Late last night I received a text from my brother. Our mom is in the hospital again. They think she has pneumonia, since she has been having difficulty breathing She will be 96 years old in May so any illness is significant. Looks like I'll hit the ground running when we get back to L.A. So thankful I will be with her tomorrow.
We got up early this morning, had breakfast and got ready to disembark. It's always a time of mixed feelings. I'm thrilled to be going home to be with my family, but will miss our friends and the wonderful crew with whom we have become friends. We have been treated with such care and respect and will miss them a lot. However, it's time to get back to reality and our kids, grandkids, and mom. Also excited to get back to my wonderful church family. I have certainly missed the sermons and friendships of everyone at OCF. Finally, it will be great to get back to our yoga classes. I'm hoping we can still bend and get up and down off the floor after two months of non-stop eating!!!
We landed at LAX without any difficulties and headed straight for the hospital to see mom. Luckily, she's at Little Company this time, which is a much better hospital than the last one. She knew us immediately so that was a tremendous blessing. I'll be spending my days with her until she is released. It's so hard on her to be in the hospital due to her Alzheimer's. She has no idea what's happening. Hopefully, she can go home soon.
Finally, we arrived at home. Our youngest son, Kevin, had decorated the front of the house with a "welcome home" banner he made, a sign for the walkway, flowers in the kitchen and another welcome home message. What a thrill!!!! It was such a nice way to come home. He had also completely cleaned the downstairs so it was spotless!!! What a great guy!! Love him so much :)
It's really nice to be home. The trip was amazing. We were introduced to many new people and cultures. We learned so much about South America, its history and people. Once again, we were reminded how very blessed we are to live in a country where we have freedom. We are also fortunate to have access to clean drinking water and electricity. Love seeing more of the world and God's beautiful creation but thrilled to be back home. Thank you to all of you for your time and effort in reading my blogs, since they were often long and rambling. Hope you all have a opportunity for fun and exciting adventures and appreciate the amazing world in which we live. Until our next adventure, this is Twila and Bob signing off!!
Praying for peace for you, your families, and throughout the world.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Nassau, Bahamas: Monday, March 9th
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, has witnessed Spanish invasions and hosted pirates, who made it their headquarters while raiding the surrounding areas. The heritage of old Nassau blends the Southern charm of British loyalists from the Carolinas, the African tribal traditions of freed slaves, and a bawdy history of blockade-running during the Civil war and rum-running during the roaring 1920's.
The sheltered harbor bustled with cruise ship hubbub, since two large Carnival ships were docked here in addition to our ship. A block away, broad, palm-lined Bay Street was alive with commercial activity. There was an air of subtle civility and sophistication, derived from three centuries of British rule. There were lots of souvenir shops as well as high-end luxury stores such as Gucci, Breitling, Cartier, etc. However, once we got away from the duty-free shops there were some lovely, quiet neighborhoods.
This afternoon we went on a tour to the Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant for a wine and cheese pairing from around the world. It was only a five minute drive from the ship so we were wondering why they just didn't walk us over there. The driver took us to the main entrance of the property and told us he would return in three hours to pick us up. We were a little surprised since we had no idea what was happening. There was only five of us and we wandered into the hotel/restaurant looking a bit bewildered. After a couple of minutes of standing in the entrance hall someone walked up to us and asked if we were here for the wine-cheese pairing. Finally, we had a direction! She escorted us to a lovely dining room with an intricately carved, grand mahogany dining table. She invited us to take a seat at the table, then left us with no further instructions. We sat there for about 10 minutes, wondering what was coming next. We hadn't expected a full meal, and a couple of people had already eaten lunch on the ship. Yet, here we were sitting at an incredibly beautiful table set in an elegant, formal style. We were in our shorts and t-shirts feeling a little under dressed in such luxurious surroundings.
After sitting at the table for awhile with no one coming to greet us, we started discussing taking a taxi back to the ship and asking for a full refund. Just then, a very nice young man entered and asked us to follow him to the wine cellar for a tour. We politely followed--WOW!! We have now seen such a wine cellar!!!! We walked through the original doors to the former dungeon which has been converted to a cellar with the third largest private wine collection in the entire world! The guide told us that the cellar had a very dark background and people had died here. Now, there are over 275,000 bottles of wine with a wine list of 106 pages. The collection is worth an estimated $20 million. We inched our way through the thousands of bottles which were divided by quite narrow passageways. We walked very carefully, making sure our arms and handbags were close to our side so we didn't knock over any of these very expensive bottles of vintage wines.
We followed our guide as we meandered our way through the sometimes very arrow aisles. We entered an elegant room with a lovely chandelier over a large wooden dining table. This room was initially a water tank but was converted to a stunning dining room with a gorgeous hand crafted wooden dining table in 1974. The entire collection of wine in this room was from Italy.
As we continued our tour through the cellar we passed the oldest known bottle of wine in the world. It was from 1727 and is worth $200,000. We walked very carefully past this bottle. The last room we saw was still being organized. It contained souvenirs collected by the owner, including a couple of Cuban staffs which are believed to keep away evil spirits.
Once we left the cellar we had an opportunity to walk through the magnificent gardens. Unbelievable that a garden this large could exist in the middle of the city. There were two beautiful swimming pools, completely secluded and surrounded by tropical plants and flowers. There was a cattail bush with red hanging blooms which looked like red caterpillars. There were also elephant ears, milk wine lilies, red dragons, periwinkle, among others. There were also two beautiful koi ponds filled with very well fed fish, with a separate area for turtles.
Our guide led us to the cigar studio, where employees, hired from Cuba, carefully rolled 180 cigars each day. Although the people who create the cigars were all from Cuba, no Cuban leaves are used because of the embargo.
Lastly, we visited the chocolate factory where all of the candy is made by hand. The sample was delicious but we were strong and managed to walk away without buying anything. Pretty impressive!!!
We boarded the van and returned to the ship. It's our last evening on board so it's time to say goodbye to the staff and passengers. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and the company of our favorite waiter. Now it's time to close the suitcases (hopefully possile) and put them out for collection tonight.
The sheltered harbor bustled with cruise ship hubbub, since two large Carnival ships were docked here in addition to our ship. A block away, broad, palm-lined Bay Street was alive with commercial activity. There was an air of subtle civility and sophistication, derived from three centuries of British rule. There were lots of souvenir shops as well as high-end luxury stores such as Gucci, Breitling, Cartier, etc. However, once we got away from the duty-free shops there were some lovely, quiet neighborhoods.
This afternoon we went on a tour to the Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant for a wine and cheese pairing from around the world. It was only a five minute drive from the ship so we were wondering why they just didn't walk us over there. The driver took us to the main entrance of the property and told us he would return in three hours to pick us up. We were a little surprised since we had no idea what was happening. There was only five of us and we wandered into the hotel/restaurant looking a bit bewildered. After a couple of minutes of standing in the entrance hall someone walked up to us and asked if we were here for the wine-cheese pairing. Finally, we had a direction! She escorted us to a lovely dining room with an intricately carved, grand mahogany dining table. She invited us to take a seat at the table, then left us with no further instructions. We sat there for about 10 minutes, wondering what was coming next. We hadn't expected a full meal, and a couple of people had already eaten lunch on the ship. Yet, here we were sitting at an incredibly beautiful table set in an elegant, formal style. We were in our shorts and t-shirts feeling a little under dressed in such luxurious surroundings.
After sitting at the table for awhile with no one coming to greet us, we started discussing taking a taxi back to the ship and asking for a full refund. Just then, a very nice young man entered and asked us to follow him to the wine cellar for a tour. We politely followed--WOW!! We have now seen such a wine cellar!!!! We walked through the original doors to the former dungeon which has been converted to a cellar with the third largest private wine collection in the entire world! The guide told us that the cellar had a very dark background and people had died here. Now, there are over 275,000 bottles of wine with a wine list of 106 pages. The collection is worth an estimated $20 million. We inched our way through the thousands of bottles which were divided by quite narrow passageways. We walked very carefully, making sure our arms and handbags were close to our side so we didn't knock over any of these very expensive bottles of vintage wines.
We followed our guide as we meandered our way through the sometimes very arrow aisles. We entered an elegant room with a lovely chandelier over a large wooden dining table. This room was initially a water tank but was converted to a stunning dining room with a gorgeous hand crafted wooden dining table in 1974. The entire collection of wine in this room was from Italy.
As we continued our tour through the cellar we passed the oldest known bottle of wine in the world. It was from 1727 and is worth $200,000. We walked very carefully past this bottle. The last room we saw was still being organized. It contained souvenirs collected by the owner, including a couple of Cuban staffs which are believed to keep away evil spirits.
Once we left the cellar we had an opportunity to walk through the magnificent gardens. Unbelievable that a garden this large could exist in the middle of the city. There were two beautiful swimming pools, completely secluded and surrounded by tropical plants and flowers. There was a cattail bush with red hanging blooms which looked like red caterpillars. There were also elephant ears, milk wine lilies, red dragons, periwinkle, among others. There were also two beautiful koi ponds filled with very well fed fish, with a separate area for turtles.
Our guide led us to the cigar studio, where employees, hired from Cuba, carefully rolled 180 cigars each day. Although the people who create the cigars were all from Cuba, no Cuban leaves are used because of the embargo.
Lastly, we visited the chocolate factory where all of the candy is made by hand. The sample was delicious but we were strong and managed to walk away without buying anything. Pretty impressive!!!
We boarded the van and returned to the ship. It's our last evening on board so it's time to say goodbye to the staff and passengers. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and the company of our favorite waiter. Now it's time to close the suitcases (hopefully possile) and put them out for collection tonight.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands: Saturday, March 7th
I watched from our balcony as we docked early this morning. Adjacent to the pier was a magnificent beach with dazzling white sand and crystal clear turquoise water. Hundreds of beach chairs were set up and ready for tourists. Palm trees provided shade for many of the chairs, and vendors were eagerly awaiting thirsty and hungry beach goers, or tourists who had forgotten to bring a hat or sunscreen!
When we got off the ship we walked down the pier to the cruise terminal to meet our tour guide. The terminal was a charming area brimming with souvenir shops and local residents who greeted us with friendly smiles. We climbed aboard our tour bus which was a large off-road vehicle filled with bench seats. Luckily, there were stairs to climb in which made it much easier to get in than the last time we went off-roading.
Our guide told us that the island is part of the British overseas territories. However, they have their own local government. Grand Turk is a very small island which is one mile wide and seven miles long. All of the spectacular beaches are public and can be enjoyed throughout the year since the island receives only a minimal amount of rain. There are 4500 permanent residents, although the population swells with tourists since it is one of the top diving sites in the world. The guide told us that the island has the third largest barrier reef in the world, which attracts thousands of divers year round. The water turns from a light turquoise blue to deep navy not far from the shore. Evidently, the ocean floor drops from 35 feet to 1300 feet, making the port quite accessible to cruise ships. Goods and services are quite expensive here since nearly everything must be imported. Gasoline is $6.20/gallon.
As we began our tour of the island we passed many wild horses, goats, dogs, and donkeys along the sides of the road as well as in the fields. They are allowed to roam free throughout the island so drivers must be very careful. There is not much foliage on the island. Grand Turk has quite a barren and windswept appearance. There are a few scattered sea grapes, acacia, mahogany, buttonwood, and Caribbean pine trees as well as numerous mangroves but I didn't notice many colorful flowers like we have seen on many other islands. The highest point on the island is only about 150 feet in elevation so it is quite a flat island.
We spotted the NASA Friendship 2 space capsule, which splashed down just offshore in February, 1962. It sets proudly in a specially designed area just off the main road so people can enjoy this important piece of history. We passed an old house, built in 1830, which is believed to be haunted. The most recent owners of the house claimed that they saw the ghost of the original owner who had only one arm, moving through the house. The home is abandoned at the present time. If anyone wants to move to Grand Turk you can probably get this house for a good price! One of the best views on the island is from Her Majesty's Prison, last occupied in 1994. It is located along the beach just outside of town. Quite a lovely location.
Our first stop was at a wonderful arts and crafts street market. Unlike many places on our cruise, these goods were really made on this island. If we weren't so tight on space, I would have bought many more items. However, we only bought a couple of items, including a beautiful leather mask. The people here are extremely warm and friendly. It was really a pleasure to talk with them. Although they would love to sell their wares, they were very respectful and not at all pushy like some of the vendors we have seen at other ports. Very enjoyable stop.
We stopped to observe the oldest church on the island. Like everything else here it was a dignified structure, with few frills. It was interesting to note that this island has escaped the temptation to build high rise buildings on every inch of their shoreline. There were many hotels on the coastline but there was also plenty of open space so everyone can enjoy the magnificent ocean views. The hotels are one and two stories and quite unpretentious.
We made a brief stop to enjoy a lovely view of the gorgeous coastline with the stunning coral reefs and crystal clear turquoise water. This island is blessed with many beautiful sandy beaches that are great for swimming, as well as snorkeling or diving.
Our final stop was at the island's lighthouse. It was a charming building located on top of a small limestone hill, with an attached kerosene storage house attached to it. The lighthouse was actually constructed in the United Kingdom and shipped to the island and has been in use since the mid 1800's. It was placed at its location to warn sailors of the nearby shallow reefs. Although it was originally lit with reflectors and kerosene lamps it was updated in the 1970's and now has electric lights. We had a nice time walking around the grounds, browsing through the ever present gift shop, and checking out the zip line they are constructing on the grounds. Should be a spectacular ride when it is completed since it will overlook the beautiful coastline and coral reefs.
It was time for us to return to the ship and get ready for the crew show! Our butler is singing two songs in the show and I feel like a proud mommy to see him up there. On these long cruises we become very attached and fond of our crew, particularly the ones who cared for us. So excited to have an opportunity to see them in the spotlight. We also have a special reunion dinner tonight with the 2014 world cruise passengers who have also been on this cruise. We have made some wonderful, lifelong friends and we will miss seeing them on a regular basis. Guess we'll have to take another Silversea cruise in the future. Now, it's time to get ready for our last port of call, Nassau, Bahamas. Also, I MUST start packing since we go home on Tuesday. Sooo excited to see my family again. That's the toughest part of traveling for such a long time - missing my kids, grandkids, and mom.
When we got off the ship we walked down the pier to the cruise terminal to meet our tour guide. The terminal was a charming area brimming with souvenir shops and local residents who greeted us with friendly smiles. We climbed aboard our tour bus which was a large off-road vehicle filled with bench seats. Luckily, there were stairs to climb in which made it much easier to get in than the last time we went off-roading.
Our guide told us that the island is part of the British overseas territories. However, they have their own local government. Grand Turk is a very small island which is one mile wide and seven miles long. All of the spectacular beaches are public and can be enjoyed throughout the year since the island receives only a minimal amount of rain. There are 4500 permanent residents, although the population swells with tourists since it is one of the top diving sites in the world. The guide told us that the island has the third largest barrier reef in the world, which attracts thousands of divers year round. The water turns from a light turquoise blue to deep navy not far from the shore. Evidently, the ocean floor drops from 35 feet to 1300 feet, making the port quite accessible to cruise ships. Goods and services are quite expensive here since nearly everything must be imported. Gasoline is $6.20/gallon.
As we began our tour of the island we passed many wild horses, goats, dogs, and donkeys along the sides of the road as well as in the fields. They are allowed to roam free throughout the island so drivers must be very careful. There is not much foliage on the island. Grand Turk has quite a barren and windswept appearance. There are a few scattered sea grapes, acacia, mahogany, buttonwood, and Caribbean pine trees as well as numerous mangroves but I didn't notice many colorful flowers like we have seen on many other islands. The highest point on the island is only about 150 feet in elevation so it is quite a flat island.
We spotted the NASA Friendship 2 space capsule, which splashed down just offshore in February, 1962. It sets proudly in a specially designed area just off the main road so people can enjoy this important piece of history. We passed an old house, built in 1830, which is believed to be haunted. The most recent owners of the house claimed that they saw the ghost of the original owner who had only one arm, moving through the house. The home is abandoned at the present time. If anyone wants to move to Grand Turk you can probably get this house for a good price! One of the best views on the island is from Her Majesty's Prison, last occupied in 1994. It is located along the beach just outside of town. Quite a lovely location.
Our first stop was at a wonderful arts and crafts street market. Unlike many places on our cruise, these goods were really made on this island. If we weren't so tight on space, I would have bought many more items. However, we only bought a couple of items, including a beautiful leather mask. The people here are extremely warm and friendly. It was really a pleasure to talk with them. Although they would love to sell their wares, they were very respectful and not at all pushy like some of the vendors we have seen at other ports. Very enjoyable stop.
We stopped to observe the oldest church on the island. Like everything else here it was a dignified structure, with few frills. It was interesting to note that this island has escaped the temptation to build high rise buildings on every inch of their shoreline. There were many hotels on the coastline but there was also plenty of open space so everyone can enjoy the magnificent ocean views. The hotels are one and two stories and quite unpretentious.
We made a brief stop to enjoy a lovely view of the gorgeous coastline with the stunning coral reefs and crystal clear turquoise water. This island is blessed with many beautiful sandy beaches that are great for swimming, as well as snorkeling or diving.
Our final stop was at the island's lighthouse. It was a charming building located on top of a small limestone hill, with an attached kerosene storage house attached to it. The lighthouse was actually constructed in the United Kingdom and shipped to the island and has been in use since the mid 1800's. It was placed at its location to warn sailors of the nearby shallow reefs. Although it was originally lit with reflectors and kerosene lamps it was updated in the 1970's and now has electric lights. We had a nice time walking around the grounds, browsing through the ever present gift shop, and checking out the zip line they are constructing on the grounds. Should be a spectacular ride when it is completed since it will overlook the beautiful coastline and coral reefs.
It was time for us to return to the ship and get ready for the crew show! Our butler is singing two songs in the show and I feel like a proud mommy to see him up there. On these long cruises we become very attached and fond of our crew, particularly the ones who cared for us. So excited to have an opportunity to see them in the spotlight. We also have a special reunion dinner tonight with the 2014 world cruise passengers who have also been on this cruise. We have made some wonderful, lifelong friends and we will miss seeing them on a regular basis. Guess we'll have to take another Silversea cruise in the future. Now, it's time to get ready for our last port of call, Nassau, Bahamas. Also, I MUST start packing since we go home on Tuesday. Sooo excited to see my family again. That's the toughest part of traveling for such a long time - missing my kids, grandkids, and mom.
Samana, Dominican Republic: Friday, March 6th
The sail in early this morning was beautiful. The hillsides were completely covered by lush green vegetation which formed magnificent layers of colors. The royal and coconut palms provided the height, while mahogany, cedar, and pine trees added volume and depth to the space just below the palm fronds. Smaller trees of wild olives and ficus added yet another layer and additional texture to the hillsides. Various types of orchids, plumeria, yellow iris, zinnia, ginger, and spider flowers provided the final touch of vibrant color at ground level to complete the beautiful Caribbean canvas.
Although we didn't see any during our day here, we were told there are iguanas, lizards, turtles, American crocodiles, woodpeckers, parrots, egrets, frigates, ducks and flamingos on the island.
This port was a last minute substitute because we weren't able to get into the original port due to rough seas, and we were planning on using the tenders to access the pier. So, unfortunately, there were no activities or tours planned for us here. Bob and I decided to get off the ship and explore the town on our own. Oh my goodness, street vendors were everywhere and they were quite aggressive!!! We must have had 25 people trying to talk us into a taxi or bicycle tour of the island. There were a number of booths set up along the beach walkway selling their wares (probably mostly made in China) and it was tough to get by them without being physically forced into their booth :)! However, we stuck to the plan and bought only one port souvenir magnet. We walked a little way down the street but there was absolutely NOTHING to see!!! There were a few small stores but most of them were closed. The town doesn't have any real charm and we were quite disappointed with the surroundings.
In the afternoon Bob decided to take a small boat out to go whale watching and get some photos. I decided to return to the ship and read my book, which is absolutely fantastic. He had a good time and got some great shots of the humpback whales. The only down side was that it was a small boat and the waves were fairly large so they occasionally obscured the view of the whales. One of the passengers actually told Bob to sit down (can you imagine trying to tell BOB to sit down - no way. Then you KNOW he will remain standing for the rest of the time)!!!! Luckily, one of the crew members noticed his big camera and invited him to join the captain on the top deck!! Of course, Bob was thrilled and he got some GREAT photos. No more nasty passengers to deal with up there. Of course, when the ride ended they all wanted to know where he had been the entire time. He just smiled as he climbed down the topside ladder and joined everyone else to leave the boat :).
Our ship sailed early this evening and we enjoyed the beautiful foliage on the way out to sea. Tomorrow, we're in Grand Turk. Another new adventure for us.
Although we didn't see any during our day here, we were told there are iguanas, lizards, turtles, American crocodiles, woodpeckers, parrots, egrets, frigates, ducks and flamingos on the island.
This port was a last minute substitute because we weren't able to get into the original port due to rough seas, and we were planning on using the tenders to access the pier. So, unfortunately, there were no activities or tours planned for us here. Bob and I decided to get off the ship and explore the town on our own. Oh my goodness, street vendors were everywhere and they were quite aggressive!!! We must have had 25 people trying to talk us into a taxi or bicycle tour of the island. There were a number of booths set up along the beach walkway selling their wares (probably mostly made in China) and it was tough to get by them without being physically forced into their booth :)! However, we stuck to the plan and bought only one port souvenir magnet. We walked a little way down the street but there was absolutely NOTHING to see!!! There were a few small stores but most of them were closed. The town doesn't have any real charm and we were quite disappointed with the surroundings.
In the afternoon Bob decided to take a small boat out to go whale watching and get some photos. I decided to return to the ship and read my book, which is absolutely fantastic. He had a good time and got some great shots of the humpback whales. The only down side was that it was a small boat and the waves were fairly large so they occasionally obscured the view of the whales. One of the passengers actually told Bob to sit down (can you imagine trying to tell BOB to sit down - no way. Then you KNOW he will remain standing for the rest of the time)!!!! Luckily, one of the crew members noticed his big camera and invited him to join the captain on the top deck!! Of course, Bob was thrilled and he got some GREAT photos. No more nasty passengers to deal with up there. Of course, when the ride ended they all wanted to know where he had been the entire time. He just smiled as he climbed down the topside ladder and joined everyone else to leave the boat :).
Our ship sailed early this evening and we enjoyed the beautiful foliage on the way out to sea. Tomorrow, we're in Grand Turk. Another new adventure for us.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Kralendijk, Bonaire: Wednesday, March 4th
We didn't have a tour until the afternoon so I had the entire morning to catch up on publishing the blog (thus, all the postings)! It was wonderful to sleep in a bit and have time to go to breakfast in the dining room instead of quickly ordering something from room service early in the morning.
Bonaire is a small island that officially became part of Holland in 2010. There are 17,000 residents on the island, which is 25 miles long and 4 miles wide. Taxes are 30% but our guide was quick to point out that their social services and medical services are completely covered. Minimum wage is $4.60/hour. She joked throughout our tour about how no one cared about Bonaire since there was absolutely nothing useful on the island that would help them get rich so everyone leaves them alone! There is not much entertainment on Bonaire and the only movie theater on the island is quite dilapidated and has been closed for many years. People pass the time by playing dominoes, soccer and baseball.
The island was formed from land created when two tectonic plates came together, so volcanoes are not an issue here. There are over 400 caves on the island, many beautiful rock formations including a natural arch which residents refer to as the "arch of love." They believe that a couple who stands under the arch will have a long and happy life. Our guide told us about the seven species of bats that inhabit the island. She said she has bats outside her house that she goes out to see every night! Evidently, bats play a critical role in maintaining the ecosystem of the island. The bats (who eat only insects!) are the only ones who pollinate the columnar cactus. This cactus plays an important role in feeding many of the animals and reptiles when conditions become very dry due to a lack of rain on the island.
We headed for the north shore to see the flamingos, as well as the other animal and plant life on the island. The residents of Bonaire are extremely proud of their biodiversity on their island and are fiercely protective of anyone who attempts to disturb it They were the first island in the world to create a marine park. Since Bonaire receives very little rain the water is calm, crystal clear and free from silt. It is divable all year. Although there are only a few sandy beaches on the entire island, divers from all over the world come to enjoy the spectacular diving here. Bonaire is considered to be one of the top five sites in the world for diving. A few of the fish that live in their waters include parrot, angel, hog, peacock flounder, lizard, scorpion, and goatfish.
We passed a popular diving area which can be accessed from the road by descending the famous "1000 steps." Our guide told us that actually there are only 72 steps but urban legend is that an old sea captain used to ascend these steps after he had taken his boat out fishing and had imbibed in the spirits and it always felt to him like there were 1000 steps to climb!! Thus, the name!! Still, when divers climb the stairs toting diving gear I'm sure that many of them would agree with the old sea captain!
As we drove our guide pointed out a variety of trees, cacti, and flowering plants that grow throughout the island. The acacia tree has numerous thorns and can be used to keep unwanted "critters" out of an area. Many people surround their yards with cactus fences which are strings of wire with thorny cactus attached, mother-in-law cushion cactus (not so funny since I'm a MIL), kadushi cactus (liquid from this cactus is used to make liquor), prickly cactus, yatu cactus (which are the ones used to make the fences), brazilwood trees (used to make red dye), and castor oil plants (you know what this is used for...I stayed far away from those plants).
In addition to the plants we saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles (thankfully, no snakes on the island). When I asked our guide if there were snakes on the island she laughed and said she is always asked that question. It is the only unfortunate part of living on the island. There are cobras, anacondas, rattlers, vipers, boas, etc...... As I was nearly ready to stay on the bus until we returned to the ship she laughed (really hard) and said NO, there are no snakes here. Well, there is one about 6" long, harmless, and they rarely see them. NOT FUNNY!!! I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or slug her but I was quite relieved to know I could relax and enjoy our time on the island!!
We saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles. We saw green and yellow parakeets perched on trees and learned that they sometimes lay their eggs inside of termite nests. We also spotted a few yellow shoulder amazon parrots, and some beautifully colored iguanas creeping along the ground. Our guide told us that they are often killed by hunters and sold for food, which is illegal. We saw lots of vibrantly colored lizards, as well as goats, wild dogs, and pigs. Our guide pointed out a sign that she said we probably wouldn't see at home. It warned drivers to stop for billy goats crossing! I'm sure she's correct. We won't see this sign at home on the Southern California beaches.
We arrived at the north shore of the island and saw a group of pink flamingos relaxing in the shallow lakeshore water, frequently ducking their heads and long necks under the water to collect food. They were such odd looking creatures with their very long skinny legs but they were actually quite graceful in the water and in flight. When they flap their wings you can see the patches of black underneath them. They come here because of the plentiful brine shrimp in the calm waters on the island. A bit surreal to be out here in this isolated place watching flamingos, lizards, and iguanas. Absolutely love it.
We started our trek back across the island to the ship. It's not a particularly beautiful island but it is quite interesting. Residents absolutely love their isolated lifestyle and are happy to live a slow, uncomplicated life. Our final sight before we drove back into the port was a large tree decorated with flip flop sandals hanging like Christmas ornaments. I thought it was quite a cute idea for trees at home during the Christmas season! As soon as we returned to the ship it was time to sail for the Dominican Republic. First, however, we have a lovely day at sea tomorrow so I can relax and get a little extra sleep!!!
Bonaire is a small island that officially became part of Holland in 2010. There are 17,000 residents on the island, which is 25 miles long and 4 miles wide. Taxes are 30% but our guide was quick to point out that their social services and medical services are completely covered. Minimum wage is $4.60/hour. She joked throughout our tour about how no one cared about Bonaire since there was absolutely nothing useful on the island that would help them get rich so everyone leaves them alone! There is not much entertainment on Bonaire and the only movie theater on the island is quite dilapidated and has been closed for many years. People pass the time by playing dominoes, soccer and baseball.
The island was formed from land created when two tectonic plates came together, so volcanoes are not an issue here. There are over 400 caves on the island, many beautiful rock formations including a natural arch which residents refer to as the "arch of love." They believe that a couple who stands under the arch will have a long and happy life. Our guide told us about the seven species of bats that inhabit the island. She said she has bats outside her house that she goes out to see every night! Evidently, bats play a critical role in maintaining the ecosystem of the island. The bats (who eat only insects!) are the only ones who pollinate the columnar cactus. This cactus plays an important role in feeding many of the animals and reptiles when conditions become very dry due to a lack of rain on the island.
We headed for the north shore to see the flamingos, as well as the other animal and plant life on the island. The residents of Bonaire are extremely proud of their biodiversity on their island and are fiercely protective of anyone who attempts to disturb it They were the first island in the world to create a marine park. Since Bonaire receives very little rain the water is calm, crystal clear and free from silt. It is divable all year. Although there are only a few sandy beaches on the entire island, divers from all over the world come to enjoy the spectacular diving here. Bonaire is considered to be one of the top five sites in the world for diving. A few of the fish that live in their waters include parrot, angel, hog, peacock flounder, lizard, scorpion, and goatfish.
We passed a popular diving area which can be accessed from the road by descending the famous "1000 steps." Our guide told us that actually there are only 72 steps but urban legend is that an old sea captain used to ascend these steps after he had taken his boat out fishing and had imbibed in the spirits and it always felt to him like there were 1000 steps to climb!! Thus, the name!! Still, when divers climb the stairs toting diving gear I'm sure that many of them would agree with the old sea captain!
As we drove our guide pointed out a variety of trees, cacti, and flowering plants that grow throughout the island. The acacia tree has numerous thorns and can be used to keep unwanted "critters" out of an area. Many people surround their yards with cactus fences which are strings of wire with thorny cactus attached, mother-in-law cushion cactus (not so funny since I'm a MIL), kadushi cactus (liquid from this cactus is used to make liquor), prickly cactus, yatu cactus (which are the ones used to make the fences), brazilwood trees (used to make red dye), and castor oil plants (you know what this is used for...I stayed far away from those plants).
In addition to the plants we saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles (thankfully, no snakes on the island). When I asked our guide if there were snakes on the island she laughed and said she is always asked that question. It is the only unfortunate part of living on the island. There are cobras, anacondas, rattlers, vipers, boas, etc...... As I was nearly ready to stay on the bus until we returned to the ship she laughed (really hard) and said NO, there are no snakes here. Well, there is one about 6" long, harmless, and they rarely see them. NOT FUNNY!!! I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or slug her but I was quite relieved to know I could relax and enjoy our time on the island!!
We saw quite a few animals, birds, and reptiles. We saw green and yellow parakeets perched on trees and learned that they sometimes lay their eggs inside of termite nests. We also spotted a few yellow shoulder amazon parrots, and some beautifully colored iguanas creeping along the ground. Our guide told us that they are often killed by hunters and sold for food, which is illegal. We saw lots of vibrantly colored lizards, as well as goats, wild dogs, and pigs. Our guide pointed out a sign that she said we probably wouldn't see at home. It warned drivers to stop for billy goats crossing! I'm sure she's correct. We won't see this sign at home on the Southern California beaches.
We arrived at the north shore of the island and saw a group of pink flamingos relaxing in the shallow lakeshore water, frequently ducking their heads and long necks under the water to collect food. They were such odd looking creatures with their very long skinny legs but they were actually quite graceful in the water and in flight. When they flap their wings you can see the patches of black underneath them. They come here because of the plentiful brine shrimp in the calm waters on the island. A bit surreal to be out here in this isolated place watching flamingos, lizards, and iguanas. Absolutely love it.
We started our trek back across the island to the ship. It's not a particularly beautiful island but it is quite interesting. Residents absolutely love their isolated lifestyle and are happy to live a slow, uncomplicated life. Our final sight before we drove back into the port was a large tree decorated with flip flop sandals hanging like Christmas ornaments. I thought it was quite a cute idea for trees at home during the Christmas season! As soon as we returned to the ship it was time to sail for the Dominican Republic. First, however, we have a lovely day at sea tomorrow so I can relax and get a little extra sleep!!!
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Oranjestad, Aruba: Tuesday, March 3rd
We had a lovely visit today to a tropical butterfly garden, aloe factory, and natural bridge ruins. We boarded our bus and realized immediately that we had a VERY energetic, enthusiastic tour guide. He was a nice young man who was very new to the tourist industry. He told us he has been looking for a more interesting job where he could talk all day and develop his comedy routine in preparation for a career as a comedian. After listening to some of his standup I would suggest that he keep his day job for a while longer! I noticed the fellow sitting across the aisle from me putting in his earplugs!!!
The guide did share some interesting facts about Aruba. He told us it was just slightly smaller in size that Washington D.C. It is the most "Americanized" of all the Dutch islands in the Caribbean. Residents pay 58.8% in taxes and $5.25/gallon for gasoline at the present time. Tourism is critical to the development of Aruba. He told us that 75% of people are employed in tourism. Finally, he told us about higher education on the island. Most of the physicians go to Holland or the U.S. for their training while dentists frequently go to Cuba for their training. After watching movies about people being tortured by dentists when the government wants information from them, I'm not sure how comfortable I would be going to a dentist trained in Cuba!!!
Our first stop was at the butterfly gardens. Bob was not nearly as excited about seeing these delightful creatures as I was but he was a good sport to come with me to see them. As we entered the enclosed gardens we were greeted by hundreds of magnificently colored butterflies. Although there were many monarchs which are also found in the U.S. their coloring is a bit different due to the weather in the Caribbean. The heat of the sun's rays cause the orange to fade so they are much lighter. Otherwise, the other butterflies had brilliant coloring. There were black ones with fire engine red underneath the wings, neon blue and green, sunshine yellow, orange, some with graceful patterns of black and white lace, and even one which was cocoa brown. Some of the butterflies we saw were long wings (thin, extended wings), owls (which have a large eye on each of their wings to scare off predators), and atlas moths. These moths are considered the largest ones in the world. They are called atlas because their beautiful wings look like a map. Their wings have triangular transparent windows, with an unknown purpose. In addition to the butterflies there were streams filled with koi, and an iguana creeping on the top of the overhead netting. The entire garden was filled with spectacular tropical plants and flowers such as red ginger, red pineapple, anthuriums, bougainvilleas, and plumeria. There were many more but unfortunately I couldn't identify them.
After a quiet, peaceful visit to the gardens we continued our day with a drive through the countryside to an aloe factory. Along the way our guide pointed out the resort where Sammy Davis, Jr. used to frequent. He also told us that two famous American actors bought homes here and it dramatically drove up home prices in that area. He was not allowed to tell us who they were but we guessed one of them, since the large Church of Scientology yacht was docked in the harbor. Tom Cruise was one of them, but not sure who bought the other home.
I was surprised at how dry and desert-like this side of the island was. Our guide told us that there were four species of cacti here that are found only in Aruba and Arizona. The one we saw most frequently was the organ pipe cactus.
Our next stop was at an aloe factory where they grow the aloe plants, process, bottle, and sell a variety of skin care products. We took a quick tour of the plant to see how they extracted the aloe from the leaves. We finished with a stop at the retail shop (of course) where some of our passengers bought products. I decided to keep my money in my wallet since a small bottle of lotion was $75.00. Not quite sure who the aloe factory paid off to get us to stop here on our tour. It was not very interesting, and extremely expensive for their products! Bob and I were anxious to move on to the next point of interest.
