Antarctica - Part 3

One casualty of the positive COVID tests is that our trip to the Falkland Islands is cancelled.  Falkland Islands is a group of islands off the coast of Argentina belonging to the British.  It has a population of around 5,000.  Since the pandemic they have zero COVID cases so they are very careful who they allow to come ashore.  It's good judgement on the part of the Captain to cancel that trip because we don't want to bring the virus to the island. I don't hear any passenger complaining because we've been told before we came on this cruise that anything can happen during the trip.  What it means is that we have more days to spend in Antarctica.

Today we are scheduled to land at Brown Station.  It's an Argentinian base and research station.  There are a few buildings here plus lots of Gentoo penguins.  

Brown Station

Landing at Brown Station

Climbing Up the Hill

Penguin Welcoming Party

This is our HOME!

Hello People!

MS Roald Amundsen in the background

The only exciting thing to do here is climbing up a small hill and sliding down.  It doesn't sound exciting to me because I ski.  For others it's a lot of fun.   I just hung around the buildings taking pictures of the penguins.  After about an hour or so I am ready to go back to the mother ship.

There is an optional overnight camping activity for those who want to try camping in Antarctica.  From what I heard it's not cheap - about 400 euros.  I don't understand the thrill of camping in the cold but for some it's a fun thing to do.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, it was canceled because the water was too rough for the expedition boats to land at the island where they were supposed to camp.  So much for that.

The following maps give you a perspective of where Brown Station is.  It takes the ship 2 days to cross the Drake Passage.

Antarctica separated from South America by the Drake Passage

Brown Station in Antarctica

Sailing towards Brown Station we see a lot of icebergs floating in the water and beautiful snow-covered mountains.  Here are some of the pictures.

An Iceberg

A Zodiac in the water

Zodiac among the Icebergs

Antarctica - Part 2

 It's been 5 days since we left Punta Arenas.  Following the landing at Yankee Harbor that morning we have to take a PCR test.  All passengers must take this test. After all the tests that we have taken you'd think that there won't be any COVID cases.  Unfortunately, 8 passengers and 1 crew member tested positive.  This means that the virus is still lurking around somewhere on the ship.  Those infected have to be quarantined in the Medical Center for 7 days.  I feel bad for those passengers.  Their cruise is almost over.  It's no fun being quarantined anywhere.  For those tested negative the experience continues.

However, they locked up some of the amenities and outside toilets.  The indoor gym and sauna are locked up.  The jacuzzis and pool are still opened.  So is the Explorer Lounge.  

Public Toilets are closed

The next day we have a landing at Telefon Bay on Deception Island.  This used to be a volcano.  You see lava sands and rocks on the beach.  There are no wildlife here though.  We just walked around the beach and some hike higher to get a better view of the island.

Landing at Telefon Bay

A Glacier Lake

Hiking up the hill

Crew waiting for us with their Zodiacs

MS Roald Amundsen in the morning sun

In the background someone is getting ready for a polar plunge

After the landing in the morning we have the afternoon free to do whatever we please.  Some signed up for a kayaking excursion.  Others signed up for an overnight camping.  Both are pricey.  I heard the kayak is about 150 euros and the overnight camping is 400 euros.  Doesn't make sense for me to spend so much money sleeping in the cold while I have a nice warm cabin to sleep in.  

I spend most of my free time in the Explorer Lounge.  This takes up almost the entire 10th floor.  There are comfortable chairs all over and some that are just next to the windows.  There is a bar here serving all kinds of refreshments.  All soft drinks and hot beverages are free.  If you want cocktail or beer or wine, that is extra money.  The staff comes around often to take your orders.

Bar and Lounge on the 10th floor

Comfortable seating in the Explorer Lounge

Empanadas for snacks

Antartica - Part 1

 On the first day of boarding the Roald Amundsen we have to do two things:

1.  A Mandatory Safety Drill

2.  Download the Hurtigruten App on your smart phone.

Safety drills are required for all passengers boarding a ship.  It tells the passengers what to do and where to go in case there is an emergency.  There would be a loud siren and everyone has to assemble at a muster station and await instructions.  In our case we assembled in Restaurant Aune.  After a few minutes we were allowed to go back to our cabins.

