**Near-Live Blog of Zaandam Inca and South America Cruise 24 Sep - 3 Nov 2018**

[kazu]

So glad you got to the Falklands, Rich.  Sounds like a great day even though it was 'sans penguins'.

 

Always amazing how someone thinks they can set their own rules, isn't it?  (Speaking of the curmudgeons here 😉 ).  If there's room on a tender there's no reason a 4 or 5* Mariner shouldn't be able to go.   Glad the tender worked out for you in the end 😉

 

Great pics and reports, as usual.  Thanks for taking the time and the $ to share with us 😄 

[0bnxshs]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

So glad you got to the Falklands, Rich.  Sounds like a great day even though it was 'sans penguins'.

 

Always amazing how someone thinks they can set their own rules, isn't it?  (Speaking of the curmudgeons here 😉 ).  If there's room on a tender there's no reason a 4 or 5* Mariner shouldn't be able to go.   Glad the tender worked out for you in the end 😉

 

Great pics and reports, as usual.  Thanks for taking the time and the $ to share with us 😄 

 

Glad to do it and glad you are enjoying.

[0bnxshs]

Day 35 - 36 (10/27 - 10/28)

 

Sea Days

 

These days are really starting to run together now and I'm losing track of them.  It's the weekend now, Saturday morning, but there's nothing beyond the "When & Where" and elevator carpets to tell you that really.  Each day passes the same as the previous day when you have sea days.  I do enjoy them as they are usually nice days to read, watch a movie or just relax around the Lido pool.

 

We have received an invitation this morning, Saturday morning, to have dinner with the Hotel Director tomorrow evening, Sunday evening, at 6 PM in the main dining room.  Not too sure what has prompted this and my imagination runs to wondering what we may have done to get this attention since I don't think we made anyone mad or broke anything in the cabin.  So, we shall go and find out.  Later in the day we get a call in the room asking if we got our invitation and whether we planned on attending.  Roger told them "Yes!".  I'm already sweating as I don't do well in crowds, especially keeping up my end of conversations, as what mostly goes through my mind is a noise like the one our cabin noise machine makes.... "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. POP....  zzzzzzzzzz".

 

Speaking of sweating, it's supposed to warm up now that we are headed north.  It's still not warm, though everyone but me is anticipating some warmer weather.  I'm still in my shorts, not because I am encouraging the warmth but trying to enjoy the last bit of cooler weather we are having.  While I'm sitting in the Lido pool area after having finished breakfast someone walks past me and says that a large iceberg is ahead of us on the starboard side and to hurry to see it.  I'm intrigued and head to the Seaview deck behind the Lido to see what she's talking about and whether I should go pack my things and wait for the orchestra to start playing like in "Titanic".

 

Well, it's nowhere to be seen anywhere near us.  Off in the far distance, there is a hint of something blue and large that is breaking up the horizon of clouds, sky and sea.  An iceberg!  A very large iceberg!  I immediately start fast walking to my cabin to pack, making a mental list of what I really need (1. everything 2. everything else) and stop only because the Hotel Director manages to get my attention.  He tells me there's a large iceberg that's been spotted from the bridge, the Captain will be closing on it and slowing down as we pass it to our starboard side so all can get a look at it and would be making an announcement soon.

 

This confirms to me that I do indeed need to get to my cabin and find my life jacket, pack my medications and glasses and put on heavy clothes and shoes and wait for the "BANG!" that I'm sure this iceberg will make as we crash into it.  Sure enough, just as the Hotel Director said, the Captain comes on over the speakers and says that a large iceberg has been spotted, it was 26 miles away when first seen (on radar maybe?) and that by using a sextant and the known distance to it, it was 325 feet tall, or 2.5 times as tall as the ship itself.  90 per cent of it still lurks underwater so we would maintain a safe distance of 1 mile from it as we altered course slightly to come closer to it as we pass it by.  It was only moving at a snail's pace, 0.2 knots, and so was thought to be anywhere from 1 to 5 years from having broken off its Antarctic birthplace.  We'd be alongside it in 30 minutes.  This thing is huge and I wonder if it'll even notice or be bothered a bit by our hitting it and tearing a huge hole in the hull.

 

Anyhow, this starts a pandemonium of passengers running around, gathering cameras, smart phones, tablets, video equipment and anything else that might record the encounter; meanwhile I'm wondering why they are so into recording a moment that might be our last on board but then chalk it up to social media and the "selfie" craze.  Yes, even we "over 50 and above" age group seem to have embraced the idea that we too must photo-bomb one of the loveliest of sights to behold.

