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Chemicals added to the water to kill/prevent ticks which would be scratched a lot and ruin the wool. They need the head submerged to cover it with the chemicals too.

“City at the End of the World”

Ushuaia is the capital of and gateway to the celebrated Tierra del Fuego, the “Land of Fire,” named by Spaniards upon seeing the constant flames burned by the indigenous Yamana to keep warm.  This region comprises the large island of Tierra del Fuego and countless Chilean and Argentinean islands.  Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world, the closest population center to the South Pole and is tucked between the Beagle Channel and the southernmost slopes of the Andes.

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An hour and a half drive around the city didn’t provide many photo ops except the awesome Andes. But the next day we took off on a catamaran ride along the Beagle Channel enjoying a few penguins but mostly sea lions.

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The photos of the other penguins are on the Penguin post in November archive.

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Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse

The brick-built tower is 36 ft high and 10 ft wide at the base emitting white flashes every ten seconds with a range of 7.5 nautical miles. The lighthouse is still in operation, is remote-controlled, automated, uninhabited and is not open to the public, guarding the sea entrance to Ushuaia. Electricity is supplied by solar-panels. The lighthouse was put into service on December 23, 1920 and is often confused with the lighthouse made famous by Jules Verne in the novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World, which is actually much further east.

Conversation between leaders of the UK and Argentina

UK: knock knock.

Argentina: who’s there?

UK: Falkland Islands.

Argentina: I don’t get it.

UK: And you never will.

A Very Short History of the Falklands War

On 2 April 1982, Argentinian forces invaded the British overseas territory of the Falkland Islands.

Argentina had claimed sovereignty over the islands for many years and their ruling military junta did not believe that Britain would attempt to regain the islands by force.

Despite the huge distance involved – the Falklands were 8,000 miles away in the South Atlantic – Britain, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, undertook the extraordinary feat of assembling and sending a task force of warships and rapidly refitted merchant ships to the Falklands.

The task force reached the Falklands in early May. On 2 May, the Royal Navy submarine HMS Conqueror sank the Argentinian cruiser General Belgrano, with the loss of over 300 of her crew. After this incident, Argentinian ships remained in port.

However, the Argentinian air force still posed a significant threat. The Royal Navy lost several warships to attacks from Argentinian aircraft, which were armed with missiles.

British forces landed on the islands on 21 May. After a series of engagements against a well dug-in but ill-trained conscripted Argentinian Army, they began the battle for Stanley, the islands’ capital on 11 June.                    The Argentinian forces surrendered on 14 June, 1982 after 2 1/2 months.

We were warned to not go off the roads if we got out of the car as all the mines have not been removed as of yet.  Approximately 30,000 mines were laid in the Falkland Islands by Argentinian forces following their invasion in 1982.

During the 2016/17 season, seven teams cleared 3,000 anti-personnel and 150 anti-tank mines from 47 mine fields. By this time 70% of all known land mines had been removed. The UK plans on having them all cleared by 1 June, 2021

The vast Magellanic Moorland in South America (Southern Patagonia/Tierra del Fuego) is an extensive peat-dominated landscape. About 7% of all peat lands have been exploited for agriculture and forestry. Under proper conditions, peat will turn into lignite coal over geologic periods of time.  

I had read about peat ages ago…  but seeing it up close and personal (use), makes a great deal of understanding come to the forefront.

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We had a demonstration of cutting peat for fuel, actually digging. The above shows the farmers peat stove and the peat barrel for storing it inside.

A tea and cookie break in their kitchen before sheep shearing, very British. Love it!

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There are about 200 sheep for every person on this starkly beautiful archipelago, five penguin species call the islands home and there are almost no trees on the islands, but lots of rocks.  

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“In many parts of the island the bottoms of the valleys are covered in an extraordinary manner by myriad great loose angular fragments of the quartz rock, forming ‘streams of stones.’ These have been mentioned with surprise by every voyager…”  ~  Charles Darwin 1834

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The Falklands stone runs are made up of hard quartzite blocks. A stone run is a rock land-form resulting from the erosion of particular rock varieties caused by freezing-thawing cycles in periglacial conditions during the last ice age.

