Around South America in 80 Days

January 31, 2019

At Sea

I did two very unusual things this morning – I got up at 6:52 am (and didn’t have to) and I had breakfast! Since I had snoozed through one of the glaciers the other day, I felt I needed to atone by watching as we cruised through “Glacier Alley” this morning between 7 and 9 am. I was out on my deck (in numerous layers of clothing plus scarf, hat, and gloves) as we entered and saw a number of glaciers. Some of the glaciers were “hanging” ones meaning they once came all the way to the water but are retreating due to global warming.

After about an hour, I was hungry so I went to the Lido. I knew what not to have from my previous visit so I tried the pancakes. They were delicious (I might need to go to breakfast more often)!

From there I went to the Crow’s Nest as we were getting ready to enter the Beagle Channel. The Beagle Channel is named for HMS Beagle, the ship that brought Darwin to this area. Much of the land around the Channel has been contested between Chile and Argentina for a number of years. A war almost erupted in 1978 but eventually, with help from the Pope, the matter was decided. As we sailed the Channel, Argentina was off our port side and Chile the starboard side.

A few people showed up for Knitters and Stitchers and Pat is coming along nicely with her baby sweater.

At 11 am we had our monthly emergency muster drill. Because of the cold and wind it was held inside. Some were sent to the Ocean Bar, some to the Pinnacle Grill, some to the small dining room and the majority to the main dining room. I am in group 2 and we were in the Pinnacle Grill. They showed us the "thermal protection aid" which would be used in case someone fell into the water if we had to get in the life boats.

After lunch in the Lido we had trivia at 1 pm. We had 12.5 out of 20 but the winning team had 13.5.

1) What movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars?

2) How many “suicide king” cards are in a standard deck? (These are the ones with a sword through the head.)

3) What was the original name of the Bloody Mary drink – the Marie Antoinette, the red snapper, or the red baron?

4) How many stars on the flag of New Zealand?

5) What kind of shoe has a box, shank, vamp, and drawstring?

In arts and crafts we made a fascinator in case you did not have orange to wear tonight.

In evening trivia we had 18 out of 20 but two teams had 19.

1) How many singles did the Beatles release in 1964?

2) Alphabetically, which is the last of the Seven Dwarfs?

3) What is the French equivalent of the stock exchange?

4) What one word was intentionally omitted from the screenplay for The Godfather?

5) For two points – How many sectors was Germany divided into at the end of WWII. For two more points – Name who was in charge of each of these.

Tonight was a Gala Night and it was in honor of Princess Beatrix (formerly Queen until she abdicated to her son in 2013) and everyone was asked to wear something orange. Everyone present for dinner. I had a salad, shrimp cocktail, surf and turf, and a Dutch dessert whose name I forget but it was delicious. Starting at 9:30 they had “Chocolate Surprise”, a variety of chocolate treats passed around in the public areas. Since we didn’t finish dinner until 9:30, I was not the least bit interested.

During dinner we came to Cape Horn which marks the place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is often mistakenly believed to be the southernmost point of South America but that is actually the Diego Ramirez Islands. It was named by a Dutchman who called it Kaap Hoorn after a city in the Netherlands. We had originally been scheduled to arrive at 7 pm but we slowed down to arrive around 9. Many who had main sitting were not happy because we could not hear the commentary in the dining room. Three of us from the dining table went outside to snap some pictures as we turned around to head back to Ushuaia where we visit tomorrow.

Jason Lyle Black, the pianist, was the entertainer tonight.

We had three very nice pillow gifts - a beautiful book called "Antarctica Cruising Guide", a bag with gloves, a hat and scarf (all with the logo on them), and an amazing soft throw (again with the logo).

Glacier Alley