 

An iceberg!  HAL has kindly brought a taste of the Antarctic to us as we didn't go there on this cruise.  What timing!  What marketing!  The ship begins to list to starboard as every available body, crew included, helps to steer the ship to the right as if we were a sailing vessel, jostling and filling every available open spot that has visibility of the anticipated iceberg.  Now I'm wondering if we'll tip over before we hit anything at this rate but join the elbows and backsides to see too.

 

Here it comes.  Majestic in its towering height and its enormous girth.  I look about to see if it has any life on it as it's so big that it might just support some lazy seal or penguin or even a bird or two.  It appears to have rolled over some during its freedom, perhaps having gotten tired of sunning one side and exposing another side to the fresh air and sunshine, not realizing that the sun would eventually bring about its demise.  We had wondered how long it had floated about but never imagined up to 5 years of silently wandering the ocean.  Large icebergs are charted as hazards to shipping but this one had been unreported until now.

 

All too soon we are past it and back on a heading to hurry on to Montevideo.  Life on board returns to normal and I go unpack my medications and other things I had packed.  Back goes the life jacket from the bed to the closet but I can't seem to get it in there the same way I thought it had come out.  We (me especially, as I don't watch movies) are glad that we don't have to recreate the scenes of "Titanic" or "The Poseidon Adventure" hoping to survive.

 

Meanwhile, things have been subtly changing on us; at first not enough to notice but now more and more obviously.  I think the crew are playing games with those of us who have been on long enough to think we know just how everything works.  First, it was the cream cheese at breakfast.  I grabbed a container out of the basket that's always been regular cream cheese.  Now, it's vegetable cream cheese.  How did I discover this?  The taste of my bagel after applying it.  Regular cream cheese is now the 3d basket from the left.  I went to take a shower later, after the iceberg, and found the containers of shampoo and body gel have been reversed in the shower.  I had to wash my body BEFORE I washd my hair due to this!  Roger hadn't noticed when he had taken his and doesn't have much reason to use shampoo; now his whole body had nicely shampooed and squeaky clean hair.  I had to ask him if something was different with the light in the bathroom also; it seemed brighter to me but I needed a second opinion.  He had wondered the same and concurred with me that the lights had been changed to somehow be brighter.  An additional tube or brighter one replacing a dull one?

 

Tonight's show in the Mainstage is Maestro Rogerio Tutti.  The weather stays nice and the sea continues to favor us by behaving all night long.

 

Sunday dawns as placidly as Saturday had expired the night before.  The weather is a bit cool and it is partly cloudy and the sea is happy and leaving us mostly alone.  On towards Montevideo we chug.  Dinner with Francois Birarda tonight, I remind myself; don't eat a whole lot of breakfast and lunch and spoil dinner later.  Figure out something nice to wear.

 

We receive our certificates for having "'Rounded the Horn" this morning.  I do a little research and find that we are more than 10 degrees of latitude short of "Doubling the Horn" and am disappointed.  I might have fudged a bit had it been within 5 degrees or so.  I convince Roger, who looks to be practicing for the role of Count Dracula for Halloween, to get up and go watch EXC Guide Kevin and his "Fight for the Falkland" presentation by betting him that it will indeed be a fair presentation; Roger is convinced otherwise as Kevin is Argentinian.  He comes back with his hat in his hand; Kevin does a very balanced, fair and objective history of the islands and the 1982 conflict.

 

We eat lightly all day in anticipation of dinner and choose nice clothes that almost have cobwebs on them from lack of use so far.  I figure we'll have wine at dinner but decide that I could use the Wild Turkey double to calm my nerves at happy hour.  Not wanting to seem cheeky, we wait past 5:40 PM before Roger decides he needs 1 final trip to the men's room so I sit and await his return.  A maitre'd in a panic runs up while he's indisposed relieved to have found me (how he knew me or where I was is another matter) and asks if we are coming to dinner.  It's not 6 PM yet but they wanted to have their ducks all in a row by then to start the meal.  I told him we'd be along in just a moment; Roger returns and we make our way to the Main Dining Room, deck 4, and await the last 2 of the 6 of us invited to dinner.  Soon we are all present and accounted for and make our entrance to the middle of the room.
 

Francois Birarda has to be one of the easiest officers to find something in common with and all of our table mates make easy talk with each other, asking about past and planned cruises, most memorable tours, old ships and new, places lived and visited, "Did you see the iceberg?"; before we knew it 2 hours had quickly vanished along with several bottles of wine and all the nicely prepared food from the menu that evening.  I think everyone truly enjoyed this meal and being guests of the Hotel Director.  We all agreed that the crew on HAL are the best and most consistently and sincerely pleasant in the industry too.

 

Roger teetered off to the cabin while I waited for Adagio and their last performance of the evening.  For those wondering, the show in the Mainstage was the "Emporers of Soul" again with a new show.

 

Tomorrow is Montevideo.  I think Roger has begun to count the hours before we home again.

 

Cape Horn certificate:

 

The Iceberg!  Very tiny so far away (but it's there):

 

Larger now but still 1/2 hour away:

 

We were all "elbows and a**holes":

 

Huge:

 

Bigger still:

 

Unzoomed look at it over someone's head 1 mile away:

 

Roger rehearsing "Count Dracula":

 

Our dinner invitation:

 

Our dinner mates (you can see literal sweat on my forehead!):

Edited October 31, 2018 by 0bnxshs

[dchip]

Wow, the iceberg was tremondous!! I am enjoying your blog and photos very much. In February, I will be cruising from FLL to LA around South America, sadly not on HAL. Your photos have me so excited. I, too, am going to Machu Picchu. Your text and pics have been read and studied for days now. Thank you so much

 

Cheers, Denise . 

[Vict0riann]

You were so lucky to have an iceberg sail-by!  

 

I have a couple of questions regarding CC.  I imagine you have an internet package - full time?

 

 Does CC make you log in every time you post?  Are you using a laptop or a smaller device?  Every time I use my phone or iPad, CC makes me log in, which is a nuisance.  I was hoping to be able to post while we are on the Nieuw Statendam premier voyage, but a lot depends on the type of internet packages they have, and the price.  I may have to wait until we are in port somewhere.

[bennybear]

What an amazing adventure!   Glad your sailing has been mostly smooth!   Love that iceberg! 

[0bnxshs]

1 hour ago, dchip said:

Wow, the iceberg was tremondous!! I am enjoying your blog and photos very much. In February, I will be cruising from FLL to LA around South America, sadly not on HAL. Your photos have me so excited. I, too, am going to Machu Picchu. Your text and pics have been read and studied for days now. Thank you so much

 

Cheers, Denise . 

 

Glad that the blog has been helpful.  You'll enjoy Machu Picchu, and don't be too intimated by it.  We were told at the HD dinner that there was a 93 year old woman on the Gold package tour who made the entire tour there.  I don't remember seeing her but we only saw them a short time on Sunday at the airport.

 

33 minutes ago, bennybear said:

What an amazing adventure!   Glad your sailing has been mostly smooth!   Love that iceberg! 

 

Thanks for reading and enjoying!

Edited October 31, 2018 by 0bnxshs

[0bnxshs]

27 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

You were so lucky to have an iceberg sail-by!  

 

I have a couple of questions regarding CC.  I imagine you have an internet package - full time?

 

 Does CC make you log in every time you post?  Are you using a laptop or a smaller device?  Every time I use my phone or iPad, CC makes me log in, which is a nuisance.  I was hoping to be able to post while we are on the Nieuw Statendam premier voyage, but a lot depends on the type of internet packages they have, and the price.  I may have to wait until we are in port somewhere.

 

I am using my Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop/tablet for most of my entries and photo work.  I manage to stay logged in to CC and have not needed to log in on this or from my Android phone.

 

At first I bought the deluxe internet package; I think it's called Premier Voyage.  I had internet service 24/7 for 31 days for $330.  Now I'm on the Surf Voyage plan, meaning less costly, less bandwidth and less throughput but it's still been sufficient for me.  Not sure if you can buy by the minute now.  Now it seems to be for a day minimum and will depend on the basic, surf or premier package choice.  I do easily switch between my phone and laptop and upload Roger's photos all at the same time while signed in except for a couple of places where internet coverage was poor or non-existent; the Darwin Channel and north for a day out of the Falklands.

[Vict0riann]

Thank you, Rich.  I guess we will have to wait and see.  I really liked the "Surf" package, as DH and I could take turns, and it was so easy!  If we can get that on the NS (with a discount, maybe) then it won't even matter really, if I do have to keep logging in.  But I will try to figure that part out before we leave home.

[Love the beach]

Great photos of the iceberg....glad you didn't follow Titanic!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful review.

 

We think Francois Birarda is a wonderful hotel manager and very east to talk to.  We have had the pleasure of being invited to dine with him both in the Pinnacle Grill and dining room on  a few occasions.  