“ If God sends us on stoney paths, He provides strong shoes.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”  ~  Benjamin Franklin

Sailing from Montevideo to Buenos Aires, was a short trip, we docked around 5pm in Buenos Aires (Capital of Argentina) and 4 evening shore excursions were enjoyed by many. I went to the Argentine Dining Experience. (It was too late for John to attend). Some went to a Tango Show and Dinner. (I’m 4th from left)

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We learned how to order our steaks the way we like them while in Argentina, as they are known for their fabulous tasting beef, and what was served us that night was superb. Mine is Muy Jugoso! Rare.

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We were shown the picture of the different shapes of empanadas telling us what is in that shape. They wanted us to just play and make any shape we wanted, they cooked them and we were to take ours home….. a friend back on the ship was having a birthday party that night and I said I’d bring him an empanada…. but I forgot and left it behind:-(

We did share a Mate cup of tea! Yes, share. That is part of the ritual/tradition. No one drinks it alone. It’s a social event. A special method of pouring the tea leaves and water were demonstrated and we all tasted it. Most didn’t like it, but I, of course, did. That is a metal straw, bombisha, that is not to be moved after the water is poured. As it goes around, more hot water from a thermos is added, again and again, till all have had some, without moving the straw. It’s quite interesting. No, I didn’t bring any home, because I doubt I’d get anyone to try it with me and if they did they probably wouldn’t like it…. The whole evening was quite different and fun. They were efficient, entertaining and good teachers.

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Argentina is the second largest country in South America and the largest Spanish speaking country in the world.  From 1516 the Spanish ruled 300 yrs till Argentina’s fight for independence in 1816.  From 1880-1930 the country was 1 of 10 of the wealthiest nations now it is #54. There is the whole Eva Peron history of which we are not interested.   97% of Argentina is of European descent and half of the population live near Buenos Aires which was referred to as the “Paris of South America.”  We liked the city with beautiful boulevards, parks and trees, also their wine, Pisco and mate (no I’m not going to elaborate!).  We did not get to see the Gauchos, skilled horsemen who trace their profession back to the 18th century, but would have loved to do so, making this country a place we would enjoy visiting again, only at length.

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The Obelisk is a National Historic Momument, built in 1936 to commemorate Buenos Aires’ Quadricentennial of the foundation of the city. It’s 235′ high.

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We visited the famous La Recoleta Cemetery, where Evita, once the First Lady, is interred, who was idolized by Argentines until her death from cancer in 1952. With elaborately carved scroll-work, statues and stately pillars, the cemetery is quite extravagant.

Next we took the Parana Delta boat ride. The world’s largest delta. Reminded me of boating in the Fox Lake channels in Illinois as a child. Do you think so Pam H?

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“Atheism is a strange thing.  Even the devils never fell into that vice, for “the devils also believe and tremble” James 2:19   ~   Charles Spurgeon

Uruguay is the least religious country in South America and the sixth least religious country in the world, 42% atheist or agnostic.  That was a surprise bit of information to us.

I wanted to get the penguins, the Cape and the fjords posted as we were sailing there.  So now I’m going back to pick up the cities I had skipped to do that posting out of sequence.  The sequence in which we actually traveled is:  Rio, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Falklands, Ushuaia, the Cape, Chilean Fjords and then Puntas Arenas, Chile which is in Chilean Patagonia (Patagonia is an area covering parts of both Argentina and Chile).  After I post Ushuaia, I will skip to Puntas Arenas and on in sequence again!!!  Clear as mud right?  Text or email me if you want anything explained better!

Independence Plaza with hero’s statue and beautiful palm trees. The tall building in the center is the Salvo Palace, a beautiful example of eclectic architecture of the day, finished in 1928. The Salvo brothers bought it, used it as an office building and it is now a condo.   Sorry for the window reflection, I try to avoid it, but when you speed by in a bus only once, I sorta take what I can get!!  You should see all the pictures I delete.

 “The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” –Abraham Lincoln

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The explorers named the glaciers after their home countries.

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What did the Pacific ocean say to the Atlantic ocean??

Nothing.. they simply waved!

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With extra time due to cancellations, the Captain was so nice to spend lots of time around the Cape.  We sailed from Ushuaia, Argentina in the Beagle Channel out to the Cape and all around the archipelago before sailing back up the Beagle Channel.  Again sunshine wasn’t on our side, but the seas were surprisingly smooth.   Cape Horn was named for the Dutch city of Hoorn in the Netherlands, home of the discoverers. 

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The violent stretch of chaotic water between Antarctica and South America, one frequented by icebergs, huge waves and plagued by gale-force winds, is crossed by sailors with great trepidation. Many still prefer to use the sheltered Strait of Magellan, shown with little red arrows on the map.

We expected rough seas and were surprised at such smooth sailing.  

“Thanksgiving is a very important holiday.  Ours was the first country in the world to make a national holiday to give thanks.”           Linus

President Abraham Lincoln:  Proclamation of Thanksgiving

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.  And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”

Still good today!

This is a thankful holiday break from blogging big cities, but these penguins are just too cute to put off.   These are the Falkland Islands’ Penguins, the King and a Gentoo breeding area.  After a walk among the penguins, we had a cup of tea.  This is a very British Territory. And we are very thankful to be here, but would you believe I actually miss fixing a Thanksgiving Dinner with all the pies etc.!!  We’ll be at a table for 12 of us World Cruisers while we cruise the Beagle Chanel and many fjords. 

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This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.    Psalm 118:24

Happy Thanksgiving

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

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All those crossing the equator for the first time on a ship need to change from Pollywogs to Shellbacks by kissing the fish, swimming across the pool and taking a drink of Aquavit, a Scandinavian liqueur. At least 50+ people kissed that fish!! It was quite a production and fun.

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All of these didn’t happen on the same day!  And its not always about food, but what do you expect with 19 chefs!!!  So they have fun with a cookoff!

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“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Every Sea day there is a cooking class in the Chef’s Kitchen.  I went for the first time and will go again.  It’s informative and fun.

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OK, that’s all the fun I can take for awhile. Next month I’ll post the second episode.

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Nautical Term ~ of the day ~ Pooped

The poop is the stern section of a ship. To be “pooped” is to be swamped by a high, following sea.

That’s how I feel sometimes, being swamped by compiling/editing the photos and stories of all the cities we are enjoying in addition to the activities on the ship (I hope to post those photos after Rio). But the wonderful experiences, new friends and fantastic crew are very definitely most enjoyable and worthwhile. The Viking Sun goes the “extra mile” with everything they undertake. Their excellent chefs consistently prepare the best meals, both presentation and taste. Their hospitality crew take great care of our every need promptly. The stewards and wait staff are the most friendly and efficient. The audio and lighting theater crew are remarkable with their talent to project such beautiful and surprising back screens and the acoustics are fabulous for the acts. The bands and performers, shows and lectures are all exceptional and all of them (the whole crew) always with a smile and greeting. When the Captain speaks on the daily announcements every noon, he always ends with “be kind and look after each other.”  And our Cruise Director, Vicki Van Tassel, is the funniest, most entertaining host.  She leaves the cruise in LAX and everyone says no one can replace her, she is that good.  This is a tremendous trip and no, we have not tired of it yet. No matter how many adjectives that can be used, they can’t express the overwhelming gratitude we feel to God and to them for this magnificently, exhilarating experience. No wonder Viking has been voted #1 so very often.

Rio has been my romantic city since the 1950’s when I enjoyed “old” black and white comedy romance movies with Carmen Miranda. So the Copacabana Beach, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Samba and classical guitar music was my tiny view of Rio before visiting there in 2006. The following photos will show how much my idea of the city and all of Brazil has changed.

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The name Sugar loaf was coined in the 16th century by the Portuguese during the heyday of sugarcane trade in Brazil. Blocks of sugar were placed in conical molds made of clay to be transported on ships.  The form of the peak reminded them of the well-known resulting “sugar loaf” shape.

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All of the above stops from 2006 were offered on this 2019 tour, except for the Carmen Miranda stop!  So too, was the Igauzu Falls.

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