LIVE! HAL Oosterdam 1/7-1/29 South America & Antarctica—Let’s Cruise!

[TravelBluebird]

11 minutes ago, caneable said:

Realised that I was telling porkies when I said that we’d never missed a cruise stop.  I completely forgot the here comes COVID cruise in March 19. Dubai to Cape Town. Set off to Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Oman with no trouble at all. But then we were refused entry at the Seychelles, Reunion, Mauritius and three South African ports, Richards Bay, Durban and Port Elizabeth. Ended up anchored off Cape Town about halfway to Robbin Island for three days! 17 days drifting round the Indian Ocean.

That said it did open up a new travel list, places I’ve seen but not visited. I already had a few to put in including Albania, Myanmar and Paraguay. Flying over doesn’t count. That said I’m going to claim Antarctica when we get there.

In addition, that cruise convinced me that I could do a Transatlantic cruise without doing my head in as I finally proved just before Christmas.

Wow @caneable that is quite an adventure and quite a COVID and cruising story!  We don’t count fly overs, airports, and generally not “seen from a ship” BUT we are definitely claiming Antarctica also!

[TravelBluebird]

Of all the native plants we saw yesterday, we found  nalca the most fascinating.

 

A GIANT plant that sometimes has leaves 6 foot across, it looks like something out of Jurassic Park.  Our guide says the stems are edible and you eat them like cucumbers—very popular in the area.

 

From Wilioedia:

 

Gunnera tinctoria, known as giant rhubarb, Chilean rhubarb, or nalca, is a flowering plant species native to southern Chile and neighboring zones in Argentina. It is unrelated to rhubarb, as the two plants belong to different orders, but looks similar from a distance and has similar culinary uses.

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

The Pier Talk on Punta Arenas was at 10.  Ed. The cruise director, always does an excellent job with these with maps, orienting you to the pier, what to avoid, what the sites are, etc.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Tomorrow we are going to the Isla Magdalena penguin reserve.  Early start—7am meet up—but I can’t complain another group is going at 6am!

 

If we have time (and energy) we may walk to the Palacio which is just a 20 minute walk from the ship—but up hill—as we should be back to the ship at 1am and we have till 5

[TravelBluebird]

At about 1pm we entered the fjords again. Beautiful day!  Sunny and warm.  I started taking photos on the balcony.  Captain wasn’t planning on opening the bow, but he did. If Russ wasn’t in the room with the bow camera on, we wouldn’t have known about it! 

 

I enjoyed some uncrowded time on the bow. Of course even with the calm conditions and sun, there was wind. I am definitely sun and wind burned even though I’ve been so careful!

 

Just got back from afternoon tea.  

 

My current view:

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Some people saw dolphins on the bow before I got out there.  I saw a couple of species of birds I am going to try to identify from my Nikon photos.

 

Sun is starting to go away again (its 3:45 ish).  Loud conversation going on in the balcony next door. I wonder if they would be surprised if I just joined in and answered a question or such 😂

 

Some views from my time on the bow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Afternoon tea, and for lunch we had the Asian station at the buffet. Crab fried rice, vegetables, chow mein and some sushi.  Had it as soon as the buffet opened since we want to dine earlly tonight with the early glacier call.

 

Afternoon Tea is held each sea day on level 3 of Dining Room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Special dinner menu tonight!  Culinary council.  So hard to choose!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

I settled on the crab cake, beet salad and prime rib, with the chocolate craquelin for desert. Russ had the beet salad and Barramundi

 

All was extremely excellent!  One of the best crab cakes I’ve had in awhile; nice tangy/spicy sauce and the cake itself had a crispy crust, not soggy.  Prime rib with its horseradish mustard sauce—so good. We both enjoyed the beet salad.

 

I only took a fork full of the desert to taste it as I have eaten way too much today. It was good but not my favorite this week.

 

Then the setting sun and clouds at the mountain tops from our balcony, and a final waterfal.  The channel is widening now and we will soon be back in the pacific ocean. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

Some people saw dolphins; I did not.

 

Two birds today. Can anyone identify them? the bird with the white beak was very large:

 

 

[FLCruiser97]

Hi Dee. Couple of quick questions. In the Lido Marketplace buffet, are you allowed to serve yourself or do the guys behind the counter serve you. And also, wondering if the straws for drinks are paper or plastic. I know it's an odd question but DH has a hard time drinking from a paper straw.

[0106]

1 hour ago, TravelBluebird said:

One of the best crab cakes I’ve had in awhile; nice tangy/spicy sauce and the cake itself had a crispy crust, not soggy.

I’m glad you are enjoying your meals. If you are ever in Baltimore,  please contact me and I will take you out for a real Baltimore crab cake which is made with blue crab, old bay and very little filler.  
 

I was talking to the head chef on the Oosterdam in November 2022 and told him I was a pescatarian and ask him what he recommended I order.  He said, “The crabcake.” I said, “I’m from Baltimore.”  He said, “Don’t order the crabcake.”🤭

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

10 minutes ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Hi Dee. Couple of quick questions. In the Lido Marketplace buffet, are you allowed to serve yourself or do the guys behind the counter serve you. And also, wondering if the straws for drinks are paper or plastic. I know it's an odd question but DH has a hard time drinking from a paper straw.

