Live Muse Inaugural Voyage Ft Lauderdale to Valparasio-13 October to 31 October 2017

So sorry you are sick. Manta was one of our great surprise ports in South America, and we had a delightful time there.

Get well quickly so you can enjoy the remainder of your trip.

Hope you get well soonest Candy, know Larry will take good care of u.

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Being sick on holiday sucks. I hope you are feeling better soon.

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Spins...just to add my voice to the many wishing you a quick recovery!

Get better soon. And, I hope the sickness isn’t because of something on the ship!

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Thanks all. Slowly on the mend. No worries about ship borne illness. I have cold and cough. I finally bit the bullet and started antibiotics because I wasn't getting better. They are working.

Ship is lovely.

It's a gorgeous sea day, several whales off port side, I wasn't fast enough with camera.

It's formal night and Venetian soirée. We will decline dinner invite as I am not sure yet about my stamina.

Saving up for all the excursions coming up!

Alex the bartender in la dolce vita, made me some hot drink last night with muddled fruit, nutmeg and honey. It was his prescription for my frog voice.

Pax are loving the pool and the sun!

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Omg.

Lunch on pool deck was fresh tuna, grilled. Incredible. Bought yesterday at the dock in Manta, the tuna capital of the world.

Rudi is doing a great job with the pool lunches. No more live music at lunch or at the grill.

Temperature is dropping as we head south. Needed a blanket outside for lunch, as well as a puffy vest and long pants.

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Looking forward to some of that, Spins! We'll be chasing you down the coast next week on Explorer ...don't think we go to Manta but our first stop in Peru is on Friday. :D

Glad you are getting over your respiratory ailment. No fun. Hope the rest of the trip is fantastic!

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Glad to hear you are feeling better Spinnaker. Are you doing the entire South American Grand Voyage?

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JP we welcome the chase. Bon voyage.

Stumble, we are off in Valpo.

I remember being docked in Manta and seeing the tuna fishing boats unloading their massive catches. How wonderful that Rudi is on board and that he can take advantage of the opportunity to buy such great fresh fish for the ship.

Hope you continue to recover from your illness.

Today we were in Salaverry.

When we arrived it was cloudy, foggy and chilly.

The fog lifted by afternoon and we could see the mountains.

Unique topography with the craggy mountains and deserts.

We were off to el Brujo archeologic complex and Dama de cao museum. A long bus ride but comfortable. Today is not only Sunday but census day, no one working.

There were few tourists at the site. Worth the trip.

We arrived back to the pier last.

Once again a great grilled fish lunch on the pool deck, and there was music!

Forgot to ask about numbers of Venetians aboard. We ate at pizza place last night so I have no idea of statistics.

Temperature is chilly. A welcome change for us.

Tonight is liars club!

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Today we were in Salaverry. Unique topography with the craggy mountains and deserts. We were off to el Brujo archeologic complex and Dama de cao museum. A long bus ride but comfortable. Today is not only Sunday but census day, no one working. There were few tourists at the site. Worth the trip. Once again a great grilled fish lunch on the pool deck, and there was music!

Spins had sent me a number of visuals during the past week. Sorry I got delay with our grandsons visiting from Virginia, but am just now being able to catch up. Below are some fun visuals with more to come soon. Too bad that the posting of the pictures directly from ship Internet was too challenged.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 188,812 views for this posting.

Here are two visuals as the ship was crossing the Equator. Silversea does this "ceremony" well and it is super FUN, too!! Only a few passengers were "sacrificed" in the process.:

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Here are two examples of the menu from The Grill. Looks good and tasty!:

Below are the next group of visuals sent from Spins while on their exciting adventure through the Panama Canal and down the western coast of South America. Hopefully, Candy sending and sharing more. Sorry for my delay in uploading.

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 220,364 views.

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

From Manta, here are some of the many tuna boats there.:

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Also from Manta, here are some of the ducks and ducklings in their market place.:

Here are some of the dolphins off of the port/bow side of the ship.:

The loungers are occupied only by books and other stuff meant to hold and be reserved by passengers. These were vacant for long periods of time. BUT . . . ???:

Looking towards Manta, these are the loungers that Spins loves so super much! Looking great and inviting? Nice views!!:

Hello Terry,

We're doing the Panama Canal at Christmas and I thought I read a post about a book you've recommended, can't find the post, any help would be appreciated.

MM

Hi Cool Cruiser, if you want to "know all there is to know " about the Panama Canal, try The Path Between the Seas, by David McCullough. It is a BIG book, but well worth the read. I read just before a PC cruise and it really made the whole trip through the Canal very interesting

Hello Terry, We're doing the Panama Canal at Christmas and I thought I read a post about a book you've recommended, can't find the post, any help would be appreciated. MM

Hi Cool Cruiser, if you want to "know all there is to know " about the Panama Canal, try The Path Between the Seas, by David McCullough. It is a BIG book, but well worth the read. I read just before a PC cruise and it really made the whole trip through the Canal very interesting

Appreciate these great follow-ups. YES, to prepare for this Panama Canal "adventure", I did read David McCullough's "Path Between the Seas". WOW! This book is 617 pages, but the details for what was involved more than a hundred years ago makes a very amazing drama!!

