill the starboard tanks with heavy oil, and will, again, be on an even keel.

Don’t you “love” how we cruisers pick up this lingo of the sea?

I’ll be back after Rio de Janeiro.

February 7, 2012 - Days 28-34

February 1 – Day 28 –Cruising the Drake Passage Enroute to Antarctica

Last night we exited the Beagle Channel and entered Drake Passage heading almost straight south toward Antarctica. The passage is rough, and the outer decks are closed due to high winds and falling temperatures. In the early morning hours, we passed well east of Cape Horn. It would not have been in sight had we been awake. The Captain had again advised us to stow our Ming Vases, before going to bed, as the storm was creating large swells. Alice and I slept like babies. What swells?

We filled our day with lectures. There is an expedition team aboard consisting of a geologist, a naturalist and a historian. All of these men have spent time working in Antarctica. They are very knowledgeable and excellent speakers. They are teaching us about the natural life, penguins, whales, seals, and seabirds we will encounter. We are also told about the history of the area. This includes the treaties that impact the “use” of Antarctica. The geologist is explaining the land formation and the ice activity.

Upon returning to the cabin after the evening’s show, we found a marvelous Antarctica logbook on our bed. This has maps of the areas we will be visiting and pictures of the nature life we will be observing. It includes boxes for checking off our sightings. This is another of the things that set Grand Voyages apart.

The captain had told us that we are still ahead of the storm, but the barometer is reading the lowest pressure he has ever recorded, 28.40 inches of mercury. This does not bode well. We should be in sight of Antarctica at 5:30 AM. We will do scenic cruising all day.

February 2 – Day 29 – Antarctica!

I got up at 5:30 and headed on deck. There it was. Antarctica! The cloud mass was hanging low, but clearly on the horizon were cliffs and glaciers on the outlying islands. I stood in fascination as a fog or mist would hide the land, and then lift to show it off again. After getting chilled on deck, I went to deck 12 to sit in the Crow's Nest lounge. I was surprised at how few people were in there, but this did not last.

The view from the Crow's Nest was much better than on deck 7. I was glad I had come up, and I was admiring the starkness of this special place. Then it happened. First, it was just a few flakes. Then it got heavier. Finally, we were in a blizzard. As one of our speakers said later, this was the real Antarctica, not the brochure photos.

The captain altered our route a few times, trying to get beyond this storm. It did not work. We had a day of lectures interspersed with sporadic viewing.

February 3 – Day 30 – More Antarctica!

Today the sun is shining and visibility is awesome. A contingent from Palmer Station, the U. S. base on Anvers Island, is scheduled to arrive at 6:00 AM. I went to the Crow's Nest again. Again, it was almost empty. Shortly before 6, I saw a small boat approaching at a great distance. I watched it for a while before going out to the rail on deck 7. I was right above the boarding spot, when the zodiac pulled alongside. There were 11 people onboard. 9 of them boarded the Prinsendam. They told the others to be back at 11.

Before the zodiac left, it was loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables. These were passed down by Prinsendam crew to the eager team in the zodiac. You could hear their happy exclamations as each new crate was handed over. Oranges, bananas, watermelons, lemons, lettuce, onions, potatoes. All in abundance. The zodiac was full. Last to go aboard was a woman, who was returning to study birds. She had just been away on leave. We had picked her up in Punta Arenas.

We were scheduled to meet with the Palmer Station crew at 9:30. It was very informative. They explained their duties and what their days were like. They were all very vivacious. Some were there for the first time. Others had as many as 20 years of working there. They also explained their work to minimize their impact on the land. For example, all human waste is accumulated and shipped once a year to the states for processing. None is left behind.

At 11, they boarded the zodiac and returned to the station. We resumed scenic cruising in sunlight. Captain Roberts wove us around various islands along the Antarctic peninsula. We passed icebergs too numerous to count. Each was more beautiful. Some had penguins on them. These guys are just 30” tall. From the deck, about 100 feet above the water, they were very difficult to see. Binoculars were a godsend.

Next came a pod of humpback whales playing ahead of the ship. Their blows were clear, and their fins and tails were unmistakable, as they breeched repeatedly.

The shore is majestic too. The mountains rise into the low clouds and the sun glistens on the fresh snow from yesterday. The captain has taken us around the islands in the passage, and now we are headed for Deception Island.

February 4 – Day 31 - Deception Island / Sea Day

We arrived at Deception Island on schedule at about 9 AM. After viewing the island and listening to commentary from the geologist, we turned north. This was an earlier departure from Antarctica than scheduled because there were more storms lurking in our path to the Falklands. This led to another day of high winds and rolling seas The captain explained that we were in “confused seas” with two large swells hitting the ship from different directions. This would cause uncomfortable motion until 11PM tonight. Next stop, Falklland Islands.

February 5 – Day 32 – Sea Day

The rocking subsided about midnight only to resume in the morning. We are “rushing” against the wind. Our goal is to get to Falkland Islands before the next storm arrives. This port is particularly vulnerable to high winds. That makes tender service questionable. So we keep our fingers crossed, as the bridge officers get continuous weather updates. They have made a slight course adjustment to the east to keep us in more moderate seas. Later they will head back west toward the Falklands.

The final course adjustment has been made. We have been told that conditions seem favorable for us to enter the outer harbor at Port Stanley at 10PM. This is early. We will ride at anchor overnight, and commence tendering early tomorrow.

February 6 – Day 33 – Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

We awoke to sunshine as we rode at anchor. Our tour to the Gentoo Penguin colony is scheduled to leave at 7AM. The wind was building as we boarded our tender at 7:15. The ride in was rough and slow. We bashed into waves, whipped up by the wind, coming from shore. The tender slamming was pretty bad. Some water washed in through the side doors. The woman across from me got her feet wet, when water on the deck washed past her feet. We had been advised to wear shoes suitable for walking through mud and water for this tour. She had white gym shoes with souls about ¼ inch thick. No wonder she got wet feet! She decided she could not go on the tour with wet feet, and stayed on the tender to return to the ship. I wonder how shorex worked out that cancellation.

Alice and I joined 14 others aboard a minibus, and drove off to the expedition sight. There we split into groups of 4 to board 4X4’s for the trek across the peat bog to get to the penguin colony. The driver made sure we had our seat belts buckled. 2 minutes later we all knew why, as we left the pavement and started on the trail through the bog to the sea.

Our driver was great. He was very personable and informative. He was from England, but had lived here for over 30 years. This is where his wife is from. He met her during the war with Argentina, and came back to marry her. 


He explained, when he dropped us off at 9 AM, that he would pick us up at a station over the hill at 10. Then he pointed us in the direction of the ranger, and took his leave.

The ranger gave us behavior instructions. She also explained that this was a Gentoo colony, but that there were 5 King penguins, with babies, nestled in the center of the pack. The colony consists of 1000 mating pairs. Most of the penguins we were looking at were babies who were waiting for their parents to come back for feeding. These babies were large balls of dark gray fur. Soon they would molt and go to sea. There were many adults in the mix. They were either nurturing or feeding the young.

This colony was on the edge of a lagoon just a few yards from the sea. Adults could be seen waddling to and from the sea. The wind was blowing hard enough to knock you off your feet. A couple of ladies will attest to that. Poor things. The ground is covered in poop.

Near the pick up sight were a café and a museum. We decided to get there about 15 minutes before 10. Our driver arrived about 5 to 10. We climbed aboard his Range Rover just as it started to rain. It poured. We were glad he had 4 wheel drive. We no sooner started moving than the rain changed to hail. That lasted for several minutes. Hail covered the ground. The penguins were un-phased. The tour that followed us was looking for shelter. We were very comfortable!

Back in town, we went to the tender pier to learn that tender service was suspended due to the high winds and waves at the ship. We should check back every 30 minutes for an update.

We went strolling through town because now the sun was shining. The sights were nice, but did not take long to do. We shopped. At 12:30 we went toward the pier, and were met by passengers saying that tender service would not resume for at least 3 hours. A few years ago, tender service could not be restarted and about 700 people had to stay in town overnight. Some were taken home by locals. Others "slept" on the cathedral pews.

We could see the heightened concern of fellow passengers. We went looking for lunch in a pub. The first place was already jammed with cruisers, but up the hill from there was the Victory Pub. The menu looked good so we grabbed the last 2 stools at a table with 7 others. Guiness and burgers never tasted so good. We dragged out the lunch, but, as it got more and more crowded, we decided to head back to the pier. It was 2:15 and a tender had just left. We joined the queue, and got onto the second tender to leave after that. The ride back was dry and smooth, as we were going with the waves, until we had to approach the Prinsendam. There it got rough, and some got wet. Alice and I did not.

We had a ball in Port Stanley, and we really like the Falklands.

We had rolling seas as we departed 2 hours late due to the tender suspension. The rocking would continue until midnight, but we were asleep by 10:30.

February 7 – day 34 – Sea Day

We awoke to a calm ship. The seas were high, but they were not contrary to the ship’s travel.

We have gone to lectures. I have spent a few hours doing this update. Antarctica was so beautiful I could not take the time to keep this current. I am breaking off now to prepare for formal night.