In the pre-smart phone days when you get on a cruise the ship will provide daily information by distribution a hardcopy of information to your room.  You will get information on the plan for the day, menus, weather, where the ship is going, etc.  In this case we download a Hurtigruten App.  This is the vehicle that we use to book meal reservation at one of the restaurants, check what's on the menu, find out about program for the day and how to participate in some programs.  If you want to you can still get a hardcopy of the program from the receptionist.  I keep hardcopies so I can remember and write my blog.

The first afternoon is a good time to explore the ship and know where everything is:  the dining rooms, lounge, sauna, jacuzzis, gym, store, etc.  The store sells souvenirs or essential stuff.  I forgot my adapter for the US electrical plug so I have to buy one from the store.  Since this is a Norwegian ship the electrical outlets use European-style plugs.  It costs me 37 euros to buy one.  I have several at home but simply forgot to bring one.  Luckily Hurtiguten gave me 170 euros as credit to be used on the ship.

Going ashore is part of the excitement of coming to Antarctica.  Some cruise ships only cruise around and the passengers never get off the ship.  In order to protect the environment everyone is required to wear special boots.  These are provided by Hurtigruten.  On the second day we were fitted with the boots, which are waterproof and knee-high.  They keep our feet dry because when we get off the zodiac boats we have to step into the water.

Special Boots to go ashore

Not until the third day are we to pass Cape Horn, the southern-most headland.  We were supposed to stop here but the bad weather prevent us from doing so.  On we go as we sail through the Drake Passage.

The water in the Drake Passage is notoriously turbulent.  This is because of the convergence of warm water from the north and cold water from the south.  It is constantly churning resulting in a very rough sea.  Many ships have been wrecked here.  With the completion of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century less ships go around Cape Horn now.  It takes two days to cross over to the Drake Passage.

Our first landing in Antarctica was at Yankee Harbor.  Passengers are divided into groups of about 20 and we take turns going on ashore. I believe that you can only have a maximum of 100 people on shore at any one time.  Going to shore is a huge undertaking.  First, we have to wear our warm clothings.  Next you put on the special boots, followed by a life-jacket.  I also carry my water-proof bag of camera equipment because I don't know what lenses I will be using.  

Launching an Expedition Boat

When our group is called we go down to the 3rd level to get ready to get on to the expedition boats.  Each expedition boat takes about 10 passengers plus crew.  It's usually a short ride to shore and we are helped off the boats.  On our landing site we are told where to go.  Flags are staked so that we follow a certain path.  We are given one or two hours to explore the area.  Expedition team members are there to help us and answer any questions.  When you are ready to go back you wait for space on one of the boats to take you back to the ship.

Leaving the mother ship as we go to shore

Yankee Harbor is where American sealers use as a base in the 1800s'  It is well-protected from the open seas.  Currently there are about 4,000 Gentoo Penguins here plus a few seals that we saw.  

An Expedition Boat

Gentoo Penguins

A Curious Penguin

Some Seals on Shore

When you return to the ship the first thing you have to do is wash your boots to make sure you don't pick up any foreign material and bring it on board.  A special machine brushes the side of your boots and then you step on a sponge to clean off any foreign material on the sole of the boots.  Then they scan your id to make sure you are accounted for.

Machine to clean your boots before you go back to the ship

It's amazing how they organize a landing.  Everyone knows what to do.  All the equipment are in the right place.  The expedition team is very knowledgeable and helpful.  You don't see them around most of the time but when it's time for a landing they are ready.

