Live- Whisper Down the Amazon (4432)

[fudge]

Day 4 Friday

We sailed from Grenada at 16.00hrs yesterday en route to Devils Island; it’s a long sailing almost two solid days at sea so we are looking to occupy ourselves on board. So long as I keep Mrs Fudge away from the boutique that will be fine (lol)

 

We have met a lecturer called Peter Damisch who we met previously on a cruise to the Antarctic in February 2013. A really nice guy, very knowledgeable, we are attending a lecture this morning about real pirates, should be interesting? Unfortunately it clashes with a bridge tour but we have done that before. Please note: I said earlier you must keep one eye on excursions and remember to fill out the appropriate form in plenty of time, even the complimentary tours; we almost missed out on Devils Island tomorrow because there is limited capacity on the tenders.

 

The lecture was very good indeed, very informative, quite surprising how many myths there are surrounding piracy, frightening though in the bad old days.

 

Well, I didn’t stop Mrs Fudge finding the boutique!!! I know there have been discussions on the forum about the boutique, but really it is very top dollar. It has changed beyond all recognition from the old style, everyone in there was making comment (negatively) about it, the guy serving looked most embarrassed, and I hasten to add we walked straight out.

 

There was a cooking demonstration this morning by one of the top chefs on board.

 

We have been invited to dine with the cruise consultant this evening in an attempt to resurrect our meet and mingle; Mrs Fudge wants to know why we are eating with the staff? (lol)

 

The sailing in the past 24hrs has been kind, nice sunny morning but cloudy this afternoon, there is a galley tour later today for those interested.

Although we are not there yet, here is brief description of Devil’s Island.

 

Devil’s Island

 

From 1852 to 1948 the main penal colonies were established on the three French lles du Salut to hold the most notorious criminals and political outcasts. Those who were sentenced to seven or more years and survived were required to remain in French Guiana for life. Of 80,000 prisoners sent to the Islands some 50,000 died here.

 

The prisoners were left mainly unguarded due to strong currents and sharks making it almost impossible to escape. Devil’s Island is but one of the infamous penal colonies off the lles du Salut archipelago. On the almost inaccessible Devil’s Island political prisoners such as Alfred Dreyfus were held in isolation. The prisoner who became world famous was Henri Chamere, immortalized in the movie Papillon for supposedly being the only convict ever to have escaped the “Green Hell”.

 

Pathways allow you to walk around the Island in about 45 minutes, among the overgrown prison cells and other buildings. Recent renovations include a small museum; the trip to the Island is complementary.

[Keith1010]

Fudge, I am enjoying your posts.

 

Continue to enjoy.

 

Keith

[RachelG]

Fudge, if you get a chance, please tell Peter hello from rachel and George from oklahoma. We have sailed 3 times with him, and his lectures are really very good.

[jpalbny]

Yes - Peter is a great historian, very entertaining lecturer, and on our Polar expedition on the Explorer 2 years ago, he did double duty as a zodiac driver and bear guard! A rifle-carrying historian - something to behold.

 

We really enjoyed him in all of his varying roles, but the best was when he followed a swimming polar bear in the zodiac, keeping enough distance to not bother the bear, but maneuvering from side to side so all of us could get good pictures. Hope you have as much fun with him in the warm weather, as we did in the Arctic!

 

Looking forward to the continuing saga.

[fudge]

Greetings Happy Cruisers,

Day 5 Saturday

After a pleasant evening last night with our new friends and Enzo the SS cruise consultant, we ate in the MDR after which we had an early night. Still sailing of course towards Devil’s Island, we should anchor off there around mid-day.

 

More exercise and a lighter breakfast than usual, I’m sure my waistline is expanding by the hour not the day!! Looking forward to another night on the pool deck tonight “hot rocks”. We do like this option because it’s very informal and you get to cook your own food the way you like it, no complaints if you overcook it or ruin it!

 

Arrived just off the Island about mid day, nice cocktail reception and band on the pool deck by SS followed by a really nice lunch, (Lobster risotto) was one of the dishes, very humid here which was what we expected.

 

We were under the impression we were actually visiting Devil’s Island, in fact you are taken to the Island next door Ile Royal. After a tender ride of ten minutes you have at least 2/3hours to wander at your own leisure.

 

Warning: If you are infirm or unsteady on your feet you may not appreciate the climbing. There is a path you can walk around the Island but it can be quite steep for those with those with walking difficulties, a good pair of walking shoes or training shoes is highly recommended. Unfortunately one person took a really nasty fall, we hope he is OK?