 

Love the pictures of the ice berg.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I'd like to add one more "thank you" for your fantastic reports. I'm getting anxious for our January cruise on the Zaandam. My question is about the indoor temps. on the ship. Have they been fairly normal? Or chilly in some spots and overly warm in others?  Thanks again!

[Overtime4me2]

 I'm slowly I'm slowly getting caught up after Cruise Critic was offline for a while. Thank you again so much for posting your cruise it's been very interesting and fun seeing "my ship" from July in a new part of the world!

 

Sue

www.suebees.wordpress.com

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Overtime4me2

[Copper10-8]

A visit to the Falkland Islands is most definitely on my bucket list and now that you have described the tour you just experienced, even more. The "yomping" by the Brit Paras and Royal Marines from San Carlos Bay to Stanley back in the 1982 War while fighting the Argies along the way is legendary! Thanks Rich!

 

[0bnxshs]

1 hour ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

I'd like to add one more "thank you" for your fantastic reports. I'm getting anxious for our January cruise on the Zaandam. My question is about the indoor temps. on the ship. Have they been fairly normal? Or chilly in some spots and overly warm in others?  Thanks again!

 

As subjective as temps are, I'll give a try. I have found the Explorers Lounge to the most comfortable area, Roger says it's the coolest. Most of deck 5 seems reasonable for me, cool for Roger. Lido can get a bit warm to me, ok for Roger. Crow's Nest seems ok, Roger doesn't spend time there. Our cabin seems to struggle to be comfortable to me, Roger has been ok. I sleep only in briefs with no covers, Roger in pajamas completely covered with top sheet and comforter, which may help you gauge your levels.

[0bnxshs]

2 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

A visit to the Falkland Islands is most definitely on my bucket list and now that you have described the tour you just experienced, even more. The "yomping" by the Brit Paras and Royal Marines from San Carlos Bay to Stanley back in the 1982 War while fighting the Argies along the way is legendary! Thanks Rich!

 

 

Tony Smith can give you a very personal tour, John, as can several others who were there at the time.  The cross on Mt. Tumbledown for the 2d Scots Guards, 42d Commando, 7th Gurka Rifles and Royal Marines units that fought there was built and placed on the ridge by Tony himself. Quite a moving story from both sides and just incredibly difficult terrain and miserable weather endured by all. Hope you can see it soon.

[0bnxshs]

33 minutes ago, Overtime4me2 said:

 I'm slowly I'm slowly getting caught up after Cruise Critic was offline for a while. Thank you again so much for posting your cruise it's been very interesting and fun seeing "my ship" from July in a new part of the world!

 

Sue

www.suebees.wordpress.com

 

 

Thanks, Sue. Happy it's bringing fond memories.

Edited October 31, 2018 by 0bnxshs

[Copper10-8]

6 minutes ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

Tony Smith can give you a very personal tour, John, as can several others who were there at the time.  The cross on Mt. Tumbledown for the 2d Scots Guards, 42d Commando, 7th Gurka Rifles and Royal Marines units that fought there was built and placed on the ridge by Tony himself. Quite a moving story from both sides and just incredibly difficult terrain and miserable weather endured by all. Hope you can see it soon.

 

Thanks again Rich! 

 

[kazu]

Rich you are now waxing really amusing -  more amusing than ever along with your great prose.

 

Sorry, I didn't see any sweat on your brow in your pic with the dinner with the HD. 😉. I know you all too well and I suspect you were a great conversaltionist 😉

 

So glad you got the iceberg experience - we did on our last South America cruise which was a long time ago (or seems that way anyways).  The iceberg was huge - but sadly global warming is playing a part in all this.

 

Loved Roger's Hallowe'en costume 😉. He seems to have a good sense of humour.

 

You really should take up writing.  You are truly talented.

 

Best to you and Roger and at home to Debbie and the pretty fur babies 🙂 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

1 hour ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

As subjective as temps are, I'll give a try. I have found the Explorers Lounge to the most comfortable area, Roger says it's the coolest. Most of deck 5 seems reasonable for me, cool for Roger. Lido can get a bit warm to me, ok for Roger. Crow's Nest seems ok, Roger doesn't spend time there. Our cabin seems to struggle to be comfortable to me, Roger has been ok. I sleep only in briefs with no covers, Roger in pajamas completely covered with top sheet and comforter, which may help you gauge your levels.

Thanks, that does give me an idea of the various areas. No blue lips to be seen (maybe some blue hair though?) so I won't need a heavy indoor sweater.

 

[erewhon]

Another great report, wonderful photos of the iceberg.

Pleased that you enjoyed your dinner with the Hotel Director. 

[TiogaCruiser]

So enjoying this. Your post about the ice berg ranks up there with Arzz’s crossing The Drake.

[0bnxshs]

12 hours ago, erewhon said:

Another great report, wonderful photos of the iceberg.

Pleased that you enjoyed your dinner with the Hotel Director. 

 

Should you get the chance, don't miss dinner with an officer.  They are sometimes starved for conversation outside of the usual cruise ship complaints and questions.

 

8 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

So enjoying this. Your post about the ice berg ranks up there with Arzz’s crossing The Drake.

 

Thank you kindly for the compliment!  Happy to know you are enjoying.

 

[0bnxshs]

Day 37 (10/29)

 

Montevideo, Uruguay

 

What's to say about Montevideo?  This is a tired and run-down old place that really looks like it has seen better days.  8 years ago it looked pretty much the same.  But that should not discourage anyone from taking a tour here or just getting out and exploring the city which is exactly what Roger and I did here today.  Walk!

 

And get sunburned.  I should know better; Roger probably should too.  It was a bright, sunny and cloudless day here with a high expected in the mid 70s fahrenheit.  We let all the tours get off and by 10 AM or so, were ready to head off the ship and sight-see.  It's an easy port to find your way out of and back to; no shuttle is required and within a couple of hundred yards you find yourself at the main intersection of the port and the city across the street.  The port has some historic significance as it's the port where the German "Panzerschiff" Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled by her captain and crew in December 1939 after the "Battle of the River Plate".

 

This battle occurred over a 90 minute period where the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee spotted 3 British warships and decided to take them on, damaging all 3 badly but also receiving moderate damage herself.  The captain of the Graf Spee decided to use Montevideo to evacuate his dead and wounded and effect repairs to the ship, during which time British intelligence managed to convince him that a vastly superior naval force awaited them should they leave after the 72 hour requirement of departing a neutral country (Uruguay) or losing the ship altogether.  So, what to do?  Scuttle her in the river and become a hazard to navigation!  Her anchor and telemeter (a gunnery range finding device) are on display now in the pathway used by passengers to exit the port to the city.  Unfortunately, there are virtually no plaques here to tell you what you're looking at, very unlike Santa Barbara.

 

To wrap up the history lesson and tie together this stop with Port Stanley, the ship's namesake, Admiral Maximilian von Spee, died in the battle of the Falkland Islands between British and German naval forces in the opening months of the first World War.

 

Roger and I decide not to follow the crowd across the street at the first intersection and instead, walk straight on past the Armada of Uruguay's headquarters building and beyond to what appears to be a busy, container-laden commercial port area.  Walking here is fine if you keep and eye to be pavement as it is rather uneven everywhere and you'll encounter things you really don't want to step in from time to time.  Probably not easy though for wheelchairs or scooters though as you'll also encounter items like telephone poles and other obstacles in the middle of walkways.  Walking perhaps 3/4s of a mile will bring you to a nice broad river walk where you'll encounter families with their pets, fishermen, businessmen eating lunch and the occasional amorous couple.  We might have walked all the way to some high rise developments a ways down but decided to turn and walk back into the old town area around the vicinity of a old boarded up brick tower at the water's edge.  With nothing to tell us what it was, we decided we didn't care much to know anyhow.

 

By the time we returned to the ship after finding our way back through the old town and run down residences and buildings, we'd clocked a few miles and were hungry.  Lunch awaited us on the Lido as usual.  We also began to feel the effects of the sunburns we'd received; Roger on the back of his neck and me mostly on the back of my hands.  We sat and texted freely with loved ones back home enjoying their company and before we knew, the day had worn down to happy hour and sail away time at 4:30 PM.  Tonight, Julian will be playing with the band on the Mainstage in "Tango Passion" so, after the first Adagio set, we were delighted to listen to Svetlana play solo on the piano.  She is an accomplished pianist.

 

Buenos Aires tomorrow after we meander about the river in a narrow channel, the bridge carefully avoiding the remains of Graf Spee and other, floating vessels.

 

A very large container ship in Montevideo:

 

German heavy cruiser 'Admiral Graf Spee' anchor and memorial:

 

The long walkway along Rambla Francia:

 

The brick tower seen in the distance above:

 

A old, non-functioning water fountain in the old town area:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful report and great pictures.