Leaving Punta Arenas

Most Antartica cruises I have seen leave from Ushuaia, Argentina.  I did not understand why Hurtigruten start their cruises from Punta Arenas.  It adds another day to the cruise.  However, when I looked at some of their other itineraries it makes a lot of sense.  They have other cruises that sail along the coast of Chile and Punta Arenas is closer to the Pacific Ocean.  There may be other reasons like Ushuaia being crowded with other cruise lines.

We arrived in Punta Arenas at about 10:30am after a 3-hour flight from Santiago.  We were early because the previous cruise has just ended and the crew was busily getting the ship ready for us.  So they drove us around town and gave us a tour.  Just before 1pm we pulled into the building to be tested.  One final rapid test to make sure no one is infected.  We learned that 1 person tested positive.  Later we learned that it was a false positive.  

Punta Areas looking out at the Roald Amundsen

We were checked into the ship and given our card key, masks, envelope with information about the ship, etc.  Our cabins were still not ready so we were asked to go the Explorer Lounge to have a light lunch.  30 minutes later it was ready.  We took time to explore the ship while they are still loading stuff on the ship.  Later at about 7pm the ship started to move.

The ship has to sail through the Beagle Channel to get to the Drake Passage.  The Drake Passage is open ocean between South America and Antartica.  It took the ship about a day and a half to get through the Beagle Channel.  This part of the journey is quite smooth because it's well sheltered on both sides.  On the way you see lots of glaciers and fjords.  It was a nice relaxing start for the cruise.

Glacier in the Beagle Channel

Fjords in the Beagle Channel

It took about a day to sail through the Beagle Chanel.  We saw Ushuaia from a distance.  It's a fairly big town, about 50,000 population I heard.

Ushuaia - population about 50,000

We planned to stop at Cape Horn, on the way out of the Beagle Channel, but the water was too rough and the captain decided to skip the town.  We continued sailing through the night towards the Drake Passage.  In the morning you could tell you are in open waters - the ship started rocking more.  Looking out of the window you can see the waves are much higher than before.  We are now on our way to Antartica!

The sea here is so rough that I got seasick.  This in spite of me wearing a motion sickness patch.  I've used the patch in the past, on fishing trips off San Diego.  I don't understand why this didn't work this time.  I spent most of the day lying down because I was feeling nauseous.  It's not fun at all.

A Motion Sickness Patch

On Board the MS Roald Amundsen

Roald Amundsen was the first explorer to reach the South Pole in December 1911.  It was a race between his team and a British team lead by Robert F. Scott.  Scott arrived a month later.  Sadly Scott's team did not survive the journey back.  The ship MS Roald Amundsen was built in 2019 especially to sail in Antarctic waters.

MS Roald Amundsen

It can normally carry a little over 500 passengers but because of the pandemic our ship has only about 250 passengers.  The ship has 11 levels.  The passenger cabins are from Level 4 to 9.  Level 3 is where they launch small boats for shore excursion.  It's also where the Medical Center is located.  Level 10 has the Explorer's Lounge where you can stare out of the windows in comfortable chairs.  There's a bar that serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  At the stern are two jacuzzis, a swimming pool and an observation deck.  All these are outdoors.

Here is more information about the MS Roald Amundsen

Spacious Cabin

Bathroom

Dining Room

Outdoor Running Track on the 11th Level

Outdoor Jacuzzi

The ship has an indoor gym on the 7th level and an outdoor track and some exercise equipment on Level 11.  With so much food and idle time passengers do need some way to burn off the calories.  It also has a co-ed sauna, a Scandinavian favorite.  I enjoy the outdoor walking/running track on Level 11.  Each lap is about 150m which means you have to walk 11 laps to have walked about 1 mile.  I try to walk the track at least once a day.  It helps to keep the body active and perhaps build up an appetite.  When the weather is nice and calm it's such a pleasure to walk the track.  However, when the weather is nasty you can feel the biting cold and if the wind is strong you can almost be blown off.

Explorer Lounge on Level 10

Indoor Gym

Eating goes hand-in-hand with cruising.  The abundance of food and choices is part of the game.  This ship has 3 restaurants:  Aune, Fredheim and Lindstrom.  The first two are for all passengers.  Lindstrom is for passengers staying in suites.  This means they pay enough money to warrant having a restaurant of their own.  All other passengers who want to eat in the Lindstrom have to pay an extra 25€ or almost US$30 per meal.  Fredheim is a casual-style restaurant serving burgers, milkshakes, waffles, etc.  If you want something simple and not too big, this is the place to go.  Aune is a little more formal, with multiple courses per meal.  Beer and wine are served here.  I usually eat in Aune and after a couple of days got to know the waiters and waitress serving in that section.  Unfortunately, it's hard to turn down good meals  Often I have to take a walk on the Level 11 deck to ease my over indulgence.

King Crab Roll and Yakitori for Lunch in the Fredheim

One remarkable fact about this ship is most of the manual work are done by workers from the Philippines.  When I first got on board I heard some chatter in the lounge area and recognized right away it's Tagalog.  This is the national language of the Philippines.  They are recruited because of their low wages, English fluency and are hard workers.  They do all the manual labor - kitchen, dining room, housekeeping, mechanics, bar-tenders, etc.  Working on a cruise ship may sound like glamorous or fun because you get to go to many foreign countries.  Not so.  These workers work long hours, at least 10 or even more.  They are away from their families for months.  I am sure some of them miss their family.  On the positive side they can save up a fair amount of money that they can buy land or houses in the Philippines.  

On the first day we were directed to sit at a certain table.  Mine was somewhere towards the back of the ship.  Each section is served by a team.  After a while you get to know your servers and they know you and what you like.  The team that served me almost every time I go to the Aune Restaurant are:  Shelly Ann (nickname Goosy), Arthur and Theo.  They are so efficient, helpful and friendly.  Being an Asian myself I felt a little kin-hood with these servers.  They have been on multiple cruises, which means that they have been away from home for a few months.  It must be hard for them and their family but they never show it.  They are always cheerful and willing to bring you your favorite food.  I know that sometimes they are tired and probably a little homesick but they never showed it.  I hope most of their customers will tip them generously when they get off the ship.

L-R:  Theo, Arthur, Shelly Ann (Goose)

There is not much to do on the ship.  Normally there would be some activities conducted by the crew but because of the pandemic, face-to-face contact is minimized.  Information is disseminated through the Hurtigruten App which everyone must download.  Activities, programs, menus, meal bookings, etc, are all done through the app.  I don't know how those who are not comfortable with new technology cope with this vehicle.  Everyone must wear a mask when you leave your cabin except when you are eating.  Strict COVID prevention protocols are followed.  In spite of all these restrictions I can sense that most passengers are happy to be able to travel.

The passengers are from all over the world.  A sizable number are from Germany and quite a few from the US and Canada.  There are also some French passengers.  As a result announcements are made in all 3 languages.  Unless you came in a group there is little interaction with other passengers.  Sometimes you jump into a conversation because you hear something that want to chime in but mostly passengers stick to themselves.  I am used to traveling by myself so I am okay with that.  I downloaded a book called "The Code Breakers" by Walter Isaacson on my Kindle.  It's about CRISPR, the new gene editing tool and the scientists, especially Jennifer Doudna, behind it.  It's a fascinating story.  I finished it halfway through the cruise.  Unfortunately, the internet on board is too slow for me to download another book from the Phoenix Library.

I brought along a hard disk that has about 20 movies on it.  Soon I will be watching the movies.  I've been staring out into the gray waters of the ocean and it's becoming monotonous.  Yesterday we saw a pod of whales in front of the ship.  That was exciting.  This is the first time I saw whales since we came on board.  

Second Visit to Santiago

 I visited Santiago in February 2018 as part of my big South American trip.  Here is my impression of Santiago then.  During that first visit I had the benefit of having a tour leader to tell us where to go and what to do.  We also joined a Free Walking Tour that gave us a very good background and history of Santiago and Chile.  Unfortunately, because of the pandemic the tours4tips is not running.  I tried to remember the places we went but I couldn't remember much.  One place I remembered, however, is the Central Market.  There were many restaurant there and I had ceviche and another dish.  It was too much food but I enjoyed the ceviche very much. 

I was dead tired after I checked into the Sheraton Hotel.  I tried to have lunch but the restaurant was closed.  I went to take a long nap.  After I woke up at about 4pm I tried to go to the restaurant.  Again, it was closed.  I asked one of the receptionists where I could go for a meal.  She suggested walking to the Costanera Center Tower, a 20-minute walk away.  As I described in my previous post I had a very nice Peruvian dinner at the Tower.  

Sheraton Hotel in Santiago

I woke up fresh the next morning and had a very nice buffet breakfast at the hotel.  The server staff was friendly and helpful.  After breakfast I was ready to set out on my walk to the Plaza de Armas, then to the Mercado Central.  Being a Sunday they closed one of the highways that runs next to the river.  This becomes a popular place to bicyclists, runners and walkers.  I was able to enjoy my slow walk towards the Plaza.  I got detoured a few times but finally found my way to the Plaza.  The central square is a typical feature of towns and cities that were occupied by the Spanish, whether it's in Mexico or anywhere in South America.  It's the gathering place for the locals and where a lot of are happening.  You find people justing sitting around, playing chess, musicians playing, etc.  It was busy 4 years ago when I came as it is this time.

Bird's Eye View of Part of Santiago

Plaza de Armas

Pedestrian Walkway to Mercado Central

From the plaza is a pedestrian mall that takes you to the Mercado Central.  On this Sunday there were many vendors selling things:  electronic stuff, food, clothes, etc, and even crooks playing a dice game.  As you get closer to the Mercado you start to see fruit and vegetable vendors.  My plan was to have a seafood lunch at the Mercado.  But after checking out the seafood vendors I wasn't hungry.  

Variety of Seafood Sold Here

Mercado Central

I saw other street vendors across the street and started heading there.  Then I realized I was going into another market, this time the Mercado Vega or vegetable market.  Not only were they selling fruits and vegetables but one part of it also sells meat.  Being a Sunday it was very crowded.  On a mezzanine level there are many local restaurants.  I wished I was hungry at that time because all the food looked delicious.  They have Chilean and Peruvian food.  All the vendors were very generous in allowing me to take pictures of them.  Some of them even posed.  As I've mentioned in other posts I love going to the local markets.  It gives a view of how the locals live and what sustain them.

Fruit Sellers

Spices

I stopped a couple of times to have something to eat and drink.  The first was an empanada stall.  Empanadas are baked or fried turnovers with some kind of fillings inside.  It's very popular in south America.  Almost every culture has something similar to an empanada, and with different names.  It can be a snack or a meal.  I think I paid about 12,000 chilean pesos or about US$1.50 for one.

On the way out I saw a stall selling smoothies.  I was more interested in the fruits that they put in the smoothies than the smoothie itself.  I ordered one with papaya, cherimoya,  guanobano and milk.  Cherimoya and Guanobano come from the same family.  The former is sweet and the latter is sour and is sometimes call soursop.  When I saw the lady put frozen instead of fresh fruits in the blender I was a little disappointed.  It was almost tasteless.  

Woman Selling Smoothies

I walked back the same way towards Plaza de Armas.  Midway through I saw a small crowd surrounding a man playing with 3 cups and some dices.  Gamblers are to guess which cup contains the dice.  This is a familiar con game that is played around the world.  I've seen them in Berlin, Barcelona, etc.  Like the saying goes, "there is a sucker born everyday."  I took a picture of the scene and as I walked away someone stop me asking me to delete my pictures.  He took my phone and I showed him that I took only 1 shot but he insisted on going through all my pictures.  That was a close call that I wasn't expecting.

I wish they were still running the Walking Tours.  It would have given me a better appreciation of some of the places in Santiago.  Overall, it was a long and wonderful day exploring Santiago.