Our final stop was at the Natural Bridge Park where we had an opportunity to walk over the natural rock bridge created from coral and limestone. This bridge was a piece of a larger one that broke apart a few years ago due to the constant pounding of the surf. The beach was full of black volcanic rock, which was spectacular against the backdrop of aqua blue seas and crashing waves. The landscape was quite sparse, except for the cactus. We were told that seven veins of gold run through this national park. It continues to be mined today.
Bob was busy running around taking photos and exploring the area while I decided to walk on the bridge by myself. Below it there were powerful ocean waves continually crashing into the rock, and the wind was quite strong. Our guide kept warning us to be very careful while walking in the area since the waves will sometimes crash and catch people off guard and drench them, or something much worse. I got about halfway out on the bridge until the rocks became quite rugged and uneven. Since I don't have a good sense of balance I suddenly felt like a cat stuck in a tree. I looked around for Bob to come and hold my hand for stability so I wouldn't become a permanent resident of this site. However, he was nowhere to be found. So, I just said a prayer, took a deep breath, and began to walk very slowly, considering each step before I planted my foot. I finally made it, but at the end there was a bit of a leap over a deep crevice which I REALLY didn't want to attempt by myself so I noticed a couple of young men just ahead of me. I actually asked one of them if he would lend me a hand while I jumped. He was so nice and seemed happy to help. I was very glad to be safely back on more even ground again, and near to the bus.
We left this lovely coastal area to return to the ship. Along the way we noticed that in the cemeteries, the mausoleums were painted in bright colors. Our guide explained that they were painted the same color as the deceased person's family home. Quite unique, but perhaps a bit strange! He told us that the island is finally getting back to work after the end of Carnival which lasts six weeks on this island, starting in January. That's the longest Carnival we have heard of so far on this entire trip!!! Islanders must be exhausted by the time it is over!!!! Late tonight we sail to Bonaire, which is the last one of the Dutch Antilles for us to visit. The trip is winding down quickly now.
The guide did share some interesting facts about Aruba. He told us it was just slightly smaller in size that Washington D.C. It is the most "Americanized" of all the Dutch islands in the Caribbean. Residents pay 58.8% in taxes and $5.25/gallon for gasoline at the present time. Tourism is critical to the development of Aruba. He told us that 75% of people are employed in tourism. Finally, he told us about higher education on the island. Most of the physicians go to Holland or the U.S. for their training while dentists frequently go to Cuba for their training. After watching movies about people being tortured by dentists when the government wants information from them, I'm not sure how comfortable I would be going to a dentist trained in Cuba!!!
Our first stop was at the butterfly gardens. Bob was not nearly as excited about seeing these delightful creatures as I was but he was a good sport to come with me to see them. As we entered the enclosed gardens we were greeted by hundreds of magnificently colored butterflies. Although there were many monarchs which are also found in the U.S. their coloring is a bit different due to the weather in the Caribbean. The heat of the sun's rays cause the orange to fade so they are much lighter. Otherwise, the other butterflies had brilliant coloring. There were black ones with fire engine red underneath the wings, neon blue and green, sunshine yellow, orange, some with graceful patterns of black and white lace, and even one which was cocoa brown. Some of the butterflies we saw were long wings (thin, extended wings), owls (which have a large eye on each of their wings to scare off predators), and atlas moths. These moths are considered the largest ones in the world. They are called atlas because their beautiful wings look like a map. Their wings have triangular transparent windows, with an unknown purpose. In addition to the butterflies there were streams filled with koi, and an iguana creeping on the top of the overhead netting. The entire garden was filled with spectacular tropical plants and flowers such as red ginger, red pineapple, anthuriums, bougainvilleas, and plumeria. There were many more but unfortunately I couldn't identify them.
After a quiet, peaceful visit to the gardens we continued our day with a drive through the countryside to an aloe factory. Along the way our guide pointed out the resort where Sammy Davis, Jr. used to frequent. He also told us that two famous American actors bought homes here and it dramatically drove up home prices in that area. He was not allowed to tell us who they were but we guessed one of them, since the large Church of Scientology yacht was docked in the harbor. Tom Cruise was one of them, but not sure who bought the other home.
I was surprised at how dry and desert-like this side of the island was. Our guide told us that there were four species of cacti here that are found only in Aruba and Arizona. The one we saw most frequently was the organ pipe cactus.
Our next stop was at an aloe factory where they grow the aloe plants, process, bottle, and sell a variety of skin care products. We took a quick tour of the plant to see how they extracted the aloe from the leaves. We finished with a stop at the retail shop (of course) where some of our passengers bought products. I decided to keep my money in my wallet since a small bottle of lotion was $75.00. Not quite sure who the aloe factory paid off to get us to stop here on our tour. It was not very interesting, and extremely expensive for their products! Bob and I were anxious to move on to the next point of interest.
Our final stop was at the Natural Bridge Park where we had an opportunity to walk over the natural rock bridge created from coral and limestone. This bridge was a piece of a larger one that broke apart a few years ago due to the constant pounding of the surf. The beach was full of black volcanic rock, which was spectacular against the backdrop of aqua blue seas and crashing waves. The landscape was quite sparse, except for the cactus. We were told that seven veins of gold run through this national park. It continues to be mined today.
Bob was busy running around taking photos and exploring the area while I decided to walk on the bridge by myself. Below it there were powerful ocean waves continually crashing into the rock, and the wind was quite strong. Our guide kept warning us to be very careful while walking in the area since the waves will sometimes crash and catch people off guard and drench them, or something much worse. I got about halfway out on the bridge until the rocks became quite rugged and uneven. Since I don't have a good sense of balance I suddenly felt like a cat stuck in a tree. I looked around for Bob to come and hold my hand for stability so I wouldn't become a permanent resident of this site. However, he was nowhere to be found. So, I just said a prayer, took a deep breath, and began to walk very slowly, considering each step before I planted my foot. I finally made it, but at the end there was a bit of a leap over a deep crevice which I REALLY didn't want to attempt by myself so I noticed a couple of young men just ahead of me. I actually asked one of them if he would lend me a hand while I jumped. He was so nice and seemed happy to help. I was very glad to be safely back on more even ground again, and near to the bus.
We left this lovely coastal area to return to the ship. Along the way we noticed that in the cemeteries, the mausoleums were painted in bright colors. Our guide explained that they were painted the same color as the deceased person's family home. Quite unique, but perhaps a bit strange! He told us that the island is finally getting back to work after the end of Carnival which lasts six weeks on this island, starting in January. That's the longest Carnival we have heard of so far on this entire trip!!! Islanders must be exhausted by the time it is over!!!! Late tonight we sail to Bonaire, which is the last one of the Dutch Antilles for us to visit. The trip is winding down quickly now.
Willemstad, Curacao: Monday, March 2nd
We sailed into the lovely port this morning soon after sunrise. I was up early so I was able to watch our ship sail into this charming harbor. The first observation is that the lovely old houses are all painted in different, bright colors. Fanciful gables, arcades, and bulging columns evoked the spirit of the Dutch colonial burghers Local urban legend has it that many years ago the mayor of the town announced that he had a visual problem with the color white because it created such a bright glare and impaired his vision. He ordered everyone to paint their houses in other colors. Everyone cooperated, and thus the town has many shades of green, yellow, blue, red, brown, purple, orange, etc. Later, it was discovered that the mayor owned a paint company!! Hmmm...pretty suspicious!!! However, it created a charming look for the village!
As soon as we arrived at the pier we left on our excursion. We had a somewhat quick tour of the town and then drove to the other side of the island where we took an hour ride on a semi-submersible submarine among the magnificent coral reefs. Although there wasn't a huge variety of fish, the ones we saw were beautiful. At one point, a crew member put on dive gear, jumped into the water, and proceeded to feed the fish. They surrounded our vessel immediately! In fact, some of them recognized the submarine as the "feed" boat so they followed us. Immediately, I saw hundreds of tiny whitish-clear jellyfish. They were so incredibly graceful as they floated through the water. Most of the fish were fairly small although they were beautiful and brightly colored. Most of them were either neon blue, yellow, pink, or striped. The ones I recognized were parrots, trumpet, and yellow-tailed snapper. In addition to the fish we saw some gorgeous and interesting sponges. There were sponges that looked like a human brain, some that were long and tubular shaped, and others which were shaped like a bowl of fine china, with thin, delicate sides which got bigger at the top. Some of them looked like sliced mushrooms while others had a bright white line around the top edge. Our guide explained that we must stay away from this coral because the edge causes burns worse than poison ivy. (Note to self: stay away from this stuff)! We also saw small sea turtles swimming around like they were completely carefree. That's probably because this side of the island doesn't have many sharks! After a delightful ride we rose to the surface and returned to land.
As we drove through the small towns our guide requested that we notice the cars and how well maintained they were. It seems that if the owner does not take good care of his/her car the police will come and pick it up and put it in storage. The owner can reclaim it to make the repairs and pay a $200 fine. If the car is not claimed in a short time it is sold for parts and the remainder is recycled. This might not go over too well in Southern California. I must, however, admit that all of the cars looked very nice here! As we drove we passed a small town that was filled with fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, etc. Our guide asked us what we thought the locals called this area. He finally told us it was called "Cholesterol City."
Our final stop was at the Chobalobo Liqueur Factory to sample the orange liquor that is produced and exported from Curacao. They had five colors: blue, green, red, orange, and clear. There were three distinct tastes: chocolate, coffee and rum raisin. They encouraged us to mix the colors and tastes together. I mixed the orange and chocolate, then the coffee and chocolate. Whew!!! Feel the burn!! Guess I'm not accustomed to drinking hard liquor. That was enough for me. Yes, I'm a wuss!!!
We returned to the pier, then walked across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of town. We strolled along the streets and bought a small, colorful wall hanging and, of course, a magnet for our collection. Although we saw many lovely items, they were quite expensive and we were warned that many of them were actually made in China.
The town was quite charming and easy to navigate. There was an area of the dock where the small fishing vessels stopped and sold their catch of the day, a large fruit and vegetable market, and hundreds of vendors selling their wares from kiosks along the street. The town and wharf were bustling and teeming with tourists. There was another, and very large, cruise ship docked nearby so everyone was milling around the town enjoying the sights, Caribbean sounds and spectacular weather. After a nice walk around the town we returned to the ship and my wonderful husband went upstairs and got me a delicious non-alcoholic pina colada while I wrote the blog. What an amazing guy!!! Later tonight we're off to Aruba!
As soon as we arrived at the pier we left on our excursion. We had a somewhat quick tour of the town and then drove to the other side of the island where we took an hour ride on a semi-submersible submarine among the magnificent coral reefs. Although there wasn't a huge variety of fish, the ones we saw were beautiful. At one point, a crew member put on dive gear, jumped into the water, and proceeded to feed the fish. They surrounded our vessel immediately! In fact, some of them recognized the submarine as the "feed" boat so they followed us. Immediately, I saw hundreds of tiny whitish-clear jellyfish. They were so incredibly graceful as they floated through the water. Most of the fish were fairly small although they were beautiful and brightly colored. Most of them were either neon blue, yellow, pink, or striped. The ones I recognized were parrots, trumpet, and yellow-tailed snapper. In addition to the fish we saw some gorgeous and interesting sponges. There were sponges that looked like a human brain, some that were long and tubular shaped, and others which were shaped like a bowl of fine china, with thin, delicate sides which got bigger at the top. Some of them looked like sliced mushrooms while others had a bright white line around the top edge. Our guide explained that we must stay away from this coral because the edge causes burns worse than poison ivy. (Note to self: stay away from this stuff)! We also saw small sea turtles swimming around like they were completely carefree. That's probably because this side of the island doesn't have many sharks! After a delightful ride we rose to the surface and returned to land.
As we drove through the small towns our guide requested that we notice the cars and how well maintained they were. It seems that if the owner does not take good care of his/her car the police will come and pick it up and put it in storage. The owner can reclaim it to make the repairs and pay a $200 fine. If the car is not claimed in a short time it is sold for parts and the remainder is recycled. This might not go over too well in Southern California. I must, however, admit that all of the cars looked very nice here! As we drove we passed a small town that was filled with fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, etc. Our guide asked us what we thought the locals called this area. He finally told us it was called "Cholesterol City."
Our final stop was at the Chobalobo Liqueur Factory to sample the orange liquor that is produced and exported from Curacao. They had five colors: blue, green, red, orange, and clear. There were three distinct tastes: chocolate, coffee and rum raisin. They encouraged us to mix the colors and tastes together. I mixed the orange and chocolate, then the coffee and chocolate. Whew!!! Feel the burn!! Guess I'm not accustomed to drinking hard liquor. That was enough for me. Yes, I'm a wuss!!!
We returned to the pier, then walked across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of town. We strolled along the streets and bought a small, colorful wall hanging and, of course, a magnet for our collection. Although we saw many lovely items, they were quite expensive and we were warned that many of them were actually made in China.
The town was quite charming and easy to navigate. There was an area of the dock where the small fishing vessels stopped and sold their catch of the day, a large fruit and vegetable market, and hundreds of vendors selling their wares from kiosks along the street. The town and wharf were bustling and teeming with tourists. There was another, and very large, cruise ship docked nearby so everyone was milling around the town enjoying the sights, Caribbean sounds and spectacular weather. After a nice walk around the town we returned to the ship and my wonderful husband went upstairs and got me a delicious non-alcoholic pina colada while I wrote the blog. What an amazing guy!!! Later tonight we're off to Aruba!
St. George's, Grenada: Saturday, February 28th
Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day.....
I was quite anxious (to say the least) about our excursion today since we were going on a swim and snorkel trip in the open ocean on a catamaran. I'm not a strong swimmer and I am usually quite afraid to swim in the ocean. HOWEVER, what a surprise!! Today turned out to be my favorite excursion on the entire two-month trip!!!
I was walking along the dock towards the catamaran when I looked ahead and saw how high it set in the water. My first thought was how am I ever going to get myself up that high to even get on the boat! I haven't done anything like that since flight attendant training, when I had to get inside the lifeboat from the water, and that time I had help from lots of my friends!!! When it was my turn to board the boat two crew members told me not to worry because it was a piece of cake. They held on and hoisted me up without a flinch (or breaking their backs). Amazing!!! Whew, one hurdle accomplished. Now, it was time to face the water. This called for a compromise. Bob donned the snorkel gear and jumped in the water. However, I remained on the boat with a few other wusses and enjoyed the sun.
While he was in the water the guide took him, and the other snorkelers, to the Underwater Sculpture Park in Molinere Reef. They enjoyed a series of approximately 15 different sculptures in sea depths of 15-30 feet. When tourism on the island was dwindling a number of years ago, a local artist decided to become proactive and do something to increase interest in the island. So, he created a large sculpture and sunk it in the bay. Over time, more artists have created sculptures and added them to the collection, creating a spectacular underwater sculpture garden. Most of the sculptures are made with a combination of concrete and ribar. Each of the sculptures has multiple components. Included in the many sculptures are a ring of approximately ten children linking hands, a man working at his desk with a typewriter, 16 female forms laying on the ocean floor, a vase and bowl of fruit on a table, and a man riding a bicycle.
The underground park attracts marine life and tourists. It is one of the major tourist sites on the island. The dynamic changes brought about by being exposed to the power of the ocean constantly change the appearance of the sculptures. However, they remain a magnificent sight. Bob has a few photos if anyone is interested. Just email him at drbobusc@gmail.com. Once the swimmers returned to the boat we were off and sailing to Hog Island, where the crew and their families prepared an incredibly sumptuous feast including enormous lobsters which they cooked over an open fire, potato salad, green salad, and french bread.
I've always considered Maine lobster to be the gold standard. However, I've changed my mind after devouring the Caribbean lobster we had today First, the lobsters were HUGE. I have never seen lobsters this big. They filled the entire large dinner plates. Still, they were extremely tender which usually doesn't happen with larger lobsters. They were barbequed using lots of butter and seasonings which gave them a rich, luscious flavor. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! In addition, a mother of one of the crew members made a potato salad and green salad which were absolutely delicious. It was truly a family affair. So enjoyable. Of course there was plenty of Caribbean beer to go around. Luckily for me, they also served water. We had time to relax on the small island and enjoy our magnificent surroundings.
Before before and after lunch lunch I took a dip in the beautiful clear, turquoise water. The water was warm and the sun was bright - perfect conditions for a relaxing swim. The surf was so gentle I felt quite safe being alone in the water. As everyone else was on the sand enjoying their beer I had the water to myself!!! I enjoyed schools of fish as they swam next to me. Back on the sand, Bob began to notice I was gone and started looking for me. It never occurred to him that I might be in the water along! Finally, I got his attention and he was quite surprised.
Too soon it was time to reboard the catamaran and return to the ship. This time we used the stairs on the boat that extended into the water and it was much easier to get on board. I was quite thankful. The captain started the motor and we were on our way. Soon the sails were trimmed and they began to lift us as we gracefully surfed the waves.
I settled into a comfortable place on the boat as the crew turned on some island music. Occasionally the surf would gently splash up and spray us with just enough water to keep us cool under the heat of the afternoon sun. It was a perfect way to finish a beautiful day. I started out this morning with many reservations about this excursion. All my fears were put to rest as the crew attended to every detail and made sure sure that we were comfortable and enjoying the trip. This day has turned out to be my favorite excursion of the entire two month trip. Next up for us, Curacao!!
I was quite anxious (to say the least) about our excursion today since we were going on a swim and snorkel trip in the open ocean on a catamaran. I'm not a strong swimmer and I am usually quite afraid to swim in the ocean. HOWEVER, what a surprise!! Today turned out to be my favorite excursion on the entire two-month trip!!!
I was walking along the dock towards the catamaran when I looked ahead and saw how high it set in the water. My first thought was how am I ever going to get myself up that high to even get on the boat! I haven't done anything like that since flight attendant training, when I had to get inside the lifeboat from the water, and that time I had help from lots of my friends!!! When it was my turn to board the boat two crew members told me not to worry because it was a piece of cake. They held on and hoisted me up without a flinch (or breaking their backs). Amazing!!! Whew, one hurdle accomplished. Now, it was time to face the water. This called for a compromise. Bob donned the snorkel gear and jumped in the water. However, I remained on the boat with a few other wusses and enjoyed the sun.
While he was in the water the guide took him, and the other snorkelers, to the Underwater Sculpture Park in Molinere Reef. They enjoyed a series of approximately 15 different sculptures in sea depths of 15-30 feet. When tourism on the island was dwindling a number of years ago, a local artist decided to become proactive and do something to increase interest in the island. So, he created a large sculpture and sunk it in the bay. Over time, more artists have created sculptures and added them to the collection, creating a spectacular underwater sculpture garden. Most of the sculptures are made with a combination of concrete and ribar. Each of the sculptures has multiple components. Included in the many sculptures are a ring of approximately ten children linking hands, a man working at his desk with a typewriter, 16 female forms laying on the ocean floor, a vase and bowl of fruit on a table, and a man riding a bicycle.
The underground park attracts marine life and tourists. It is one of the major tourist sites on the island. The dynamic changes brought about by being exposed to the power of the ocean constantly change the appearance of the sculptures. However, they remain a magnificent sight. Bob has a few photos if anyone is interested. Just email him at drbobusc@gmail.com. Once the swimmers returned to the boat we were off and sailing to Hog Island, where the crew and their families prepared an incredibly sumptuous feast including enormous lobsters which they cooked over an open fire, potato salad, green salad, and french bread.
I've always considered Maine lobster to be the gold standard. However, I've changed my mind after devouring the Caribbean lobster we had today First, the lobsters were HUGE. I have never seen lobsters this big. They filled the entire large dinner plates. Still, they were extremely tender which usually doesn't happen with larger lobsters. They were barbequed using lots of butter and seasonings which gave them a rich, luscious flavor. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! In addition, a mother of one of the crew members made a potato salad and green salad which were absolutely delicious. It was truly a family affair. So enjoyable. Of course there was plenty of Caribbean beer to go around. Luckily for me, they also served water. We had time to relax on the small island and enjoy our magnificent surroundings.
Before before and after lunch lunch I took a dip in the beautiful clear, turquoise water. The water was warm and the sun was bright - perfect conditions for a relaxing swim. The surf was so gentle I felt quite safe being alone in the water. As everyone else was on the sand enjoying their beer I had the water to myself!!! I enjoyed schools of fish as they swam next to me. Back on the sand, Bob began to notice I was gone and started looking for me. It never occurred to him that I might be in the water along! Finally, I got his attention and he was quite surprised.
Too soon it was time to reboard the catamaran and return to the ship. This time we used the stairs on the boat that extended into the water and it was much easier to get on board. I was quite thankful. The captain started the motor and we were on our way. Soon the sails were trimmed and they began to lift us as we gracefully surfed the waves.
I settled into a comfortable place on the boat as the crew turned on some island music. Occasionally the surf would gently splash up and spray us with just enough water to keep us cool under the heat of the afternoon sun. It was a perfect way to finish a beautiful day. I started out this morning with many reservations about this excursion. All my fears were put to rest as the crew attended to every detail and made sure sure that we were comfortable and enjoying the trip. This day has turned out to be my favorite excursion of the entire two month trip. Next up for us, Curacao!!
Bridgetown, Barbados: Friday, February 27th
WOW!!! The Caribbean!! We're finally here!!!! We were greeted by absolutely perfect weather, with bright and sunny blue skies and a few scattered thin white clouds. It was 84 degrees with a very slight, cool breeze. It was truly a landscape of azure seas and golden sand. Since the island formed from land that surfaced as a result of tectonic plates pushing together, volcanoes are not an issue on Barbados as they are on many other islands. Barbados is part of the British commonwealth and is often referred to as "little England" since it is quite British. The people of Barbados are known as very friendly and they have helped to make tourism the leading source of income for the island, followed by rum and sugar production.
We drove through an extremely wealthy section of town where Sir Elton John and Sean Connery own homes in a gated community and Simon Cowell and Rihannah own condominiums on the beach. Evidently, this is the childhood home of Rihannah and we saw the street where she lived as a child.
We visited two lovely sites today, including caves located up to 120 feet underground and a huge tropical flower garden. As we drove to the center of this island paradise we passed grassy valleys surrounded by undulating hills. Generally the island was fairly clean, although our guide shared with us that the local government is encouraging residents to take a more aggressive role in maintaining their lovely homes. Recycling is currently an issue being aggressively pushed on the island.
Our first stop was at the magnificent Harrison Caves which opened for tourism in 1981. We took an elevator from the ground level down to the cave and then rode a solar powered electric tram through the caves. The stretch of caves that are open to the public are one mile long, although they continue for another two miles. The dazzling stalactites hanging from the roof and stalagmites emerging from the ground were breathtaking. The beautiful sculptures we saw took thousands of years to form and continue to grow at a very slow pace. They shimmered like diamonds when the light hit them. There were streams of crystal clear running water that dropped from the ceilings to form spectacular waterfalls, one as high as 40 feet, that fell to the ground and formed deep emerald pools.
As we glided along the floor of the caves we entered the largest chamber in the caves which is referred to as the "great hall" and is 150 feet high and 100 feet wide. There was a stalactite which resembled a dazzling crystal chandelier illuminating the enormous chamber. Some of the walls had features which looked like fish fossils yet they too were formed by the dripping water. Other walls had the texture of huge sponges. We even saw one sculpture that resembled a large prehistoric animal. Finally, there were magnificent flowing sculptures which looked like graceful drapes hanging from the ceiling with delicate folds in the material. The caves were a magnificent site and we really enjoyed our time there.
Our last visit of the day was to walk through the spectacular Flower Forest. These splendid botanical gardens are nearly 54 acres and are filled with trees and flowering plants. It sets high on top of a hill overlooking the beautiful east coast of the island. Paved pedestrian paths make the grounds accessible, although there are constant inclines and declines so we certainly got our exercise for the day. Mature trees provided protective shade from the hot sun and gave the space a jungle-like feeling. The warm rays reflected off the palm fronds and they glistened in the sunshine as we walked through the forest.
The colors, textures, shapes, and scents gave the impression that we were strolling through Shangri-La. The grand landscape created a stunning explosion of visual delight. Enormous ficus trees, with their twisted trunks and aerial roots were intermingled with Royal palms to create the height. Plumeria, ginger, begonias, day lilies, hibiscus, flame trees, and magnificent African tulips with flaming red blooms helped create an aura of casual elegance.
Once we completed our lovely walk through the forest we sat in the open air cafe under a thatched roof with a bamboo bar and tried a sample of rum or fruit punch. I know I'm boring (and cowardly) because I chose the fruit punch. However, it was quite refreshing and certainly the correct choice for me.
We reboarded our bus for a tour of the opposite side of the island which was much more agricultural. There were farms with tropical flowers, fruits, vegetables, and cattle. Our driver wanted us to have an opportunity to see how most of the islanders live away from the tourist areas, which we appreciated greatly. Homes were small but clean and everyone we passed smiled, waved and said hello. It was a lovely way to spend the remainder of our time. Just before we got off the bus, our tour guide broke out in song about Barbados "Barbados, you are so beautiful...please come back to me....my lovely island....Barbados...I love you so" (or something like that). He was quite nice and a great tour guide, but he should definitely keep his day job!!!
We drove through an extremely wealthy section of town where Sir Elton John and Sean Connery own homes in a gated community and Simon Cowell and Rihannah own condominiums on the beach. Evidently, this is the childhood home of Rihannah and we saw the street where she lived as a child.
We visited two lovely sites today, including caves located up to 120 feet underground and a huge tropical flower garden. As we drove to the center of this island paradise we passed grassy valleys surrounded by undulating hills. Generally the island was fairly clean, although our guide shared with us that the local government is encouraging residents to take a more aggressive role in maintaining their lovely homes. Recycling is currently an issue being aggressively pushed on the island.
Our first stop was at the magnificent Harrison Caves which opened for tourism in 1981. We took an elevator from the ground level down to the cave and then rode a solar powered electric tram through the caves. The stretch of caves that are open to the public are one mile long, although they continue for another two miles. The dazzling stalactites hanging from the roof and stalagmites emerging from the ground were breathtaking. The beautiful sculptures we saw took thousands of years to form and continue to grow at a very slow pace. They shimmered like diamonds when the light hit them. There were streams of crystal clear running water that dropped from the ceilings to form spectacular waterfalls, one as high as 40 feet, that fell to the ground and formed deep emerald pools.
As we glided along the floor of the caves we entered the largest chamber in the caves which is referred to as the "great hall" and is 150 feet high and 100 feet wide. There was a stalactite which resembled a dazzling crystal chandelier illuminating the enormous chamber. Some of the walls had features which looked like fish fossils yet they too were formed by the dripping water. Other walls had the texture of huge sponges. We even saw one sculpture that resembled a large prehistoric animal. Finally, there were magnificent flowing sculptures which looked like graceful drapes hanging from the ceiling with delicate folds in the material. The caves were a magnificent site and we really enjoyed our time there.
Our last visit of the day was to walk through the spectacular Flower Forest. These splendid botanical gardens are nearly 54 acres and are filled with trees and flowering plants. It sets high on top of a hill overlooking the beautiful east coast of the island. Paved pedestrian paths make the grounds accessible, although there are constant inclines and declines so we certainly got our exercise for the day. Mature trees provided protective shade from the hot sun and gave the space a jungle-like feeling. The warm rays reflected off the palm fronds and they glistened in the sunshine as we walked through the forest.
The colors, textures, shapes, and scents gave the impression that we were strolling through Shangri-La. The grand landscape created a stunning explosion of visual delight. Enormous ficus trees, with their twisted trunks and aerial roots were intermingled with Royal palms to create the height. Plumeria, ginger, begonias, day lilies, hibiscus, flame trees, and magnificent African tulips with flaming red blooms helped create an aura of casual elegance.
Once we completed our lovely walk through the forest we sat in the open air cafe under a thatched roof with a bamboo bar and tried a sample of rum or fruit punch. I know I'm boring (and cowardly) because I chose the fruit punch. However, it was quite refreshing and certainly the correct choice for me.
We reboarded our bus for a tour of the opposite side of the island which was much more agricultural. There were farms with tropical flowers, fruits, vegetables, and cattle. Our driver wanted us to have an opportunity to see how most of the islanders live away from the tourist areas, which we appreciated greatly. Homes were small but clean and everyone we passed smiled, waved and said hello. It was a lovely way to spend the remainder of our time. Just before we got off the bus, our tour guide broke out in song about Barbados "Barbados, you are so beautiful...please come back to me....my lovely island....Barbados...I love you so" (or something like that). He was quite nice and a great tour guide, but he should definitely keep his day job!!!
Devil's Island (Isle Royale), French Guiana: Wednesday, February 25th
We've been traveling over open ocean for the last two days, no land in sight. I got up early and looked out our balcony to watch our approach to what I anticipated would be a cold, harsh, dry, desert-like island. It was quite a dismal day with a sky that was completely gray, dark ocean water churning with whitecaps and a strong current. It increased the feeling of isolation and dread as we approached this lonely place which served for many decades as a penal colony for extremely dangerous or political prisoners. The heavy air created a feeling of impending doom and rain that could start at any moment. We anchored offshore and the tenders were lowered in preparation for our visit to the island.
We landed on one of the three islands which served as the setting for the movie "Papillon" with Dustin Hoffman. The prisoner's actual name was Henry Charriere, and he is the only known individual to successfully escape from Devil's Island, or the "green hell" as it was called. He swam across shark infested waters and arrived safely on the shores of South America and remained there for most of his life. As we neared the shore I was surprised to see dense overgrown forests complete with gorgeous palm and other tropical trees and vibrant flowering plants.
As soon as we stepped off the tender it began to rain. At first it was a gentle rain and my umbrella was sufficient to keep me fairly dry and comfortable. However, as we proceeded a few more steps up the path it started to POUR and I ducked underneath a nearby shelter to put on the poncho I had brought with me. It helped but it wasn't quite long enough to keep me dry. However, we journeyed on, determined not to allow the rain to deter us from exploring this fascinating place.
Dirt paths meandered around the island and over the green hills. The haunting history of this island was brought to life when we climbed the primitive rock stairs which lead to the overgrown ruins of prison cells, administrative buildings and outbuildings. The cells were extremely small and decayed with thick wrought iron bars. We didn't see any toilet facilities in the cells, only at the end of a hall. As you can imagine, they were quite primitive, consisting of only a hole in the floor. There were separate isolation cells with no windows or light. Men sometimes spent years in these cells with only very brief periods of time allowed in a courtyard, one by one. They were not allowed to socialize with other prisoners.
In recent years a small hotel and gift shop have been added to allow tourists to spend extended time here and to purchase souvenirs, such as books, that discuss the history of the island in more depth. As Bob was walking around he spotted a few young people camping out, with hammocks spread out and attached to the walls of one of the decaying buildings. I was surprised to see many families with very young children getting off at the dock to visit the island. This is quite a harsh environment which is difficult to navigate, and the sites and their history are tragic. However, as we stood on the dock and waited for our tender, two large catamarans unloaded many visitors which included a few young babies and lots of young children.
I can't begin to imagine how many brutalities were committed here. In at least one case, a famous political prisoners was sent to the island but eventually proven to be innocent. Still, he spent five long years on the island for a crime he didn't commit. So very sad to think of him wasting away in this harsh and lonely environment.
After a time of walking through the old prison grounds, then having time for contemplation and reflection about the people who spent time on this island we started our trek through the gravel, rocks and paths back to the tender. The rain continued to fall and by the time we returned to the ship we were quite wet. However, I felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn a little bit about this island and its place in history.
Now, after a long journey of amazing experiences and learning about fascinating people and cultures, it's time to set sail for the spectacular, beautiful Caribbean!! First up, Barbados where many passengers will disembark and new ones will join us. It's always a little sad when people leave with whom we have made friends and enjoyed their company. However, we're looking forward to meeting more wonderful and fascinating people and having more fun adventures before our wonderful journey ends in a couple of weeks.
We landed on one of the three islands which served as the setting for the movie "Papillon" with Dustin Hoffman. The prisoner's actual name was Henry Charriere, and he is the only known individual to successfully escape from Devil's Island, or the "green hell" as it was called. He swam across shark infested waters and arrived safely on the shores of South America and remained there for most of his life. As we neared the shore I was surprised to see dense overgrown forests complete with gorgeous palm and other tropical trees and vibrant flowering plants.
As soon as we stepped off the tender it began to rain. At first it was a gentle rain and my umbrella was sufficient to keep me fairly dry and comfortable. However, as we proceeded a few more steps up the path it started to POUR and I ducked underneath a nearby shelter to put on the poncho I had brought with me. It helped but it wasn't quite long enough to keep me dry. However, we journeyed on, determined not to allow the rain to deter us from exploring this fascinating place.
Dirt paths meandered around the island and over the green hills. The haunting history of this island was brought to life when we climbed the primitive rock stairs which lead to the overgrown ruins of prison cells, administrative buildings and outbuildings. The cells were extremely small and decayed with thick wrought iron bars. We didn't see any toilet facilities in the cells, only at the end of a hall. As you can imagine, they were quite primitive, consisting of only a hole in the floor. There were separate isolation cells with no windows or light. Men sometimes spent years in these cells with only very brief periods of time allowed in a courtyard, one by one. They were not allowed to socialize with other prisoners.
In recent years a small hotel and gift shop have been added to allow tourists to spend extended time here and to purchase souvenirs, such as books, that discuss the history of the island in more depth. As Bob was walking around he spotted a few young people camping out, with hammocks spread out and attached to the walls of one of the decaying buildings. I was surprised to see many families with very young children getting off at the dock to visit the island. This is quite a harsh environment which is difficult to navigate, and the sites and their history are tragic. However, as we stood on the dock and waited for our tender, two large catamarans unloaded many visitors which included a few young babies and lots of young children.
I can't begin to imagine how many brutalities were committed here. In at least one case, a famous political prisoners was sent to the island but eventually proven to be innocent. Still, he spent five long years on the island for a crime he didn't commit. So very sad to think of him wasting away in this harsh and lonely environment.
After a time of walking through the old prison grounds, then having time for contemplation and reflection about the people who spent time on this island we started our trek through the gravel, rocks and paths back to the tender. The rain continued to fall and by the time we returned to the ship we were quite wet. However, I felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn a little bit about this island and its place in history.
Now, after a long journey of amazing experiences and learning about fascinating people and cultures, it's time to set sail for the spectacular, beautiful Caribbean!! First up, Barbados where many passengers will disembark and new ones will join us. It's always a little sad when people leave with whom we have made friends and enjoyed their company. However, we're looking forward to meeting more wonderful and fascinating people and having more fun adventures before our wonderful journey ends in a couple of weeks.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Natal, Brazil: Saturday, February 20th
Natal was quite an interesting place. Of course, the day was even lovelier because we had warm sunshine and a few thick white clouds scattered throughout the sky. The temperature was warm, but not unbearable, probably about 90 degrees. Humidity was high, so it felt much warmer. Still, it was more comfortable than it was in some of the earlier ports. Natal is frequently referred to as the "sun capital." The weather forecast had been for rain in the morning so we were thrilled when the city lived up to its nickname! There were expansive areas of sand dunes on which the locals enjoy activities such as skiing, tobogganing, riding dune buggies, or even camel rides. Since Natal was the closest port to Africa in the Americas, it was used extensively during WWII as an American airbase. It was used as a launching point for transport of planes, troops, and supplies to Northern Africa. Currently, Natal enjoys a peaceful, calm existence where our guide kept reminding us that people here move very slowly, are always late, and are very loud!!!! She explained that although it is a Saturday, the town is quiet today because Carnival just ended a couple of days ago and people are still recovering. They make a slow transition back to work. One owner went to work to open his shop this morning and waited for his employees to show up. He kept waiting but no one appeared. He finally decided that none of his employees were coming to work so he closed the shop again and went home!!!! Our guide continued to explain the attitude in Natal. She told us that if you go to a restaurant for a meal you can order your food and then wait for as much as two hours for it to arrive!
We had only two stops on today's tour. First, we traveled to a very large arts and crafts market. This was a tourist center with a large collection of small booths selling their wares. The main product was lace trimmed table runners, placemats, tablecloths, etc. as well as many crocheted shawls, tops, scarves, t-shirts and children's clothing. In addition, there was the usual collection of pottery dolls depicting Brazilian women dressed for Carnival or doing everyday chores such as carrying baskets filled with fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, no one took U.S. dollars and we didn't have any local money so were were unable to make any purchases.
Lastly, we spent a majority of our time at a school which teaches Capoeira, which is a mix of dance, acrobatics and martial arts. Capoeira was a form of self-protection disguised within a dance. It was developed by slaves during the 19th century as a form of survival in extremely harsh times. The "dance" utilizes acrobatics, cleverness and cunning through the extensive use of sweeps, kicks and head butts. It became such a successful tool for slaves to defend themselves that it was banned for a period of time. However, in 1932 the Brazilian ruler removed the ban and recognized the dance as an important cultural art form. It has since become a national treasure and is the second most popular sport in Brazil (soccer is the most popular). Before we arrived, our guide explained that the "Master" at this school established this small, non air-conditioned school 30 years ago and has been teaching young people since that time. He established the school in the poorest neighborhood of the city to give young people an incentive to remain in school and do well. Evidently, school only lasts half-day here. There are two sessions - morning or afternoon. The Capoeira master realized that students in this area needed more structure in their daily routine to keep them busy and out of trouble. So, he began teaching them how to perform this dance. As a requirement for continuing in the group, students must do well in school, get good grades, maintain a good attitude and register regular attendance. If they do not meet these requirements they may not remain in the dance group. Brazilians are very proud of their country and traditions. The Capoeira is an important part of their culture and they are eager to share it with visitors.
We had an opportunity to enjoy young children, just beginning to learn the Capoeira as well as students who had graduated from high school and were quite proficient in their dance skills. After graduation, many students continue to return to the studio to assist the master instructor, refine their skills and encourage the youth. It was quite an inspirational visit at the Natal Capoeira Boa Vontade School, directed by Mestre Canelao. It was a wonderful performance and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. If anyone is interested in reading more about this intriguing art form, or watching this school perform, there are plenty of videos on YouTube.
As we re-boarded our bus and headed back to the ship, one of our passengers asked the guide about food and restaurants in the area. The guide told us that people in Natal are shrimp lovers. They enjoy all types of fish, but shrimp, crab and lobster are definitely on top of the list. She also told us about a very local recipe for Pacoca Sertaneja, which uses "meat of the sun." They use heavily salted beef, dry it in the sun, then mix it with flavorings and vegetables. It actually sounded quite delicious so we asked where we could try it this afternoon. She told us that, unfortunately, since it was Sunday, all the restaurants and shops closed at noon so we would be unable to have any today. Darn!!! We just returned to the ship and had our usual tuna sandwich. Arriving at our last port in Brazil tomorrow, Fortaleza.
We had only two stops on today's tour. First, we traveled to a very large arts and crafts market. This was a tourist center with a large collection of small booths selling their wares. The main product was lace trimmed table runners, placemats, tablecloths, etc. as well as many crocheted shawls, tops, scarves, t-shirts and children's clothing. In addition, there was the usual collection of pottery dolls depicting Brazilian women dressed for Carnival or doing everyday chores such as carrying baskets filled with fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, no one took U.S. dollars and we didn't have any local money so were were unable to make any purchases.
Lastly, we spent a majority of our time at a school which teaches Capoeira, which is a mix of dance, acrobatics and martial arts. Capoeira was a form of self-protection disguised within a dance. It was developed by slaves during the 19th century as a form of survival in extremely harsh times. The "dance" utilizes acrobatics, cleverness and cunning through the extensive use of sweeps, kicks and head butts. It became such a successful tool for slaves to defend themselves that it was banned for a period of time. However, in 1932 the Brazilian ruler removed the ban and recognized the dance as an important cultural art form. It has since become a national treasure and is the second most popular sport in Brazil (soccer is the most popular). Before we arrived, our guide explained that the "Master" at this school established this small, non air-conditioned school 30 years ago and has been teaching young people since that time. He established the school in the poorest neighborhood of the city to give young people an incentive to remain in school and do well. Evidently, school only lasts half-day here. There are two sessions - morning or afternoon. The Capoeira master realized that students in this area needed more structure in their daily routine to keep them busy and out of trouble. So, he began teaching them how to perform this dance. As a requirement for continuing in the group, students must do well in school, get good grades, maintain a good attitude and register regular attendance. If they do not meet these requirements they may not remain in the dance group. Brazilians are very proud of their country and traditions. The Capoeira is an important part of their culture and they are eager to share it with visitors.
We had an opportunity to enjoy young children, just beginning to learn the Capoeira as well as students who had graduated from high school and were quite proficient in their dance skills. After graduation, many students continue to return to the studio to assist the master instructor, refine their skills and encourage the youth. It was quite an inspirational visit at the Natal Capoeira Boa Vontade School, directed by Mestre Canelao. It was a wonderful performance and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. If anyone is interested in reading more about this intriguing art form, or watching this school perform, there are plenty of videos on YouTube.
As we re-boarded our bus and headed back to the ship, one of our passengers asked the guide about food and restaurants in the area. The guide told us that people in Natal are shrimp lovers. They enjoy all types of fish, but shrimp, crab and lobster are definitely on top of the list. She also told us about a very local recipe for Pacoca Sertaneja, which uses "meat of the sun." They use heavily salted beef, dry it in the sun, then mix it with flavorings and vegetables. It actually sounded quite delicious so we asked where we could try it this afternoon. She told us that, unfortunately, since it was Sunday, all the restaurants and shops closed at noon so we would be unable to have any today. Darn!!! We just returned to the ship and had our usual tuna sandwich. Arriving at our last port in Brazil tomorrow, Fortaleza.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Salvador de Bahia: Thursday, February 19th
We entered the port early this morning as our captain maneuvered our ship through the largest bay in South America. We were quite excited to arrive at this port today because we had heard that it was alive with a vibrant mix of African and Portuguese culture. African slaves and Portuguese were the first settlers in this area, therefore most of the residents are a blend of these two races. Brazil brought in more African slaves than any other country in South America. In the beginning stages of settlement, Brazil made most of its money from slave trade. Our guide told us that in the 1700-1800's five million slaves were brought to Latin America (500,000 were brought into the USA) and Brazil was the site of the largest influx. The cultures and religious beliefs have intertwined so closely that the current culture now differs from any of the original tribes or races who first settled in this area.
There are two distinct geographic areas in "Salvador," the upper and lower city. These two areas are connected by a series of four elevators as well as a funicular which delivers passengers up the hill to a level of 800 meters above sea level. The lower city was added in the 1800's by filling in the land that was previously occupied by the sea. There are a number of lovely parks filled with a variety of large jacaranda trees, flame trees with fire engine red flowers brought from Madagascar, red and white hibiscus, gracefully hanging pink bougainvillea, kapok trees, dahlias, geraniums, and a host of other colorful flowers and tropical plants. The warm, tropical weather encourages plants to bloom frequently. It would be quite easy to walk down the street and collect a lovely bouquet!
We disembarked the ship and began our tour of the city. We could tell some differences in the culture of this port immediately. As we drove through the various neighborhoods there were major discrepancies. In the financial district and major shopping area there were many high rises built in a very modern style, with large tinted glass windows, brightly painted cement which were surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens. Clean, sharp lines dominated the landscape. Many of the luxury condominiums have an elevator directly from inside their unit to their private boat dock below. Across the highway there were hillsides filled with favelas (slums), now referred to by the local politicians as "communities" where unorganized and tattered combinations of scrap plywood, metal, and concrete were used to create tentative looking structures which looked as if they were holding each other together. Our guide informed us that people who live in this area who work in the city must take buses to work every day. It takes two hours to make the one-way trip. There is a metro but it doesn't run in the areas where it is really needed.
We passed two large farmer's markets with fresh fruits and vegetables, but they were very different. The market in the suburb where over 2,000 residents, mostly descendents of African slaves, live was an open-air market with tables set up in no particular order. It was a HUGE place where our guide informed us 10,000 local people are employed. The market in the city, however was much smaller, indoors, and in a very structured setting.
It was interesting to learn about the unique flavor of Carnival as it is celebrated in this area as opposed to Rio. There is no official competition between the samba schools in this town. All schools parade on the streets and ALL spectators are expected to dance, sing and play along with the performers. Our guide informed us that no "watching" is allowed. All spectators are expected to participate in the celebrations. At this time there are many different parades and celebrations. Some are focused on the African traditions and other are tailored more to European (Portuguese) traditions with their mass, costumes and music. A goal for the future is to combine more of the celebrations and integrate the cultures. This year the European communities utilized electronic, modern music and dance while the African people used percussion instruments with traditional dance.
Many neighborhoods throughout the city had properties surrounded by chain link fences capped with large circles of razor wire. Most of the residents have safety bars attached to the outside of their windows. Even the residential areas which were touted as the "nicest" places to live were dated and somewhat rundown. We were warned by our ship's crew, as well as travel websites, to avoid walking alone in this city. Evidently, due to the high level of poverty in this area tourists are a common target for crime, particularly pickpockets and robbery assaults. We decided to take one of the tours offered by our ship and stay with a small group. They took great care to make sure we had escorts with to ensure that we remained safe from harm. After the tour we decided to return to the ship instead of walking alone in town.
On many of the outside walls throughout the town there was a mixture of stunning, rich graffiti next to haphazard and unattractive graphics. Some of the graffiti really added a beautiful dimension to the environment. Unfortunately, many of the graphics really distracted from the environment. People walked the streets, particularly in front of popular tourist stops, asking for money. Local residents were scattered throughout the city, standing around in small groups while we spotted a few city workers busily employed on the streets. Perhaps many residents took the day off to recover from Carnival which just ended yesterday in this city. Each town organizes its own festivities for Carnival. Some areas celebrate Carnival on a Saturday and Sunday, others for 3-4 days, and here in Salvador they party for an entire 7-day week. Schools and businesses are closed for the week and many of the major streets are closed to vehicular traffic for the entire 7-day period. They finished their festivities last night so they were in the beginning stages of cleaning up after all the parades and parties.
In an attempt to keep Africans connected to their ethnic roots there is a law which mandates that schools in Salvador teach African history. Evidently, as the generations continue to become more
entrenched in their local culture, their elders are concerned they will lose an appreciation for their African history background and culture.
The African-Brazilian religion of Candomble is paramount in the lives of the residents in Salvador. This religion is based on their local mythology which has one supreme creator and a variety of lesser deities which serve the supreme creator It has an oral tradition so there is no written scripture. Music and dance are critical in this faith and priests/priestesses will often masquerade as one of the Candomble deities in order to become possessed by the ancestor spirit. Evidently this religion does not exist in Africa because the religion is a blend of the of the practices of slaves and their tribes brought here as well as the native Brazilian people.
We visited the Nosso Senhordo Bonfim which is the local Catholic church. It was quite interesting to see the shamen standing outside near the steps of the church with their tables and supplies including herbal potions and "wish ribbons," to offer blessings to people after they leave church. Our guide told us that although people state they are Catholic and believe and pray to Jesus, when their prayer request is "too complicated" for Jesus to handle He consults with the cult's African deities for a solution!!!!!!
The church itself was quite interesting. There were replicas of prosthetic limbs hanging all over the ceiling and walls from people who prayers had been answered in the form of a miracle (still not sure who they thought answered their prayers, God or their deities). There was a chain link fence in front of the church. A number of people were selling "wish ribbons" so that you can say your prayer and hang the ribbon the fence. The belief is that when the prayer is answered the ribbon will fall off the fence. Of course, I'm not sure how anyone could tell which ribbon they had hung since there must have been thousands of them tied to this fence. There were absolutely no blank areas on the entire fence!!!
There was one more interesting feature of this society. Everyone is REQUIRED to vote after they turn 18 years of age. If an individual does not vote, their identification is invalidated (passport, driver's license, etc.) and they must pay a $250 fine. Sure would change the way we vote in the U.S.!!!!!!!
Well, that's all I can think of to share about this port. It was a fascinating culture about which to lean. Both Bob and I have spent lots of time online studying the various aspects about life in this area. However, I must admit that it was not one of the most comfortable places we have visited. We certainly stood out as tourists and I felt eyes following us everywhere we walked. I am glad, though, that we had an opportunity to learn something about this unique part of the world. Now, we have a relaxing day at sea before we arrive at our next to last port in Brazil.
There are two distinct geographic areas in "Salvador," the upper and lower city. These two areas are connected by a series of four elevators as well as a funicular which delivers passengers up the hill to a level of 800 meters above sea level. The lower city was added in the 1800's by filling in the land that was previously occupied by the sea. There are a number of lovely parks filled with a variety of large jacaranda trees, flame trees with fire engine red flowers brought from Madagascar, red and white hibiscus, gracefully hanging pink bougainvillea, kapok trees, dahlias, geraniums, and a host of other colorful flowers and tropical plants. The warm, tropical weather encourages plants to bloom frequently. It would be quite easy to walk down the street and collect a lovely bouquet!
We disembarked the ship and began our tour of the city. We could tell some differences in the culture of this port immediately. As we drove through the various neighborhoods there were major discrepancies. In the financial district and major shopping area there were many high rises built in a very modern style, with large tinted glass windows, brightly painted cement which were surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens. Clean, sharp lines dominated the landscape. Many of the luxury condominiums have an elevator directly from inside their unit to their private boat dock below. Across the highway there were hillsides filled with favelas (slums), now referred to by the local politicians as "communities" where unorganized and tattered combinations of scrap plywood, metal, and concrete were used to create tentative looking structures which looked as if they were holding each other together. Our guide informed us that people who live in this area who work in the city must take buses to work every day. It takes two hours to make the one-way trip. There is a metro but it doesn't run in the areas where it is really needed.
We passed two large farmer's markets with fresh fruits and vegetables, but they were very different. The market in the suburb where over 2,000 residents, mostly descendents of African slaves, live was an open-air market with tables set up in no particular order. It was a HUGE place where our guide informed us 10,000 local people are employed. The market in the city, however was much smaller, indoors, and in a very structured setting.
It was interesting to learn about the unique flavor of Carnival as it is celebrated in this area as opposed to Rio. There is no official competition between the samba schools in this town. All schools parade on the streets and ALL spectators are expected to dance, sing and play along with the performers. Our guide informed us that no "watching" is allowed. All spectators are expected to participate in the celebrations. At this time there are many different parades and celebrations. Some are focused on the African traditions and other are tailored more to European (Portuguese) traditions with their mass, costumes and music. A goal for the future is to combine more of the celebrations and integrate the cultures. This year the European communities utilized electronic, modern music and dance while the African people used percussion instruments with traditional dance.
Many neighborhoods throughout the city had properties surrounded by chain link fences capped with large circles of razor wire. Most of the residents have safety bars attached to the outside of their windows. Even the residential areas which were touted as the "nicest" places to live were dated and somewhat rundown. We were warned by our ship's crew, as well as travel websites, to avoid walking alone in this city. Evidently, due to the high level of poverty in this area tourists are a common target for crime, particularly pickpockets and robbery assaults. We decided to take one of the tours offered by our ship and stay with a small group. They took great care to make sure we had escorts with to ensure that we remained safe from harm. After the tour we decided to return to the ship instead of walking alone in town.
On many of the outside walls throughout the town there was a mixture of stunning, rich graffiti next to haphazard and unattractive graphics. Some of the graffiti really added a beautiful dimension to the environment. Unfortunately, many of the graphics really distracted from the environment. People walked the streets, particularly in front of popular tourist stops, asking for money. Local residents were scattered throughout the city, standing around in small groups while we spotted a few city workers busily employed on the streets. Perhaps many residents took the day off to recover from Carnival which just ended yesterday in this city. Each town organizes its own festivities for Carnival. Some areas celebrate Carnival on a Saturday and Sunday, others for 3-4 days, and here in Salvador they party for an entire 7-day week. Schools and businesses are closed for the week and many of the major streets are closed to vehicular traffic for the entire 7-day period. They finished their festivities last night so they were in the beginning stages of cleaning up after all the parades and parties.
In an attempt to keep Africans connected to their ethnic roots there is a law which mandates that schools in Salvador teach African history. Evidently, as the generations continue to become more
entrenched in their local culture, their elders are concerned they will lose an appreciation for their African history background and culture.
The African-Brazilian religion of Candomble is paramount in the lives of the residents in Salvador. This religion is based on their local mythology which has one supreme creator and a variety of lesser deities which serve the supreme creator It has an oral tradition so there is no written scripture. Music and dance are critical in this faith and priests/priestesses will often masquerade as one of the Candomble deities in order to become possessed by the ancestor spirit. Evidently this religion does not exist in Africa because the religion is a blend of the of the practices of slaves and their tribes brought here as well as the native Brazilian people.
We visited the Nosso Senhordo Bonfim which is the local Catholic church. It was quite interesting to see the shamen standing outside near the steps of the church with their tables and supplies including herbal potions and "wish ribbons," to offer blessings to people after they leave church. Our guide told us that although people state they are Catholic and believe and pray to Jesus, when their prayer request is "too complicated" for Jesus to handle He consults with the cult's African deities for a solution!!!!!!
The church itself was quite interesting. There were replicas of prosthetic limbs hanging all over the ceiling and walls from people who prayers had been answered in the form of a miracle (still not sure who they thought answered their prayers, God or their deities). There was a chain link fence in front of the church. A number of people were selling "wish ribbons" so that you can say your prayer and hang the ribbon the fence. The belief is that when the prayer is answered the ribbon will fall off the fence. Of course, I'm not sure how anyone could tell which ribbon they had hung since there must have been thousands of them tied to this fence. There were absolutely no blank areas on the entire fence!!!
There was one more interesting feature of this society. Everyone is REQUIRED to vote after they turn 18 years of age. If an individual does not vote, their identification is invalidated (passport, driver's license, etc.) and they must pay a $250 fine. Sure would change the way we vote in the U.S.!!!!!!!
Well, that's all I can think of to share about this port. It was a fascinating culture about which to lean. Both Bob and I have spent lots of time online studying the various aspects about life in this area. However, I must admit that it was not one of the most comfortable places we have visited. We certainly stood out as tourists and I felt eyes following us everywhere we walked. I am glad, though, that we had an opportunity to learn something about this unique part of the world. Now, we have a relaxing day at sea before we arrive at our next to last port in Brazil.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Buzios, Brazil: Tuesday, February 17th
What a delightful day we had in this charming and quaint beach town, which is known as the last paradise in the tropics. We decided against taking any organized tours today so we would have an opportunity to explore the town on our own. We tendered into town this morning and when we arrived at the dock we were shocked to see a massive line of people. We learned they were waiting for the water taxis to transport them to beaches which are father away from town. Whew! Glad we're not waiting in those lines!!!! There are 25 beaches nearby which offer beautiful white sand, a variety of water sports, a lively nightlife, and "all-over" suntans. A favorite activity for locals appears to be sitting on the esplanade watching the people walking by or enjoying a sunset.
We learned that this attractive port town was a favorite hangout of former movie and recording superstar Brigitte Bardot. There is even a bronze statue of her on the boardwalk. Plenty of people (including us) stood in line to have their photo taken with her :) Shows our age. Our kids would have no idea who she is!
Afterwards, we explored this absolutely delightful beach side community on foot. Thankfully, the weather was a bit cooler than it was in Rio. It was still quite warm, but not unbearable, for a walking tour. Specifically, we continued to look for the cabaca, or gourd doll we saw in Rio. It was quite expensive in the shop on top of Sugarloaf Mountain so we resisted purchasing it. However, we really wanted to find one before we left Brazil. We strolled leisurely up and down the cobblestone streets, entering all the shops where we thought finding our doll might be a possibility, while thoroughly enjoying the alluring atmosphere of the quaint streets. We would have liked to stop for a drink or snack but we were determined to stay on track with our mission. Finally, as we neared the end of town, near the dock we entered a small shop and found a limited, but quality, selection of the dolls. When the shop owner realized we were serious customers she brought out some additional dolls. We were able to purchase one at about half the cost of the ones we saw at Sugarloaf, so we were quite pleased with our accomplishment. Now, we had one final mission to complete. We had to find our magnet from this lovely port. Luckily, this task was much easier than finding the doll. Soon we had our magnet in hand and had seen the entire town so we returned to the dock for our trip back to the ship. Now we have a day at sea, with time to relax before we arrive at the first of our three remaining ports in Brazil. This is a huge country and extremely diverse in its geography, architecture and culture. We're anxious to continue our journey in this immense country.
We learned that this attractive port town was a favorite hangout of former movie and recording superstar Brigitte Bardot. There is even a bronze statue of her on the boardwalk. Plenty of people (including us) stood in line to have their photo taken with her :) Shows our age. Our kids would have no idea who she is!
Afterwards, we explored this absolutely delightful beach side community on foot. Thankfully, the weather was a bit cooler than it was in Rio. It was still quite warm, but not unbearable, for a walking tour. Specifically, we continued to look for the cabaca, or gourd doll we saw in Rio. It was quite expensive in the shop on top of Sugarloaf Mountain so we resisted purchasing it. However, we really wanted to find one before we left Brazil. We strolled leisurely up and down the cobblestone streets, entering all the shops where we thought finding our doll might be a possibility, while thoroughly enjoying the alluring atmosphere of the quaint streets. We would have liked to stop for a drink or snack but we were determined to stay on track with our mission. Finally, as we neared the end of town, near the dock we entered a small shop and found a limited, but quality, selection of the dolls. When the shop owner realized we were serious customers she brought out some additional dolls. We were able to purchase one at about half the cost of the ones we saw at Sugarloaf, so we were quite pleased with our accomplishment. Now, we had one final mission to complete. We had to find our magnet from this lovely port. Luckily, this task was much easier than finding the doll. Soon we had our magnet in hand and had seen the entire town so we returned to the dock for our trip back to the ship. Now we have a day at sea, with time to relax before we arrive at the first of our three remaining ports in Brazil. This is a huge country and extremely diverse in its geography, architecture and culture. We're anxious to continue our journey in this immense country.
Carnival in Rio: Sunday, February 15th
WOW!!!! What an explosion of activity we experienced tonight!!!! We had no idea what to expect when we boarded the bus to take us to the Sambadrome to attend the formal Carnival celebration. Although I had always heard of Carnival in Rio, I never understood exactly what it entailed. In case there's anyone else out there who doesn't quite know exactly what's involved I'll try to give a brief explanation. Once again, we aren't able to post Bob's pictures on this blog for some unknown reason so if you want to see his pictures, which are great, just send him a quick email request and he'll be MORE than happy to share them with you at drbobusc@gmail.com. Carnival is divided into two types, 1) informal street parties and 2) formal parade competition in the Sambadrome. The street parties are everywhere on the streets of Rio for three full days. They are simply neighborhoods or large groups of friends who gather on the street, share food, music, dance and sometimes floats. A parade might consist of an old decorated truck filled with musicians riding in the back and people following behind singing and dancing. Really a fun, fun time for everyone involved. Bob walked around town today while I was writing and found a great street party. They're everywhere!
The formal Carnival is held in the Sambadrome and is held over two nights, beginning at 9:00 p.m. each night and lasting until about 5:00 a.m. the next morning. There are 12 major samba schools who participate in this competition each year. A samba school is not an official "school." It doesn't take the place of academic school for young people. It evolved from individual neighborhoods which banded together and practiced samba, based on their particular culture and traditions. As the "school" gets larger and more proficient it may become more prestigious and have an opportunity to participate in more prominent celebrations. The schools have fundraisers throughout the year to raise the money they need to participate in the parades or competition. The twelve most accomplished schools have the opportunity to participate in the celebration at the Sambadrome during Carnival. Each school is given exactly 75 minutes to move along the stadium track which is about 2000 feet long. There are five judges who judge each school in a total of 20 categories on items such as costumes, music, floats, singers, etc. Each category has a maximum of 10 points. As in some Olympic sports, the highest and
lowest scores in each category are dropped and then the scores are totaled. The results are sealed and the winner is announced on Ash Wednesday.
Six schools perform on night one and the second six schools perform on night two. We were there for the first night. As each school entered the stadium, there was a sudden cacophony of sights and sounds. It started with an explosion of fireworks and a drum core of probably about 300 musicians which the crowd loved. Many people who were invited guests in the covered boxes reserved for large company sponsors became so excited they threw off their ponchos and started wildly dancing the samba, seemingly oblivious to the pouring rain. People in the stands were on their feet, dancing, singing and yelling their support for the people on the field. The dancers and floats which followed were an extraordinary spectacle. Every detail was perfect. The girls were gorgeous, the costumes were vibrant and textured with sequins, beads and other decorations which shimmered and shone under the lights. The samba music blared through the loud speakers and the crowd roared with delight. Each school had approximately 5,000 participants who were dancing, singing, playing drums and getting the crowd involved in the fun. It was an absolute sea of people on the field. It was a bit of a surreal experience to be there. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Unfortunately, last night it rained the entire time were were there, so we were worried that the costumes and floats might be severely affected. However, amazingly, they didn't seem to be at all bothered by the weather. I'm not sure how, but everything held up perfectly in spite of the weather. As we were leaving the stadium we were gathered in our group and many of the dancers and participants passed directly between us, sometimes hitting us in the face with their feathers!! They were still fabulous, with no signs of wilting in the rain!
Our cruise ship personnel were great about making sure that none of us got lost in the crowd or left behind at the beginning and end of the evening, which was a Herculean task, considering the pandemonium entering and leaving the stadium. The traffic was horrendous and it took us well over an hour to go a few miles. However, once we arrived we were quite fortunate to have wonderful seats. We were sitting near the judges stand so the participants really tried to strut their stuff for them. Other than being completely soaked for a few hours we were quite comfortable. They gave us cushions on which to sit, since the seats were cement.
The parade started over an hour late so for the first hour we sat there in the downpour waiting for the show to start. It was impossible to leave the seat for any reason and return due to how tightly people were packed into the rows. Bob and I were at the very end of a row without an inside aisle so we we were really boxed in. However, once the competition started, we were able to somewhat ignore how physically uncomfortable we were sitting in the lightning, thunder and pounding rain and enjoy the magnificent myriad of sights and sounds.
We returned to the ship in the early hours of the morning. When we entered our suite our thoughtful butler had left us a lovely tray of cheese, crackers, fruit and a bit of chocolate. He is incredibly thoughtful. Sometimes it's fun to be so spoiled but I'm fully aware this is only pretend and not reality. In three weeks this amazing adventure will be over and it will be time to cook our own meals and clean up our messes. So, until then we'll just enjoy this extravagant lifestyle.
We had the following morning to sleep late and then spent most of the day relaxing. While I wrote the blog Bob went onshore and took a walk to shop for souvenirs we might add to our collection but unfortunately didn't find the one sculpture for which we have been searching. Maybe in our next port before we leave Brazil. We left Rio late this evening and are on our way to the small resort town of Buzios, which is nearby. No tours scheduled for tomorrow so we can spend the day on our own exploring the town.
The formal Carnival is held in the Sambadrome and is held over two nights, beginning at 9:00 p.m. each night and lasting until about 5:00 a.m. the next morning. There are 12 major samba schools who participate in this competition each year. A samba school is not an official "school." It doesn't take the place of academic school for young people. It evolved from individual neighborhoods which banded together and practiced samba, based on their particular culture and traditions. As the "school" gets larger and more proficient it may become more prestigious and have an opportunity to participate in more prominent celebrations. The schools have fundraisers throughout the year to raise the money they need to participate in the parades or competition. The twelve most accomplished schools have the opportunity to participate in the celebration at the Sambadrome during Carnival. Each school is given exactly 75 minutes to move along the stadium track which is about 2000 feet long. There are five judges who judge each school in a total of 20 categories on items such as costumes, music, floats, singers, etc. Each category has a maximum of 10 points. As in some Olympic sports, the highest and
lowest scores in each category are dropped and then the scores are totaled. The results are sealed and the winner is announced on Ash Wednesday.
Six schools perform on night one and the second six schools perform on night two. We were there for the first night. As each school entered the stadium, there was a sudden cacophony of sights and sounds. It started with an explosion of fireworks and a drum core of probably about 300 musicians which the crowd loved. Many people who were invited guests in the covered boxes reserved for large company sponsors became so excited they threw off their ponchos and started wildly dancing the samba, seemingly oblivious to the pouring rain. People in the stands were on their feet, dancing, singing and yelling their support for the people on the field. The dancers and floats which followed were an extraordinary spectacle. Every detail was perfect. The girls were gorgeous, the costumes were vibrant and textured with sequins, beads and other decorations which shimmered and shone under the lights. The samba music blared through the loud speakers and the crowd roared with delight. Each school had approximately 5,000 participants who were dancing, singing, playing drums and getting the crowd involved in the fun. It was an absolute sea of people on the field. It was a bit of a surreal experience to be there. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Unfortunately, last night it rained the entire time were were there, so we were worried that the costumes and floats might be severely affected. However, amazingly, they didn't seem to be at all bothered by the weather. I'm not sure how, but everything held up perfectly in spite of the weather. As we were leaving the stadium we were gathered in our group and many of the dancers and participants passed directly between us, sometimes hitting us in the face with their feathers!! They were still fabulous, with no signs of wilting in the rain!
Our cruise ship personnel were great about making sure that none of us got lost in the crowd or left behind at the beginning and end of the evening, which was a Herculean task, considering the pandemonium entering and leaving the stadium. The traffic was horrendous and it took us well over an hour to go a few miles. However, once we arrived we were quite fortunate to have wonderful seats. We were sitting near the judges stand so the participants really tried to strut their stuff for them. Other than being completely soaked for a few hours we were quite comfortable. They gave us cushions on which to sit, since the seats were cement.
The parade started over an hour late so for the first hour we sat there in the downpour waiting for the show to start. It was impossible to leave the seat for any reason and return due to how tightly people were packed into the rows. Bob and I were at the very end of a row without an inside aisle so we we were really boxed in. However, once the competition started, we were able to somewhat ignore how physically uncomfortable we were sitting in the lightning, thunder and pounding rain and enjoy the magnificent myriad of sights and sounds.
We returned to the ship in the early hours of the morning. When we entered our suite our thoughtful butler had left us a lovely tray of cheese, crackers, fruit and a bit of chocolate. He is incredibly thoughtful. Sometimes it's fun to be so spoiled but I'm fully aware this is only pretend and not reality. In three weeks this amazing adventure will be over and it will be time to cook our own meals and clean up our messes. So, until then we'll just enjoy this extravagant lifestyle.
We had the following morning to sleep late and then spent most of the day relaxing. While I wrote the blog Bob went onshore and took a walk to shop for souvenirs we might add to our collection but unfortunately didn't find the one sculpture for which we have been searching. Maybe in our next port before we leave Brazil. We left Rio late this evening and are on our way to the small resort town of Buzios, which is nearby. No tours scheduled for tomorrow so we can spend the day on our own exploring the town.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Saturday, February 14th - Monday, February 16th
We're finally here! As we were promised, the weather was quite warm and humid. Just had to get used to feeling hot and soggy as we traveled around the city for a few days, soaking in all the beautiful sights and sounds of fabulous RIO!!!! This year, the city of Rio celebrated its 450 year anniversary. Six million people now call Rio home. On our way into the port early this morning we cruised very slowly through the lovely bay that is one mile wide in some places. We were eager to get off the ship to experience the sights and sounds of the amazing culture that we will experience over the next few days.
When we walked off the ship we were hit by a wall of heat and humidity. Thankfully, we didn't have too far to walk to catch our bus. As our bus was attempting to exit the port the driver caught the bottom of it on a curb and bent part of the step which is stored underneath when the bus is moving. Afterward, every time we went over even the tiniest little bump on the road the bottom of our bus would scrape and make a horrible sound. This went on for an hour until we arrived at our destination. Luckily, while we were on the mountain the driver changed buses and the ride back to the ship was much more pleasant and felt much safer!
Rio is an interesting city. It is extremely eclectic in its architecture, neighborhoods and people. We passed a Catholic cathedral that was extremely modern and built to look like a pyramid! Then we saw a beautiful set of arches that serve as a bridge for a railroad crossing. Our guide told us that they are known as the "arches of love" throughout the city. As we drove deeper into town we passed through an area that had sidewalks covered in trash. In addition, there were huge piles of garbage built up on many of the street corners. People were sleeping all over the sidewalk. Not really a neighborhood in which I would want to walk around alone.
We drove through a very long tunnel and when we reached the other side the neighborhood appeared much improved. We no longer saw piles of garbage and there was much less graffiti. In fact, there was a lovely large park which bordered the street. Our guide told us it was name Flamengo Park and was built in the French style. That's why it was so pretty! As we moved through the city our guide explained that since Rio is wedged between two mountains all the land is already built and there is no more room for building out so everyone has to build up if they want more space. There are many high-rise condominiums throughout the city.
We had a chance to see Ipanema Beach, which was lovely. We also saw the lagoon where the 2016 Olympic rowing competition will be held. Bob asked our guide about how the preparations were going for the upcoming games, since we have heard that there are some concerns about the city being ready in time to host them. Our guide assured him that preparations were going well and Rio would be ready in time to host a wonderful and exciting competition.
We arrived at our destination which was the Christ the Redeemer monument. We took a funicular up the mountain. The ride was itself quite remarkable. It was a 20 minute ride through the Atlantic Rain Forest. Although there are no large cats left in this area there were monkeys swinging through the trees while they munched on the jackfruit which is extremely plentiful in this forest. There are also armadillos, iguanas, snakes (yuk - thankfully we didn't see any), spiders, toads and lots of exotic birds, like parrots, toucans and macaws. Our guide explained that this is a high bio-diversity rain forest. Many large trees had epiphytes growing on their trunks. An epiphyte is a plant that grows non-parasitically on top of another plant. Orchids were growing wild on many of the trunks. There were also many spectacularly colored tropical bromeliads with bright red and pink flowers. Really a beautiful and peaceful ride through the forest.
After the funicular ride, most of us took a combination of elevators and escalators to the top of the mountain. However, my very studly husband climbed the 225 stairs to the top. No too shabby for a fellow who is 73 yeas old!!!! (plus, he's cute, too)!!!!
Once we reached the top of the mountain we were at the base of the monument. Unfortunately, when we first arrived it was completely clouded in clouds. Our guide told us to be patient and, hopefully, the sun would shine through the clouds in a few minutes. After about 30 minutes we were rewarded for our wait with a lovely sunny view of the entire monument. Absolutely incredible!!!! Although I've seen the Christ the Redeemer monument in many photos, they just can't do it justice. It is a remarkable sight. It's massive!!!! Even though this monument is nothing compared to the day when Jesus will return, just seeing this remarkable monument makes me even more excited to think about the day when Jesus returns from the heavens. The monument stands watch over the city of Rio and I must say it's very comforting to look up from anywhere in the city and see the monument of Jesus with outstretched arms. It's a constant reminder that our Heavenly Father is always watching over us, protecting, and loving us. It's a beautiful sight. After spending time on the mountain we boarded the funicular and rode back through the lovely rainforest. We returned to the ship to get ready for our big day tomorrow which includes a visit to Sugarloaf mountain and a nighttime trip to the world-famous Carnival!!!!
********************
We got up on this bright, sunny morning and went to Sugarloaf Mountain. We ascended to the top on a gondola built in 1912. Although the cars have been updated since then, it's still a spectacular ride up the mountain. We rode a series of two cars to reach the top. This gondola was used in a James Bond 007 movie titled "Moonraker" in which Bond and his girlfriend were being chased by the outrageous and vicious villain "Jaws." It's quite a famous scene and made a lot of people less than excited about riding a gondola in the future!
Once on top of Sugarloaf we enjoyed a magnificent view of Rio. Sine we were in the middle of the rainforest we could see marmosets, a type of monkey, playing and munching on fruit in the trees. There were also a couple of large iguanas crawling around on the ground. What an incredible sight! The wildlife is so rich and diverse in the tropics. We spent some time relaxing, browsing through the shops, and enjoying the spectacular views of the forest and city below. Afterwards, we took the funicular back down the mountain, boarded our bus and took a tour of Copacabana Beach, which was quite beautiful.
The beach was about 2-1/2 miles long and was very wide, similar to some of our beaches in Southern California. There were colorful flags flying everywhere and a sand sports court which is used for sand volleyball and soccer. Next week, Brazil will face the U.S. in women's beach volleyball on these courts. On New Year's Eve this beach hosted approximately 2 million people who rang in the new year. It was a relatively clean area with beautiful, small mosaic tiles in waves of black and white, which is the symbol for Copacabana Beach. The tiny tiles were hand laid with limestone and black basalt squares set in alternating black and white waves It was quite unique and very pretty. The streets were lined with large palm trees and tropical plants with gorgeous bright orange flowers.
Across the street there was a string of condos and hotels, although there were no elegant resort-style hotels. The area was clean and well-maintained but the structures appeared to reflect the architecture of the 1960's. There was no bellmen or large circular driveways to assist guests during the check-in process. In fact, we still aren't sure where people park when they visit Copacabana Beach. We didn't see any street parking or parking lots.
We were looking for beautiful Brazilian women (I should say BOB was looking) wearing string bikinis! The only people we saw were middle-aged men wearing what looked like the bottom of a woman's bikini with socks and tennis shoes. Not an attractive look. People are very active in Brazil. Soccer is the most important sport and the city of Rio has four different Division 1 Teams. We left the beach in the early afternoon to rest and get ready for our exciting outing to the Rio Carnival tonight!!!! Not sure exactly what to expect but know it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Should be fun.
When we walked off the ship we were hit by a wall of heat and humidity. Thankfully, we didn't have too far to walk to catch our bus. As our bus was attempting to exit the port the driver caught the bottom of it on a curb and bent part of the step which is stored underneath when the bus is moving. Afterward, every time we went over even the tiniest little bump on the road the bottom of our bus would scrape and make a horrible sound. This went on for an hour until we arrived at our destination. Luckily, while we were on the mountain the driver changed buses and the ride back to the ship was much more pleasant and felt much safer!
Rio is an interesting city. It is extremely eclectic in its architecture, neighborhoods and people. We passed a Catholic cathedral that was extremely modern and built to look like a pyramid! Then we saw a beautiful set of arches that serve as a bridge for a railroad crossing. Our guide told us that they are known as the "arches of love" throughout the city. As we drove deeper into town we passed through an area that had sidewalks covered in trash. In addition, there were huge piles of garbage built up on many of the street corners. People were sleeping all over the sidewalk. Not really a neighborhood in which I would want to walk around alone.
We drove through a very long tunnel and when we reached the other side the neighborhood appeared much improved. We no longer saw piles of garbage and there was much less graffiti. In fact, there was a lovely large park which bordered the street. Our guide told us it was name Flamengo Park and was built in the French style. That's why it was so pretty! As we moved through the city our guide explained that since Rio is wedged between two mountains all the land is already built and there is no more room for building out so everyone has to build up if they want more space. There are many high-rise condominiums throughout the city.
We had a chance to see Ipanema Beach, which was lovely. We also saw the lagoon where the 2016 Olympic rowing competition will be held. Bob asked our guide about how the preparations were going for the upcoming games, since we have heard that there are some concerns about the city being ready in time to host them. Our guide assured him that preparations were going well and Rio would be ready in time to host a wonderful and exciting competition.
We arrived at our destination which was the Christ the Redeemer monument. We took a funicular up the mountain. The ride was itself quite remarkable. It was a 20 minute ride through the Atlantic Rain Forest. Although there are no large cats left in this area there were monkeys swinging through the trees while they munched on the jackfruit which is extremely plentiful in this forest. There are also armadillos, iguanas, snakes (yuk - thankfully we didn't see any), spiders, toads and lots of exotic birds, like parrots, toucans and macaws. Our guide explained that this is a high bio-diversity rain forest. Many large trees had epiphytes growing on their trunks. An epiphyte is a plant that grows non-parasitically on top of another plant. Orchids were growing wild on many of the trunks. There were also many spectacularly colored tropical bromeliads with bright red and pink flowers. Really a beautiful and peaceful ride through the forest.
After the funicular ride, most of us took a combination of elevators and escalators to the top of the mountain. However, my very studly husband climbed the 225 stairs to the top. No too shabby for a fellow who is 73 yeas old!!!! (plus, he's cute, too)!!!!
Once we reached the top of the mountain we were at the base of the monument. Unfortunately, when we first arrived it was completely clouded in clouds. Our guide told us to be patient and, hopefully, the sun would shine through the clouds in a few minutes. After about 30 minutes we were rewarded for our wait with a lovely sunny view of the entire monument. Absolutely incredible!!!! Although I've seen the Christ the Redeemer monument in many photos, they just can't do it justice. It is a remarkable sight. It's massive!!!! Even though this monument is nothing compared to the day when Jesus will return, just seeing this remarkable monument makes me even more excited to think about the day when Jesus returns from the heavens. The monument stands watch over the city of Rio and I must say it's very comforting to look up from anywhere in the city and see the monument of Jesus with outstretched arms. It's a constant reminder that our Heavenly Father is always watching over us, protecting, and loving us. It's a beautiful sight. After spending time on the mountain we boarded the funicular and rode back through the lovely rainforest. We returned to the ship to get ready for our big day tomorrow which includes a visit to Sugarloaf mountain and a nighttime trip to the world-famous Carnival!!!!
********************
We got up on this bright, sunny morning and went to Sugarloaf Mountain. We ascended to the top on a gondola built in 1912. Although the cars have been updated since then, it's still a spectacular ride up the mountain. We rode a series of two cars to reach the top. This gondola was used in a James Bond 007 movie titled "Moonraker" in which Bond and his girlfriend were being chased by the outrageous and vicious villain "Jaws." It's quite a famous scene and made a lot of people less than excited about riding a gondola in the future!
Once on top of Sugarloaf we enjoyed a magnificent view of Rio. Sine we were in the middle of the rainforest we could see marmosets, a type of monkey, playing and munching on fruit in the trees. There were also a couple of large iguanas crawling around on the ground. What an incredible sight! The wildlife is so rich and diverse in the tropics. We spent some time relaxing, browsing through the shops, and enjoying the spectacular views of the forest and city below. Afterwards, we took the funicular back down the mountain, boarded our bus and took a tour of Copacabana Beach, which was quite beautiful.
The beach was about 2-1/2 miles long and was very wide, similar to some of our beaches in Southern California. There were colorful flags flying everywhere and a sand sports court which is used for sand volleyball and soccer. Next week, Brazil will face the U.S. in women's beach volleyball on these courts. On New Year's Eve this beach hosted approximately 2 million people who rang in the new year. It was a relatively clean area with beautiful, small mosaic tiles in waves of black and white, which is the symbol for Copacabana Beach. The tiny tiles were hand laid with limestone and black basalt squares set in alternating black and white waves It was quite unique and very pretty. The streets were lined with large palm trees and tropical plants with gorgeous bright orange flowers.
Across the street there was a string of condos and hotels, although there were no elegant resort-style hotels. The area was clean and well-maintained but the structures appeared to reflect the architecture of the 1960's. There was no bellmen or large circular driveways to assist guests during the check-in process. In fact, we still aren't sure where people park when they visit Copacabana Beach. We didn't see any street parking or parking lots.
We were looking for beautiful Brazilian women (I should say BOB was looking) wearing string bikinis! The only people we saw were middle-aged men wearing what looked like the bottom of a woman's bikini with socks and tennis shoes. Not an attractive look. People are very active in Brazil. Soccer is the most important sport and the city of Rio has four different Division 1 Teams. We left the beach in the early afternoon to rest and get ready for our exciting outing to the Rio Carnival tonight!!!! Not sure exactly what to expect but know it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Should be fun.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Santos, Brazil: Friday, February 13th
We had a short visit to this city, which boasts the biggest port in Latin America. We quickly learned that the Brazilians are a very proud people who love and appreciate their country. Our guide immediately told us that Brazilians are loud, assertive and they always greet each other, as well as visitors, with kisses. Unfortunately, this didn't go over too well with our group, particularly since about half of the people on our ship have just recovered from a nasty GI virus. For the last two weeks the ship has had extra safety measures in place to help rid passengers of this illness. The buffets were closed and table service was the only dining available. There was a crew member stationed at each door in the common areas requesting that we sanitize our hands when entering and leaving the room. Many people were quarantined in their cabins for days and their rooms were cleaned by a crew member wearing a hazmat suit. Sooooo, when our guide tried to kiss us we quickly took a step back. Poor lady - probably thought we were quite rude!
This was not the most interesting tour we have taken on this trip. When our guide used the microphone it would short in and out so we heard about every 2-3 word. When she wasn't using the microphone she just screamed in a quite unpleasant tone. She would periodically break out in song and then tell us afterward that she knew her voice was terrible. She was just proud of her country and eager to share her culture with us. So, we rolled along, trying to get as much enjoyment as possible from our surroundings.
Our guide told us that although she loves and is devoted to her country, there are some major problems in Brazil. Security, political corruption, and illegal drugs are all major issues. Our ship's crew did admonish us to leave all of our expensive possessions on board while visiting this country and to keep our handbags, cameras, etc. in front of us when walking through the streets.
Since Brazil was discovered by Portugal in the 1500's, Portuguese is the language spoken throughout the country. However, we were informed that speaking English is considered mandatory, not an option. Speaking Chinese and German is considered a "plus" when seeking employment. Since there are 70 different nationalities living in Brazil there are very few issues with discrimination.
Coffee was a major contributor to the economic growth of Brazil. It has brought a fortune to the country. However, a recent problem for workers has been the growth of technology. Historically, a majority of workers were hired for manual labor. However, as the work becomes more automated, many workers are no longer needed. Like many other countries, Brazil is struggling with unemployment for unskilled workers Technical training is needed to run the machines. My ears perked up as we passed a huge park which stretches along the beaches in this area. Our guide explained that the government employs people with developmental disabilities to care for the park. Due to the enormous size of the area, that would create many jobs for people. Love it!!!!
Housing directly on one of the lovely beaches is certainly not inexpensive but not as expensive as they are in Southern California. Prices start at approximately $1,000,000 for a small condo. Many of the buildings looked reasonably modern but not elegant as we drove passed them. The traffic can be quite congested at times. Our guide explained that most people in the city choose to drive their personal car as opposed to taking public transportation. Sounds like Southern California!
Our first stop was at the Orchid Park where they advertise having 5,000 orchid plants, as well as hundreds of rare and tropical plants. Although we didn't see one orchid we did enjoy a lovely walk through the gardens. The park also serves as a care center for small animals and birds who have been caught when smugglers were attempting to take them out of the country illegally. The park nurses them back to health and then releases them back into the wild. If they cannot be returned they remain at the park permanently.
Our next stop was very exciting for a lot of our European tourists. We had a tour of the football (soccer) stadium. This is the league and home stadium where the famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele, played for the Santos FC. Pele was the most successful league goal scorer in the world, with 541 league goals. He is greatly revered in this country and continues to be one of their national heroes. Many of our passengers were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit his museum and home field. Now, if would have been visiting one of the big U.S. college football fields, Bob and I would have been thrilled. Soccer, not so much.
Our last stop was at the Coffee Exchange building (Coffee Palace). The coffee exchange was established in 1914 and continued until the 1950's. This beautiful historic building housed the official coffee stock exchange. Bidders would come from all over the world to meet, sample the beans, and then bid on the coffee. Although the descriptions were only in Portuguese, we enjoyed the beautiful stained glass ceilings, intricately carved, dark rich wood, and the elegant marble floors as we walked through the museum.
We returned to the bus for a short ride back to our ship. We were thrilled to be returning to the comfort of air conditioning, since it was 97 degrees with high humidity. Also, while on the bus (early in the day) the air conditioner above me spewed out water all over me so I was completely drenched - hair, top and pants! It was quite steamy and uncomfortable to walk until it dried. I was anxious to get back and freshen up after a hot day. OK, next stop RIO for three days of Carnival!! Hope we survive the extreme heat, humidity and crowds!!! Should be quite an adventure. Bring it on!!!!!
This was not the most interesting tour we have taken on this trip. When our guide used the microphone it would short in and out so we heard about every 2-3 word. When she wasn't using the microphone she just screamed in a quite unpleasant tone. She would periodically break out in song and then tell us afterward that she knew her voice was terrible. She was just proud of her country and eager to share her culture with us. So, we rolled along, trying to get as much enjoyment as possible from our surroundings.
Our guide told us that although she loves and is devoted to her country, there are some major problems in Brazil. Security, political corruption, and illegal drugs are all major issues. Our ship's crew did admonish us to leave all of our expensive possessions on board while visiting this country and to keep our handbags, cameras, etc. in front of us when walking through the streets.
Since Brazil was discovered by Portugal in the 1500's, Portuguese is the language spoken throughout the country. However, we were informed that speaking English is considered mandatory, not an option. Speaking Chinese and German is considered a "plus" when seeking employment. Since there are 70 different nationalities living in Brazil there are very few issues with discrimination.
Coffee was a major contributor to the economic growth of Brazil. It has brought a fortune to the country. However, a recent problem for workers has been the growth of technology. Historically, a majority of workers were hired for manual labor. However, as the work becomes more automated, many workers are no longer needed. Like many other countries, Brazil is struggling with unemployment for unskilled workers Technical training is needed to run the machines. My ears perked up as we passed a huge park which stretches along the beaches in this area. Our guide explained that the government employs people with developmental disabilities to care for the park. Due to the enormous size of the area, that would create many jobs for people. Love it!!!!
Housing directly on one of the lovely beaches is certainly not inexpensive but not as expensive as they are in Southern California. Prices start at approximately $1,000,000 for a small condo. Many of the buildings looked reasonably modern but not elegant as we drove passed them. The traffic can be quite congested at times. Our guide explained that most people in the city choose to drive their personal car as opposed to taking public transportation. Sounds like Southern California!
Our first stop was at the Orchid Park where they advertise having 5,000 orchid plants, as well as hundreds of rare and tropical plants. Although we didn't see one orchid we did enjoy a lovely walk through the gardens. The park also serves as a care center for small animals and birds who have been caught when smugglers were attempting to take them out of the country illegally. The park nurses them back to health and then releases them back into the wild. If they cannot be returned they remain at the park permanently.
Our next stop was very exciting for a lot of our European tourists. We had a tour of the football (soccer) stadium. This is the league and home stadium where the famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele, played for the Santos FC. Pele was the most successful league goal scorer in the world, with 541 league goals. He is greatly revered in this country and continues to be one of their national heroes. Many of our passengers were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit his museum and home field. Now, if would have been visiting one of the big U.S. college football fields, Bob and I would have been thrilled. Soccer, not so much.
Our last stop was at the Coffee Exchange building (Coffee Palace). The coffee exchange was established in 1914 and continued until the 1950's. This beautiful historic building housed the official coffee stock exchange. Bidders would come from all over the world to meet, sample the beans, and then bid on the coffee. Although the descriptions were only in Portuguese, we enjoyed the beautiful stained glass ceilings, intricately carved, dark rich wood, and the elegant marble floors as we walked through the museum.
We returned to the bus for a short ride back to our ship. We were thrilled to be returning to the comfort of air conditioning, since it was 97 degrees with high humidity. Also, while on the bus (early in the day) the air conditioner above me spewed out water all over me so I was completely drenched - hair, top and pants! It was quite steamy and uncomfortable to walk until it dried. I was anxious to get back and freshen up after a hot day. OK, next stop RIO for three days of Carnival!! Hope we survive the extreme heat, humidity and crowds!!! Should be quite an adventure. Bring it on!!!!!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Tuesday, February 10th
Don't cry for me........I'm in Buenos Aires!!!!
