We sat in the lounge till our flight was boarding and I had a nice cup of tea. They served dinner on the plane at around midnight, but it was not the best and I really didn’t eat much. I thought maybe a glass of Cabernet would help put me to sleep, but it was served ice cold and I didn’t drink it. Yuck!

They served breakfast right before we touched down in Miami and then we landed and went through customs. Going through security was a breeze with global entry and we picked up our luggage in record time and then turned it back in for the flight to Newark.

That flight of course was delayed about 30 minutes. What else is new with American Airlines? It seems the business class bathroom needed to be pumped out because it was clogged and the bathroom would not be in use during the trip.

I have to say, I was not impressed this trip with American Airlines and I believe I will only fly American if there is no other choice. From day one with the whole horrible debacle getting to Santiago and then this leg of the trip, where the flight attendants were not attentive at all, it was not the greatest experience. (As a matter of fact, on today’s flights, the attendants didn’t even care if people were buckled in or not for take off and landing. Most of the people around me were just sitting there…no buckle at all and no one came by to check.)

Well, be that as it may, air travel aside – we had a wonderful time in Argentina and Chile. The food was excellent, our guide Jon was wonderful, the people on the trip made the journey very enjoyable, and of course all the sites we saw and the people we met – just amazing. From Easter Island, to Patagonia, to Tierra del Fuego, to the Chilean fjords, to glacier alley, to Iguazú and the falls… what an adventure!

Below are photos taken by Jon and local guide.

Tune in for our next adventure. Adios for now!

Doing the tango. Got the leg placement really good!

The gaucho at the ranch.

Buenos Aires

So regal!

Please don’t gallop…please don’t gallop…please don’t gallop…

On the ship touring the bridge

We had breakfast and then went to the airport to catch our flight to Buenos Aires. It was a nice flight since the configuration of the seats was two and two and they were fairly roomy.

When we arrived in Buenos Aires we went back to the Arc hotel where we had left our luggage before traveling to Iguazo. Jon arranged rooms for us at the hotel until four pm so that we could freshen up and rearrange our luggage for the trip home.

Jon asked if I’d like to sample the Argentinian pizza. He said his favorite place was closed (I said…”a likely story!!!” lol!) but he’d take Angie, Dennis, Allan, and I to his second favorite place. The four of us treated Jon to pizza and I must admit, the tomato, basil, and garlic was delicious. Afterwards, Jon took us for the famous ice cream and we treated him to a cone. I must again say, the ice cream was creamy and very good and I don’t usually eat ice cream. I am now overly stuffed!!

Our flight to Miami leaves at 11 pm and the bus will take us to the airport at 6. We said bye to all our new friends and promised to keep in touch since some of them left before us for their flights.

Will give a recap of the trip in the final posting sometime after we get home.

Accommodations: American Portal Del Iguana

This morning after breakfast we left our larger pieces of luggage at the hotel and we packed a small bag for the next few days that we’ll be spending in Iguazo.

We headed to the airport to catch our flight and as usual, the flight was delayed. We finally arrived in Iguazo and since we only had carry-on luggage with us, we immediately left the airport and boarded our bus to make our way to the Argentina-Brazil border.

We had to change buses at the border and give our passports to be stamped in Brazil and then we had a quick lunch of empanadas. The empanadas, every place we’ve had them on this trip are nothing like what my friend Rosa makes and since Rosa taught me… what I make. Ours are much better and Allan totally agrees.

Iguazo falls are among the world’s most beautiful and powerful falls… twice as high as Niagara and 65 feet wider. There are many individual falls that cascade down and it is quite an amazing sight.

We entered the Brazilian side of the Iguazo Falls National Park and walked the paths that lead to several platforms to views the falls from different angles. We were able to get close enough to feel the spray on our faces, which was welcoming since the temperature was in the mid-nineties and we were all drenched with sweat.

At the end of the walkway, we rode the elevator to the top and waited for the rest of our group to arrive. It was nice to sit down and relax. While we were sitting there, we saw a few coatis (raccoon-like animals) walking around scouting for food. Our guide told us to stay away from them as some can carry rabies.

After visiting the falls, we boarded the bus and rode back into Argentina and checked into our hotel. Allan and I took showers to freshen up from the heat.

We had a welcome dinner at the hotel, but I didn’t eat it. They served a fish that apparently is similar to piranha. Everyone enjoyed it, but it tasted very fishy to me. Yuck!

We all called it a night and went to bed. Tomorrow we can sleep in which will be nice.

(I will have to post the rest of the pics on tomorrow’s post since for some reason, the rest of the pics won’t upload. Probably an internet problem.)

Caught a rainbow across the falls.

After breakfast we boarded the bus and visited La Recoleta Cemetery, where the graves of many famous people, most importantly, Eva Peron, are located. It is listed as one of the 10 most beautiful cemeteries in the world.

It is 14 acres and is laid out like city blocks. You have to be very rich to be buried in this cemetery. Some of the mausoleums were beautiful, but some have fallen to disrepair. There are 4691 vaults in all.

I believe you have to pay a tax to the government to reside in the vault and if you can no longer pay, you must remove the body or bodies of your loved ones and find another place for them to lie in peace.

The queue for Eva Peron’s grave was long but it moved quickly since everyone just took a quick picture and moved on.

After visiting the cemetery, we took a boat ride along the Parana Delta, where the Parana River empties into the Rio de la Plata on its way into the Atlantic.

Traditional houses are on stilts, and those along with old mansions and rowing clubs are surrounded by lush subtropical vegetation. Some people live there permanently but others just use the houses for a weekend getaway.

There is a school boat that picks up kids along the delta and takes them to the school and there is a garbage barge that comes by to pick up the trash. There also is a boat that comes by periodically for the people to purchase fresh water, cola, snacks, propane, and beer.

The water is not drinkable along the delta and people purchase fresh water in bottles to drink. For bathing, the residents pump the water from the delta up to cisterns on top of their homes and let the sediment sink to the bottom, and then they can use the water for everything except drinking.

Some homes have electricity, but they don’t have sewers. Instead, they dig a very deep hole on their property for the solid waste.

Some of the homes were beautiful with lush greenery while others were falling down. We saw a lot of people swimming in the muddy water.

After our boat ride, we went for the farewell luncheon at a steak house. We were served empanadas, salad, French fries, and a huge steak and Malbec wine. It was all very good.

For dinner Allan and I shared a mini pizza of mozzarella, onions, and oregano. It’s not NYC pizza!

Tonight, those who were not doing the post trip caught planes for home. Tomorrow, we’ll catch a flight to Iquazo Falls.

The cemetery

The vaults were beautiful

Eva Peron’s grave

Along the Delta

The food mart

Lunch

We had a leisurely morning and then it was off to hear a speaker who was a soldier in the Malvinos War. He spoke of how he wanted to play soccer and be a pro but his parents wouldn’t let him, so he joined the army instead.

He was ill prepared for the rigors of war and only trained for about three months before he was put on the front line. He saw his friends killed and he saw operations being done in horrible conditions.

The war was won by the British and when the Argentinian soldiers returned, they were not welcomed back since people were disgusted that the soldiers had lost the war.

He has a hard time after returning. No job and no support. People had not heard of post traumatic stress, so he often had nightmares about the bombs and the killings. He thought of suicide.

He met a woman, got married, and I believe now has three children. He gives talks all around to apprise people of that war and what it meant.

We had lunch of crab soup and then enjoyed king crab legs. I actually like lobster better.

After lunch we went to the airport for our flight to Buenos Aires.

We were going to try Argentinian pizza but since the flight was delayed, we didn’t get in till late and I just couldn’t face pizza. We tumbled into bed and slept the night.

Accommodations: Cilene Del Faro Hotel

We had a quick breakfast on the ship, and after saying goodbye to the wait staff, we left for a tour of Ushuaia. Before we left the ship, we had our passports stamped with the ship’s stamp as well as the stamp of Cape Horn.

Ushuaia is a resort town in Argentina. It’s located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and it is the southernmost city of the world, nicknamed the “End of the World.” It is bordered by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It’s the gateway to Antarctica for expedition cruise ships and it is the city we departed from when we went to Antarctica.

We went around the city, stopping at a few key places as our local guide explained the history, etc. We stopped at the memorial to the men from Argentina who were killed in the Malvinas War, better known as the Falkland Islands war which began in April 2, 1982. The British captured some 11,400 Argentine prisoners during the war, all of whom were released afterward. Argentina announced that about 650 lives had been lost and the memorial lists all of their names. Britain won that war because the Argentinian troops were woefully unprepared.

We had lunch with a local family. Delicious lentil stew! Their home is absolutely beautiful with artifacts from all over the world. Gabby was such a welcoming hostess and she shared her story about her husband and daughters and her mother. Her daughters are ice skating medalists.

She talked about the economy in Argentina and about the inflation which is out of control.

It was a wonderful afternoon and a pleasure to meet her. This is what makes OAT so special. You meet with local people and have the opportunity to discuss and ask questions about their lives, etc. Nothing is ever off limits.

Gabby made a delicious appetizer as well as the lentil stew and a 2 milk cake and brownies, which Allan enjoyed. We all said we’d love the recipes and Jon told us they were all in the booklet that we were given at the beginning of the trip. What a great idea to be able to bring the cuisines home to enjoy!

We checked into our hotel and we have a suite with kitchenette, king bed, and sitting area, and it all overlooks the water. Wish we could stay a few more days.

Carnival is going on tonight so many of the restaurants were closed. We found a pizza place although hardly anyone was in it which is usually not a good sign. But it started to rain and we didn’t want to get caught in a downpour, so we went in. The mozzarella was very creamy, and that was the only good thing. The rest of the pizza was blah. Thick crust…and why do they think Americano pizza should have bacon and sunny side up eggs on it????? Yuck!!!!

We have a busy day tomorrow as we will be flying back to Buenos Aires.

Below are pics from the past few days.. as well as from today, since I finally have internet again.

Gabby’s beautiful home

The Malvinas War Memorial

The stamps were put in our passports.

Sailing Glacier Alley

Americano pizza. We’re not in New York anymore.

MARCH 3

We woke up to a rocking and rolling ship. I should have changed my scopolamine patch last night, because I was really seasick this morning. I put on a new patch and hoped for the best.

We left before breakfast to go to Cape Horn. Many times, the two boats in this fleet, cannot take the zodiacs to Cape Horn since the waves are always too rough. One couple on the ship said that they’ve been here three times before and never landed on shore because of the rough waters, so we were pretty lucky.  

Even though I was feeling muy mal, we decided to go. I thought the fresh air might help as we cruised to the Cape in the zodiac. 

I did feel better, until we approached the landing and I saw the steps going up to the top where we would see the lighthouse, a monument, and a chapel. 

I knew there were over four hundred steps to climb to the top, and I was ok with that. What I didn’t realize… the steps went straight up with wooden handrails and you were pretty much exposed to the height. Remember…I don’t do well with height!  

I did it… We got to the top. I was feeling a bit pukey, but fortunately I kept it under control. 

After we saw everything and took pictures, we were one of the first ones to make our way back down the stairs to the zodiac. 

After the brief ride back to the ship, we had to navigate getting out of the zodiac which was not easy since the waves were crashing and the ship was going up and down. But we did it and lived to tell the tale. 

It was time for breakfast but I wasn’t hungry so I just had tea and toast. Everyone was very concerned about me and kept asking how I was doing which was very sweet of them. 

After breakfast we watched the true documentary film “Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure” which told of his heroic effort to save his expedition team after they were stranded for almost two years on Antarctica. It is a story of determination and courage. 

We had lunch and Allan and I decided to pass up the afternoon hike. We took a nap instead. 

We met our friends for drinks before dinner. Everyone said they were so happy I was feeling better because when they saw me this morning, I was as white as a sheet!

While we were enjoying drinks, the crew auctioned off the map that the captain used during the trip to plot our journey. They started the bidding at $100 and eventually $1500 was the closing bid. The money will be divided among the crew.

Dinner was delicious…tuna and scallops and I finally felt like eating!

We met with our friends for an after dinner drink and then off to bed.

The stairs

March 2

We were able to sleep in again and had a lovely breakfast. Then, we went to a presentation on Tierra del Fuego. 

In 1984, a dispute broke out concerning the border of the Beagle Channel and where the border was that separated Chile from Argentina. The dispute was eventually solved. Both countries now have land in Antarctica but the land can only be used for scientific proposes. Many scientific stations are set up on Antarctica manned by many countries of the world. 

How did indigenous people come to Patagonia?  One theory is the people from Africa crossed the Behring strait and then they went down thru North America into South America. 

When Magellan arrived in Patagonia, he thought the inhabitants were giants. They weren’t. They were maybe 6 feet tall, but since Europeans were much shorter, Magellan perceived them as giants. 

Magellan coined the name Patagonia. One theory – the people had big feet… And presumably that is the word Patagonia in Spanish. Another theory is, he was reading a book in which the name of one of the characters was Patagonia.  

In the 1800’s, Captain Fitz Roy visited the area on the H.M.S. Beagle. The second time he arrived, he came with Darwin. Darwin was not happy with the indigenous people and felt they were inferior. I was very surprised to learn that about Darwin. We always were taught what a great man he was as well as a naturalist. Seemed odd he didn’t like the indigenous people. 

The first photo of indigenous people was taken by Father de Augustini who lived between 1883-1960. He became friends with them. 

The Manekenk were a small group in the southern areas. Most in the group did not wear clothes. They covered their bodies with fat and they also drank the fat. The fat is what kept them warm so they didn’t need clothing. Also, if it rained, or if they needed to jump in the water to get a fish, their clothing would be soaked so they opted out of wearing anything. 

They transported fire in their canoes and each individual family rode in the canoe. The man was in front harpooning for food. The woman rowed in the back and in the middle of the canoe, the children were keeping the fire alive. 

During the Gold Rush, the indigenous people  died because of diseases brought by the Europeans. The Europeans had started missions, and now the indigenous people were no longer out in the open in nature, but now were confined in small places and susceptible to illness.  

Also, sadly, many indigenous people were killed by land owners,  just because they were there. Some indigenous people were put in human zoos, and that was only 100 years ago. 

The talk was very interesting and very eye-opening. 

After the talk, we visited the bridge and learned how the captain and crew navigate the ship. Two people are always at the helm day and night. 

We saw the flags that the crew would use to communicate with other ships, however, nowadays,  the communication is done mostly electronically. 

After lunch, we boarded the zodiacs to go to Pia Glacier, and we were able to see where the glacier flows from the Darwin mountains into the sea. We hiked up along flat stones and just kept going up and up. By the time we got to the top, I was really frightened since it was very high and there was a sheer drop on both sides. I don’t like heights and seeing some of the people standing so close to the age made me crazy. But the view was magnificent and I guess all in all it was worth the hike. We saw and heard the glacier calf many times. 

After we returned to the ship, we went up to deck 5 to stake out chairs for our group to see Glacier Alley. Jon told us what side to sit on for the best view and the glaciers that we passed were majestic and beautiful. 

Global warming is contributing to the rapid melting if the glaciers which adds significantly to the rise of the sea level. We are very lucky to be viewing them because they might not be around in years to come. 

The wait staff passed appetizers out while we sailed thru the alley and I drank a delicious dark beer. 

Then it was dinner time but I didn’t feel very hungry since we had so many appetizers. 

Early to bed because we have to get up at 5am to get into the zodiacs to tour Cape Horn. 

Glacier Alley