Cambodia

Yesterday we took a really long tuktuk ride out to the countryside to see a few more temples. Mr Han's tuk tuk is propelled by his 150cc motorbike pulling us along behind him in a rickshaw type cab open air. I will be coughing up dust and bugs for a week but it was awesome. We passed farmers working in the rice paddies with their straw hats aided by their water buffaloes, their straw huts which are all about a story off the ground to protect from the bugs and water, and the vendors selling their sugar cane and various wares on the roadsides. There were signs warning of the landmines still present yet people still went into the fields. We had our lunch at the side of a 1000 year old moat, man made for the king. We saw the "TombRaider" temple made famous in the movie.The silk cotton trees form roots that literally creep into the stones and alternately pull the temples apart or hold them together. Still hot but what can you do?
Today is our last day and the flight leaves tonight to Bangkok, then a 4 hour layover and 17 hours back to JFK. After that a 3 hours drive- home Saturday - and then sleep. Thanks to all of you who read this and sent emails or added comments. So now we are off to see a silk farm in action and one last look at the famous Angkor Temple.

Siem Reap

So here I am in Cambodia. Siem Reap- at least in the section where we are staying -is just what I was hoping for. Most everyone rides motor bikes or bicycles.Many of the roads are unpaved and the people gather under pavilions made of tin or thatch to watch TV. They are very poor but every bit as friendly as the Thais, if even more so.However things are changing at warp speed. Everywhere you look just a few blocks away there are new giant hotels either just open or being built. Mr Han our tuk tuk driver for the next 3 days tells us the main road was only paved 5 years ago. Prices are high for foreigners but I don''t mind as they need it. On the first night Mr Han showed us around and then took us to the site of the Killing Fields. He had tears in his eyes as he recounted the horror of the Khmer Rouge from 1975-79. They killed nearly 1/3 of the population. There is a monument consisting of their skulls. They were then invaded by Vietnam which actually stopped much of the bloodshed but they were left with nothing, most of their young men dead as well as the children. Currently there is a severe outbreak of dengue fever which we know as hemmorhagic fever. There are signs all over asking for blood as the people can bleed to death. It is mosquito borne so we are being careful and using Deet 100%. There is a doctor here named Dr Beat who plays his cello every night at 7 in concert for free and then asks for donations for his hospital or you can give blood. They say he has saved countless lives.
We are staying in a Khmer style inn but owned by an Aussie couple who are away at home as they have just had a baby and reluctant to bring it here until the Dengue subsides. The inn is mostly run by Cambodian young people who are learning English and being trained in the hospitality business. It is a little difficult to communicate but it is great for them to practice. We had a guide- Kea- who today took us to Ankgor Wat and Angkor Thom. These are the 2 main attractions. They are huge ornate edifices built 1000 years ago in the jungle. Recently reopened after much of the vines and mines were cleared away, the Cambodians are pinning their hopes on its tourism value. It was wonderful climbing all over but I must say it was hot! It had to be 100 and the humidity put Bangkok to shame. We were wringing wet by 9 and spent nearly 6 hours . I could have drunk 5 liters of water but we had only 3 for both of us so we begged off the last temple. Last night Mr Han took us to a quiet small temple in the jungle where we were the only people. The inn had sent a bottle of wine and cheese and olives in a basket. There were parrots yeling at us from the trees that were growing out of the ruins. We stayed until nearly dark. It was mesmerizing. We passed a troop of monkeys who watched us from their perch above on the gate chattering to each other. I think they were discussing us!
As I write this I am sitting in the open air of an internet cafe on a dirt road with folks going by on their mopeds sometimes loaded with 3-4 people. Vendors pushing their carts loaded with fruits. There is a spirit house near me to ward away evil spirits. This has definitely been a worthwhile experience. It has taught me to really pay attention to the world of southeast Asia. Having experienced the heat and insects= let me tell you about how painful it is to be bitten by 20 red ants- I have so much respect for the GIs who served in VietNam. Well, back to the inn where Bert is having a foot massage. We are going tonight to an Aspara Dance show- the royal dance of Cambodia. Tomorrow we go to more temples including Ta Prom which was the one used in the movie Tomb Raiders. I will bring more water. This is supposed to be monsoon season but we have seen very little rain, none of which affected us. Buddha be praised!

Last day in Thailand

Today was our last day with our group. We spent the morning touring the Golden Palace. This was the ancient residence of the king and the sacred temple. It is aptly described as golden. The whole complex of temples and buildings has a wow factor of 10 plus. Each building was adorned in gold leaf or mirror reflecting the beautiful ceramics. Words could not do it justice. Even with the temp at 95 and humidity at 80 it was spectacular. The main temple or wat contains the emerald buddha- who is really jade. He was dressed in his rainy season garb of pure gold- He gets a heavier gold coat in the winter and a lighter one in the Thai summer which is April and May. The king had a gold house for everything including one to change his clothes before he got on the elephant. There is a building just used to hold the dead body of a royal family member. They put them in a large urn in the fetal position for 100 days and seal the top. During this time they build an elaborate funeral pyre and then cremate them on it on the 100th day. We have learned so much of their customs and about the culture. We set out on our own for the afternoon visiting the Reclining Buddha at Wat Po. He is 140 feet long and 50 feet high and of course covered in gold. You get a bowl of 108 coins and put one in each of 108 bowls for the buddha to bring you luck and prosperity and health. I gave it a shot- always one to hedge my bets.
After a visit to see the Oriental hotel- how the other half lives- I set out on my own visitng the rabbit warren known as Chinatown. I wandered the tiny alleys for over an hour stopping to watch a man crocheting a net. He let me help by showing me how he did it. He had no English and all I could say were my few Thai words but a great experience. They are such a delightful people. We finished our night with the group on a dinner boat ride up the river. Beautiful evening and home to the hotel. These guys are leaving for the airport to go home at 3AM. They promise to wake us up- we don't have to leave until 8 for Cambodia. They all seem a bit astounded that we are doing this on our own. It has been wonderful meeting them but I am ready to be on my own again and not accountable to 11 others. I would encourage anyone to see Thailand at least once. It is a unique experience and unique culture. It is a beautiful country.

Back in Bangkok

This evening we returned via Nok Air to Bangkok. The flight was delayed for 4 hours so the only exciting thing we did was go to Mass this AM. It was in Thai and held at the cathedral in Chiang Mai. I am not sure what was going on but there were 20 priests and it looked like a high Mass. They seemed to introduce each priest and each got a round of applause. Maybe their anniversary? There were about 1000 peopole in attendance and halfway through there were 2 baptisms. This is unusual in this country which is 94% Buddhist and only 1% Catholic. I think they were all there today. At the kiss of peace we all bowed to each other. There were lots of other nice touches as well. This was a nice juxtaposition from yesterday when we attended a "monk chat" with a Buddhist monk. He explained Buddhism and answered our questions for about an hour. I am not sure I agree with them- I am sure I do not- but he was earnest and sincere and had a good way about him. He did seem excited to know that Protestant ministers can marry and he joked that maybe he would convert as monks are celibate. In the early AM- before dawn- we went out to give alms to the novice monks who collect the food in metal baskets and chanted over us. Very moving. you meet them on the side of the road outside their temple and kneel in front of them barefoot. We have seen and done so much these 2 weeks. I have not mentioned our fellow travelelrs but we all have gotten along pretty well. One of the men was bitten by a pack of dogs and has started rabies treatment. Rosa, one of the ladies travelling alone injured herself in a fall the first day and has developed cellulitis in her leg. My RN skills have come in handy every day.
Tomorrow we go to the Golden Temple here in Bangkok and finish this part pf our trip on a dinner boat ride on the Chao Phraya. Next day off to Cambodia on our own.

Chang Mai

Suwahdee kha! That is the greeting you give to everyone as you fold your hand in prayerlike fashion. At least that is for women. If you are a man you say Krap instead of Kha. Needless to say the men all giggle and there is a lot of bathroom humor. I have also learned all my numbers and can count to 1000. I think I have about 20-30 phrases and words. Nothing is similar to us and their letters are absolutely different mostly like squiggly lines.
Today we went to elephant camp. We rode elephants with our mahout- the guy who lives with each specific elephant- for an hour through the jungle. There were about 7 in total- 2 to an elephant. You sit on a platform on their back while the mahout sits on his head. Along side us trotted the 2 babies that belonged to these girls. It was one of the most awesome experiences ever. We stopped while they grazed on wild sugar cane and then bananas. It was a little bumpy but we laughed the whole time. The babies kept trying to get into our backpacks looking for food. Elephant kisses are unreal and unforgettable. After our ride we rode on bamboo rafts down a river for about an hour. The jungle is very green- duh- and the birds can be heard but hard to see. Along the banks were other elephants with their mahouts sometimes batheing or getting a drink. There were also lots of water buffalo. The tribe here is the Lisu and I bought one of their hats. Very, very colorful and good in the hot hot sun. I am gettting Italian food tonight as I cannot face another bowl of rice. Thai eat the same thing for every meal and I know we are supposed to be eating like them but I need a break. Tomorrow we get up at 5 AM to give alms to the monks- rice again- and then we get to spend time questioning them about Buddhist philosophy. I have been studying up on it and have some questions planned. So Suwahdee Kha!

Myanmar amd Laos

It has been a few days since we were able to get near a computer. Sometimes I have sent a post and it goes off into some Thai netherworld never to be seen again. We have been traveling in the far north of the country and for the last 2 days stayed on the Mekong River at the convergence of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar- formerly known as Burma. From the balcony we could see all 3 countries with the small fishing boats peacefully making their way up and down the muddy river. Myanmar is hard to get into and indeed Americans are discouraged due to the repressive political regime. It was heartbreaking to talk with a man who told me quietly that he had been a teacher until he chose the wrong side and now was selling postcards at the side of a temple. He said he had seen pictures of America but it was a hopeless dream. Soldiers watching us everywhere. We toured a village- all grass huts and earthen floors, everyone in the same room, the marketplace selling everything imaginable and of course the Temple. We were transported by motorized rickshaws and the drivers raced each other through the crowded streets. Very beautiful paople, carry groceries on their heads, the monks in their saffron colored robes and sandals. Laos was somewhat similar though the odd thing here was that they sell whiskey with dead cobras inside each bottle. Unimaginably gross. I am a little lost as to what I have written but the one thing that also stands out is our visits to the hill tribes. They live as they have for centuries, somewhat nomadic. At the 2nd tribe- the Akha- they asked me to examnine a 89 year old woman who seemed to be dying . She refused to go to the hospital- they had some sort of vehicle. I am not sure what was wrong though her pulse was strong and steady but I had the sense it was her kidneys due to her eyes. Our group leader is going to check but the family and tribe seemed to respect what I was saying and we are thinking we may have talked them into taking her. What an experience though I dreamt about her all night. Presently we are in Chiang Mai and I will continue tomorrow. Thanks for writing Dad and Bonnie. I miss you .

Bangkok part 4

This is a little out of sequence. the last post seemed to take so I will try to recount our last day in Bangkok before taking off for the north. We were on our own for the day eschewing the optional tour. we hopped an upriver ferry to the golden palace district where we picked up a tuk tuk driver. These are the ubiquitous vehicles that consist of a small cart pulled along by a guy with a small motor. They zip in and out and half the time you have to close your eyes. Our guy, Mr Philom took us to the sacred mount where we cllimbed a few hundred steps to the temple. Our next stop was the lucky buddha. Here we were assured by a nice man with impecable English that if we bowed to this buddha we would have our wishes come true. I'll let you know if it works. We then were taken to the Gem Expo where Bert bought a citrine ring and I did a little Christmas shopping. After an abortive attempt by the driver to get us to buy a suit- though he did get us into the shop- we were deposited at the zoo. It is a really nice one and we especially enjoyed the langurs which are Thai monkeys. Soon enough we hailed another tuk tuk to the ferry and back to the National Museum. Wonderful collections. Someone likened it to something out of Indiana Jones and I can see it. My favorite were the golden funeral pyres and caissons. You cannot imagine how ornate they are. Gold everywhere and little jewels and intricate carvings. just unbelievable and over the top. The same was true for the things- can't remember the name- with which they ride on the elephants. We had been to the Royal Barge museum the day before. These kings really travel in style. About the king- Rama IX- his picture is plastered all over the country, sometimes with the queen or his children, but really everywhere you look. He is nearing 80 in December which will be a really big event here. These people really love their king and probably know more about his family than their own.

Thailand

OK so this is my 3rd attempt to try to send a note. The last 2 days we spent at a beautiful resort in the jungle on the River Kwai- same one as the movie. I wrote 2 long descriptions of our really interesting days spent seeing the famous bridge and learning of the horros and atrocities perpetrated on the POWs by the Japanese. Tonight we are in Phitsanalok which is in the rice area. Much of today was spent riding on the bus stopping to see interesting things such as the Wat which was filled with columns of mirrors, including the floors and ceiling. Vegas has nothing on this place. The body of the abbot lays in state in a glass and gold case apparently not decomposing. A gold buddha is at the other end next to a skeleton. Cruising down a river on a rise barge we had lunch ,made with ingredients which we had to buy for ourselves in the local market using our limited Thai skills. Every meal consists of rice and meat and fruit and veggies stirred in. It is getting a little old to be honest. However it is good if a bit too spicy for me at times. Bert had to find a dentist this evening to replace a crown which had come off. That was a minor adventure but we found a dental clinic here in the city and they charged 300 baht- about 9 dollars to fix it.

The jungle surrounding the hotel that we stayed at on the Kwai River was another highlight. As night fell the sounds increased, gibbons, birds and some sort of insect made such a cacophony. It was great to just sit out on the room balcony and listen. The hills in the distance lit up with heat lightning and there was literally no evidence of anything manmade for miles. The river flowed right past the hotel. We had an hour long longboat ride from Hellfire pass- site of the infamous Thai Burma railroad - down river for 30 miles/ we passed huge bats, a 5 foot long monitor lizard sunning himself, beautifully colored birds and every kind of tree. There were a few areas where people live in floating shacks right on the water but for the most part it is totally unspoiled. This part of Thailand is quite beautiful- a marked contrast to Bangkok. Water buffalo stand in the rice paddies next to storks. Markets are set up everywhere selling every kind of food and trinkets. The people all smile and wave. Sawatdee-cha is the greeting. You fold your hands together as you say it.
I hope all is well at home. I miss you all and wish you were here to share this fabulous experience.

