Bit of a blog - HAL Oosterdam - South America & Antarctica - Dec/Jan 2023/24

[Astrid61]

16 minutes ago, Ottawa traveller said:

Thanks for doing this blog. I've been following since the beginning. When you disembark on Sunday, I will be getting on. Right now l am enjoying the warm sunny weather in Santiago. I hope you will be staying awhile to enjoy  Santiago. It has a lot to offer.

 

Hello there.
Have you any recommendations for things to do/see in Santiago? 
We stay there for 4 nights after the cruise, after your cruise... So starting from 20th of February.

 

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, Astrid61 said:

Hello there.
Have you any recommendations for things to do/see in Santiago? 
We stay there for 4 nights after the cruise, after your cruise... So starting from 20th of February.

 

I stayed for 4 days a while back.  Spend one day, at least, in town.  Ride the funicular and enjoy the views from the top.  Enjoy the large central city park with its various museums and gardens. Take a free walking tour (tip expected), they leave from the city park.  The farmers market is pretty incredible.Hop on is available but we did not use it. We hired a private driver and spent one day vineyard touring.  Check the big shore excursions tour companies for other escorted tours. 

Edited January 5 by Mary229

[Astrid61]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

I stayed for 4 days a while back.  Spend one day, at least, in town.  Ride the funicular and enjoy the views from the top.  Enjoy the large central city park with its various museums and gardens. Take a free walking tour (tip expected), they leave from the city park.  The farmers market is pretty incredible.Hop on is available but we did not use it. We hired a private driver and spent one day vineyard touring.  Check the big shore excursions tour companies for other escorted tours. 

 

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

I stayed for 4 days a while back.  Spend one day, at least, in town.  Ride the funicular and enjoy the views from the top.  Enjoy the large central city park with its various museums and gardens. Take a free walking tour (tip expected), they leave from the city park.  The farmers market is pretty incredible.Hop on is available but we did not use it. We hired a private driver and spent one day vineyard touring.  Check the big shore excursions tour companies for other escorted tours. 

Thank you so much!

[TravelBluebird]

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I stayed for 4 days a while back.  Spend one day, at least, in town.  Ride the funicular and enjoy the views from the top.  Enjoy the large central city park with its various museums and gardens. Take a free walking tour (tip expected), they leave from the city park.  The farmers market is pretty incredible.Hop on is available but we did not use it. We hired a private driver and spent one day vineyard touring.  Check the big shore excursions tour companies for other escorted tours. 

Just did the Central Park area today with walking tour in area and enjoyed it.

 

Tomorrow going high up into the Andes for a day!  Many on our cruise are touring Valparaiso area and/or vineyards.

[NorbertsNiece]

9 hours ago, Ottawa traveller said:

Thanks for doing this blog. I've been following since the beginning. When you disembark on Sunday, I will be getting on. Right now l am enjoying the warm sunny weather in Santiago. I hope you will be staying awhile to enjoy  Santiago. It has a lot to offer.

 

Hi. Yes we're flying back to Blighty on Wednesday.

 

Had a wonderful day out and a super Morimoto main course for dinner.

 

Comment from a lady in a lift lobby ..... why does the captain have to arrive at these places so early? 🤦‍♀️

 

Did something this evening I have NEVER, on any cruise ship, done before

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Ordered a 2nd portion of well toasted GF bread!! The trick is to add salt to the butter once it's been spread!! Who knew?? 😋

[NorbertsNiece]

What I've been watching/listening to while posting reviews to TripAdvisor here

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[0106]

Thank you for your detailed report.  Any response to your questions at guest services? 
 

Any advice you would give to a January 29 cruiser?

[NorbertsNiece]

@0106

I've yet to write up yesterday. Since I met with Cynthia she's been up to her ears with supporting shore side activities so I've not bothered her.

 

Each bed has a wooden drawer underneath..... extra storage!  Can still get cases under!! Also the stool under the desk has a removable lid and is hollow!!

 

Pack your case then take half out. Ok a ¼. Well a few things. You won't need them. Leave room for that really thick hand knitted Chilean wool sweater you're going to buy. If I think of anything else I'll get back to you 😀

[CNSJ]

Thank you for taking the time to put this great blog out.  It not only confirmed our plans for booking this 22 day cruise in 2026, but helped me think about to/from/arrival logistics, tours, what to pack, and what to expect onboard.

