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Santiago, Chile JAN 6 2025

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With two days to tour Santiago, we hit the ground running when we got off the ship. Five buses of us to be exact!

The port was in San Antonio and we had an hour and a half bus ride to reach Santiago. Along the way we stopped at a local winery for wine tasting and a folklore show.

Back on the bus we reached Santiago and began our tour of the city. Santiago, with a population of over six million, is the capital and largest city in Chile. We had another fantastic guide who we were fortunate to have as our guide both days.

Santiago is a pretty city, but it was made clear to us from the beginning that safety was a concern. We stopped in a popular city center plaza and before we got off the bus, our guide said, “I beg of you. Please leave your jewelry and valuables on the bus”. This is the reason Bill and I always leave our wedding bands at home when we travel and wear no jewelry except our fitbit watches. Our guide also cautioned us about pickpockets who will grab wallets, purses and snatch cameras right out of your hand. They are clever and quick, including slicing handbag straps and grabbing handbags. When we got off the bus we were immediately joined by a plain clothes security guard who followed us around the plaza. Each of the five buses had their own guard. I believe I heard someone tell our guide there had recently been problems there with robberies and pickpockets.  Our guard didn’t take his eye off us and kept a vigilant watch. We also noticed two policemen on horseback, policemen on foot patrol and a small police car able to easy navigate throughout the plaza. I guess five buses of tourists was a concern.

You may be wondering why we were even taken there. We visited a beautiful cathedral and there were many impressive buildings.

Life Sized Nativity Scene

The Monument to Pedro de Valdivia is a bronze equestrian statue in Santiago, Chile that honors the Spanish conquistador who founded the city.

The Tourist Office building was once the cells of the public jail until the end of the 18th century, while remodelling many forms of restraint were discovered along with instruments of torture.

The Central Post Office in Plaza de Armas has been remodelled three times. It was originally Pedro de Valdivia’s private home and served as the Presidential Palace until 1846.

Have ever seen a black necked white swan? We stopped by a pretty park to look at these unusual swans.

Gran Torre Costanera, 62-story Skyscraper

American Embassy

By now we were all getting tired and hot (86+degrees) and we were anxious to get to our hotel to get settled in and rest. We had a stop for a light lunch and entainment.

That evening we had a nice reception with canapés and wine followed by a steak dinner. Entertainment was a fantastic series of folklore dancing.

The next morning after a buffet breakfast by the pool, we loaded the buses back up for a drive into the countryside to visit another winery. We have certainly learned on this trip that Argentina and Chile are very proud of their wine making and it is very good wine.

After a tour of the winery and time to sample wine, we had a huge early buffet dinner. We were then taken to the airport for our flight home.

It took us over ten hours to get home with one connecting flight in Miami. We were sad to see our trip end but at the same time glad to get home. After a month in the Southern Hemisphere where it was summer, it was a little disconcerting to come back to winter!

Thanks for following along. We have no future travel plans as of now but that tricky travel agent always manages to surprise us with something when we least expect it!

Puerto Montt, Chile JAN 4 2025

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On January 4, we reached the port of Puerto Montt, Chile (population 246,000). We could tell we had reached a larger city because of the ship’s warnings about pickpockets and grabbing of purses and cameras. We booked an excursion here to see some of the beauty of the areas away from the city.

We had an excellent, enthusiastic guide who spoke perfect English. When booking excursions in these remote areas of Argentina and Chile we had been warned that due to the remoteness of the area, we should expect the guides’ English to not be fluent. All of our guides spoke great English and in many cases their English was self taught. Shows what determination can do. Impressive!

From the moment we left the port the views were magnificent. I kept thinking “who knew Chile was this beautiful!!”

This excersion drove to Puerto Varas and along the lake Llanquihue to Osorno Volcano. The road was steep and winding with many switchbacks. At the top we were above the clouds with a nice view of Calbuco Volcano in the distance.

Osorno Volcano is 8,701 feet high, making it visible throughout the entire region. We could enjoy its beauty throughout the day. The volcano is still considered active but last erupted in 1869.  The area we stopped had a ski lift, hiking trails and a small cafe where you could get coffee and hot chocolate. It was very chilly at that altitude.

This volcano is similar to Mount Fuji in Japan.

After testing the bus’ brakes on the steep drive back down, we went to Puerto Varas, also known as the City of Roses. We didn’t have as much time as hoped here, but we did manage to find Bill a nice shirt and log a geocache.

We went to the Petrohue River Rapids located in Vicente Perez Rosales National Park.

We finished the day with a late lunch at a quaint restaurant owned by our guide’s family along the lake. They took great care of us with empanadas for appetizers, huge portions of local salmon or chicken, cheesecake for dessert and unlimited fruit juices, wine and the famous pisco sour. A delicious meal!

Sadly,after a day at sea we arrived at our disembarkation port, San Antonio on the coast. It has been a fabulous cruise full of amazing scenery. We are so glad we went!

But the fun was not over yet!! Our great travel agency had arranged two days in Santiago filled with activities. The disembarkation process from the ship went very smoothly and before we knew it there were five buses of us headed for Santiago.

Next up: two days of fun in Santiago de Chile is the capital and largest city of Chile

Magellan Strait, Chilean Fjords & Coyhaique, Chile JAN 1 2025

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The next two days at sea we cruised the Strait of Magellan and Chilean fjords.

We cruised the Sarmiemto Channel, Summer Pass and Shoal Pass. Highlights definitely included seeing the Bruhall and Brujo glaciers. At each glacier the Captain slowed the ship down and very slowly turned the ship 360 degrees so that both the starboard and port sides of the ship had great views.

It was hard to stop for three meals during the day for fear of missing something. The beauty is indescribable.

On January 3rd we reached the port of Puerto Chacabuco (population 1,200) Chile.  Puerto Aysén (population 23,959) is nine miles away and was originally a large deep-draft vessels port city until erosion had an impact on the riverbead.

Prison

There is not a lot to do in this small towns so we booked an excursion of northern Patagonia and the town of Coyhaique. The main highlight of this excursion was the views.

Coyhaique, pop 54,000, was an unusual city. Our tour guide was from the city and she left to go to vet school. She has two semesters left and supplements her income by giving tours during the high tourist season. When she finishes school, she wants to come back to her hometown. She knows she could move to a larger city and make much more money, but that doesn’t interest her. What I found unusual was the town’s lackadaisical attitude toward tourists. Even though the town is known for many craft markets with handmade items native to the region, many of the stores were closed. Our guide said they show up when they feel like it, take a long lunch break from 12 to 3 and may show up again from 3 to 6.  She even went so far as to call the people lazy. In most tourist towns, especially during high season when most of the money is made, people open early and close late to take advantage of the tourists eager to spend money. Not here. This didn’t bother us since we are not souvenir hunters except for the occasional refrigerator magnet. But from the few markets open they did have some beautiful hand made items, including items made from sheepskin.

We Are Getting Closer

Coyhaique Is a Developed City

The Monumento al Ovejero is a commemorative structure that honors the rural traditions and ranching wealth of the Magallanes region.

House Made With a Container

We stopped by The Simpson River, listed as the fourth best river for fly fishing in the world. Their visitor center had a stuff fox.

We also stopped for a quick look at this waterfall and memorial.

By now everyone was starving and we stopped at a restaurant where they served us beef and cheese empanadas, skewers of beef and chicken and fruit. We were offered mango or strawberry juice, wine and their pisco sours. The pisco sour is a strong alcoholic cocktail popular in Peru and Chile. Our guide warned us they were very good and very strong. One was definitely enough.

An enjoyable day in Chile!

Next up: Puerto Montt, Chile

 

Ushuaia, Argentina & Punta Arenas, Chile DEC 30 2024

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After leaving Cape Horn we traveled in the Beagle Channel and passed Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse. With the lighting it is had to see the red paint.

Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, Beagle Channel, Argentina

The Border of Argentina with Chile

We had one final port in Argentina, Ushuaia (population 83,000). Located below the 54th parallel south latitude, Ushuaia claims they are the world’s southernmost city. It is also referred to as the city at the end of the world. It is the only city in Argentina accessed by crossing the Andes Mountains (by road).

This white stone monument is a tribute to the Pioneer Settlers of Ushuaia. It appears different based on your position. Face on it looks like an eagle with its wings protecting the settlers. From the sides it looks like a giant wave with scenes of farming and industry.

In this port we had an excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. We had views of Ensenada Bay and stopped at Roca Lake. Unfortunately the weather was cold and misting rain, not the best weather for sightseeing or taking pictures. The border with Chile divides the Roca Lake.

We saw wild horses along the road.

We also stopped at Lapataia Bay, the southernmost place in the world that can be reached by road. It is where the famous Pan-American Highway ends. From here Alaska is 11,100 miles north.

“The End of the World Post Office” in Ushuaia, Argentina is considered the southernmost post office in the Americas.

We saw glaciers and waterfalls as we cruised toward Punta Arenas, Chile.

The next day we reached Punta Arenas, Chile (population 146,000). It is Patagonia’s most important city. It is located in the Strait of Magellan a passage that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  The cruise director told us during his port talk the city is so windy they put ropes between buildings to help people walk during strong winds. Punta Arenas is considered the southernmost city in the world by Chile, in direct conflict with Argentina who gives Ushuaia that distinction. We found there are many things Argentina and Chile disagree on.

Chile is the world’s longest country at 2,647 miles. Mountains cover 80% of the country.

Punta Arenas was a tender port and we woke up to find three tender boats ready to take passengers ashore.

We did not have an excursion here but instead chose to walk around the town. In the town center is a nice park with a memorial to Ferdinand Magellan. It is said that if you kiss or rub his foot, you will have good luck and a future return to Punta Arenas.

Heritage Building built between 1894 and 1898 called “Palacio de la Gobernación”. This heritage building called the Government Palace, because the Governor lived there in the 19th century, when Magellan was a penal colony

Across the street was the Sacred Heart Cathedral which unfortunately was not open.

The wind had picked up considerably and the short tender boat ride back to the ship was very bumpy. It was tricky getting from the boat back on the ship but there are always many helpful hands waiting to help.

Police Station and the Chilean Flag

This evening was New Years Eve with Filet Mignon and Lobster served in the dining room. A New Year’s Eve party was held at the pool with music, dancing, Hors D’oeuvres and champagne at midnight.

Happy New Year!!

Next up: Cruising the Strait of Magellan, the Chilean Fjords and Coyhaique, Chile

 

Antarctica Pt 2 DEC 29 2024

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As we continued around the islands and fjords of Antarctica, we were blessed with great weather other than occasional fog and low visibility. Unlike anything we had ever seen, we continued to be in awe of the majestic beauty.

Gentoo Penguin Colony

For two days we had snow and we were visited by a snow penguin.

One day we stopped near Palmer Research Station operated by the United States Antarctic Program. They do marine and biology research focused on seabirds and plankton. We watched as two zodiacs brought research scientists over for presentations on their work. Can you see all the ice in the water?

They had lunch and dinner on the ship and they mentioned how they especially enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables. I believe they were gifted with several boxes of fruits and vegetables to take back to their station.

We had heard so much about Drake Passage and Cape Horn. They have a notorious history for rough water, fierce winds and dangerous waves. We had already crossed Drake Passage once on the cruise with no problem. Now we were about to be tested again as we cruise Drake Passage for a second time as we cruise to Cape Horn, located on the small Hornos Island.

