WriterOnDeck

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Traipsing in Heat Through Former French Penal Colony Day 65, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023; Devil’s Island, French Guiana We are at Devils Island today, and appropriately, it’s hot as hell. I didn’t check the temperature, but on land it felt like the hottest day so far. It’s hard to remember that just a month ago today we were leaving Antarctica. I hear through the grapevine that the ship’s medical team treated some passengers suffering from the heat on the island. We passed the equator into the Northern Hemisphere as we left the Amazon River on Friday and enjoyed two sea days before anchoring here this morning. Technically we don’t go to Devil’s Island (Île du Diable), as it is closed to the public, but rather tender to a pier on Royale Island (Île Royale). Charter boats from the French Guiana mainland and independent sailors also visit here and the third island in the group, St. Joseph Island (Île Saint-Joseph). Devil’s Island I remember it being hot in 2020 when I was last at Devil’s Island. Today I planned to explore more of the island than I did four years ago, but after 20 minutes in the heat I followed a similar short walk of perhaps a half mile or so. I didn’t climb the steep paths or stairs to the buildings higher on the island. Most are closed and dilapidated administration and cell buildings from the penal colony days. A few have been rehabilitated and offer a small store, restaurant and even overnight accommodations. The islands have been made famous by a number of movies, including two versions of Papillon, the most recent of which was aired on board before our visit. Perhaps when I am here again in a month (while on the world cruise), I will get off the ship earlier and explore farther. Although I don’t think it is much cooler at 7 a.m. than at 9 a.m. this close to the equator. During my walk I saw a few passengers and island visitors swimming in an area mostly surrounded by huge rocks. Signs along the coast walk warn of slippery rocks and swift currents. I didn’t see any of the monkeys I remember sketching four years ago, but others reported sightings. I did a rough sketch of the nearby Devil’s Island, even though I think I sketched the same view previously. Things are getting busier on board as we count down to our Dec. 19 disembarkation. Thursday night was our final dressy night, with just one formal night remaining. Laundry resumed after being halted while we were on the Amazon where the ship could not produce fresh water. The laundry service on the Zaandam is the fastest at sea, I believe. I sent my bag out in the morning and it was back by midafternoon, some clothes still warm from the dryer. Late this afternoon crew members were transforming the Crows Nest into a fairy tale wonderland, with giant mushrooms and signposts pointing to Neverland, the bean stalk, Oz and the rabbit hole. We were urged to come in our pajamas for a night of fairy tales. I had intended to go, but at 9:30 I was watching the sad ending of the Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills game. Every Chiefs fan, I’m sure, thought that last penalty that denied my Chiefs the winning touchdown was highly questionable. Sigh. The Oi Brazil cultural team is still on board, leading dancing and music classes. Guest speaker Andy Fletcher, a regular on long Holland America cruises, is speaking about science and physics, but I’ve heard these same lectures before. Instead of spending my sea-day afternoons water coloring as typical, I’ve been sorting through thousands of photos that have filled my iPhone. It got totally out of control this year, as I just kept taking more but not deleting. I only want to keep perhaps a dozen photos from each port, so it’s delete, delete, delete. I’ve cut about 10,000 I took over the last three years, and still have about 7,000 to go. Yesterday morning the captain presented dozens of passengers with new medallions, recognizing 100, 300, 500 or 700 days cruising with Holland America, followed by the traditional Mariners Luncheon. Tomorrow will be another ceremony and luncheon for the other half of the awardees. Among the first group was my long-time friend Ralph and new friends Bryon and Francie. After a sea day tomorrow, we have five consecutive Caribbean ports before two final sea days. The time seems short, but I remind myself that I still have more days left than most people have on their entire cruise. It’s a good reminder for an obsessive planner to live in the moment. To concentrate on finishing those three bottles I have left in my wine package. And to enjoy the sunsets.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Have I Mentioned that Brazilians Like Their Beaches? Day 62, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023; Alter do Chao, Brazil Sand, sand, sand. Alter do Chao is known for its beaches, and when the Amazon River is at record low levels, the beaches multiply. Today’s port is near Santarém, where we stopped five days ago, but a world apart from that city. This is a small beach town sometimes known as the “Caribbean of the Amazon.” Tendering was only part of the journey ashore. A large wooden pier loomed up high, sparking the imagination of what this area must look like when the river is up. Our tender docked at a boat, which was rafted end-on-end with another boat, which was rafted end-on-end with a floating platform, which led to a long wooden pier and eventually a hill of sandy beach. After climbing that sand hill, we reached the original pier to be met by a local dancer. The only ship excursion here went back to Santarém. Most of us just fanned out through the few blocks of the town and along the boardwalk. Shoppers bargained for jewelry, straw hats, t-shirts and mounted piranhas, spending any Brazilian real they still had, as this is our final of nine ports in the country. The piranha earrings were a big draw, as this seems to be the only place along the river to buy them. Beyond the boardwalk is a long stretch of sand and a bit of shallow water, with beach huts on the far sandbar. Distinctive blue boats with white benches were anchored in the shallow water. After walking through the town square with its small church and admiring the colorful murals, two of which marked the bathrooms by the pier, I reversed my journey back to the tender and the ship. My recent reports on our shallow passage by the grounded ship near Manaus have made the “big time!” Fellow cruiser Ralph Bunting sent me the link to an article from The Maritime Executive, which provided details about the ship’s mishap. It also used one of my photos and referenced my report. In my ignorance of ship types, I called the vessel a cargo ship when it is in fact a tanker, so I corrected the original blog post. Back on board, it seems trite to say “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” but that’s exactly what has been happening since the beginning of the month. Wreaths and other decorations are showing up here and there, and garlands grace the atrium stairways. But the big activity was the construction of gingerbread villages near the Ocean Bar on the Upper Promenade. First the carpenters built platforms, and then the culinary and housekeeping teams started with draping, decorations and gingerbread creations. Now there are more than 50 whimsical gingerbread structures, all made and decorated by the ship’s culinary team. Most but not all are in the central display, surrounded by lit trees, giant gift boxes and lots of hanging ornaments. Other decorations grace the bars, lounges and restaurants – even by the Lido’s handwashing stations. So far there has been no official opening ceremony, but it could still happen, as we are on board until Dec. 19. On previous pre-Christmas Grand Asia cruises, we had a tree unveiling with caroling and a visit from Santa Claus. After 30 years of cruising, this will be my first actually on board for Christmas, as I’ll jump to the Zuiderdam to join my family on Dec. 22.

A marine transportation publication used my photo and quoted my post on the ship that went aground. You can learn more about the incident here. https://maritime-executive.com/article/low-water-on-the-amazon-strands-tanker-near-manaus

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Manaus: Far From a Remote Outpost On the Amazon River Day 60, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023; Manaus, Brazil. After cruising about a thousand miles up the Amazon River, I was surprised by the city of Manaus. I expected a sleepy river town, dominated by an opera house seeming out of place. Instead, I found a city of more than 2 million people, bustling and loud. The river journey here itself was broad and muddy – not twisty and jungle-shrouded. And yet, it still was an adventure. After leaving Santarém two days ago, we cruised upriver for a day and half. The earlier forests along the riverbanks were replaced in places by scattered small communities. Most notably are the broad sandy beaches, a result of historic low water levels – the lowest in recorded history. Our most challenging passage was early yesterday, as we sailed over a sandbar with just about four feet of clearance under our keel. A pilot boat led the way, continuously taking depth soundings and marking the channel with both real and imaginary markers. The latter electronic aids show up on the ship’s charts. Just earlier a cargo ship strayed out of the channel and went aground. Our captain had been concerned about our ability to pass it in the narrow area, but now it simply served as another channel marker and the subject of hundreds of photographs as we passed by at a crawl. Once we anchored off the port of Manaus, barges came alongside the Zaandam to load provisions, offload bags I’m guessing of trash, and pump fresh water into our tanks. Normally we make our own water from the sea, but we can’t from the muddy river. Speaking of mud, the Meeting of the Waters is very clear here at Manaus, where the River Negro joins the Amazon. (There are other “meetings of the waters” along the river and its many tributaries.) The former’s dark water flows alongside the brown Amazon for miles without mixing together. Because of the low river level and the need to cross the shallowest spots during daylight, our scheduled two full days here were cut to a mid-afternoon arrival on Monday and a full day today. We actually will leave overnight so we can transit the shallows tomorrow morning. I’ll be back to Manaus next month during the early part of the 2024 Grand World Voyage and booked an all-day city tour then with my sisters. So this time I decided to just explore on my own. Being lazy this morning worked in my favor, as I missed a mid-morning driving rainstorm. Some fellow passengers, especially those on river tours, reported an exciting adventure trying to stay dry while avoiding submerged rocks and other hazards. The area around the tender pier reminded me of many other cities, from those in Mexico just across the Texas border to Southeast Asia and western Africa. Storefronts selling clothes and electronics front sidewalks and side streets where vendors peddle fruit, nuts (Brazil nuts of course), smartphone cases and t-shirts. I moved slowly while watching my step on the sidewalk, not wanting another fall while on a cruise. The Amazonas Opera House is perhaps a half mile from the dock. This best-known landmark in Manaus was built in 1896 with materials brought from Europe, including French glass, Italian marble and tiles for the dome. Today it was closed to the public, although most city tours included a visit inside. Christmas decorations, including those for its Nutcracker performances, are going up outside. Back on the ship, tonight was the ubiquitous Orange Party – a celebration on every Holland America cruise based on the Dutch celebration of the king or queen’s birthday. Regular cruisers make sure to pack something orange to wear or purchase orange boas, headbands and other accessories in the ship’s shops. I brought a new bright orange wig and actually wore it to dinner in the dining room before going to the party in the Crows Nest. The crowd kept my favorite bartenders Richard (pictured with me) and Walter busy. Many friends did not recognize me. I figure I will get a lot of use of the wig during future cruises. A couple of days ago, the theme around the Lido Pool was Glamp Out, or fancy camping. By the time I arrived after dinner, the crowd had thinned. Watching staff try to maneuver a large canoe in a small pool seemed to be the main entertainment, and it was nice to have live music by the Ocean Band.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] High-Energy Festival Interrupts Serenity of Amazon River Day 58, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023; Parintins, Brazil It’s all about the Boi-Bombá in Parintins. Each summer thousands travel here for this folklore song and dance festival, older than Carnival and one of the largest festivals in Brazil. As we are not here in June, we attended an hour-long performance by dozens of locals depicting the colorful costumes and pulsing music of the festival. About 300 of us filed into the convention center for the noon performance. I thought an hour was just about the right length of time. Fortunately, the facility is air conditioned, but the dancers seemingly never had time to rest and cool off. Not only were they constantly performing intricate steps, but they also wore complete costumes, and some were huge. In fact, it reminded me briefly of the Beach Blanket Babylon musical review in San Francisco with its huge and intricate hats. (However, if there was any satire in Boi-Bombá, it went right over my head.) As advertised, you could drink all of the local Caipirinha drink you wanted during the show, although you would have to work your way to the bar for refills. It is Brazil’s national cocktail, a mix of hard liquor made from sugarcane, sugar and lime. A few sips were enough for me, as I found it quite strong and sour. The main part of the town of Parintins, accessible by water but not roads, stretches for a few blocks along the river. Many riverboats are docked along the river, which obviously is very low. Today local vendors sold trinkets, jerseys, jewelry and feathery headbands featuring the blue and red colors of the festival. Even many of the pedicabs were decorated in one or the other (or both) of the colors. During the June festival, Coca-Cola has been known to offer cans in blue in addition to the traditional red. Local young “scouts” became ambassadors to meet us as we came ashore. I reported several days ago that our journey up the Amazon River would depend on the water levels, which are severely low. Fortunately, enough rain has fallen to raise the river just enough for the Zaandam. After sailing up at a leisurely pace for a day or so, our first stop was yesterday in Santarém, about halfway to our goal of Manaus. Santarém lies at the junction of the Amazon and the Tapajós rivers, offering a view of the “meeting of the waters,” where the clearer water of the Tapajós runs alongside the muddier Amazon. We’ll see this again in Manaus. I didn’t go ashore in Santarém, as I’ll be back next month and have a tour booked then. It is hot and humid, and I’ve been working on a seemingly endless project to review and sort thousands of photos on my smartphone – deleting most of them and moving the keepers to my laptop. “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” according to Ralph Waldo Emerson. I’ve enjoyed the hours and days of cruising the river, at times seeing houses on stilts hidden in the jungle and at others small herds of cattle grazing on the green grass growing from what usually is under water. It’s very obvious that the river is low. Occasionally locals – frequently teenagers – come out in small boats to race alongside us. Barges carrying goods along this major waterway pass by. At times we smell and see smoke from small fires hidden by the trees.

Just on the Gala or Formal Nights, so fewer than a half-dozen so far. And no candied ginger (my favorite) -- there are mints, dried dates, etc. Perhaps they have used all the ginger to make the 50+ gingerbread houses for the Christmas displays going up! We had the Yum Yum man occasionally on the Grand World last spring, so I am guessing it's only on the grand cruises.

I was in covid isolation in a verandah on the Westerdam last fall. It was 35 steps RT from the balcony door to the cabin door, around the bed and the coffee table. It takes a lot to make a mile! The killer was doing "stairs" in the doorway to the bathroom. I'm not sure it did any good, but it helped to pass the time. I also read Cabin Fever while in isolation, but later wrote in my blog a pro tip that it might not be a good idea to read about a deadly covid outbreak on a HAL ship while you actually have covid. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think it is now just considered a flu. Feel better and recover quickly!

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Fortaleza Offers Markets, Cathedral and Beaches (of Course) Day 53, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023; Fortaleza, Brazil With Brazil’s population of 200-plus million people, I shouldn’t be surprised that it contains some big cities. Today’s port of Fortaleza is another one, with three million people, give or take. Its long stretch of beach, backed by a skyline of tall buildings, provided a beautiful backdrop for our visit, especially as the sun set. Too bad a couple of moored ships photobombed the view. A big city comes with big traffic. My four-hour tour stretched to five, and once I saw the route tracked on my Pocket Earth app, I realized that we spent a lot of time driving between stops that were only a few blocks apart. Perhaps the better option would have been to take the ship’s free shuttle to the market and just walk to those sites. However, our Do Brazil Right guide did give us a good background on the country’s history and that of Fortaleza, his home town. I didn’t hear of any street crime against passengers here, but I’m sure many people wore no jewelry and were very careful with their smartphones. I attached a strap I had brought mainly to make sure I didn’t drop it overboard when shooting pictures from the deck and balcony. Our first stop was at the old jailhouse, now filled with vendors, which reminded me of a similar reincarnation of a prison in Recife, Brazil, in 2020. The colorful necklace I bought there draws compliments every time I wear it, but I was unsuccessful in my search for another eye-catching purchase. Most of the wares were beautiful linens and yarns – something I don’t need. The nearby modern Central Mercado has five levels of booths with more variety and plenty of food buffets. We admired the beautiful Theatro José de Alencar with its rows of caned seats. The Metropolitan Cathedral is huge with beautiful stained-glass windows, but not much other adornment. Our final stop was the Futuro Beach, not too far from the ship. I think most of those in our small group probably would have been happy with a longer visit there instead of shopping – it is a stunning beach surrounded by lots of trees and beach cafes, a pool and play areas. If in Fortaleza again, I probably would just taxi here for a few relaxing hours. During his sail-away announcement, the captain gave us the good – and somewhat unexpected – news that we will journey up the Amazon River, whose water levels have risen sufficiently. Our schedule will change somewhat, as we will need to transit the shallow areas in the daylight. His announcement, and the repeat by the cruise director at tonight’s show, drew cheers and applause. Meanwhile, the Christmas decorations are starting to come out, and I expect during the next three sea days the ship will be adorned for the holiday. Activities seem to be picking up, with a Barn Dance on the Lido Deck one evening and a third “Cake Me Away” display and dessert offering at noon one day.

Or just forward of midship. Many readers here do not, so I simply sought to clarify.

Stabilizers control roll, not pitch, so your position forward or aft of them shouldn't matter.

One issue may be where opened bottles are held. If in the dining room (typical), the bar might need to send a bartender there to find and retrieve it -- tough during busy times -- and then later to return it. The bars don't have much storage for individually owned open bottles. That being said, in my experience the bartenders are happy to help the few passengers who typically request this, and of course they get bonus $ for selling the packages.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Salvador Offers Taste of Africa with Brazilian Twist Day 50, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023; Salvador de Bahia, Brazil Salvador, the fourth largest city in Brazil, welcomed me with a fun tour of the lower city that included a sacred church, beaches (of course!), art and markets selling food and handcrafts. Unfortunately, the welcome for a few of our fellow cruisers involved muggings and theft. I know first-hand of a handful of cases and through social media posts and onboard chitchat of others. Most common, it seems, were smartphone thefts – grab and runs while the owners were taking pictures. Another couple lost their necklaces – nothing fancy, just stainless steel MedAlert chains – right in front of the cruise ship terminal. I haven’t heard of any serious physical injuries. Before several ports we received written warnings about opportunistic crime. Of course, it can happen anywhere in the world (I think Barcelona is one of the most notorious). Nowadays, when our cellphones also are our cameras and thus used frequently while on tour, a loss may mean a security risk and an interruption in communications. I had planned to wait until next summer to upgrade my iPhone, but I might buy a new one while between cruises in Florida next month, thus having a backup. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I’ve always felt that being over prepared helps to ward off problems. Back to Salvador. It was the first capital of Brazil and has a lovely collection of colorful colonial buildings. The town is divided into two parts – the Upper City with all those buildings and the Lower City by the water. The Lacerda Elevator near the cruise terminal connects the two and costs just 15 centavos (3 cents in U.S. currency). My half-day tour with Do Brazil Right was of the Lower City, so I missed the more stately colonial area of Pelourinho. I wasn’t disappointed, as today Salvador’s upper city also was the site of a huge African parade and celebration, including Afropunk, a major black music festival. The city has more black residents than any other Brazilian city, a lasting result of the slave trade. Those who did go to the Upper City in the morning said streets already were closed in preparation. Salvador is built on the huge Baía (Bay) de Todos os Santos, and we visited the protected beach where for years wooden ships are brought on the sand for repair. We drove to the Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church, described as the most famous church in the city and the home of a huge procession of pilgrims seeking miracles each year. While Catholicism is a major religion here, so too is Candoblé, a culmination of religions Africans brought to Brazil. I enjoyed sketching from a bench in the large plaza in front of the church. The faithful tie Bonfim ribbons to the metal fencing, in the belief that wishes will be granted when they break. The most colorful stop on our tour was the Feira de São Joaquim – a market where locals go to buy almost everything, our guide said. We wandered a labyrinth of alleys, jumping out of the way of motorcycles and wheelbarrows demanding passage. It is the opposite of the clean modern markets we visited in Ecuador and Peru, but busier and just as mesmerizing. Not only was virtually any food available, but also coils of tobacco and the clothes, dishes and other items appropriate for the multiple Candoblé practices. It was a feast for a photographer – only one merchant waved me off when I started to take a picture of his snake. The Mercado Modelo is a better market for souvenirs and thus filled with tourists. Booths offer everything from t-shirts, trinkets, wooden carvings and beaded jewelry to linens. Earrings and a necklace made their way into my bag, both meeting my criteria of only buying something I would pack for a cruise. Interestingly, we were advised by the ship that any wooden purchases would be stored in the ship’s freezers for 48 hours to ensure they weren’t hosts to stowaway bugs. I did violate my buying criteria by purchasing a hand painted tile during our tour. The artist invited me into his studio, featuring work in progress and his kiln. Of course, I chose the tile with a sailboat. You never would guess from the exterior that the building is full of beautiful tiles. We stayed in port until nearly midnight, but I doubt many passengers ventured out. We now have two sea days before arriving in Fortaleza. Update on the Amazon River At noon on Sunday, Sept. 26, the captain warned us that our week-long cruise on the Amazon River, including an overnight in Manaus, is in jeopardy, due to low water levels. We’ve been reading about the issue and wondering how the conditions might affect our cruise. We won’t know definitively for a few days, as we are not scheduled to enter the river until around Dec. 1. Missing the Amazon would be a huge disappointment, but there isn’t much we can do about it. I’ll report more when I learn anything new.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Búzios: Boardwalk, Beaches, Boats and Brigitte Bardot Day 48, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023; Armação dos Búzios, Brazil Some describe Armação dos Búzios as a bit of St. Tropez on the Brazilian coast near Rio de Janeiro, with its cobblestone streets and beach-side restaurants and bars. To me it seems more like the Caribbean. Perhaps it is the heat and humidity, the turquoise water and the many beaches. In fact, 10 of Trip Advisor’s top 15 things to do in Búzios are beaches. Regardless, it was a fun break after the hustle and bustle of Rio, and I didn’t even make it to a beach. In 1964 Brigitte Bardot escaped to Búzios with her Brazilian boyfriend, and celebrities from Mick Jagger to Madonna have followed. Her name is on everything, from the Orla Bardot Boardwalk to an upscale beach restaurant. Most famous is her life-size bronze statue tucked away on the narrow boardwalk (mostly stone, not wood). Tourists line up to sit on her knee for photographs. Further along the walk is a statue of former Brazilian president Juscelino Kubitschek and – of more interest to me — the Escultura Os Três Pescadores. These three fishermen are planted in the shallow water, hauling in nets filled with their catch. Like the Bardot sculpture, they were created by Brazilian artist Christina Motta and have been named “one of the 26 most beautiful sculptures in the world.” Of course, I had to stop and sketch it. This was a short port call, ending in the early afternoon, with only a couple of tours available. Most passengers tendered in to the center of the village and walked the boardwalk and streets, where the main mode of transportation was a cross between a jeep and a golf cart. And then they retreated to the air conditioning of the ship. How soon we forget about being cold in Antarctica a couple of weeks ago. Today also is Thanksgiving – for the Americans on the ship. Canadians celebrated last month. Our family tradition was to repeat our Thanksgiving menu at Christmas. In the late 1990s, Mom figured out that by cruising at Thanksgiving, she could avoid fixing one of those multi-dish dinner extravaganzas. So a new tradition was born, and I’ve spent many a Thanksgiving at sea, but seldom ordering the traditional turkey dinner. Tonight I opted for the turkey, which I do love. The ship’s stuffing (or dressing as we always called it), wasn’t so great, as I’m used to one based on cornbread. I might have been tempted by pecan pie for dessert, but tonight’s pie included chocolate. Of course, I love chocolate. But it wasn’t traditional enough for me, so I settled for my decaf coffee instead. I’ve learned that some dishes are disappointments – not that they aren’t delicious, but they aren’t the version that reminds me of home. Mom’s meatloaf and Dad’s grilled hamburgers are two prime examples. As are cornbread dressing and pecan pie. I’ll just have to wait until I cook with my sisters to indulge in those memories.

We are on the Zaandam, not the Zuiderdam.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Escaping Rio’s Electric Energy for Mountains, Forest Days 46- 47, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 21-22, 2023; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil If “grand” describes Buenos Aires, then “electric” describes Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for me. I would say the city comes alive, but then, when is it not alive? Our sail-in wasn’t as spectacular as some, given the low clouds that obscured the Christ the Redeemer statue in the distance. Clouds swirled around Sugarloaf Mountain as we sailed right past it into the large bay. Some passengers were caught by surprise as we arrived an hour earlier than planned. On my 2020 overnight port call into Rio, we took a two-day tour that covered all the highlights – Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, Escadaria Selarón (set of famous tiled steps), etc. Rather than repeat the same experience, I started by leaving the city. First, a bit of history that I didn’t know. Rio de Janeiro became the capital of the Portuguese empire when the royal court (10,000 people) relocated from Lisbon in 1808. The king’s eldest son, Pedro, essentially grew up in Brazil and made it his home after his father returned to Portugal, becaming Brazil’s emperor. To escape Rio’s summer heat, he built a summer palace in the mountains north of the city, today named Petrópolis. It’s not that far from Rio, but between the city’s traffic and the winding road through the mountains, it took us about 90 minutes to get there. Our itinerary included a visit to the Imperial Museum in the palace, a full Brazilian steakhouse lunch with meats served from skewers and countless side dishes, a tour of what once was a grand casino, and stops at the cathedral, Crystal Palace and a scrumptious chocolate shop. I made a quick dash through the museum (not that interested in the old furniture and prohibited from taking photographs) and settled in the gardens to sketch. As we returned – and the scenic side of the trip was on my side of the bus – the sun began to set over the mountains. A quick bowl of fresh pineapple served as dinner after my heavy lunch, and I hurried to the special show presented by our Oi Brazil team, joined by more local dancers and entertainers. Today I joined a half-day Jeep tour of the Tujica National Park, a rain forest on the mountainsides right in the midst of the city. Again, it was a hot and slow drive through Rio’s crawling traffic, but we felt the temperatures quickly drop as we moved higher in the forest. It is filled with waterfalls, lush vegetation and numerous trails. Apparently, there also is wildlife, but we didn’t see any (except wooden replicas), despite the tour’s note that “wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.” Our guide said there was essentially no chance we would see any in the middle of the day. As we left the forest, we headed to the popular beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. Even with the screen over the open vehicles, it was hot in the midday sun and humidity. Were I to do it again, I would hire an independent guide to tour the forest, and then perhaps actually go to the beach rather than pass by at a crawl in heavy traffic. The Oi Brazil musicians and dancers led our sail away on the Sea View Deck, leading the crowd in conga lines. The showgirls were happy to spend the evening posing with no shortage of older men (whose wives generally were taking the photos). If we think we are escaping the heat, just two weeks after shivering in Antarctica, we will probably be in for a surprise. We’re heading up the Brazilian coast toward the Amazon River and the equator. I’ve seen media reports that the river’s water level is low, and many passengers are wondering whether we will be able to spend a week on the river, sailing up to Manaus. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Thanks for asking! I'm fine -- just lots of busy port days and tons of photos to go through.... We have another sea day tomorrow and I'll try to catch up. Meanwhile, turkey is on tonight's menu!

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Substitute Port Offers Beaches, Christmas Spirit but Little Shopping Day 45, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Monday, Nov. 20, 2023; Santos, Brazil If you set the bar for expectations fairly low, you are likely to exceed it. I would say that describes my day in Santos, Brazil. As I wrote at the end of my last post, Holland America added a day in Santos, Brazil, today to make up for missing last Saturday’s planned port call to Punta del Este, Uruguay (weather). The only last-minute tour excursion quickly sold out. Cruise and Travel Director Jeremy warned us that today is a holiday, meaning virtually everything would be closed except the vast beaches and nearby restaurants. The ship provided a shuttle to a modern mall, where the stores wouldn’t open until 3 p.m. – 30 minutes before the last shuttle back to the strip. I debated whether to even bother going ashore, as the forecast this morning called for likely rain through the afternoon. It was too bad that São Paulo is too far away – I would have loved the Ayrton Senna-themed tour of this famous Formula 1 driver’s hometown and the Interlagos track that hosts the Brazilian Grand Prix every year. Maybe next time when I can plan ahead. Regardless, on the shuttle I went, and today exceeded my expectations. The mall was fairly busy with foot traffic – even beyond the cruise passengers wandering through. I sipped my first Starbucks latte of the cruise as I watched families take photos at the large Christmas tree and associated decorations in the mall center. They are the first signs of Christmas I have seen this season. (The exception being in the Lido buffet area, where since the beginning of the cruise a timer occasionally rings out with “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” No explanation provided.) I wandered through the attached Carrefour supermarket, where you could buy everything from groceries to tires, except Pringles. I always look for the spiciest ones for my cabin stewards, and generally find them. Today I struck out. Next I walked about three blocks to the beach. This is what Santos is known for – a huge stretch of beach lined with tall apartment and condo buildings as far as you can see. In between is the longest beach garden in the world – 3.3 miles long. In addition to the palm trees, flowers and expanses of grass, bike and separate walking lanes wove their ways through the garden. The dark and white stone walkways reminded me of my recent trip to the Azores, and to Lisbon and Madeira. Of course! They are all Portuguese. Despite the overcast skies, many people were spending the day here. I had brought my Solis hotspot with me, and with a great signal had a good phone chat via WIFI with my sister. Often on the ship it is uncomfortably laggy. The rain held off until I made it back to the ship, and we left to cruise down the long river. Parallel piers line the river, and it is easy to see that this is one of the biggest ports in the country. What looked like nearly abandoned shanties (but note the white cat) lined the other side of the river, but soon high-rise buildings filled the view. Meanwhile, members of the Oi Brazil cultural team offered samba classes in the Ocean Bar. On sea days, Richard Watson (a transplanted Brit) is lecturing on the history, geography and natural life of Brazil and especially the Amazon River and forest. Joao Bosco de Oliveira offers talks on Carnival and the music of Brazil. This group provided the Latin talent for and recorded the soundtrack of the latest James Bond film, “No Time to Die.” I’m sure they will bring a high level of excitement and energy to the next two weeks of this cruise. As I have written, I seldom seem to make it to the evening shows on the World Stage, but tonight I went, as I had heard that the singer was outstanding in her previous show. Camila Andrade hit all the high notes in her performance of bossa nova, jazz and blues. It´s good to see this quality of performer back on stage and live music from the Ocean Band to accompany her. Last night, the stage was dark as the Lido Deck took on the spirit of a county fair. Passengers competed in classic carnival games, such as bag toss and cornhole, receiving coupons for each win. A raffle at the end awarded a few lucky passengers with gifts, but I didn´t stay long enough to learn what they were. I was impressed that a cotton candy machine made its appearance, along with popcorn, ice cream and candied apples.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Buenos Aires: A Vibrant City Built on a Grand Scale Day 42, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Friday, Nov. 17, 2023; Buenos Aires, Argentina Were I to describe Buenos Aires in one word, it would be “Grand.” Sure, other words apply – lively, colorful, bustling, eclectic, exciting, vibrant. But this is a city of grand boulevards, grand statues, grand monuments and grand buildings. I broke one of my customary guidelines of booking tours no longer than five hours and spent yesterday on an eight-hour Best of Buenos Aires ship excursion. Perhaps I am getting into the rhythm but it didn’t seem too long to me. We drove (slowly – traffic is horrible) through many districts, from Retiro and San Nicolás in the center to La Boca in south Buenos Aires and then Palermo and Recoleta in the north. Much of our sightseeing was through the bus window, but we stopped for photos at Plaza de Mayo (the balcony Eva Perón made famous) and the obelisk in the center of Avenida 9 de Julio. In La Boca, near the original port, we had 45 minutes to walk the block or two of Caminito, a colorful – and now touristy — immigrant neighborhood. Nearby is the home stadium of the Boca Juniors, one of the most popular fútbol teams in Argentina – and one of 18 professional teams in the city. We stopped for lunch in the nearby Puerto Madero, the site of the original port and now home to renovated brick warehouses and shiny new skyscrapers. When I say lunch – I mean multiple courses, including a 10-ounce steak and plentiful wine. I dare say some of the group dozed as we drove north to admire the mansions in Palermo and sights such as the Floralis Genérica sculpture. Our final stop was the famous Recoleta Cemetary, where all the graves are above ground, laid out in blocks connected by tree-lined walkways. Each mausoleum seems built to outdo the next. Of course, the most visited is that of Eva Perón, buried in the Duarte family vault. One of the most unusual is that of Liliana Crociati de Szaszak, killed at age 26 by an avalanche in Innsbruck, Austria, and memorialized with her dog. Again, I skipped dinner last night, settling for a small bowl of chicken noodle (really spaghetti) soup in the Lido. Many passengers left the ship for tango shows, but I knew that on the overnight stop local entertainers would perform on board. It was a lively modern show. Just in case I wasn’t eating enough, I set off this morning on a food tour. We first spent an hour or so inching our way through traffic to see many of the central sights of yesterday, this time with no stops for photographs. In the tree-lined streets of Palermo we left the bus to first have empanadas in one restaurant, and then walk a block or two to another for a huge lunch – this time with two different steaks and all the accoutrements. Finally, gelato to end the meal. And another evening with a light bite in the Lido. As we left, Buenos Aires, Capt. Smit announced that unfortunately we will miss tomorrow’s scheduled port of Punta del Este, Uruguay. The port, which doesn’t have a cruise ship pier, will be closed to tender boats due to high winds. Instead we will have a sea day, but Holland America scrambled this afternoon to add a new port – Santos, Brazil – for Monday. It’s close to São Paulo, but not close enough for a day trip. We’ll see what last-minute tour and sightseeing options are available.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Uruguay – Delightful Experience of Wine, Food and Dance Day 40; 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023; Montevideo, Uruguay After 10 days at sea, everyone was glad to arrive in a port – and a warm one at that. Just a few days ago we were shivering in sub 20-degree temperatures with stiff winds. This morning in Montevideo, Uruguay, the temperature was near 60 degrees and quickly reached the low 70s. Having explored town on foot with my sister (on her birthday) in early 2020, I decided to see more of the country today and joined a ship’s excursion to the Juanicó Winery. I had the good fortune to sit with a budding sommelier on the bus and at the winery. Robie works in the beverage department and knows a lot about wine, so he was a great companion. The winery staff was eager to delve into the details with him. The Juanicó Winery traces its roots back to 1740 and for more than 100 years was owned and operated by the same family. We toured the vineyards, hearing about the various grapes that grow in this soil. Harvest won’t start until January, so the grapes really haven’t even formed yet. Scattered throughout the vineyards are the clay nests of the Hornero, built by the male in hopes of attracting the female. I saw similar nests in Kruger National Park in South Africa in March – were I a birder, I could tell you whether they are the same or not. The winery complex has several historic buildings, as well as a more modern venue where we sampled four of the wines. My favorite was the Albariño – a light white wine. Then we had a huge meal. Uruguay, like its neighbors Argentina and Brazil, is known for cattle, so steak was the centerpiece, along with sausage and chicken. Salad and roasted potato (white and sweet) filled out our plates. A pavlova served as dessert, accompanied by a port wine. For the finale, we enjoyed a performance of malambo, a folkloric dance developed by gauchos (Argentine cowboys). During our free time to explore the estate, I started a sketch of one of the pavilions, but will need to finish it later. Before heading to the winery 30 minutes north of town, we toured the city, with its mix of colonial and modern architecture. Everywhere I saw the popularity of maté, a traditional South American caffeine-rich drink. In a lecture a few days ago on the ship, we learned how the drink is made and consumed all the day. Dried yerba maté leaves are soaked in hot water in a “maté,” also the name for the container traditionally made from a gourd. Locals carry a thermos of hot water to keep replenishing their maté, which they drink with a special metal straw. I saw them everywhere – in the park, on the bus and at the winery. Upon returning to the ship, I indulged in a massage and facial port-day special. My neck has been stiff the last few days and I’m hoping this will help. It sure felt good at the time. I was way too full for dinner in the dining room, so enjoyed a caprese salad and fresh papaya in the Lido. The papaya was popular – when I went back for more it was gone. The night ended with the sight of suitcases in the hallway, including a few of the new rolling duffle bags. I get a little thrill when I see them and know mine aren’t among them, as I am not yet leaving. About 250 passengers who booked just the first segment will disembark tomorrow in Buenos Aires. I will miss some of the new friends I have made. About 125 new passengers will join us for the last 33 days of this cruise.

I must admit I haven't attended many. I saw a few on the world cruise, but don't know if they are new this cruise.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Once Again Weather Prevents Visit to Falkland Island Penguins Day 39, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023; At Sea, Atlantic Ocean Never pick a cruise just because of a single port, and you won’t be disappointed when the unexpected happens. Ports do get canceled, usually due to weather but also political unrest. I can’t say that missing the Falkland Islands on Sunday was unexpected. Capt. Smit warned us Saturday that the weather conditions weren’t looking good. My unofficial survey of well-traveled passengers indicates that the Falklands are missed about two-out-of-three cruises. That means, having missed this port twice now, I am due next time. Penguins are the big attraction on the Falklands, and the best place to see them is Volunteer Point, a two-and-a-half-hour drive over mostly gravel roads and finally cross rough terrain in 4×4 vehicles. But when you arrive, you are greeted by the largest colony of King Penguins in the world. Apparently, they are unafraid of people so tourists can almost walk amongst them, as well as the Gentoo and Magellan penguins also nesting there. The penguins, Volunteer Point and the Falklands will go back on my list. At least one passenger immediately booked the once-weekly flight to the Falklands from Rio de Janeiro next week. Another couple booked a South America cruise for early 2024. A repeat for me doesn’t look likely for the next two years – I’ll follow my rule of not picking a cruise for just a single port. On the off-chance we would go ashore, I was up early on Sunday, dressed warmly and packed for the full-day excursion. It became obvious that we weren’t stopping when I tracked our progress on my phone and noted we sailed right past the harbor. I bet the ship’s officers liked it much better when every passenger didn’t have access to such technology. After we left Antarctica, we each received a map of our track – which didn’t reflect our back-and-forth cruising night after night in the same channel. My tracker app showed every lap. As we left the Falklands for another day at sea, the captain deviated from our planned course to Montevideo, Uruguay, to miss the worst of the swells and winds. By the time we arrive tomorrow, we will have been at sea for 10 straight days. There has been plenty to do, and after the announcement early Sunday that we would miss the Falklands, we had a new daily program full of activities. The most popular activity seemed to be ordering free drinks at bars around the ship from 1 to 2 p.m., a “consolation” gift for missing the Falklands. I couldn’t decide between a sea breeze and a chocolate martini, so treated myself to one of each. Which ruined any intention to paint in the afternoon. Last night was our second formal night of three – a feature only on grand cruises — and the Masquerade Ball followed dinner. Masks ranged from hand made in a crafts class aboard to fancier versions brought from home. The thin metal “half-mask” I ordered from Amazon fell in the middle. It traveled flat and bent to the shape of my face, so it’s a keeper. I partied from the bar in the Crow’s Nest, enjoying the Ocean Band’s music. It reminded me of days gone by, when this venue was lively every night to the music of the Station Band. Things do change, and often for the better. But I hope the suits at Holland America hear about the exceptional evening and consider bringing back more of them. Back in the cabin, I discovered a gift of what looked like a very small bag with wheels – until I unzipped it and discovered a rolling duffle bag. It also is a keeper! The crew was busy overnight and this morning a menagerie of animals greeted us at the Lido Pool. As I left for dinner tonight, I caught what I hope will be the first of many sunsets off my balcony. For the sail south in the Pacific Ocean, I caught the sunrises. Now we are in the Atlantic Ocean and heading north, so my balcony faces west. The temperatures are quickly rising, from the 20s a few days ago in Antarctica to a forecast 72 tomorrow in Montevideo. I’ve already packed my coat, jacket, wool hat and gloves away. I suppose they’ll next come out in February when we are in Japan.

According to the HAL deck plans, on the Zuiderdam J is large interior, K can be large or standard Interior and L and beyond are standard interior.

All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Antarctica in Springtime: An Entirely Different Experience Day 35, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Friday, Nov. 10, 2023; Antarctica Every tourist destination has its high and low seasons, and Antarctica is no exception. Throw in the changing weather that occurs in any season, and you never know what you will get. During four and a half days here, we had some breaks in the low-lying clouds that gave us stunning views of the snowy mountains and gleaming icebergs, as I reported in my previous two blog posts. But by and large, the clouds were low with little visibility, and our exploration was limited by heavy early season sea ice. Having been here once before in late January, I appreciate the opportunity to see the tip of this continent in two seasons. Early November is the best time to see large icebergs – and I’ve seen many, many more of them than on my previous trip. The snow is heavier on the land, as well. I also am coming away with a much better appreciation of the foreboding seas and land that drew intrepid early explorers. Today’s sail around Elephant Island provided just such an experience. This is the island where in 1916 Sir Ernest Shackleton left 22 crew members from the HMS Endurance and sailed off over 800 nautical miles to South Georgia Island seeking rescue. If you are not familiar with their story, a quick internet search will provide numerous books and movies about the amazing adventure. (Spoiler alert: They all survive.) We could barely see Elephant Island through the clouds and mist for much of our passage, but expedition guides Iain Miller and Dr. Neil Gilbert kept us engaged with the story of the Endurance, doling out chapters every 20 minutes or so. When we could see more details, we were amazed that anyone could find a place to land on the rugged coast. Fortunately, the cloud cover lifted enough that we could see Point Wild on the northeast coast, where Shackleton returned to rescue the crew. By using my 60x zoom camera, and then magnifying that picture, I could make out the memorial placed on the spot, surrounded by a few penguins. Flocks of birds circled overhead. With nothing left to see, we then turned north toward the Falkland Islands, where we will arrive on Sunday and – fingers crossed – find conditions will allow us to tender ashore. In 2020, we had no such luck. Yesterday we hoped to find good and protected cruising in Admiralty Bay on King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands. The approach was promising — the sun peeked out as we approached a large iceberg. Instead, we found the worst winds of the cruise so far. I had cautiously ventured out on the bow of deck 6 but only took a few steps before turning back. The wind felt strong enough to blow me overboard, and I was still in the shelter of the bulkhead. As I left, I heard the staff captain ordering everyone inside. The winds were in excess of 70 knots (80 mph) and probably gusting higher. Instead of providing shelter from the winds, the bowl of the bay was accelerating them. We turned around and headed out before we could see much more than the Polish base station (one of three on the island) and Point Thomas Lighthouse. It is the most southern lighthouse in the world. I spent the afternoon sheltered from the wind by the Lido pool, painting in my sketchbook while passengers participated in the “polar plunge” It was moved in from the outside Sea View Pool, which birds had taken over. That pool will need a good cleaning before passengers can swim there again. My biggest disappointment of this trip, if I can call it that, is the dearth of wildlife sightings. We’ve only seen penguins from a distance, with the exception of those swimming along with us. I saw one whale surface and take a dive – showing its flake on the way down, but the only evidence of whales in my photographs is their faint spray. I haven’t seen a single seal, although a few others have (see blog posts by Tim Bowman and Jeff Farschman). Not only is January a better season to see wildlife, but with less ice blocking the inlets and channels, large ships can get closer. The biggest thrill has been the number of large icebergs, particularly huge tabular bergs that approach the size of our ship. These have table-like tops and sheer sides, having broken off in huge pieces from ice shelves. I find it mind boggling to realize that 80 percent of each one is below water. We encountered hundreds of smaller bergs on their way to becoming bergy bits and growlers – descriptions of icebergs of diminishing sizes. Some are white, some have dirty streaks, and a few are brilliant blue. They have myriad shapes, as they melt from below and overturn or break apart. Our captain and the ice pilot who joined us did a masterful job of navigating through the ice fields. And now, we head out of the Southern Ocean and into the Atlantic, our third ocean of this voyage.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Early Risers Get Best Views on Antarctic Day Two Day 33, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023; Antarctica I am not a fan of winter. I don’t like to be cold. Hence a cruise to the Southern Hemisphere made sense just as cooler temperatures arrive in North America. But I didn’t really think through the reality that we would arrive in Antarctica not during that continent’s summer, but during its early spring. Today was just plain cold. The outdoor temperatures were below freezing, and even though we were in the protection of islands, the wind chill was much lower when I ventured outside for photographs. Even my preferred indoor viewing location of the Crow’s Nest was cold, as the automatic door to the outer deck was open much of the time as passengers slipped out for photos. The wonderful crew not only supplied us with hot coffee, but also lap blankets. Capt. Smit suggested yesterday that we rise early to take advantage of a morning break in the cloud cover and precipitation. From the moment I opened my curtains at 6 a.m., I was stunned by the view (and the 19-degree F temperature). We started the morning sailing the Errera Channel between Cuverville Island and the Antarctica mainland. This island is a major breeding ground for Gentoo penguins, and as it is early in the spring, they are just returning. The clue to their location is the brown snow. As we sailed in, a large group of Gentoos swam alongside us as they migrated to the island to breed. Inside the channel, the Ocean Endeavour peeked out from behind an iceberg. It is one of a half-dozen expedition ships in this area of the Antarctic Peninsula, according to my Cruise Mapper app. We watched as the ship was just launching its Zodiak boats to take passengers either ashore or exploring. Watching the process just reinforced my decision to take a four-day “drive-by” cruise in Antarctica rather than an expedition. I am seeing plenty of stunning scenery, without donning waterproof pants, jacket and special boots and climbing into a Zodiak for ride through the waves and spray to a shore maybe reeking of penguin poop. OK, I am painting a biased picture. I have friends who have loved their expedition cruises. They may question the validity of my Antarctic experience, much as our family did when we camped and backpacked in the Rocky Mountains rather than day visited from Estes Park or other towns. I know myself, and I’m happy viewing from the comfort of the ship – even when the inside temperatures seem chilly. As ice blocked the entrance to Paradise Bay, we approached from the south. Expedition ships are reinforced for ice, but we are not. This bay offers some of the most stunning views of the area. When we see a Chilean station, I kept trying to connect it in my memory with one we saw in 2020, but it doesn’t seem the same. Zooming in, I could see a huge number of penguins making their home – a clue it may be the same station. With so much more snow and ice, things look different now than in late January. By late morning the weather had settled in, with low clouds and snow predicted for at least the rest of the day. I retreated inside as our scenic cruising commentary ended. The cold didn’t stop crew members – many from Indonesia and the Philippines – from enjoying the snow. Even those who have crewed during the Alaskan summers hadn’t experienced falling snow like this. A few birds joined us, enjoying the railing and the aft pool.

[All the photos are on my blog site, https://www.writerondeck.com/.] Antarctica Delivers Stunning Views, Icebergs and Cold Day 31, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023; Antarctica Thanks to our most excellent Capt. Smit, we arrived in Antarctica Monday ahead of schedule. And what an arrival – into a field of glaciers, some approaching the size of our ship. After leaving Ushuaia, we spent Sunday morning circumnavigating Cape Horn at the tip of South America. Our Antarctic expedition guides, Iain Miller and Dr. Neil Gilbert, have joined us and provided commentary on the history of the island, as well as the birds flying around. They will narrate our four days of scenic cruising in Antarctica. I’m afraid if you are a serious birder, you will be disappointed with my reporting. Last time I wrote about Cape Horn, I mentioned albatross sightings, and I hear some on the ship saw at least one this time. There was lots of chatter on board about what we might find on our Drake Passage crossing. The captain estimated the swells at four to five meters (up to about 15 feet), and I definitely needed a hand on the railing when walking aft to dinner. We all joked about our “drunken reeling” when we hadn’t had a drink – yet. Meanwhile, in preparation for our arrival in Antarctica, we had a briefing about protecting the environment – take extra precautions to ensure nothing blows or falls overboard, and do not touch any birds that might land on the ship. Capt. Smit showed a map of his Plan A for Tuesday, the first of four scheduled days. He, the ice pilot aboard and other officers will adjust the plan using weather data, satellite images of ice and reports from other ships in the area. He won’t be surprised if he gets to Plan L or M before we leave. As always, I slept like a baby as the ship rocked away, and when I awoke Monday morning our motion had subsided substantially. It turns out while we slept, the captain sped up, crossing Drake Passage overnight to escape worsening weather. By noon we arrived at the northern islands of Antarctica and ducked behind them for protection. Brilliant, I say! And we get another half day in Antarctica to boot. After sailing through the field of huge icebergs, we spent yesterday afternoon circling Deception Island, a volcanic caldera offering a sheltered harbor – too small an entrance for us to enter. By bedtime the sun hadn’t set, but I had a beautiful sunset out my window. This morning, frost covered parts of the Crow’s Nest windows and the temperature had dropped into the 20sF. By layering my fleece jacket with my puffer coat, I was able to keep reasonably warm for the brief periods I ventured out on the bow of deck 6 – a great viewing location for looking forward. I was glad I brought my fingerless gloves with mitten coverings, as today’s iPhones require all kinds of finger swipes. We came across our first penguins, clustered on an iceberg but too far away to see in any detail even with my 60x zoom camera. Keeping up Holland America’s tradition, waiters served Dutch Pea Soup on the decks and in the viewing areas throughout the ship. We ventured into the Neumayer passage, and some of the best views there were from my balcony. I kept the cabin TV on the bow camera channel, with commentary from our guides, so I knew when to move to another part of the ship. [If you want more detailed information about the channels, bays and other areas we are exploring, I suggest you read Jeff Farschman’s blog. With more than 3,000 nights on Holland America ships, Jeff has been everywhere many times. He includes fascinating background and dozens of amazing pictures.] By afternoon, the cloud cover had dropped and there wasn’t much to see. Many passengers escaped to the theater to watch March of the Penguins. Having seen it, I watched Glass Onion, downloaded from Netflix. I have found the movie selection on the ship to be disappointing – none of the more recent films that played on the Zuiderdam earlier this year. I have not even heard of most of these. I could tell by leaving the bow camera view on my TV that there wasn’t much to see as the cloud cover fell. A sole person was visible on the deck 6 viewing platform. Our guides announced this evening that the best viewing tomorrow will be early morning, with commentary starting at 7 a.m. I’ve looked ahead on the weather apps and know that by noon the low clouds will return, with snow and freezing rain in the forecast almost continually for the next couple of days. I’m setting my alarm – not quite as early as sunrise just after 3 a.m., but early enough. By bedtime tonight, no sunset — but it would be on the other side of the ship. The balcony railing was covered in freezing sleet and snow.