 

This is what cruise critic is all about. 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 22 Last sea day 😭

 

Good morning and thanks for following. You've been such a support. Really thank you. We disembark tomorrow and have 3 nights in Santiago before flying back to the UK. I shall keep plodding on here until I'm home.

 

Puerto Montt day follows

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Puerto Montt contd

 

The cross overlooking the harbour was erected to commemorate the visit of John Paul II after the conflict between Chile and Argentina over the Beagle Channel where he intervened and brought peace.

 

We had a super guide called Patricia, Patty, from Puertomontt-excursiones.

 

The popular sculpture "Sitting in front of the sea", created by Robinson Barría in 2002 and which is inspired by the famous song by Los Iracundos, "Puerto Montt", had a change of look.

 

The people who came to take a photo of the now traditional statue, located on the city's waterfront, noticed that the faces were different, and that the clothes now also had other colors. The reason for the change? The 170th anniversary of the regional capital.

 

However, the renovation did not satisfy the creator of the work, Robinson Barría, who told Las Últimas Noticias that it was "a lack of respect" since the base where they are sitting was filled. 

 

" They changed the shape of the sculpture. That is a lack of respect for the artist and the creation. You can't do that. They destroyed the shape that I presented ," he indicated.

 

The artist delved into his annoyance and explained that "my project consisted of a couple that was on a bench, leaning on three pillars. And with certain special characteristics: I gave a meaning, a symbology, a height to the figure. And that They flew without consulting me ."

 

Patty shared that 3 years she had voted for its removal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

First stop. Plaza de Armas.

 

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral is a cathedral church of Catholic worship dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the invocation of Our Lady of the Carmen and is the seat of the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Puerto Montt in Chile. A series of massive demonstrations and severe riots, known in Chile as the Estallido Social, originated in Santiago and took place in all regions of Chile, with a greater impact in the regional capitals. The Cathedral was desecrated 😭

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[Jo-D]

17 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

 

Ordered a 2nd portion of well toasted GF bread!! The trick is to add salt to the butter once it's been spread!! Who knew?? 😋

My father has groused about the unsalted butter since his first day cruising. Now that he's on a low salt diet, he is less vocal, but still shakes a little on all his butter. 😉

[NorbertsNiece]

We now head to a viewpoint on the third of four steps up the mountain. The blue roofs belong to an old hospital in occasional use

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Lake Llanquihue is in southern Chile's Lake District. It's known for its vast waters and black-sand shores. To the east, snow-capped Osorno Volcano has ice caves. Nearby are Petrohué Falls, flowing down chutes etched by lava. On the lake's southwest edge, Puerto Varas has German-style buildings and a red-and-white, 3-towered church. 

 

Back to the van to our next stop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

The Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, the oldest in the country, was created in 1926. It has a current area of 253,780 hectares and is located almost entirely in the province of Llanquihue, except for a small area that corresponds to the province of Osorno. It is located in an area where volcanism has been, along with tectonic and glacial processes, the main factors that shaped the Andes mountain range.

 

There is a small fee to access the Petrohué Falls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Link to reel #1

Link to reel #2

Link to reel #3

[NorbertsNiece]

Back in the van; brief stop up river. Visit to an ash surrounded lake. There's a hawk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Next stop the Green Lagoon. Missed shot of a fox at a picnic table 🤦‍♀️ There's (another) hawk

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Drive to Puerto Varas. Pouring with rain. I mean proper bucketing down. There's an artisan tent. I may have bought some earrings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Back to the ship. Cormorants on poles and in the water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Gala dinner. Sailaway. We pass maybe the works for a bridge at Chacao. Sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Today there were towel animals all around the pool!

2nd advisory on how to disembark received last night

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Some of the lift doors are quite elaborate. Pics of aft staircase art. Lift lobbies have seating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 6 by NorbertsNiece

[Ottawa traveller]

On 1/5/2024 at 10:00 AM, Astrid61 said:

Hello there.
Have you any recommendations for things to do/see in Santiago? 
We stay there for 4 nights after the cruise, after your cruise... So starting from 20th of February.

 

Mary 229's advice is good.  Look up how to ride the metro. You have to buy a card to which you then have to add money to pay for your trips. I believe you can use one card for two people as you would just have to tap it before each person goes through the turnstile and it would charge the 2 fares. You need cash to pay for it. Download Google translate Spanish to your phone as practically no English is spoken (unless of course you speak Spanish.) The streets are crowded as it is school summer holidays until March 2nd so pack your patience.