We cruised completely around Hornos Island. The reputation of Cape Horn is notorious as it is known as “the graveyard of ships”. There have been many shipwrecks here with more than 10,000 lives lost, making it the largest underwater cemetery in the world. After the opening of the Panama Canal, the number of ships navigating around the Horn was significantly reduced.

The day dawned with beautiful clear skies, no wind and calm seas. Unbelievable! The Captain said it is very rare to see this kind of weather here. Normally this area has 278 days of rainfall a year. We saw a sailboat close to shore and the cruise director commented it was crazy for a sailboat to be in these waters.

This area is part of Chile’s Tierra del Fuego archipelago. We could see the lighthouse, also called the “Lighthouse at the End of the World” high on the hill. Operational since 1991, it is manned by Chilean navy personnel. Currently a family of four lives there with their cat. They came outside and waved at us and the captain sounded the ship’s horn in return. Impossible to get a picture of them that far away without a high powered lens. A meteorological station is also kept there. Next to the lighthouse is a small chapel.

On the hill was the Cape Horn Monument also called the Albatross Monument.

The name comes from the two metal halves which when viewed from a certain angle, looks like an albatross in flight. It was built to withstand the 120 mph winds which blow at times. The memorial was built in 1992 and is dedicated to the memory of the men from every nation who died around Cape Horn. One interesting tidbit, during the 1978 Beagle Conflict between Chile and Argentina, Chile covered the island with landmines. In 2006 a project was started to remove the mines but there are still many unaccounted for.

Only members of the Chilean navy can serve as the Cape Horn lighthouse keeper. The keeper must be married in order to have companionship which is considered necessary due to the extreme isolation. The assignment is for twelve months however the family can request an extension. The current family just completed their second rotation and has requested a third. Supplies are restocked every 60 days but this can be delayed due to weather. Attempts to grow food in a greenhouse failed due to harsh conditions.

Sadly, we have completed our exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Next up: on to one last port in Argentina then Chile

 

Antarctica Pt 1 DEC 24 2024

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Antarctica…..I don’t even know where to begin. Remote, majestic, mysterious, silent, cold. Unlike any place on earth. According to Brittanica it is “the world’s southernmost, highest, driest, windiest, coldest and iciest continent.”  It also has the world’s largest desert, a polar desert.  It is the fifth largest and least inhabited continent.  It is almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, surrounded by the Southern Ocean and contains the South Pole.  Most of Antarctica is covered by a sheet of ice which averages a thickness of 1.2 miles.  The seasonal population is between 1,300 to 5,100 depending on the season.
Antarctica is governed by about thirty countries as part of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System.  As part of the Treaty, military activity, nuclear explosions, and nuclear waste disposal are all prohibited in Antarctica. We spent four days cruising the coast of Antarctica named Antarctic Peninsula including Elephant Island and Deception Island.

For the most part we had great weather except for occasional low visibility due to fog.  Since this is summer in this part of the world, we had 22 hours of daylight each day. Great for continuous scenic viewing.
Elephant Island is named for the elephant head like appearance and the sighting of elephant seals in 1821.

The next bay after Elephant Island is Hope Bay. The Captain informed us that Hope Bay was full of icebergs so the ship would add cruising of Deception Island to our itinerary instead.

Deception Island is the flooded caldera of an active volcano.  It was named for its deceptive appearance as a normal Island until you get close enough to see the caldera. Our captain was able to get the ship close enough to “Neptune’s Bellows so we could see the caldera.  The narrow entrance of the channel into the caldera was too narrow for a ship our size.

Very Large/Wide Iceberg

Colony of Chinstrap Penguins

On the shore we could see part of the 200,000 chinstrap penguins.
On Christmas Eve the ship’s officers and crew put on a special holiday show. Choirs from the Phillipines and Indonesian as well as an International Choir put on a fantastic show.

On Christmas Day we attended a church service led by passenger volunteers and later that morning Santa Claus visited the small number of children on the ship.