Kanchanaburi

In checking this blog tonight I see that the part I wrote last night never was posted. I will have to recreate it later because I wrote it out but it is in the room. We are in the area made famous by the movie Bridge over the River Kwai. It is such a sad story of the brutality towards the POWs by their Japanese captors. Spent the morning touring areas of the railroad they built which killed most of them from the beatings and disease and malnutrition. Hellfire Pass was a mountain they leveled by hand. We later rode the remains of the railroad and had an hour long ride in a longboat down the Kwai for 28 miles. We passed a monitor lizard, beautiful birds and a few rafts that were houses. Mostly we saw only jungle and it was beautiful. The highlight of the day however was the visit to the Tiger Temple. I was the one who lobbied the group for this and, in the end, 2 other couples went with us. We arranged for a pickup truck to bring us and wait. So we rode in the back of the truck at 50 miles an hour an adventure in itself!. The temple started 12 years ago when the monks began to take in orphaned tigers whose parents has been killed by poachers in the nearby hills. They are quite tame but treated with love and respect. We were able to go right up to them and pet them, with a handler at our side while a second person took multiple pictures. At one point, the tiger I was petting rolled over with a growl for a belly rub whipping me with his tail. It was an unforgettable experience. There were 10 tigers present though 4 of them were pacing so we could not go to them. They were not drugged but had been just fed so they were somnolent. Each was full grown and just gorgeous. I could not imagine being able to do this in the States. Tiger canyon was defnitely a highlight of the week. Tonight following another Thai meal we pack for a long bus ride tomorrow to the north of the country. The weather so far has been hot and humid but no rain despite the fact that this is monsoon season.

Bangkok part3

The Chao Phraya is like the Seine or the Thames in that it bisects Bangkok. Much of the city's commerce takes place on the water. As we went along the canals en route to our cooking class we passed people batheing in the klong, washing their clothes and fishing for catfish. Floating kitchens on sampans serve rice and noodles to customers in other boats. Each house has its own spirit house perfumed with incense and decked out with flowers and other offerings.

The Temple of the Dawn- Wat Arun- is 260 feet high tower on the river. Its exterior is covered with chards of chinese porcelain of every color embedded in the concrete. It shimmers as the sun hits it.

Bangkok part2

Yesterday we spent the day touring with our group led by Leky, a 48 yo Thai woman, very pleasant. We started with a trip through the flower market. Every color and smell and shape of flower imaginable. They start at 2 AM and run till late at night. We then boarded a longboat which is sort of a long canoe with a car engine at the back. We toured the klongs- canals - of Thonburi a rather ancient and unspoiled part of Bangkok. The people live in houses on stilts and open to the water. The water is pretty fetid but they fish- catfish- in it and we even saw a 6 foot long monitor lizard swimmimg next to our boat. It was fascinating to see the women in their sampans with their meals cooking onboard. We attended a cooking class given by Toom who was about the most entertaining cook I have ever met. She was so engaging and had us laughing for the whole hour as we made chili paste - a staple ingredient in the very spicy Thai diet.

Bangkok

Well we survived our 17 hour flight. It went really well primarily for one reason. Bert was able to upgrade us to premium economy which gave us a little extra room and a bulkhead seat. Now we are really spoiled. Thai Air is great however the only thing I did not understand was why they gave us about 10 heavy metal utensils to eat with at each of the 3 meals they served. I am sure it added a couple of hundred pounds to the flight. So interesting to see the route taken, over the north pole, Russia , Uzbekistan, Afghanistan- a little nervous, the Himalayas, India, Burma and Thailand. We are staying in the Chinatown section of the city. Bangkok has about 10 million people. It is a mix of the ultra modern and the ancient and the dilapidated- all coexisting sometimes on the same block. The traffic is incredible with few traffic lights. Crossing a street involves a mixture of bravado and prayer-fervent prayer. We have a room on the 15th floor affording a view over much of the city. We were on our own for the first day or so before our fellow tour members arrived. We took the ferry boat downriver to the skytrain. Jim Thompson's house was very interesting. He was an exGI who came here in the 50s and reestablished the silk trade for Thailand. He was a major figure here and built a beautiful compound consisting of 6 teak houses either very old or rebuilt in the Thai fashion. One day he disappeared while on vacation in Malaysia and to this day no one really knows what happened to him. His home, open for tours, is an oasis in the heart of this noisy, crowded city. As you walk or ride around the city you see many gorgeous golden temples with flowers and incense offerings and Buddhas. We walked several miles in the 90 degree heat- don't ask- to see the golden buddha at Wat Tramit- a wat is a temple. Along the way we were frequently stopped by Thai citizens who wanted to talk to us about their city or ask about us. They are truly the most friendly people I have ever met. You are always greeted with a smile and the gesture in which they put their hands together as in prayer. Anyway the golden buddha was 12 feet tall and apparently solid gold. They did not even know this until about 20 years ago when they were moving him-he was covered in ceramic- and cracked off a piece. There he was all shiny gold. Can you imagine!
Today we met our fellow 11travelers-ranging from 30s to mid 80s. More on them later.My time is up.

Thailand and Cambodia

So now that we have gone to the cold and survived, we are on to the hot. Tomorrow we leave via Thai Air JFK to Bangkok. They call NYC "the big apple", well they call Bangkok "the big mango". The flight is 17 hours plus nonstop , one of the longest flights you can take. I cannot imagine being pinned in economy for almost a day but I am excited to finally get to Asia and especially to see Ankor Wat in Cambodia. We will be gone for 3 weeks, first to "the mango" for 4-5 days meeting up with a group of 10 others on the 3rd day and then north to the hill country and the golden triangle. This is the former opium growing area now apparently home to the many hill tribes and rice paddies, tea plantations,etc.. We will see the Bridge over the River Kwai, visit an elephant camp and take several boat rides down the rivers. After we leave the group, Bert and I will fly on to Cambodia, to Siem Reap, home to the magnificent temples of Angkor for 4 days. Can't wait- well except for the flight- and maybe the heat-and maybe, well that's travel!

Stockholm

Now that we are home I should just finish up the last couple of days of this trip. The Skoda carried us up the east coast of Sweden toward Stockholm. We stopped on the way at the Gota Canal in the town of Soderling. The Gota was built nearly 200 years ago to facilitate boat traffic and commerce between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Today it is a tranquil way to spend 4 days meandering on your yacht through Sweden. Very picturesque village and great ice cream though it was $5 a cone.
Our hotel was on the outskirts of Stockholm which enabled us to park the car for the day and use the train to get into the city. We had a wonderful day exploring the Old Town- Gamla Stan. My Sweidsh is very poor. As an aside, for days whenever we met someone or to buy we were greeted by the person saying "Hey". I kept thinking it was just an affectation because we were American and they were being folksy. Took nearly 3 days for me to get that Hey means Hi. You say Tak for thankyou. In truth most of the time the people thought we were Swedish and it took several attempts to get them to speak English. Definitely the blond hair and blue eyes.
The highlight of what is a great city was the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was to be Swede's mightiest war ship built nearly 400 years ago. It was very tall and had 2 gun decks. So ornate nearly every square foot was covered with black oak intricate carvings of animals, gods, emperors, you name it. On its maiden voyage in Stockholm harbor a wind sprang up about 20 minutes into its trip and it sank! They lost 30-50 people, and over the years it was all but forgotten. In the 1950s a man dedicated himself to finding it and in 1956 they found it almost intact. Took a few years to raise it and restore it but today it sits proudly in its own museum 95% original. It is a fabulous site and we spent nearly 4 hours there.
After a bite at the Taste of Stockholm and a train back we were ready to say goodbye to Sweden. Actually I am never ready to say goodbye to any part of Europe. The weather was perfect throughout the 10 days. Usually in the 60s to 70s except in Iceland , of course, but there it was in the 50s and relatively clear.
One last note on the trip home. This proves what a small world it really is. When we went to Antarctica there was a nice man in his late 80s from Quebec. Traveling alone but one of those characters who was everywhere you looked . Always in the front of the line ,a little oblivious ,but kind of fun to watch. Well I got up to use the lavatory on the plane from Reykavik to Boston and noticed this guy who looked like Mariano sitting a few rows ahead of us. I attributed this mirage to fatigue and did not mention it to Bert when I sat down. As the plane landed and those in front stood up, Bert said "There's our guy!". I knew immediately who he meant. We figured it couldn't be. How could you see the same person in two such out of the way places? Nevertheless there he was at baggage claim. As we were talking to him about how amazing to see each other I asked him where we were going next. He answered either Madagascar or Senegal. I told him he was on his own but then I got to thinking.....

Karlshamn Sweden

This morning we picked up our car. It is a Skoda Fabia. Basically a really base small car but the gas mileage is great and at $8 a gallon who cares. The countryside in Sweden is so beautiful. We passed rolling hills as green as Ireland with all kinds of crops and perfect little red farmhouses. It seems at least 75% of Swedish houses are red with white trim and a multitude of every color flowers. It is very appealing. After checking into our hotel we went to Morrum , the town where Bert's father was born. We headed for the church and within 5 minutes had found the graves of his grandparents. It was uncanny but Bert seemed to zero in on the exact spot. We later planted flowers on their site. These cemeteries are absolutely beautiful. Every plot is just filled with several types of flowers and shrubs. They are well tended and there is even a shed for spades and shovels and watering cans. We drove to the next village of Elleholm where, through a fortuitous turn and quirk of fate, found ourselves on a dirt road talking to a kid painting his barn-red of course- and he mentioned the cemetery down what seemed to be a deserted road. We followed his direction and again within minutes were standing at the gravesites of Bert's great-grandparents and their daughter. Again a fabulous setting near a stream. An idyllic place to spend eternity! Seriously if you have to have a hometown this area would make anyone proud. What is even better is that every single person we have encountered speaks perfect English. I had never really thought of Sweden as a must see place but I have changed my mind. Now if they would just lower their prices by about half...

Copenhagen

On our last day in Iceland we saw Reykavik. Small city really little more than a town. It was kind of cute but easily covered in a few hours. The interesting thing about it is that all their heat is geothermal which means no fossil fuels needed and consequently no pollution at all. There are also no dogs and very few cats. The Icelanders feel dogs are dirty and banned them until a few years ago except on the farms. I only saw 1 or 2 the whole time. The evening of our flight we went to the Blue Lagoon which is a giant hot pool over a acre large outside, lots of minerals and kind of fun. It is surrounded by these large hills and very peaceful, as is much of Iceland. Our flight was at 1AM so we were tired but Iclelandair is a nice airline and we reached Copenhagen at 6AM. After a short ride on the train we reached our hotel hopeful that they had a room ready. No luck but they did store our bags and off we went to explore.
A ride on a canal boat was awesome. Copenhagen is so much fun and so beautiful. Lots of canals and colorful narrow old houses and wonderful masted boats. Three palaces and a city hall so ornate you have to see it. We saw Tivoli Gardens from the outside. It looks like a fairyland any child would love. Overall one of my favorite cities so far.
This morning we took the train to Malmo, Sweden where we are now staying in a gorgeous old hotel in a part of the city that dates back 500 years. For the past 7 years there has been a bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden called the Oresund Bridge. It is over 6 miles long but what a difference it has made in this part of the world. literally connecting Sweden to the rest of Europe.Malmo is so much better than I expected. There are streets with old, brilliantly painted canal houses covered in flowers. The streets near our hotel are trafficless unless you count the ubiquitous bicycles. Literally there are more bikes than cars. No wonder these women have great legs. Tomorrow we pick up a car and head out to Karlshamn to see where Bert's father came from.

Southern Iceland

We have spent the past 2 days roaming the southeast part of Iceland. There is one main road which rings the island. It is mostly paved. Eighty percent of the population lives in Reykavik so the rest of the country is extremely sparsely peopled. There are few stores or places to stop. The silence is wonderful. The birds are so different, especially their calls. There is one that is a guillemot which sounds like a whirly bird. There are many hot springs. Monday we went to a waterfall , climbed up behind it and were able to stand in a grotto with the water falling, forming a rainbow in front of us. It was so awesome and we had it pretty much to ourselves. Our hotel is out in the country and had a hottub outside our room in which we sat drinking wine and looking at the snow capped glaciers and volcanoes off in the distance a few miles.
Yesterday we went on the Golden Circle which included a stop at the first Icelandic church, then the geysirs, followed by a visit to Gullfoss the largest waterfalls in the country. In the later afternoon we ended at Thingvellir the site of the world´s first parliament dating from 970 AD. The setting was truly spectacular. At the end of a huge blue lake surrounded by high jagged rocks bisected by a waterfall. This is also the site of the division of the tectonic plates separating the Americas and Europe. Very cool day. Of course we have not yet seen the dark. The sun really does not set and those dark shades come in handy. Today we are off to Reykavik and the blue lagoon with a flight to Copenhagen at 1AM. NO sleep for us !

Iceland

What an interesting place! Just under a 5 hour flight from Boston. We went directly north over Labrador and Greenland landing near midnight. The sun was just starting to set. No matter it never got dark and started to rise an hour later. Our room was on the 4th floor of the Flughotel overlooking the harbor and mountains of Keflavik. Unbelievable sticker shock - the food and gas is unbelievably high. Gas is about $8.50 a gallon- now I cannot complain about our measly $3 a gallon. There are no trees anywhere. The land is barren but with such a stark beauty. Speaking of beauty you should see the people. They are tall, striking and with the most stunning eyes. Also love the red hair. As we were landing I could see geysers in the distance. We will leave here shortly to start to explore. We have rented a Toyota Yaris. The roads, such as they are, are quite narrow and much of them are unnpaved so it will be interesting. Will try to keep this up. Oh, the best part so far- they have TAB! It is in Icelandic but I already know this is going to be my souvenir.

