Yesterday was the first of two days at sea. We sailed through the Chilean fjords throughout the morning but low clouds prevented us from seeing much. There were a couple of good lectures, lots of rest time, a visit to the salon and finally, a glorious dinner at Prego. I had the carpaccio, the mushroom soup and the veal al limone, nicely washed down with a Primitivo. Blake had the creamy king crab tower, the mushroom soup and since he couldn't make up his mind about the pasta, they brought him two smaller servings of the lasagna and the canneloni. All capped with a dessert sampler. We then headed down to the Avenue Saloon for some piano music - this seems to have become a nightly ritual - and tried to work out our dinner on the dance floor.
Today started out with a workout, breakfast and a lecture about Antarctica. This morning the fjords are visible in all their glory, at times snow capped, sometimes flanking the ship some ways away, others hugging the ship on both sides. The weather continues to change with patches of blue sky and the sun sparkling on the small crests, only to be broken up by dark clouds and rain. The wind is howling as we sip some hot chocolate on deck.
We will soon exit the fjords and head to open water where we can expect 20 ft swells. As I write this we have the best seat in the house at the very front of the Palm Court watching the bow go up and down. There is a humbling feeling on the face of nature's wild beauty as we head towards the end of the world.
Tomorrow, Punta Arenas but for now looking forward to a tango lesson, the CC meet & mingle and another nice dinner in the main dining room.
PS. The meet & mingle was a nice way to get to know cruise critic members, some of whom we'd already met on previous days.
Punta Arenas
Today we saw penguins! lots of them! Magellanic penguins at the Otway rookery. It was a great introduction to these birds. We also saw condors flying around the area, who use the elevation from an old coal mine to launch into the air.
Punta Arenas is a coastal city which was founded primarily by Yugoslavian immigrants and had its golden age around the turn of the 20th century. It went into decline with the advent of the Panama Canal. One of its most striking features is its climate, which turns so quickly and unexpectedly as to be sunny and quite warm one minute and cold and rainy the next. The wind is the only constant although it varies in intensity. There are lovely remnants of its golden era architecture.
The Vintage Room. What an experience that was. Brigitte the sommelier did a great job introducing the wines and providing interesting information. The pairings were impeccable and the stars of the show were the truffle rissotto with the Shafer chardonnay. We had a really good time. Despite the amount of alcohol consumed there are no signs of it in the way I feel today which is the best proof of the high quality of the offerings.
Today, glaciers through the Beagle Channel. They are an amazing sight and while we are "camped" at the Palm Court I keep making photo-trips to the observation deck right above. The scenery changes every couple of hours, there is something awe-inspiring about this place. It is largely untouched, rugged, vast. In the afternoon we find ourselves bundled up with blankets on one of the aft decks, a pod of porpoises makes an appearance.
In the early evening, under a glorious sun and the calmest seas Capitan Zander has ever seen in over 70 voyages, we rounded the Horn. The southernmost point of the continent, it conjures images of treacherous and tragic voyages... even in these increadibly smooth seas it is easy to imagine the countless wrecks and lives lost. We watch the sun set while enjoying great food, wine and conversation with our tablemates.
Ushuaia
What an unexpected great port. Character abounds, nestled between the snowcapped montains and the Beagle Channel it provides a great morning of walking around. A catamaran excursion of the channel with some close visits to birds and sea lions caps the day. We are now on our way to Antarctica.
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