Next up: Antarctica part 2

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina DEC 16 2024

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Another adventure has begun! Our final adventure of 2024. On December 14th we flew from Orlando to Miami where we caught an overnight flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Overnight flights are never easy. WIth only a few hours sleep we arrived mid morning. Our travel agent had arranged transportation to the cruise port which included a short tour of Buenos Aries. We were really too tired to enjoy it and just wanted to get to the ship.

This cruise port was different than any other port we have sailed out of anywhere in the world. We checked in and went through immigration and security at the main terminal. We then had to catch a shuttle bus to board the ship. The port is a huge container port with a few cruise ships added. It made for a long boarding process for two tired travelers.

This is a new Holland America ship for us, the Oosterdam. Our last two cruises were on the Zuiderdam which became like a second home to us. Each ship is different and this has been an adjustment for us.

The Oosterdam was in port for two days so after settling into our cabin, we were able to get some rest. After a long flight, it is always a relief to see all our luggage made it to the ship!

This is The Puente de la Mujer (Spanish for “Woman’s Bridge”) a rotating footbridge.

The next day we had scheduled an eight hour excursion of the highlights of Buenos Aires that included lunch and a tango show. We had an great local guide who spoke excellent English.

Buenos Aires, population three million, is the capital of Argentina. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, they are about to enter their summer season. Its economy is mainly agricultural and manufacturing.

Our guide said the three most important things to the Argentine people are family, food and football (what we call soccer). Families often gather together for barbecues and they eat a lot of beef. Dinner is usually eaten around 9:00  at night.

The Pink Palace is the official workplace of the president of Argentina. Unlike our White House, it is not his residence. The original pink color came from mixing white paint with cow’s blood. It is supposed to keep the paint from peeling in the high humidity.

We visited Recoleta Cemetery, the resting place of presidents and other important Argentinians. It is also where the body of Eva Peron is buried. A former controversial first lady of Argentina, her embalmed body was kidnapped by the Argentinian military when a coup removed her husband as President of Argentina. The body eventually made its way back to Buenos Aires in 1976 where it was buried in the Duarte tomb which was her family’s tomb. Requests to join her with her husband has been rejected by her family. You may be familiar with the 1996 film “Evita”. The guide laughed and told us that even though Evita Peron had once acted, she never sang “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”. It really is a fascinating story to read.

The government rents the space for the family tombs. If payment is missing the remainders are removed and a waiting list is used to replace your spot. One man wished to be buried in a cave so his family created a “cave like” tomb.

We love visiting cathedrals and in Buenos Aires we visited the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. A Roman Catholic cathedral built in 1779.

Pope Francis served here before moving to the Vatican in 2013.

Buenos Aires is a colorful city with a European architectural influence. We felt safe there however our guide cautioned us at every stop to watch for pickpockets and cell phone theft. Evidently stealing cell phones is a big thing and they have been snatched right out of people’s hands. They use the cell phones for parts.

After a busy day of sightseeing,we were all starved. Our tour included a four course Argentinian lunch.

The people in Argentina eat a lot of beef. Our lunch included appetizers of beef empanadas followed by a huge steak with fries. All delicious. Argentinian wine and beer was included. After we were all stuffed, we were treated to an exceptional 45 minute tango show. Amazing talent.

A great day in Buenos Aires. So glad we were able to visit!

Next up: Montevideo, Uruguay

Boston, Mass AUG 24 2024

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We arrived back in Boston and our cruise was over. Before departing the ship, every passenger had to have a face to face meeting with U.S. Immigration officials in the main dining room. Everything appeared to be well organized with everyone having a designated meeting time. Things quickly dissolved into mass chaos. Not through the fault of Holland America, but because impatient passengers got in line before their appointed time, clogging the hallways. When we went downstairs at our time, the line was unbelievable long (almost the length of the ship). Holland America crew had to pull people out of line if it wasn’t their scheduled time. Such a shame people can’t follow the rules. This led to long delays and concerned those who had to get to the airport for a morning flight. Our designated time was 8:15 and it was 9:15 before we met the Immigration officials. 

Fortunately our flight was late in the afternoon. Our travel agent had arranged a tour of Boston for the morning. Our bus waited because everyone was having the same problem. Our tour was supposed to begin at 9:00 and it was 10:30 before we departed. 

We thought we were getting a two and a half hour bus tour of Boston. It turned out to be a great tour of four hours with several stops.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Bill and I were last in Boston in 2016 but we saw several new things.

George Washington Statue

John F Kennedy Statue

Massachusetts State House

Our first stop was Trinity Church, an Episcopal church founded in 1733. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was really cool to see the church’s reflection in the John Hancock Tower across the street.

Nearby was the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, a historic hotel and Boston landmark. Every U.S. President since William Howard Taft has visited the hotel, as well as royalty from around the world.

Even years since the show ended, people still want to visit the place “where everyone knows your name”.

Below Here is the Cheers’ Bar

At the Boston Public Garden we saw the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculptures by Nancy Schon. This recreates the duck family from the children’s book by the same name written by Robert McCloskey. In thirty years of teaching, I can’t count how many times I read this book to school children.

We walked uphill to the Old North Church, built in 1723, and the oldest standing church building in Boston.

Famous worshippers were Queen Elizabeth II and Charles Wesley (John Wesley brother).

This is the church famous during Paul Revere’s midnight ride in April, 1775 when two lanterns were hung in the church’s steeple. Revere and other riders saw this and rode to warn the citizens the British were coming by sea. We were able to visit the inside which we didn’t do in 2016.

Our tour finished at Quincy Market, a huge historic food mart. Built between 1824 and 1826, it is one of the largest market complexes in the United States. We had time to eat lunch there but it was unbelievably chaotic and busy.

The bus dropped us off at the airport at 2:30 for our 6:15 flight. After a hectic, rushed morning, it was good to have plenty of time to check in, drop off our bags and relax before our flight. 

We had an uneventful flight home. Great cruise. Good to be home. Thanks for following along!!

Canada Ports, Aug 20 2024

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Our final three ports were in Canada. The first was St Anthony in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. A picturesque town of 2,200, it is in the northern area of the Great Northern Peninsula. It has a steadily reclining population. French explorer Jacques Cartier came across the St Anthony settlement in 1534.

As the captain predicted, we were not able to sail to our second port, St John’s, because of Hurricane Ernesto. The latest path had it making a direct hit in that area. Our alternative port was Corner Brook on the west coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. You may remember we visited this port on July 24th. Located in the Gulf of St Lawrence, it provided us with shelter from the storm. Some questioned the captain as to why we couldn’t have gone to a new port. As he patiently explained, we needed a port with shelter from the storm and also a port with an available berth on short notice. So, Corner Brook it was. Bill had really looked forward to visiting St John’s. We had an excursion booked there to go to Signal Hill National Historic Site, where on December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless transmission. As an amateur radio enthusiast, Bill is a huge Marconi fan. Bill was disappointed but took it in stride. You have to accept the things you cannot change and move forward. Hopefully we will get here someday.

One night was cake night with dozens of cakes to choose from.

Our last port in Canada, and the last of the cruise, was in Halifax, Nova Scotia pop 519,000. It is the capital and most populous city in Nova Scotia.

We decided to explore on our own rather than take an excursion. We were thrilled to see warm temperatures in the upper seventies. At the pier is an immigration museum. After WW2, nearly 187,000 people fled from Europe to Canada, most between 1947 and 1952.  They moved to various places throughout Canada. This pier has been compared to our Ellis Island.   We found a geocache here.

We continued uphill, passing the Government House, the residence of the Canadian monarch and the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia.

We saw this murial which depicts the writer on the floor composing.

After a steady climb we reached St Mary’s Basilica, a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral built in 1899.  It has the tallest granite spire in North America. A very friendly guide welcomed us inside.

We slowly made our way back to the ship on this beautiful day in Canada.

Moon Rising

We had one last sea day before reaching Boston. The Cruise Director began the day by playing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” over the sound system and invited us all to go to the Lido pool to see all the animals that escaped from the zoo overnight. At the pool were hundreds of towel animals created by the Housekeeping staff. They are so creative! While we were there, many of the Housekeeping staff paraded through the area, including Wulan, one of our room stewards. Everyone applauded them.  They work so hard and do such a great job. We really appreciate them.

Amazing Sunset

Next up: Our cruise ends with a day in Boston

PC Sound and Qaqortoq, Greenland AUG 16 2024

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We had two sea days between Iceland and Greenland. On the second day we sailed through Prince Christian Sound. Three weeks ago we sailed the Sound going from west to east. Now we passed through again going east to west. If we thought it would look the same and be nothing new, we would be very wrong!!! It was a spectacularly beautiful day with bright blue sunny skies, but cold. We passed so many waterfalls, glaciers and even bigger icebergs than before. We don’t know where all these huge icebergs came from. They were not here three weeks ago.

As we reached the middle of the Sound we passed a remote, isolated village called Aappilattorq. Although inhabited since the 19th century, only around 100 people live here. There is a school, church, general store, general repair shop and a fire station. The village is accessible only by helicopter or boat.

Once again we had two Danish ice pilots onboard the ship to help with navigation through the ice fields.

By the evening the winds really picked up as we left the shelter of the Sound. We went around Cape Farewell which is the southernmost point of Greenland, and entered the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Gale force winds were hitting the ship from the side causing the ship to list at least once. We watched as our salt shaker slide across the table and heard dishes crashing to the floor as the waiters struggled to catch sliding plates and dishes.

The captain’s evening announcement was interesting. He said the winds were making large whitecaps and it was hard to distinguish between whitecaps and icebergs. He also said for the first time in his career, he was having to worry about ice and hurricanes at the same time. Hurricane Ernesto was growing in the Atlantic and was scheduled to hit St John’s, Newfoundland on the same day we are to arrive. He said there was a slim chance we would be able to go to St John’s and the home office was looking at alternative ports.

Our last port in Greenland on this cruise was Qaqortoq. We feel very blessed we have been able to make all these Greenland ports. A few weeks ago other cruise ships doing our itinerary had these Greenland ports canceled because of ice blocking the harbors.

We anchored in the harbor when the sunset.

The BIG DIPPER and some Northern Lights

Qaqortoq, pop 3,050, is the largest town in southern Greenland. The area dates back to Viking settlements, but the town was founded in 1775 by Danish and Norwegian colonists.

We had a somewhat unusual, but delightful, excursion here. It was a cold 38° with a feel like of 33° as we took a tender boat to shore. We were met by a young, local girl who spoke perfect English. She said English is taught in the schools in Greenland but she perfected her English by watching the Disney Channel! She walked our group of thirteen up three pretty steep hills to a house where we were scheduled to have a home visit with a Qaqortoq resident.

Our hostess was a lovely 76 year old resident who had coffee and homemade cakes ready for us. She showed us around her home and then we sat at two tables and had refreshments. Her husband is in an nearby eldercare facility and she has three grown daughters, five grandsons and a great granddaughter. She did not speak English but our guide was a perfect interpreter.

After chatting for awhile, she then brought out a native costume of the Inuit culture and explained how it was made. She had handmade them. She does a lot of embroidery and handiwork and that was evident around her home.

We loved visiting her home. The kitchen was small with a flat top stove, a small, dorm size fridge and a dishwasher. Perhaps it is so cold in Greenland, large refrigerators are not really needed.

We walked back down the steep hills and spent a little time looking around the small town. The Church of The Savior, built in 1832, was closed. We also found a geocache.

This Picture Was Used To Claim I Found The Geocache

A wonderful, unique and unforgettable experience in Qaqortoq!

Next up : St Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada