scubacruiserx2

Well our Covid is long gone but I think that my camera caught it . Well it is 12 years old and experiencing a number of issues so we agreed on a new one . In with new and out with the old .

The glacier is 200' tall , 3 miles wide and about 19 miles long A 3 story boat approaching the glacier

A close up of the glacier Water moving from lake to lake The ramp down

They use wooden pegs in holes and wet them so they swell .

Perhaps our favorite Glacier ,Perito Moreno because of it's beautiful blue color , accessibility and it is advancing unlike most glaciers in the world . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perito_Moreno_Glacier Should we use the stairs or the ramp ? The stairs are faster , good exercise and get you closer . Did I say accessible ? We have been there in 2013 , 2019 and 2024 and this lift for the Handicapped has never worked when we were there .

Lunch is served Squash Soup Lentil stew . We didn't see any beans but lots of Lentils We asked for a little pepper - lost in translation ? The ladies wash rooms were off limits so we shared

Setting out for Perito Moreno glacier about 48 miles away we were doing things different this trip - no lunch box . 1st Overlook of the glacier and both cameras of the same close up We had decided to try the dining there and we were not alone , parking was a bear .

Because our first 2 days in El Calafate had tours we didn't rent a car so on Wednesday we rented a car . It would require some extensive training since our new car is old enough to be an adult in all 50 states . It had Air Conditioning so we thought that we might sleep in the car that night ! The first stop was at a bank where we tried to withdraw the maximum 50,000 A Pesos , about $50 . The machine wouldn't work so we asked a bank officer for help . He said that the most that we could withdraw was 10,000 with a 7,000 fee . In other words to withdraw $10 would cost $7 ! We did like this mosaic on a wall across from the bank . Look out Argentina , here we come .

While we did enjoy our trip to Torre del Paine and our stay at the Hotel we would recommend the people that we used before . We used Get your Guide instead of Tours by Locals because TBL didn't offer a trip to Torres . La Cantera did not answer our requests but we would recommend them instead of where we stayed in El Calafate .

This thread began as information that NCL would no longer honor the cruise destination that they promised , namely a 2 day cruise to 2 locations in and around Antarctica . Then a change in destination occurred after the cruise was paid for and they had sailed . It was not due to weather . Unfortunately instead of sticking to the topic the thread has been hijacked into what constitutes a cruise to Antarctica . Well we don't have to walk in the Penguin poo just to say that we've been there and done that and know that it stinks . But it seems to be a 3 ring circus of opinions that remind me of the old Ken L Ration commercial , My dogs bigger than your dog .

We had snacks that we purchased , but no lunch so we requested to be dropped off at a place that we really liked for dinner instead of the hotel . We would just take a cab from there . The place that we really liked is called Pura Vida - the Pure life which is the theme and life style of Costa Rica . I had a lentil stew that was like Chili and Pat had a lamb pot pie that were very good . They did want a 1 hour wait time . So we went to take some photos and found a Sushi place near there . Tribute to the Falkland Islands War The Sushi Place We really like the vibe and people there so we asked them to cancel our reservation at Pura Vida . The food was fresh and top grade .

More pics and videos from the trip . As we neared Lake Pehoe the wind kicked up to 100km/h or 62 mph blowing the water and dust . Our Chilean guide showed us photos of busses overturned by the wind . As we approached the Nordenskjold Lake there's a waterfall . And an overlook of the place that we at lunch at on the HAL tour 2 cameras , same view At the border crossing the sign had blown down while we were gone and was weighted down ! The view from the way back machine

A slight reprise . The breakfast of champions and the map at the Hotel while waiting for our ride to Torres del Paine , Chile .

The Paine river rapids and the Torres We stopped by the Ranger Station and bathroom

One thing that we had forgot to mention was that after we crossed into Chile we picked up a new guide at the store . He was a Park Ranger and an Ambulance driver in Puerto Natales . The city was settled in the late 19th century by European immigrants, primarily Germans, British,including English, Welsh and Scots, Croats, Greeks, Italians , and Spaniards. Wikipedia

Thanks for going along on our cruise . We do enjoy traveling and the next scheduled one isn't until Thanksgiving with the family . Thank you for your kind words . 😊🙂

We had to present paperwork and show our Passports to leave Argentina and about 2 miles later do the same to enter Chile . Then we began to see wildlife and scenery . Stop after the boarder crossing Look and listen to the wind , no tenders or ships stopping here even if they could come this far inland !

In hindsight we think that this is where we may have gotten Covid . After the van brought us back to the hotel we wanted an early dinner because we had a really long day for the next day . We tried the Mexican street food place which more a Bar then a place to eat . There was also a pizza joint behind it . As we looked at the menu we didn't notice any traditional Mexican food . The closest thing was a beef or a chicken empanada . So we tried one of each and ordered a 4 cheese pizza . The pizza was delivered from the pizza place and they were all pretty good . We saved the leftovers as we had a small icebox . One again we were up past midnight with the noise . I tried to go down early to get a coffee for Pat and the door to the breakfast place and the office were locked and unattended . Breakfast is at 0630 and at 0600 nobody was at the office yet . At about 615 a guy rode up on a motorcycle and opened the office for himself . We were not allowed to enter until 630 . Since it was cold outside we sat on the stairs to see if our ride was there yet . When 630 came we were allowed inside to eat and wait . The lady working there heated up the pizza for as as we were tired of ham and cheese for breakfast and didn't want fruit loops . Our guide and driver got there after 7 and we headed out for the day . The map shows 3 hours and 21 minutes driving time not counting the border crossing at Cerro Castillo . If you look under the MORE Icon you will see El Chalten where we would drive to later on the map link below . https://www.google.com/maps/dir/El+Calafate,+Santa+Cruz+Province,+Argentina/Torres+del+Paine+National+Park,+Magallanes+y+la+Antártica+Chilena,+Chile/@-50.7318217,-73.3137751,8z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0xbdbb0cc0138f62cb:0x30d4035d88e4dc69!2m2!1d-72.2647982!2d-50.337969!1m5!1m1!1s0xbda51b0183dbaf07:0xbd9f2657451ace58!2m2!1d-73.4067879!2d-50.9423262!3e0?entry=ttu

Castro is a much nicer place with its wooden churches and Castro is famous for it 's palafitos , traditional wooden stilt houses which were common in many places in Chiloé.

After lunch we began making our way back to port . I had some nice chats with the people at our table and the couple that sat at their own at table for 2 in between the other larger tables that held 6 . She had spent most of the morning sleeping , so I thought that she was local . But she said that she was from Mexico along with her new husband of a year after the death of her long time husband . They were older than us and we had a nice talk about how much and many places that we had visited there , almost always on the coasts . It was the late afternoon and we had a long ride back to the port at a high rate of speed but she was warm and wanted the outside door closed . Well the majority of the people wanted it propped to get some air in . An English lady at our table who now lives in Spain gave her an earful after ascertaining that she was sick and not wearing a mask . There an uneasy silence for the rest of the trip back to the Perito Moreno glacier . And she did wear her mask after that . It was much cooler at the glacier and we went up top for a little . We were not the only ones . After a couple of clicks we headed back down to the rear . It was less crowded and sheltered from the wind . There was a quick trip boat there and some kayaks on the back side of the glacier . The other boat and our boat let some people off there on the rear of the glacier . We moved in for a closer view before a high speed run back to the port

We stopped at the island of the Cows and most of the people went for a walk while they set up for lunch . Our knees told us not to go and we stayed on the nearly empty boat . Lunch was served a course at a time It was quite good and the lamb was tender .

The Captain had invited our small group up to the bridge . I wonder why ? The aft room The runoff from glacier The Glacier face

We knew with Icebergs this close that we would soon see a Glacier An attempt to harpoon Agua the great Blue Iceberg

We noticed that they went South in the Fjords to the Glacier we think . They are scheduled to go to Chacabuco tomorrow so you may pass at them at sea . We hope that you had a great day .

Before we knew it we were in the icebergs - some small and some bigger than trees .