Iceland

I don't even like to be cold. I guess the lure of a cheap airfare is stronger than my anathema to cold. Anyway, on Sunday, May 27 we are off to Boston for 3 days in Iceland and then on to Denmark and Sweden. Will try to keep up with the blog but I am guessing there are no 50 cents an hour internet cafes in Scandinavia!

One last post re this trip. Iguazu Falls are located in the upper part of Argentina, bordering on Brazil and Paraguay. There are over 300 falls in all and the major part of them are in Argentina and in the jungle. The local town is Puerto Iguazu, which is sort of a pioneer rustic town of a few thousand and about 11 miles away. The National Park, which encompasses the falls reminds me of a Disney creation only this is real and not fake. It is really well done to protect the ecologically sensitive ecosystem. It costs 10 dollars to enter the first day and 5 the next. We checked into our posada which I had prebooked from some recommendations online. Well I do not know who wrote these but Timbo Posada turned out to be little more than a hut in the village with 4 basic rooms. There was a bed, handmade of some wood, with threadbare sheets and some old faded green towels which were hard and rough to touch. The bathroom had just one faucet at the sink- only cold. The toilet had a tank above it for the occasional flush and the shower dribbled a slow stream of warm water. If you stamped your feet when you turned on the dim Christmas lightbulb, the roaches scattered. There was also a tree stump which was the bedside table. I was a little grossed out at first but we dropped our backpacks and immediately headed back to the park for the 3 hours before it closed the first day. By the time we came back the giant beers from the cafe next door made it seem sort of cute and we decided to stay. The kids who ran the place were so earnest and nice and they tried so hard, it would have been difficult to disappoint them.
To get to the park you take El Practico which is an old coughing bus that runs every half hour and costs 4 pesos each way. The park was great. On the first day it had started to empty out by 3 so we had it to ourselves. We took the little train out the "Devil's Throat" the largest of the falls. You walk on about a mile of elevated metal walkways over the rivers and swamps and forests. We saw remarkable birds- giant white herons, vultures, colorful ones and even a caiman. The thing tht I remember most were the butterflies. They looked at first like tiny pieces of colorfu scraps of paper floating in the air. They were absolutely astounding to watch and see. Every conceivable color, our favorite if there was one was a black and white one with scarlet stripe with what looked like the number 88 on each wing.
The next day we got there early and spent 10 hours doing all the trails and starting with the jungle explorer which involved a 4 wheel drive into the jungle followed by a boat ride capped off with a shower under the falls. We got drenched but the heat and humidity is so intense that it was relief. Picture 90 plus heat and humidity in the high 80s. You just do not dry and just walk around wet. I really sort of liked it and it did not really bother me but my hair was curly for the first time on my life. The highlight, though, was seeing the animals. We saw a toucan and some large blue and purple birds with yellow and pale tan bellies and tails- I now know they are plush crested jays. There were dozens and dozens of coati mundis which are a cross between an anteater and racoon. One of them jumped on a table about 10 feet away and grabbed a girl's empanada right from her hands. They were everywhere and so fun to watch. At the end of the day, as we were the last on a trai,l I looked over to my left and saw a capuchin monkey sitting on a branch watching me. As I looked back, I noticed there were about 5 others. They stayed for about 5 minutes eating bamboo and throwing things at us and then the troop moved on. I was thrilled. It was really a great day and I loved the jungle.
After our 2 days we flew back to BA and spent the afternoon yesterday in Recoleta visiting Evita's tomb in the necropolis cemetery and walking a few neighborhoods. After a 10 hour flight to JFK we arrived back in the US and are now home. It was an interesting month. I had never really thought about South America as a possible vacation destination. I found it fascinating and yet a little familiar. The people are kind and I never felt in danger or really uncomfortable. Thank you to those who sent your comments. I read them all and it really helped to stay connected. Now none of you have to listen to boring vacation stories!

Yesterday was Saturday and we took the ferry across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia, Uruguay. Now the river is pretty wide but you can see BA from Colonia in the distance but it takes forever to cross. We learned the BA subway system, navigating across 2 lines, and then walked the last half mile to the port. We were out of pesos however and stopped 2x to try ATMs. They would not allow us to get money and we were really getting worried. You never know if someone has gained access and cleaned out your account or whatever. Anyway, thankfully, at the pòrt their ATM gave us some money. However it was extremely windy and the ferry was delayed by 3 hours. It only runs once each way and so now our 6 hour visit was cut to 2 and a half- you have to leave time for customs. We decided to go anyway as we were there and it cost $70 each- a lot for down here. The ferry carried probably 700 people easily 250 of which were very small children. Mostly these were families taking their annual vacations to the beaches in Uruguay which are apparently quite beautiful and very cheap. When we docked we were first off the ship and at the historic center in about 10 minutes.
I have to say that this so far has been my favorite place on the trip. Colonia is a UNESCO world heritage site rebuilt with UN money. It was the original Portugese settlement in what is now Uruguay and is just wonderful. For a dollar you can go in 5 restored old homes and businesses from the 17th century. The streets are the original stones, very erratic and haphazard to walk on but authentic. There is the requisite Plaza complete with horse drawn carriage, very few tourists even on a weekend in high season and we had the place to ourselves. The flowers! Wow, they were every different color- even on the same bush! The streets were lined with rows of centuries -old sycamore trees. The shops were unobtrusive but charming. Oddest though were the decades- old cars on the streets. These were 30s era cars that still work and are a source of pride to the residents. All too soon we hurried back to the dock to find there was a 3 hour delay- surprise! So we rushed back out , grabbed a cab driver and asked him to show us the rest of the city. The historic part is just on the end of the peninsula. It seems we had missed the beautiful beaches on the banks of the river upsteam. It was still windy and the river is enormous so there were waves as big as Green Hill. Here's the difference. The river is chocolate brown. To me it would look like you were swimming in melted Hersheys. There were palm trees and white sand and chocolate waves- very surreal. So the driver showed us where the "rich" Argentinians live and the bull ring now "cerrado" closed and the jai alai also "cerrado. I was wondering what the poor folks do for fun when he proudly told us that "big man Bush" came in his helicopter complete with whoosh whoosh sounds- and stayed in the Sheraton hotel for the night last March. He was so proud.
The ride home on the ferry included even more little kids all of whom sat near us- you cannot be outside and are confined to a giant room. I thought they were adorable and enjoyed their playing and watching the parents but Bert felt as if he had been condemned to Dante´s 4th level of Hell. We made the last subway home with a few mishaps but pretty much in one piece.
My cold has leveled off slightly. I know cough medicine does not work but I am trying to think positively. Have I mentioned how the farmacias work here in South America? It is so weird and hard to get used to. You go in one, there is one every corner, you find a sales girl and tell her what you want. Nothing is out on display, all behind in the back. You cannot compare or ask price. This is not just for meds but personals like tissues, shaving cream, lotions, shampoo, anything you would buy in a drug store. She asks you all these questions then gives you a slip which you take to the cashier. After waiting in line, you pay and then go to another line with the receipt and they go in the back and get the stuff. Can you imagine doing this at CVS? Let me tell you it can also be quite embarassing.
Today we went to the San Telmo flea market. There are all kinds of buskers which were the most entertaining I have ever seen,- tango dancers, marionettes, tango bands, a stilt walkerwho reached down and grabbed me to kiss me almost knocking us both over, singers, statue people. I was looking at a leather purse and said out loud I needed one that was larger. The lady next to me said "buy it anyway you can always use it". I answered that 'when you live in RI you bring everything you own when you go out' and, of course, she is from Newport. She gave us her husband´s name and we are supposed to call him to say she is fine and staying another month. Later while eating lunch we were approached by a fellow American who is travelling on his own but is our age, staying in hostels and was in need of conversation with someone over 30. He was fascinating. There are few Americans here and they tend to seek each other out.
Tomorrow we fly up north to Iguazu Falls on the Brazil and Paraguay border for 2 nights in the jungle. I can´t believe I have to work in 5 days.

Today we are back in Buenos Aires. It is marginally cooler than Mendoza but not much. The main story with us is that I have been really sick for 4 days. The cold that I got just escalated into literally the worst I have ever had. At this point my eyes are so infected that it is hard to see and it looks like I am continually crying. I am sure I infected the whole bus last night. I coughed and sneezed and everything else for nearly the entire 16 hours. I will never again complain about someone else with a crying baby or bad cold. I tortured those people and I felt terrible. The busses here have a system called semi cama or full cama- cama meaning bed in Spanish. The seats go nearly all the way back and there is a foot rest. Actually there is a good amount of space. Of course I could not understand the announcements. I had been told they were giving us supper and, when we got on, they handed us a sandwich with a slice of bread and a piece of cheese. No drink. I figured that was dinner and ,really, I haven´t eaten in 4 or 5 days. So we settled back and fell asleep even though it was 8 PM. At 10 PM the bus pulled into a rest stop and we got up and out with everyone for the restrooms. I noticed though that the other passengers had gathered in the restaurant next to it and it was here that they gave us dinner. So here we were in a truck stop on the road in the middle of Argentina eating some kind of breaded mystery meat and a huge portion of mashed potatoes. I am seriously missing vegetables. They then showed 2 movies which were in English and Spanish subtitles and really weren´t bad. Then everyone settled in to sleep while I kept them up coughing.
Tonight I went to a pharmacy and tried to explain that I want a cough suppressant not expectorant. Literally the pharmacist who was nice enough to open for us- we had to climb through a little hole in the door- had only 4 words of English - Have a nice Day! I had to laugh in spite of my pathetic condition. We had dinner in a Hungarian restaurant with reggae background music but the goulash was great that Bert had and so was my omelette which was the only thing we could understand on the menu. My Spanish is bad but forget my Hungarian. Besides it was the only place that would take Mastercard and we were out of pesos until we can find a bank tomorrow.
Tomorrow AM we are to take a fast ferry to Uruguay for the day. Hopefully the cough meds will work.

I haven´t had a chance to write the past few days as I have had the worst cold in 10 years. We took a bus 2 days ago from Santiago to where we are now in Mendoza, Argentina. The bus ride was certainly an adventure in itself. The bus station was immense with thousands of people and hundreds of busses going in every direction. It is vacation time here and the busses are the primary mode of transportation. We saw very few English or foreign travellers- I guess they fly. Noone on the bus spoke a word of English and I could not get any of the announcements. Consequently, when we got to the border between Chile and Argentina, we were confused. The crossing of the border took 2 hours. They pulled one of our passengers off and made him get his luggage and that was the last we saw of him. The border itself is at the highest part of the Andes probably over 12000 ft. Within a half mile we saw snow covered Aconcagua which is the highest peak in the western hemisphere. It was magnificent but it did not look that much higher than where we were. The road through the mts was incredible. For the 20 dollar bus fare for the 7 hours it was a bargain. They even played a movie. Can you believe it was a kung fu movie with lots of screeching and heads being cut off in Thai with Spanish subtitles. Out the window was the real show. On the Chilean side you climb a very, very sharp series of 24 switchbacks and at times I had to close my eyes we were so close to the edge with the oncoming traffic. Once we passed the border, the Argentinian side was basically rolling down but much more colorful rocks. They were green and red and brown and white depending on mineral content. They rose up on both sides of the road and there were frequent tunnels which seemed very narrow to us on a double decked bus.
The bus station in Mendoza was similar in size to Santiago. We bought our ongoing tickets to Buenos Aires and hit the bathrooms. Unfortunately I kept getting aced out by a number of nuns in full habit. After 3 of them cut in front of me I took a deep breath and did not give up my position. I think they cursed me with this cold. We found a taxi to get to the B and B. When I asked the price it sounded like 40 pesos- about 12 dollars but when we got here he was mystified when we went to pay him. He only wanted a dollar. We gave him 2 and he was thrilled. This B and B named Plaza Italia is owned by a couple in their 60s, Mercedes and Tito, but run by her son Javier. Yesterday Javier took us on a tour of the wineries. We did 4 with a 5 course meal at lunch with a wine for each course. With my cold I was unable to fully appreciate them but suffice it to say this is wine country with over 125 wineries. I now know more that I ever thought I needed to know about Mendoza wine. This is a lovely city and we are staying in the heart of it on a secondary plaza. We cannot eat until at least 8 each night as there are no restaurants open. Most eat at 10. We stroll the city squares until 12 or so and they are crowded . I do not think the children ever go to bed. We actually watched a puppet show at 11 last night with lots of kids. As I write this at the B an B, there is someone´s pet duck quacking at me. I don´t know what that´s about but he hangs around with a large brown puppy. Every street is lined with dozens of trees usually sycamores. I have never seen such a leafy city. The temp is a bit warm in the 80s and 90 and it remains very warm well into the night. The few breezes are welcome.
The people here are eminently friendly and considerate except when it come to traffic. This is a city of nearly 500,000 and there are extremely few traffic lights. There are also few stop signs and they seem to serve merely as a suggestion rather than anything else. Honestly these cars fly up to each intersection and then it becomes a game of chicken. I am getting used to it but I would never drive here. Also Mendoza contains nearly every type of old car you may have owned in your life. This is an extremely dry climate- rain 5 days a year- water comes from the mountains- and apparently they never rust. We have seen probaly 20 Deux Chevaux, those old French cars that look like VW beetles, 50 years old and still going strong as well as hundreds of Ford Falcons from the 60s. It is really weird because it feels like you have gone back in time.
We had a minor incident this afternoon when one of the young kids, about 7, came up to us in the park and asked for a match. He caught us offguard as it feels so safe here and he was adorable but in a flash he grabbed for the backpack. Fortunately Bert was just as quick and saved it as the kid disappeared. Bert was feeling disturbed and unsettled and we walked to the main park. An elderly man in a suit approached us with a briefcase. He introduced himself. I am embarrassed to say I held my pocketbook close. He is Carlos Lopez, a local poet, and he wanted us to know that we are welcome in his home city. He asked about our lives at home and gave us a typed beautiful poem. He was just so nice. He wasn't looking for anything- just told us to enjoy ourselves. Such a counterpoint to what had happened a half hour before. To me this is what travel is all about. I would do better though if I could breathe. Javier just came by on his way home for dinner- it is 11 PM and I got the kiss-kiss, so my day is complete. Happy Valentine´s Day!

Just a short note tonight as this hotel's internet is so easy and this is a good way for me to keep track of our trip without having to keep a journal. We started the day with Mass at the Cathedral and had the bishop himself so that was interesting. He is quite old and had someone at his elbow the whole time. The one thing that I thought was funny was that when we were on line for communion the choir was singing and I kept thinking the melody was familiar. Just before I got to the bishop, it hit me. It was the melody from the old song by Dionne Warwick '' I''ll never fall in love again''. You know it starts What do you get when you fall in love..... Well now I am wondering if old Burt Bacharach may have ripped this off years ago on a trip to Chile. Just kidding but I couldn't get it out of my mind..
The rest of the day we hit museums and walked miles and went to the top of the mountain on a funicular and then 2 cable car trips between the mts. I had my eyes closed the first one but enjoyed the second. Between the cable and the mt. we were up over a mile.On the way back wouldn't you know but we ran into a friend from the ship while having a beer. This city is huge and has 6 million but we found the only person whose address I took. So tomorrow back to Argentina and adios Chile.

It has been so great to read all of your comments. We are off the ship now and in Santiago,Chile. We had a short morning yesterday in Punt Arenas,Chile which is the capital of southern Patagonia. It is a small city and good size port and most ships seem to stop on their way between the Pacific and Atlantic. It seems very prosperous. I guess there is money in sheep, which is the predominent industry. We had an hour to wander and we went into the church to light a candle. The usual things there but what I found interesting was a beautiful huge mosaic of Christ over the altar and, on either side of Him, was a mosaic of icebergs, guanacos, penquins and Torre del Paine. We also met an old man in the Plaza Mayor named Alberto and we bought from him a small canoe that he made from sealskin. He is an Indian from a local tribe in Puerto Eden. He was nice enough to let us take a picture of him but he seemed a little perplexed by the whole thing. After a 3 hour flight north we ended up at the Santiago Intercontinental, a beautiful hotel and, for some reason, we were given the penthouse suite. We sort of hated to leave it to go out but we had to eat. Too bad we could only stay 1 night but we have moved today to a different section and a lovely small hotel near the downtown but still filled with trees and flowers. Santiago is very hot and this is the middle of summer, running in the high 80s. This morning we mastered the Metro system and saw the changing of the guard at the Palace and visited the big Cathedral and the big main plaza. Santiago is a really clean and modern city. If you squinted a bit and could translate the Spanish, you could be in any big US city- only much cleaner. We met an artist, Juan, and I was so taken with his painting that I bought 2 of them. When he heard we were from the USA he wanted to know if we had heard of Hartford, Ct! Can you imagine! He got so excited when we explained where we were from that he discounted the paintings which were ridiculously cheap anyway and he gave us his mother's phone number. He volunteers each evening teaching disadvantaged and recovering addicts to paint. He was in Hartford to explain his program last October. His style is reminiscent of Van Gogh, using primary colors and broad strokes. He even ran over to some store and bought us a plastic tube to bring them home and would not take money for it.! I love travel and to meet people like Juan and Alberto.
This afternoon we went to Cerro Santa Lucia which is a very high hill in the center of the city. It was founded here in 1540. Nothing left as there have been numerous devastating earthquakes which have leveled the city. We climbed all the way to the top which was frightening as the steps were steep and I HATE HEIGHTS! I swear I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest. When we got to the top of the tower, the wind kicked up and I was nearly paralyzed trying to hold on going down. These are not steps that would be allowed in the US. Nevertheless we could see all of the city and I guess it was worth it- now that I am on terra firma. The last thing I wanted to mention are the dogs. As in many South American cities there are no dog wardens so these friendly creatures roam the streets at will. They seem so placid and content though skinny. It was so funny when they were starting the changing of the guard. They keep all the people away but there was a German shepherd wandering and ended up leading the troops in at the front of the line. Even better was the basset hound who pushed me aside at the fence and sat down beside my foot to get a better look. When he got bored, he up and left. Later as we were leaving the park there were three dogs side by side sleeping lazily on the pavement in the heat when one of them spied a police car. Immediately they were on their feet barking at the car. It was the only reactions we saw from any of the dozens and dozens we saw today. Do you think they can read?
Well I guess that is all I can think of. I am sorry that you all are freezing in the northeast. I love reading and hearing from all of you. Thanks to everyone who is keeping Dad up to date. Morgan, I have seen Chileans who could be your twin. Bonnie, I am hoping the pictures with the binocular camera come out because I have gotten some awesome shots. Eric, I think you would like Chile but it is very different from Argentina. Brit, you would love all the animals and birds/ I wish I had your knowledge about them. Micky, Í wish my pictures would be half as good as yours. Now that I am warm again the Drake is just an awful memory. Did I tell you the crew told us it was their worst crossing ever. Not just the fact that there were 75 foot waves and hurricane winds but that it was so constant. As the week has gone on I have really begun to realize as did the other passengers how frightening it was. We have 1 more day here and then we have a 7 hour bus trip through the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina.

I cannot believe it but I got up at 4:30 this AM to get use of the internet and, after writing for 45 minutes, it was all wiped out. So I will try again but the ship is starting to wake up so I have to type quickly.On Wed we went on a 10 hour , 200Km bus ride - 400KM total on dirt and gravel roads to Torre del Paine National Park, the Chilean equilvalent of Yosemite. We were just 20 on our bus, which was great, as our group was on the younger side- all things being relevant- and fairly agile which was handy, as we got in and out frequently to take pictures. On the way we were mesmerized by the vast estancias and the pampas- grasslands and ranches. We stopped to watch gauchos put on a display with their cattle and then, a while later, we watched thousands of sheep herded around by the dogs and their 2 shepherds on horse back. I don't think it was a set up but rather that they are proud of their skills and, really, nothing else happens out here. We passed and saw a dozen or so condors soaring high in the sky and one came down quite close- I hope the picture comes out. As we neared the park, we started to see the herds of guanacos which are similar to llamas. Usually they were in groups but occasionally I saw one alone sitting on its haunches seemingly looking up at the hills contemplating its existence. At least that's what it looked like to me. There were black necked swans and some kind of goose, and nandus which are Chilean rheas- a smaller version of an ostrich.
When we got to the park entrance, after 4 hours on the road- very dusty and had to go slow- we were greeted by a grey fox who , I swear, posed for pictures. He let us get within about 5 feet and never bolted, just warily watched as dozens snapped pictures. The center of the park are the towers of granite. They are massive and reach thousands of feet into the sky- ending as horns. Very compelling to look at. They change constantly in appeance in color from the light and the appearance and disappearance of clouds. It is very windy there- that is putting it mildly. There are many lakes mostly glacial and they are this sea- foam green color that is awesome ,but that contrasts with the Sarmiento Lake which is the most beautiful color blue I have ever seen. I really could have looked at it all day. What is so different here also is that we were nearly the only ones in the park. In the US the cars line up and shuffle along. Here it was unusual to see anyone else.
We arrived back to the mother ship after a long but great day to find a wonderful surprise in our cabins. Hurtigruten has decided to refund 100% of our cruise fares because of the difficulty and lost time when we rescued the other group. We were shocked and it was a terrific way to end the day.
Today we are sailing through the fjords and we end our cruise portion tomorrow in Punta Arenas and fly to Santiago, the capital of Chile.

For the past 2 days we have been sailing through the Beagle channel and now the Strait of Magellan. Last evening we went through some fabulous fiords with glaciers that towered over us by hundreds of feet and went right down to the water. All kinds of birds and we went right up to a colony of sea lions who protested loudly. Their babies were precious and fun to watch. The Garabaldi Glacier was unbelievable- crystal blue in places- which I guess signifies very old ice. There is much evidence of global warming, especially when it is pointed out to us where these glaciers were last year. The weather changes constantly from a bit of sun to fog to rain and drizzle. This AM we were followed by 4 minke whales for awhile. Mostly we can just sit on the 7th floor panoramic deck and watch the world go by. The world, of course, consists of high undulating mountains which are the end of the Andes before they drop into the sea at Cape Horn. There are no villages or inhabitants at all. Without the computers we would not have any idea of the outside world. Tomorrow we are on a long bus ride to Torre del Paine park. On the way we are hoping to see Condors and Guanacos which are cousins to llamas. I will be happy to spend the day on land but I hope we can hike a bit and not have to sit too long. Hope you are all well. I have been enjoying my new IPOD immensely. It has been the best thing I brought along.

Yesterday we spent the day at Puerto Willliams which is a tiny settlement in Chile. While Ushuaia bills itself as the southernmost city in the world, Puerto Williams is really the southernmost town beating it by several miles. This is a Chilean navy town with about 2000 people. Though the setting is spectacular, on the Beagle channel surrounded by mountains and beech forests, there is little to do. We spent an hour looking for a store to buy something but they only open a couple of hours a day, Most of the houses are made of metal and are prefab. We hiked in the forest and visited a small Indian museum. The Yamana Indians inhabited this area and still survive in a small group. What is interesting about them is that they wore no clothes. How they could do this is beyond me; it is freezing here and it is summer! While we were out yesterday, a storm came up out of nowhere with fierce winds and driving rain and we ran for the ship. After dinner we walked over to the - ahem- yacht club to experience and drink the southernmost pisco sour. This "club' is a wreck of an old german ship and we had a great time. What was most interesting was that we started to talk with the other passengers about our recent crossing on the Drake and everyone finally started to admit how absolutely frightenening it was. We were tossed around for 2 days and the crew now admit that it was the worst they'd seen. We had lost our engines for a short time when a 75 foot wave washed over the bridge and as the ship was tossed up, the propellers came out of the water. We listed several times to the side. We saw 2 cruise ships in Ushuaia which had started out south during the storm and had to turn back. They were amazed that we made it. The Prinsendam lost all their dishes and they had many passengers injured from falling down and falling objects. This experience has been more an adventure than a cruise but I am still glad I came. Just do not think I will ever attempt the Drake again.
This morning we have come to Cape Horn, graveyard of thousands of ships. It is a series of tall granite rocks and there is a small landing site. Alas we are in a force 12 gale and landing is impossible so we will sail around it 2x. I absolutely can see why they had to build the Panama Canal. There is such a stark beauty to the area. Albatrosses fly by along with many seabirds, no trees but the rocks have a green covering of lichens and moss. I do not think we have a landing scheduled for a couple of days. I am getting used to walking sieways!

Before I forget I wanted to tell you that to access some previous posts you have to type in rimare1.blogspot.com.In those posts I talked about the fact that we had to lose 2 days of our trip to rescue our sister ship, the Nordkapp. We took on more than 300 extra people and it was a bit crowded. We gave up our larger room and moved to a small room near the crew in the bow of the ship. It was a noble move but we paid for it in spades. For the past 3 days we have endured the worst storm of the season. There were 70 foot waves and wind in excess of 100 mph. Being in the bow, the ship would go up the 50- 70 feet and then drop down. At first it was fun, like Coney island rides ,but after 24 hours of nothing to eat or drink and being unable to move without falling, it was really hard. The water kept crashing into the window and all last night it really sounded like the ship was going to break apart. I only got sick once and actually outlasted Bert by 2 hours. We are back now in Ushuaia to drop our refugees off and leave for Cape Horn in the AM. We just walked the town though it was late when we got here. Luckily the Argentine people eat at 10 at night. I had always wanted to see Ushuaia and here I am back in a week. So the Drake Passage which can be the Drake Lake, Shake or Quake was the latter. What an experience and I will never forget it. You haven't lived until you have tried to take a shower under conditions like these, having the floor literally drop from under your feet. As we finally made the Beagle channel this afternoon and its calming effect, I felt like cheering but instead looking back south towards Antarctica, we saw a beautiful rainbow.I love the birds that follow the ship especially the rare albatross. They are huge and remind me of the poem we had to study in high school, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, I think. You wouldn't want one of these things around your neck.
So tonight we went back to the wine store we found last week and stocked up on more white. It costs a princely sum of $3. I loved reading all your comments and appreciate those of you who share them with Dad. Miss you all and now that I am figuring out this blog thing I hope to keep it up.

I posted a blog yesterday from Buenos Aires but I do not see it now. If you knew what I went through to figure out how to do it! Anyway to sumarize we got here to Argentina in one piece though we had to change planes at JFK as ours was not fit to fly according to FAA. We were happy to do it even though it meant having to wait awhile. Buenos Aires was fascinating. A big vibrant city with a great people. We hiked all over and saw the Cathedral and Casa Rosado where Evita appeared from the balcony to her adoring populace. Our hotel was awesome with a rooftop pool on the 23rd floor from which we could see the whole city. Everyone walks all hours of the day and night. They dance tango and sing and seems a wonderful place to live. Prices have gone up recently but still very affordable. One hour internet was 50 cents and Bert had his shoes shined for a dollar.
This morning we met the rest of our group and flew south another 1000 miles to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. It is in an unbelievable setting. A slice of coast surrounded on 3 sides by very high snow capped mountains and bounded on the 4th by the Beagle Channel. Our ship the Nordnorge is in the harbor and we board in 2 hours. For now we are roaming this little city which is a little run down but colorful and now has a population of 65,000. It started as a prison and there was not even a road here until 50 years ago. Planes only started to land in the 70s and even now it is a very short season. I get the sense life could be hard here but the scenery is unparalleled. There are lupines of all colors in bloom everywhere as well as all kinds of colorful flowers. The seagulls have bright orange beaks and are a soft gray color. I have always wanted to go to Tierra del Fuego and hardly believe I am here. I still remember learning about the Land of Fire in geography and really always thought it might have fire. No, only named that by Magellan because the Indians lit fires as he passsed through the Straits and he wrote about it.
Well I hope this registers. My Spanish is only so so and I am surprised how few people speak any English. I am never quite sure what the internet peolpe are telling me or what the instructions are. So at least I tried.
Maybe I will do better from the ship tomorrow.