Oh--my--goodness!! What an incredible city!!!! I could have spent a week here!!!! It is the perfect blend of modern and colonial architecture. The streets were crowded with a mix of locals scurrying to work and tourists eager to experience the many beautiful sites this amazing city has to offer. I'm so excited to share all the beautiful places I've seen here that I'm having difficulty organizing my thoughts.
First, I'll describe a bit of my initial impressions of this massive city. Our guide told us that Buenos Aires is the ninth largest city in the world! It is divided into 47 districts, the largest immigrant groups being Italian and German. There are only a very few pureblood Argentinean people left and it is rare to meet one who lives in the city. It was immediately obvious that there are numerous means of public transportation to help people navigate the streets. There are 40,000 taxis throughout the city, a subway system, buses, trains, motorcycles, and bikes. Most of the streets are laid out in a grid which make it easier for tourists who are unfamiliar with the area. The widest avenue in the world is located in the middle of Buenos Aires. The Avenue Nueve de Julio is 440 feet wide from one building to the buildings on the opposite side of the street. There are 14 lanes of traffic that were filled with vehicles. Each city block is 100 meters long so it's easy to determine how far it is from one location to another.
One of the first areas we passed was a new and very upscale river walk shopping and dining area. The buildings have been converted from antiquated factory buildings. There was a gorgeous contemporary designed suspension bridge linking the two sides of the river and presented a great photo opportunity.
The hard scape is broken up beautifully by numerous parks and greenbelts throughout the town. Sycamore trees were planted in most of the grassy areas that divided the traffic. Kapok trees with gorgeous pink blossoms abound throughout, adorning the city with color. Enormous jacaranda trees with bright purple flowers also lined many of the avenues. Such a beautiful site. We noticed how bright and colorful the houses were painted. Our guide told us that most of the residents bought "leftover" pain from professional paints since it was far less expensive. Usually it was the bright colors that were left, consequently, the neighborhoods are filled with many different, brightly colored homes.
Many times when we stopped for a red light at an intersection, a street performer would jump out in front of the traffic. Most of them were jugglers trying to convince drivers to pass money to them through the windows. Not many of them were successful. We also noticed a number of dog walkers with lots of dogs on leashes. Many of them were walking 8-9 dogs, a few were walking up to 12 dogs, and one fellow was walking 15 dogs. What a sight!!! Not sure who was walking who in that case. We passed the obelisk, designated as the official center of the city, which was first established in 1536. It was at this location that the flag for the city of Buenos Aires was first flown. As we drove through this magnificent city there were many monuments devoted to the "common" people - union workers, men, women, children, as well as prominent historical figures. There was also a large flower sculpture which had lighted petals which opened during the day and closed at night. It was a dazzling sight. Buenos Aires is definitely the most beautiful city we have seen in South America.
Our first stop was in the La Boca neighborhood. This absolutely delightful area is considered the "Montmarte" area of Buenos Aires. It is quite similar to the Paris neighborhood for which it is named and is a wonderful place in which to spend a leisurely afternoon browsing through the handicrafts and enjoying a delicious cup of cappuccino or expresso. Many of the walls were decorated with sculptural reliefs. Some of them were of historical figures, like the Pope waving from a balcony, and many of them were whimsical characters. They were absolutely delightful. Tourists were lined up to take photos with many of them. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and could have easily spent much longer browsing in the area and enjoying a coffee.
We continued our drive through this exciting city. Our next stop was to have a coffee and snack at the famous Cafe Tortoni. I think I could move to this city just so I could frequent this restaurant. It was opened by a French immigrant in 1858 and is the oldest coffee shop in the entire country. The owner named the establishment after an area in Paris where the elites of Parisian culture used to meet. Cafe Tortoni has been frequented by artists, writers, journalists, musicians and intellectuals to inspire their creativity. Politicians have gathered here to plan their strategies. Locals meet here to play billiards, cards or just share coffee and conversation with friends. Currently, tourists and locals flock to this establishment to soak in the charm, beauty, and culture found within these walls.
When we entered the cafe our eyes were met with an array of sights and sounds. Parisian music played softly in the background while customers were enthusiastically engaged in conversations. The space was filled with a combination of small round and square wooden tables with marble inlays on the top. The wooden chairs were covered in leather and soft cushions. The walls were paneled in dark, rich wood and were surrounded with exquisite moldings on the bottom half and bright yellow painted walls on the top. Historical pictures of the town hung on the walls, along with photos of some of the celebrities who have spent time in the cafe. Pedestals located throughout the space were topped with busts of historically significant figures. There was a tableau of three famous Argentinean artists gathered around a small table in one of the corners where tourists were falling over each other to take their picture with it. The ceilings were filled with huge panels of stained glass. Chandeliers hanging from the center of the stained glass gave the area an elegant look. A row of large wooden columns lined the center of the room and helped to separate the bar from the dining area. There was an incredibly gorgeous long wooden bar built in the Victorian style and a mirrored shelving unit on the wall behind it to hold the glasses. It was a beautiful piece of furniture. Tiffany lamps were scattered throughout the coffee house, adding elegance to the atmosphere.
In the back of the restaurant there was a separate room which serves as a Cabaret theater. There is a raised stage with thick red velvet curtains for dramatic effect. Small round tables for two with wire -backed chairs provided a cozy seating arrangement and the dark walls and floral-themed velvet wallpaper gave the space a warm, romantic atmosphere. Can you tell I LOVED this cafe????
Once we left this lovely cafe we drove to the Cathedral at Plaza Mayo, where Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who is now Pope Francis, attended services for many years. Our guide told us that after church he would cross the street to walk through the park, buy a newspaper, and then spend the remainder of the afternoon delivering food to the poor. It was a beautiful church, with small intimate chapels devoted to various saints located along the outside walls. I crawled down the stairs to the crypt where some of the prominent bishops and priests were buried. I was the only one down there and it was a little eerie so I didn't stay long!
We returned to the bus to continue our tour. We passed the Casa Rosada where Eva Peron (Evita) stood on the balcony to greet the tremendous crowds that would gather to catch a glimpse of her. The balcony doors where she stood remain open and it still appears that she could walk out at any moment. I am absolutely amazed at how much she is still loved in this city. We visited the cemetery where she is buried in a vault. As we were waiting our turn to take a photo, a group of young adult male tourists were sitting on the raised cement platform in front of her grave. Our tour guide became visibly upset with the tourists and demanded that they stand up and not sit on the platform out of respect to Ms. Peron. They laughed and made some disparaging remarks but they did remove themselves. Must have been the daggers in her eyes that she was throwing at them! There are images of Evita everywhere. There was more than one tableau of her waving to the crowd from a balcony. There are certainly people here who are not admirers but it seems that the great majority of working people remain very devoted to her memory.
Our guide told us that we were now driving to the northern section of Buenos Aires where, historically, the "rich people" lived. Evidently, there was an epidemic of yellow fever in the late 1800's so the families of wealth fled to this area to escape the illness. The mansions in this area were magnificent. The residents of this area traveled frequently to Paris, France and fell in love with the architecture. Since they had a great deal of money they had the means to ship materials from France and recreate their homes in Buenos Aires. Consequently, this area became known as the "Paris of Latin America." These homes easily rival the mansions we have in Beverly Hills, California. They are absolutely magnificent. The stately, formal and imposing homes had a combination of brick, stucco, or stone exteriors. Balconies were defined by elaborate and intricate iron work. The mansard roofs, covered with gray slate tiles, were built in the steep, boxy, nearly perpendicular design found frequently in French country manors. The streets were lined with French-style gas lamps which gave the area a very Parisian atmosphere. Some of the mansions remain owned by private families but many of them have been sold and are now used as foreign embassies.
The most elegant shopping area in the city is located in the north, next to the "Paris" area. All of the major luxury stores have a presence here. Tiffany, Cartier, Louis Vuittan, Gucci, Valentino, Prada, Hermes, Versace, Dior, and Armani, among others have a presence in this shopping district. Thankfully, we didn't make a stop there (I think Bob paid off the driver)!
We learned that the Argentine tango was first danced in the brothels of the La Boca area of Buenos Aires. The tango was banned in Argentina due to its explicit sexual nature. However, the daughter of one of the rich and prominent families traveled to Paris and learned the dance. She loved it and brought it back home to teach to her friends. Once the wealthy families were dancing the tango it became quite popular and Buenos Aires became the center for the tango.
There is soooo much more that I would LOVE to add but I realize the most of you have stopped reading by now so I will stop. Buenos Aires is a fascinating city with many different, and diverse, neighborhoods. There is everything from shanty towns to extremely wealthy and elegant neighborhoods. It's definitely one of my favorite places we have visited on this trip and I hope that someday we will return. Now, we are at sea for a couple of days. Then, we have a quick, one-day stop in Santos, Brazil, followed by a stop in Rio de Janeiro for a few days to celebrate Carnival!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!
Oh--my--goodness!! What an incredible city!!!! I could have spent a week here!!!! It is the perfect blend of modern and colonial architecture. The streets were crowded with a mix of locals scurrying to work and tourists eager to experience the many beautiful sites this amazing city has to offer. I'm so excited to share all the beautiful places I've seen here that I'm having difficulty organizing my thoughts.
First, I'll describe a bit of my initial impressions of this massive city. Our guide told us that Buenos Aires is the ninth largest city in the world! It is divided into 47 districts, the largest immigrant groups being Italian and German. There are only a very few pureblood Argentinean people left and it is rare to meet one who lives in the city. It was immediately obvious that there are numerous means of public transportation to help people navigate the streets. There are 40,000 taxis throughout the city, a subway system, buses, trains, motorcycles, and bikes. Most of the streets are laid out in a grid which make it easier for tourists who are unfamiliar with the area. The widest avenue in the world is located in the middle of Buenos Aires. The Avenue Nueve de Julio is 440 feet wide from one building to the buildings on the opposite side of the street. There are 14 lanes of traffic that were filled with vehicles. Each city block is 100 meters long so it's easy to determine how far it is from one location to another.
One of the first areas we passed was a new and very upscale river walk shopping and dining area. The buildings have been converted from antiquated factory buildings. There was a gorgeous contemporary designed suspension bridge linking the two sides of the river and presented a great photo opportunity.
The hard scape is broken up beautifully by numerous parks and greenbelts throughout the town. Sycamore trees were planted in most of the grassy areas that divided the traffic. Kapok trees with gorgeous pink blossoms abound throughout, adorning the city with color. Enormous jacaranda trees with bright purple flowers also lined many of the avenues. Such a beautiful site. We noticed how bright and colorful the houses were painted. Our guide told us that most of the residents bought "leftover" pain from professional paints since it was far less expensive. Usually it was the bright colors that were left, consequently, the neighborhoods are filled with many different, brightly colored homes.
Many times when we stopped for a red light at an intersection, a street performer would jump out in front of the traffic. Most of them were jugglers trying to convince drivers to pass money to them through the windows. Not many of them were successful. We also noticed a number of dog walkers with lots of dogs on leashes. Many of them were walking 8-9 dogs, a few were walking up to 12 dogs, and one fellow was walking 15 dogs. What a sight!!! Not sure who was walking who in that case. We passed the obelisk, designated as the official center of the city, which was first established in 1536. It was at this location that the flag for the city of Buenos Aires was first flown. As we drove through this magnificent city there were many monuments devoted to the "common" people - union workers, men, women, children, as well as prominent historical figures. There was also a large flower sculpture which had lighted petals which opened during the day and closed at night. It was a dazzling sight. Buenos Aires is definitely the most beautiful city we have seen in South America.
Our first stop was in the La Boca neighborhood. This absolutely delightful area is considered the "Montmarte" area of Buenos Aires. It is quite similar to the Paris neighborhood for which it is named and is a wonderful place in which to spend a leisurely afternoon browsing through the handicrafts and enjoying a delicious cup of cappuccino or expresso. Many of the walls were decorated with sculptural reliefs. Some of them were of historical figures, like the Pope waving from a balcony, and many of them were whimsical characters. They were absolutely delightful. Tourists were lined up to take photos with many of them. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and could have easily spent much longer browsing in the area and enjoying a coffee.
We continued our drive through this exciting city. Our next stop was to have a coffee and snack at the famous Cafe Tortoni. I think I could move to this city just so I could frequent this restaurant. It was opened by a French immigrant in 1858 and is the oldest coffee shop in the entire country. The owner named the establishment after an area in Paris where the elites of Parisian culture used to meet. Cafe Tortoni has been frequented by artists, writers, journalists, musicians and intellectuals to inspire their creativity. Politicians have gathered here to plan their strategies. Locals meet here to play billiards, cards or just share coffee and conversation with friends. Currently, tourists and locals flock to this establishment to soak in the charm, beauty, and culture found within these walls.
When we entered the cafe our eyes were met with an array of sights and sounds. Parisian music played softly in the background while customers were enthusiastically engaged in conversations. The space was filled with a combination of small round and square wooden tables with marble inlays on the top. The wooden chairs were covered in leather and soft cushions. The walls were paneled in dark, rich wood and were surrounded with exquisite moldings on the bottom half and bright yellow painted walls on the top. Historical pictures of the town hung on the walls, along with photos of some of the celebrities who have spent time in the cafe. Pedestals located throughout the space were topped with busts of historically significant figures. There was a tableau of three famous Argentinean artists gathered around a small table in one of the corners where tourists were falling over each other to take their picture with it. The ceilings were filled with huge panels of stained glass. Chandeliers hanging from the center of the stained glass gave the area an elegant look. A row of large wooden columns lined the center of the room and helped to separate the bar from the dining area. There was an incredibly gorgeous long wooden bar built in the Victorian style and a mirrored shelving unit on the wall behind it to hold the glasses. It was a beautiful piece of furniture. Tiffany lamps were scattered throughout the coffee house, adding elegance to the atmosphere.
In the back of the restaurant there was a separate room which serves as a Cabaret theater. There is a raised stage with thick red velvet curtains for dramatic effect. Small round tables for two with wire -backed chairs provided a cozy seating arrangement and the dark walls and floral-themed velvet wallpaper gave the space a warm, romantic atmosphere. Can you tell I LOVED this cafe????
Once we left this lovely cafe we drove to the Cathedral at Plaza Mayo, where Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who is now Pope Francis, attended services for many years. Our guide told us that after church he would cross the street to walk through the park, buy a newspaper, and then spend the remainder of the afternoon delivering food to the poor. It was a beautiful church, with small intimate chapels devoted to various saints located along the outside walls. I crawled down the stairs to the crypt where some of the prominent bishops and priests were buried. I was the only one down there and it was a little eerie so I didn't stay long!
We returned to the bus to continue our tour. We passed the Casa Rosada where Eva Peron (Evita) stood on the balcony to greet the tremendous crowds that would gather to catch a glimpse of her. The balcony doors where she stood remain open and it still appears that she could walk out at any moment. I am absolutely amazed at how much she is still loved in this city. We visited the cemetery where she is buried in a vault. As we were waiting our turn to take a photo, a group of young adult male tourists were sitting on the raised cement platform in front of her grave. Our tour guide became visibly upset with the tourists and demanded that they stand up and not sit on the platform out of respect to Ms. Peron. They laughed and made some disparaging remarks but they did remove themselves. Must have been the daggers in her eyes that she was throwing at them! There are images of Evita everywhere. There was more than one tableau of her waving to the crowd from a balcony. There are certainly people here who are not admirers but it seems that the great majority of working people remain very devoted to her memory.
Our guide told us that we were now driving to the northern section of Buenos Aires where, historically, the "rich people" lived. Evidently, there was an epidemic of yellow fever in the late 1800's so the families of wealth fled to this area to escape the illness. The mansions in this area were magnificent. The residents of this area traveled frequently to Paris, France and fell in love with the architecture. Since they had a great deal of money they had the means to ship materials from France and recreate their homes in Buenos Aires. Consequently, this area became known as the "Paris of Latin America." These homes easily rival the mansions we have in Beverly Hills, California. They are absolutely magnificent. The stately, formal and imposing homes had a combination of brick, stucco, or stone exteriors. Balconies were defined by elaborate and intricate iron work. The mansard roofs, covered with gray slate tiles, were built in the steep, boxy, nearly perpendicular design found frequently in French country manors. The streets were lined with French-style gas lamps which gave the area a very Parisian atmosphere. Some of the mansions remain owned by private families but many of them have been sold and are now used as foreign embassies.
The most elegant shopping area in the city is located in the north, next to the "Paris" area. All of the major luxury stores have a presence here. Tiffany, Cartier, Louis Vuittan, Gucci, Valentino, Prada, Hermes, Versace, Dior, and Armani, among others have a presence in this shopping district. Thankfully, we didn't make a stop there (I think Bob paid off the driver)!
We learned that the Argentine tango was first danced in the brothels of the La Boca area of Buenos Aires. The tango was banned in Argentina due to its explicit sexual nature. However, the daughter of one of the rich and prominent families traveled to Paris and learned the dance. She loved it and brought it back home to teach to her friends. Once the wealthy families were dancing the tango it became quite popular and Buenos Aires became the center for the tango.
There is soooo much more that I would LOVE to add but I realize the most of you have stopped reading by now so I will stop. Buenos Aires is a fascinating city with many different, and diverse, neighborhoods. There is everything from shanty towns to extremely wealthy and elegant neighborhoods. It's definitely one of my favorite places we have visited on this trip and I hope that someday we will return. Now, we are at sea for a couple of days. Then, we have a quick, one-day stop in Santos, Brazil, followed by a stop in Rio de Janeiro for a few days to celebrate Carnival!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)