And to think that most of the poured concrete for these huge locks and most of the steel hardware is still performing today is very special. Great engineering to build this canal, especially under the challenging topographic and tropical conditions that existed there in this hot, rainy jungle location that required going through large hilly, mountain land masses for completion. Check out my live/blog below for much more history, background and details on the Panama Canal. PLUS, many visuals, too!! Below are a few visual samples of what we saw earlier this year. Happy to answer any and all questions.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Panama Canal? Completed Feb. 28-Mar. 15, 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through the Panama Canal with our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! Those visuals start on the second page, post #26. See more at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

Did not want to miss anything at the Panama Canal, so I was up way before sunrise. In the first picture, it is still dark and you can see one of the three pilots boats approaching with their local experts to guide our ship through these locks. Yes, it's worth it to be early for this passage. In the background, you can see some of the nearby city of Colon and various port operations.:

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Here are elements of the third major bridge now being built to cross the canal. This will be called the Atlantic Bridge. Lots of poured concrete! And all high enough to allow large ships with tall masts to pass under this suspension bridge. Seeing this completed bridge will be another good reason visit back again in the future:

For most of the early part of canal transit, we were on the ship’s front/forward 10th deck that was right near our balcony room. Right above us and shown in this picture were passengers on the 11th level focusing intently on the activities in front of the ship as we are going through the first set of locks.:

These next two pictures give a better, closer look at these “mules” and the very steep inclines that they must go up to pull ships through this initial series of locks. That name or phrase of “mules” goes back to the old days for canals in the 1800’s when those creatures pulled the boats along canal routes. These current tractors are electric-powered and these are the third-generation of this design to be used during the past 100+ year history here.:

As we prepared to exit out of the Gatun Locks, here is a closer view at the lower angle from the 8th floor rear of our ship. On the left, you can see a very large ship getting ready to exit out and sail towards the Caribbean Sea. These three locks need to raise a ship up, UP from sea-level to a 96' water height. Many more visuals and details on my full live/blog.:

Hi Cool Cruiser, if you want to "know all there is to know " about the Panama Canal, try The Path Between the Seas, by David McCullough. It is a BIG book, but well worth the read.

YES, to prepare for this Panama Canal "adventure", I did read David McCullough's "Path Between the Seas". WOW! This book is 617 pages, but the details for what was involved more than a hundred years ago makes a very amazing drama!!

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Callao...lots to write about but will need time. More later.

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Looking forward to it, Spins. In the air, on our way to Atlanta, then Quito. Callao next week!

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Agree with both BettyDol and Terry, McCullough’s book is excellent. What the French went through is absolutely mind boggling.

 

 

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Thank you ALL. Brilliant photos Terry, we were at Gatun Locks Christmas 2015 and that gave us the nudge to go through the Panama Canal now.

MM

Callao for two days was a bit much. Extremely industrialized, loud, noisy and particulate matter in the air. Grey and cloudy, chilly.

To get to the center of Lima it takes at least fifty minutes. Traffic horrendous. Drivers risk their lives and others!

We took two excursions. One was just awful, Lima by night. We thought we were going to see the huaca oracle, but by the time we got there it was closed. We ate at a restaurant overlooking the pyramid. Food was poor and all pax who went disgruntled by the tour.

We had ten minutes to walk around in the city center and the our was six hours, most of which we spent in horrific traffic.

Don't take this tour!

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Paracas today and Ballestras islands.

Just beautiful islands and wildlife.

Paracas has some gorgeous resorts, all fairly new.

We are docked next to the desert.

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Paracas today and Ballestras islands. Just beautiful islands and wildlife. Paracas has some gorgeous resorts, all fairly new. We are docked next to the desert.

Appreciate these nice updates and details from Spins. During the past day or so, Candy has e-mailed me a large of visuals from her travels with Silversea. Am starting with these picture posts below. More to come!! Unfortunately, the Internet on the ship has been challenged for uploading such pix's.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from this live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 35,748 views for this visual sharing including Cape Town, along South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

From Lima, Peru, here is some of the City Center.:

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From La Candelaria or Paracas, Peru, here is a sampling of the three-thousand-years-old Glyph in the sand.:

From Lima's huaca pucllana, here is some of the Oracle Pyramid.:

From Las Ballestras Islands, here are some of the cute penguins.:

From Lima, Peru, here is some from one of their shanty towns.:

Here is part two from Spins/Candy from their western coast of South America sailing. More to come. Keep sharing and sending these visuals. Very interesting!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 53,983 views for these postings.

In Paracas, Spins/Candy says there are so many interesting and "amazing Pelicans.":

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At a hacienda lunch in Lima, here was one of the Peruvian Paso Horses.:

At Peruvian horse ranch, here are a great-looking and nicely-styled pair of dancers.:

From the Ballestras Islands, here are some nesting herons.:

Also from the Ballestras Islands, here are some of the lazy (or resting) sea lions.:

Again from the Ballestras Islands, all of these black dots are actually birds. That's lots of birds here!!: