The "Hot Mama" looks happy and healthy. With less than 14 weeks to go we are all starting to anticipate the arrival of Baby LoboVerde. By the way - When will she have her own name??????

14 weeks and counting!!

Now Grandma is off to Seattle (Issaquah) to babysit. Leaving tomorrow (March 31st to return April 11th). Can't think of anything more exciting - hope my strength holds out!!!

Is this a cute litte bunny of what?

Finally the sun is shining! Travel is wonderful but when this is what you see over coffee every morning it's also nice to be home.

Lights of Santiago

Good friends!!

Skiing in the Andes??

The Three Amigos

Farewell Dinner and entertainment by one of our own!

Presidential Palace in Santiago

Last night on board

Our Dining Crew

Shopping in Punta Montt

Even the penquins get cold!

Penquins

Punta Arenas, Chile: Home of the Penguins!!!

We simple couldn’t get this far and not “walk among the penguins” so this day we sacrificed our usual morning sleep-in to leave for penguin park. The terrain actually looked a great deal like Montana except for the water. The rolling hills, grass lands and scrub brush could have been anywhere from the Antelope Valley to Montana as far as I could tell. We turned off the highway and traveled most of the way on rough unpaved road. Finally we reached the end of the road and from here we walked about a mile to the penguin colony. Sounds great Right? Well I forgot to factor in the temperature and the wind. It was cold but that wasn’t even the problem. The wind was more than gale force. I had so many layers on that I already walked like a penguin but when the wind blew under my outer jacket I looked like I was about to take flight. Since there was so much uneven ground, Hal took his walking stick with him. Every time he tried to put it down the wind would blow it out from under him. Most of the people on our bus went a few hundred feet, maybe saw one penguin and headed back to the café for hot chocolate. Since we had gone that far (and paid out money) we were determined to get the full experience of “walking among the Penguin Colony”. We braved it through, walked the full mile out to the colony and all the way back, the bus waited for us and we are glad to be able to say “we did it”. We just won’t mention how many hours we slept that afternoon after returning to the ship. We saw about 25-30 birds, they were about 12-15 inches tall and very cute. Most of them were buried in their holes because, silly, it was cold and windy outside.

Now for the real story!!! The place looked like Wyoming. The wind was 65 MPH plus and the birds were 28 inches high. We also saw a condor, lots of ostrich like birds called Reas, a gray fox and a rabbit. The wind was unbelievable, I have never seen anything like it. HAL

OK, I meant to say Wyoming – details!!!

Ushuaia Argentina: The southern most city in the world

Ushuaia looks like a Swiss Village surrounded by beautiful snow covered mountains. The temperature was 41 degrees while we were there, but the wind made it feel much colder. We didn’t take a tour, just walked around the town, went into a few shops and used the internet services. This is where is all started. I decided to check, for sure, to find out what the weather was in the Falkland Islands when we were supposed to be there. Well, I went on weatherunderground.com and discovered that, not only was there no rain, but the temperature was in the mid to low 60’s and the winds were calm. I checked both the day before, March 5^th, and the day after, March 7^th – neither of those days had winds over 30 mph. So where were the “gale force winds” (over 45mph) that kept us from even venturing to the Falklands???? Well, I have help the word to spread through out the ship. I printed the weather reports for those three days and gave them to our Grand Circle Director who has promised to ask the crew about the change in course. I will definitely write letters when I get home. Now I am afraid the Captain will “accidentally” leave us ashore at our next port. Hal says I’m just a trouble maker, however, there is a man here from Atlanta that told me if I would come back to Georgia, he will get me elected to any office I want. Well the adventure goes on – next stop, Penguins!!!

Patagonia Glaciers

Cruising the inland waters, we had the opportunity to see some outstanding Glaciers in Patagonia. The summer season is just ending but the snow line is at about 500 feet above sea level. Beautiful glaciers line the passageway, some extending right into the water. The color is the most amazing thing – at first glance they appear to be white but as the light hits the crevices the glaciers become a rich marine blue. I doubt my camera was able to capture the color, but the pictures will help to remind me of the beauty nature creates. I will post pictures when I reach Santiago and have the internet time to upload.

Cape Horn - Very placid waters Monday March 7, 2005

Pink House in Buenos Aires and the balcony from which where Evita Peron talked to the Argentine People

Square in Buenos Aires

Falkland Island

 

Saturday March 3, 2005

Falkland Islands:

 

Well – what a disappointment!!!!  Not the islands – the fact that we will not get to see them.  The Captain has decided that the weather is not going to allow us the opportunity to visit.  Is seems that on one of the previous cruises, they got 1000 people on shore at Port Stanley and they were stranded until the next day.  There are several stories floating around ranging from “the wonderful citizens of Port Stanley took all the passengers and crew into their homes” to “all the stranded passengers and crew has to sleep on the gymnasium floor”.  Actually, I would take either option – sounds exciting to me. 

 

As a consolation, we have been offered a glass of champagne with dinner.

 

I know we have been told there is not much to see.  As a matter of fact they say it is like Bakersfield without the glitz and glamour.  However, we wanted to see for ourselves.  We had signed up for a tour of the battlefield and we have been listening to the lectures about the islands.   

 

Right now I feel very much like a goose destine to become pate.  The food is good, but why do I feel the need to eat so much of it?  Perhaps it’s because there is not much else to do???

 

Till later---------

 

Uruguay

Uruguay:

It may be unfair to say that Montevideo is underwhelming as a city since the day we were there was not a proper day to judge. We happen to be in town on the day that the entire government changed over to a Socialist Party for the first time in many years. The new government was voted in by a “mandate” of 51%. We walked into the center of town where all the activity was going on. People were gathered in Plaza Independencia awaiting the festivities. There were delegates from many countries there including Fidel Castro of Cuba, Prince Edward of England, President Chevez of Venezuela, etc. I didn’t hear of anyone from the USA. I didn’t see anything about the USA either. As a matter of fact, the way the secrete service agents were watching us, I felt a little uncomfortable taking pictures but when the new president arrived, I was right there with all the other spectators snapping away as if I knew who he was. There were Soviet flags, Chez Guava flags and Cuban Flags all over the city. The incoming President has declared his friendship for Fidel. We decided to go back to the boat before a new revolution started.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires:

Two Days in Buenos Aires is not nearly enough!  Yesterday we walked around the heart of the city, did a little shopping, had lunch and just got the flavor of the area.  This is a beautiful, progressive, sophisticated city.  Mike – it even has a huge Microsoft building.  There are beautiful parks, monuments, etc.  Last night was the Tango show.  I know if Hal and I tried to do the Tango we would end up a hopeless tangled heap on the floor. We have been listening to lectures on the boat telling about the history of the countries, etc.  I wish I had studied more in school.  Today we take a tour of the most important places in the life of Evita Peron.  Should be interesting.