 

@FLCruiser97 The guys and gals behind the counter serve you, with a few exceptions like desserts (you open the cold case and take the desert plate yourself) and bread and sushi—basically, anything pre-plated you can get yourself.

 

As for straws, I will try to find out for you! I am drinking from this mostly with water, lemonade, or ice tea, and it has its own silicone straw.  No straw was given with my melon no-jito, the only drink I’ve purchased on board.  

Edited January 11 by TravelBluebird

[TravelBluebird]

4 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I’m glad you are enjoying your meals. If you are ever in Baltimore,  please contact me and I will take you out for a real Baltimore crab cake which is made with blue crab, old bay and very little filler.  
 

I was talking to the head chef on the Oosterdam in November 2022 and told him I was a pescatarian and ask him what he recommended I order.  He said, “The crabcake.” I said, “I’m from Baltimore.”  He said, “Don’t order the crabcake.”🤭

 

😂. re the chef!  Lets just say we don’t get many fine crab cakes in East Tennessee.  

 

And thank you for the offer re getting a REAL crab cake in Baltimore!

[TravelBluebird]

My internet is back! it’s been very on and off tonight.  I know @Btimmer has had some trouble with the internet on this cruise; mine was great to start and very spotty last 48 hours.

 

[Hogladyrider]

I am bringing my own straws for our upcoming HAL cruise.

[TravelBluebird]

2 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

I am bringing my own straws for our upcoming HAL cruise.

 

 

Seems wise. HAL also doesn’t have plastic water bottles on board. The water that they do hae is in very heavy glass bottles that are not conducive to bedside tables. Since I’ll knock over an open glass, I purchased the Oosterdam drink cup that I posted above… good top and straw too.  

[Haljo1935]

Just gotta say I am loving your pictures - you are seeing some beautiful scenery. Thanks again for bringing us along and taking the time to share your experiences. 

[Nattyg1723]

2 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

Some people saw dolphins; I did not.

 

Two birds today. Can anyone identify them? the bird with the white beak was very large:

 

 

I believe the first bird with the white beak is a white-chinned petrel 🙂

 

The other bird I am unsure but I think it may be a great-winged petrel? 

 

Love your report, btw! I've been checking out your YouTube channel also 🙂

Edited January 12 by Nattyg1723
Bird

[Hlitner]

28 minutes ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

 

Seems wise. HAL also doesn’t have plastic water bottles on board. The water that they do hae is in very heavy glass bottles that are not conducive to bedside tables. Since I’ll knock over an open glass, I purchased the Oosterdam drink cup that I posted above… good top and straw too.  

And that glass is a good thing.  Many folks have been carrying around (and drinking) their plastic bottles of water thinking they were being cool or doing a good thing for their health,  Recent reports now talk of "nanoplactic" particles" in those plastic bottles that may not be a very good thing for their health.  As has happened too many times in the past, folks who obsess and jump on the band wagon of the latest health fad (i.e. bottled water) have likely been doing just the opposite.

 

Hank

[TravelBluebird]

32 minutes ago, Nattyg1723 said:

believe the first bird with the white beak is a white-chinned petrel 🙂

 

The other bird I am unsure but I think it may be a great-winged petrel? 

 

Love your report, btw! I've been checking out your YouTube channel also 🙂

Thank you!  I love to learn about flora and fauna along the way on a trip —this gives me a place to start!

 

And thank you also for reading and watching! !  I am so lucky to travel as much as I do it’s a privilege to get to share it! 💕

[TravelBluebird]

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

And that glass is a good thing.  Many folks have been carrying around (and drinking) their plastic bottles of water thinking they were being cool or doing a good thing for their health,  Recent reports now talk of "nanoplactic" particles" in those plastic bottles that may not be a very good thing for their health.  As has happened too many times in the past, folks who obsess and jump on the band wagon of the latest health fad (i.e. bottled water) have likely been doing just the opposite.

 

Hank

I saw that report!  Very disturbing

[TravelBluebird]

48 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Just gotta say I am loving your pictures - you are seeing some beautiful scenery. Thanks again for bringing us along and taking the time to share your experiences

Thank you for enjoying my photography and blog!  Glacier tomorrow morning at 7am so I am off to bed!

[omago4th]

 no  plastic anything anymore,  paper straws are it and you have to ask for one.

 

my last 2 cruises have had  canned water, like a soda can or a screw on cap can.  At least I didn't spill that. I got it at coffee bar.

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Good morning!  We woke up at 6am for the glacier.

 

I’m not a morning person.  The things I’ll do to see a glacier!

 

Our 6:15 room service arrived very timely at 6:10.  We purposely ordered ours at 6:15 since we figured everyone else would order theirs for 6:30 with a 7am glacier arrival.

 

Russ got toast and juice; I tried the mango yogurt with granola. Very good!  And hot coffee. 😀

 

I had to take my methotrexate for my RA last night and it make me extra groggy in the morning. Blech.

 

It is very foggy out…hope we see the glacier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12 by TravelBluebird