 

Once on the Island there is a hotel/bar, museum, church, souvenir shop (expensive) old cell ruins and plenty of wild life to see. We spent almost two hours exploring the Island and enjoyed the adventure. SS still offer the fruit punch on the dockside before rejoining the tender.

 

We set sail at 1800hrs bound for Macapa, another day at sea this evening and Sunday docking at 07.00hrs Monday morning. Cloudy afternoon but just enough time for another “insane” cocktail.

 

Another juicy rib eye steak rounded off another great day on the Whisper.

[Silver Spectre]

Sounds like it was just as humid as I remember from my last visit. Sorry that you were not aware of Isle Royale being different from the actual Devils Island. You can no doubt appreciate just how difficult it was to escape from.

 

Have you met 'To the Sunset' yet?

[fudge]

Fudge, if you get a chance, please tell Peter hello from rachel and George from oklahoma. We have sailed 3 times with him, and his lectures are really very good.

 

Spoke to Peter this morning passed on your best wishes. He also sends you his best regards.

[fudge]

Sounds like it was just as humid as I remember from my last visit. Sorry that you were not aware of Isle Royale being different from the actual Devils Island. You can no doubt appreciate just how difficult it was to escape from.

 

Have you met 'To the Sunset' yet?

 

Hallo,

Yes we finally me "to the sunset", lovely couple from the UK, we had lunch together yesterday and exchanged cruise stories. It really is one of the highlights meeting new friends on the cruise, such lovely people.

Because its a sea day today we off to the pool deck to bag a sunbed. :p

[fudge]

Day 6 Sunday

A lazy day on the ship beckons:

 

A mad rush for the sun beds, the sea is calm, the temperature is between 29/32c partly cloudy. All hell let loose this morning when someone reserved a sun bed then did not occupy it for some time. Another couple came along and turfed the other person’s goods off. The ship’s crew were called to settle the matter. It is very rude to reserve a sun bed and then leave it unattended for a long time, selfish in my humble opinion.

 

Another pleasant lunch followed by water volley ball in the salty pool. A poolside quiz to guess how many miles the ship has travelled between point A to point B, I was out by some 300miles, glad I am not steering the ship!!! (lol)

 

By 16.00hrs and a drink (or two) afternoon clouds roll in, it’s time for a siesta in the comfort of our own suite.

 

Looking forward to the La Terrazza this evening, a really pleasant atmosphere in there, making sure we do not get there too early and risk having our knuckles wrapped again!

 

Our next port of call is Macapa, purely to clear the Brazilian authorities, this is what I call the business end of our cruise, it’s been a nice trip thus far, but really the Amazon is what we came to experience. We then move onto Satarem, I have included a brief description of our stay there.

 

Santarem

The first settlement in Santarem was a Jesuit mission built in 1661. The next arrivals consisted of a group of confederate refugees. They came to Santarem after the American civil war in the hope of creating a new slaving state. Few of them stayed very long but they left their mark in certain family and trade names. In the 1920’s during the rubber boom, Henry Ford spent 80million US dollars to establish an enormous rubber plantation for the production of car tyres. The project ended in disaster when many of the workers died of malaria and Ford realized there were too many obstacles to overcome

 

Today it is the third largest City in the Amazon, one of the major attractions is the “meeting of the waters”.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Day 6 Sunday

Another couple came along and turfed the other person’s goods off. The ship’s crew were called to settle the matter. It is very rude to reserve a sun bed and then leave it unattended for a long time, selfish in my humble opinion.

 

Lovely to hear of your continued enjoyment of your cruise!

 

I hope you stepped in and made an arrest under section 32 of the 1982 Sun Lounger Act!

 

;)

[fudge]

Geoff,

I had to use my handcuffs for the first time! Hold on a minute i'm getting confused with suite 651!!! :D

[fudge]

Day 7 Monday

Finally in Brazil, just docked in the Amazon delta while we receive clearance from the Brazilian authorities.

 

Lovely hot day already, clear skies, no bugs to talk of yet thankfully. The “International sun bed Incident” seems to have blown over, boy do we get exciting days while on board, let’s see what today entertainment is?

Mrs Fudge looks resplendent in her Hawaiian frock this morning for breakfast.

 

Fashion: For the ladies who like to treat themselves, there is a guy on the pool deck making handmade specialist Italian sandals, prices start at 380US dollars (yikes). One lady has already had three pairs made.

 

Golf enthusiasts: Later in the cruise Silversea are offering a round of golf at a Hotel resort actually in the Amazon. Now, I am a very keen golfer however, at 499US Dollars I can forgo my golf for three weeks. Mrs. Fudge is trying to encourage me to play but I think it’s because she has one eye on the sandals. (lol)

 

One of the Chefs sculptured a Dolphin out of a huge piece of ice on deck in about 25 minutes very clever indeed, kept the punters occupied.

 

For seasoned cruisers out there you will know that on this cruise if you cross the equator, Silversea recognize this by carrying out a ceremony on board. It begins, “you are hereby summoned to the court of King Neptune”

The entertainment team were in full costume and asked for six volunteers to take part in the mock ceremony. Yours truly duly obliged and was subjected to a court hearing. As the Silver Whisper sails across the oceans of the world there are promises that we are sworn to keep.

 

When we cross the great divide between the North and South we respect King Neptune of the deep.

 

So today we ask king Neptune, to bless the Silver Whisper as we cross the Equator line once more. The sinners (me) must confess and their punishment is due as they submit to King Neptune and his law. Consequently the whole ship and the crew witnessed a ceremony never seen before.

We received a certificate from Silversea to commemorate the event.

 

The sun continues to shine, 33 degrees today, lots of happy smiling faces consuming lots of lovely bubbly.

 

This evening we experienced another first, dining in our suite. At 19.30hrs dead on time there was a knock on our door and our evening meal arrived. We chose something different a Beef Curry, very nice it was to washed down with a cool bottle of Pinot Grigio. The food was fantastic; as good as you can get in the MDR or any of the restaurants, a big thank you to the staff of Silversea.

[fudge]

Day 8 Tuesday

As ever Silversea arrive punctual in Santarem, actually 30 minutes earlier than planned, docking at 07.30hrs. There are at least three shore excursions to choose from, but we decided to do our own thing today.

 

There are complimentary shuttle buses running from the quay side into town every thirty minutes, another opportunity for local sightseeing and to stretch the legs. We are still on top of our exercise routine thankfully; Mrs Fudge even did an extra 4 laps this morning!!!

 

It’s a light breakfast today in our suite; we will be leaving the ship dollars in hand in case we see something to buy?

 

After a 15 minute bus ride we arrived in town. A hustle/bustling noisy but friendly place where you did feel safe to walk around. Lots of shops most selling local goods, I.e. clothes, footwear, supermarkets, chemist/pharmacy. We did shop in one supermarket who did not take US dollars, however we did find a money exchange place.

 

Understandably English was not widely spoken, it was difficult to converse. We only stayed one hour as most people did, not a great deal to see however, it was a pleasant change to being on deck.

 

Just to let you all know, you may remember in the past you could purchase toiletries on board, they are now hidden away in a small cupboard and the stock is very limited indeed. This town maybe the only time you have to replace your own requirements for the rest of the cruise.

 

After a very nice lunch in La Terrazza it’s time to chill out on the pool deck. The cocktail list is getting smaller, the “Silver Spirit” was nice but, I keep returning to the Insane, a real favourite.

 

Another lovely meal in the MDR, certainly more little bugs around in the evening. Half way through the cruise already and so much to enjoy and see.

[Silver Spectre]

This evening we experienced another first, dining in our suite. At 19.30hrs dead on time there was a knock on our door and our evening meal arrived. We chose something different a Beef Curry, very nice it was to washed down with a cool bottle of Pinot Grigio. The food was fantastic; as good as you can get in the MDR or any of the restaurants, a big thank you to the staff of Silversea.

 

Extremely jealous, we are currently sailing in a Pinot Grigio free zone.

[spinnaker2]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post.

We are all enjoying the news of your cruise...and of course we wonder if there will be another sun bed imbroglio.

👹

[fudge]

Hi Silversea Cruisers,

Thank you for your feedback which we appreciate.

 

Its a pleasure writing this blog of our cruise which we are thoroughly enjoying. We had a very interesting stop today which will be in my next posting, hope we are not boring you to death?;)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Silversea Cruisers,

Thank you for your feedback which we appreciate.

 

Its a pleasure writing this blog of our cruise which we are thoroughly enjoying. We had a very interesting stop today which will be in my next posting, hope we are not boring you to death?;)

 

Stop being so bleedin' sensitive and seeking reassuring strokes. You're supposed to be a senior copper for gawd sake! Man up! Carry on posting dear!

 

:D;)

[fudge]

Geoff,

Thank you for your very kind, caring supporting words, your reputation goes before you on this cruise let me assure you. :D;)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Geoff,

Thank you for your very kind, caring supporting words, your reputation goes before you on this cruise let me assure you. :D;)

 

I've really enjoyed reading your trip reports .... :)

 

I bet you miss all those kebabs and sheftalia.

 

Jeff/Geoff

[rojaan19]

Stop being so bleedin' sensitive and seeking reassuring strokes. You're supposed to be a senior copper for gawd sake! Man up! Carry on posting dear!:D;)

 

 

So Fudge is OLD BILL !! :eek:

[fudge]

So Fudge is OLD BILL !! :eek:

 

Mr & Mrs Fudge were the old bill, long time retired.

 

Day 9 Wednesday

Today we dock at Boca Da Valeria, the gateway to Manaus. Located between Santarem and Manaus, Boca Da Valeria is the entrance to the Valeria Channel (Boca meaning mouth) the channel leads to Lake Valeria, which marks the border between the States of Amazonas and Para. While the ship is at anchor, a colourful picture unfolds as canoes with the local population come out to meet the ship, providing additional excitement to our Amazon experience.

 

There are no facilities to operate any organized excursions. Approx 75 people live in this village, surrounded by the great rain forest of the Amazon basin. Life here is a startling contrast to life in Brazil’s modern Amazonian cities of Santarem and Manaus.

 

Tips: The sun is extremely hot now, please remember to pack plenty of sun block, the temperature is well into 37/38c or over 100f. Also, it is very wise to pack repellent spray, the bugs are definitely here and biting.

 

Because we are docked off a remote Island, the ship advises that it is customary to offer small gifts such as pens, pencils, sketchbooks Etc. We would have packed such items had we know beforehand. We did supply soft drinks, Silversea pens, Bvlgari soap, and Virgin airlines upper class toilet bag!

 

We took an early morning tender to the Island. We were greeted by two lines of children all ready to personally escort you around the Island. The whole tour took about 30minutes; we passed a small church, a school and a few wooden shacks. I don’t think I have seen so many children in one location; it seemed like hundreds, in fact there are hundreds, all smiling, and of course looking for small gifts. Silversea say the Island has about 75 inhabitants, more like 750; the population has obviously grown since the last census. (lol)

 

Local boat trips are offered on their motorized canoes, the going rate is about 5US dollars for 30 or 60 minutes, a trip around the Island. We did not take this offer in the morning however; friends of ours did the trip and persuaded us to return in the afternoon to do it, it was the best 5US Dollars we have spent in my lifetime! This trip is a MUST for this stop, fantastic scenery, wildlife, and an experience never to be forgotten, 60 minutes of pure heaven. Why Silversea don’t promote this I have no idea?

 

Pink dolphins appeared around the ship during the day.

 

Tonight is Venetian night which is of course a formal night, another opportunity for Mrs. Fudge to wear a nice frock and all her finery, weighed down with diamonds and jewellery.

 

There are 182 Venetian guests on board, one couple with over 600 days with SS, two couples with over 250 and quite a few with over 100, SS must be doing something right!

[jpalbny]

Your stop today sounds like such fun! I am enjoying your description of the tropics as we struggle here in Upstate New York to get on the right side of 0 degrees C.

[duct tape]

The Amazon on the Cloud was one of our best trips ever. Loved it.

[TLCOhio]

Day 9 Wednesday Today we dock at Boca Da Valeria, the gateway to Manaus. Because we are docked off a remote Island, the ship advises that it is customary to offer small gifts such as pens, pencils, sketchbooks Etc. We would have packed such items had we know beforehand. We were greeted by two lines of children all ready to personally escort you around the Island. The whole tour took about 30minutes; we passed a small church, a school and a few wooden shacks. I don’t think I have seen so many children in one location. Local boat trips are offered on their motorized canoes, the going rate is about 5US dollars for 30 or 60 minutes, a trip around the Island. We did not take this offer in the morning however; friends of ours did the trip and persuaded us to return in the afternoon to do it, it was the best 5US Dollars we have spent in my lifetime! This trip is a MUST for this stop, fantastic scenery, wildlife, and an experience never to be forgotten, 60 minutes of pure heaven. Why Silversea don’t promote this I have no idea? Pink dolphins appeared around the ship during the day. There are 182 Venetian guests on board, one couple with over 600 days with SS, two couples with over 250 and quite a few with over 100, SS must be doing something right!

 

Appreciate so much your super great details, tips and ideas. I have copied these above key points on my laptop computer file. For our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo on the Silver Cloud, I plan to take advantage of these insights and potentials when we visit Boca da Valeria, Brazil, 8 am-5 pm, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015.

 

Will work on having some "items" for the children to share during our visits in these Amazon areas. Keep up this wonderful reporting and providing the info gained from your "adventure".

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 165,258 views. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[RachelG]

Continuing to enjoy your posts. The village sounds great. My husband would have loved all the kids.