Expecting two days in the Falklands, we waited until after lunch to tender ashore for our afternoon excursion to a sheep farm.  Our brief look-around from the pier and bus showed a very English-looking village with typical red phone booths and post boxes and a lovely brick Anglican ‘cathedral.’  I use quotes because the population of the islands (there are two main islands connected by a ferry plus a few hundred smaller islands) is about 2500 people, which seems like rather few for a cathedral.  The landscape (seen from the ship and then along the drive) is beautiful (to my mind) rock topped hills, valleys full of boulders, and low scrubby vegetation; it looks much like the Scottish Hebrides.

A bus took us for a drive (about 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and road construction) to Long Island Farm along mostly gravel roads.  The first part is tarmac and they are in the process of paving the rest from Port Stanley to the airport (about 35 miles I believe).  There are many Landrover type vehicles.  The farm is owned by Glenda, a 77-year old woman whose husband died 14 months ago; she runs it with the help of her son Paul, who comes weekends, sometimes with one or more of his 3 sons.  They have 2500 sheep, wool being a major part of the economy; however there is no processing plant in the islands but rather it is sent to the UK or Uruguay for processing and distribution. 

Paul demonstrated peat cutting, which Glenda uses for fuel in an amazing stove that has an oven, warming oven, stove top, and also pipes to send heat through the house.  Peat is now used only by about 15 households.  Paul said peat cutting is labor-intensive but it’s free, and, given the need to feed the fire during the day, it works fine if someone is usually at home but not if the household members all have day jobs.

Glenda and one of her 6 border collies demonstrated herding, and Paul demonstrated sheep shearing.  They hire help to do most of the shearing—at a rate of 1 ½ minutes a sheep!  We were served coffee or tea plus baked muffins & cookies in the house and then shown the horses and the type of harnesses and saddles they use, which are Argentinean in style.  Paul & Glenda were lovely people and it was a fascinating trip.

Our guide John talked about the islands during the bus trip.  They are, like Gibraltar and the Channel Islands, a territory of Great Britain but are financially independent.  I’m amazed at the economy.  They are governed by a governor and legislative assembly of 8 people each in charge of some departments (housing, agriculture, etc.) and the islands provide free schooling–including sending those who do well on their exams to college and university in England.  They also have their own version of national health care, again free, including arrangements with a Chilean hospital to airlift patients they can’t handle on the island for hospital treatment. 

It was a glorious day—the first of several days to wear our cold-weather clothing as we reach latitude approximately equal to London (at the Falklands) to Hudson Bay—very windy with bright blue skies and wonderful cloud formations.

Since we were scheduled to be in port for two days, I was looking forward to our excursion the following day to an area to see penguins (3 kinds, including king penguins on the islands) and to walking around the town to buy some postcards, see local crafts, and view the inside of the cathedral.  However, at dinner the captain announced, that, since it is projected to become too windy to safely tender ashore tomorrow, we were leaving tonight.  We are now scheduled to arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina a day early and spend an extra day there although no excursions are yet planned.  We were disappointed but Ushuaia should be interesting as well, and this sort of thing happens on ships so you just have to be flexible.  Beginning with Ushuaia, we have an entire week of scenic cruising (with stops) through Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel and the Chilean fjords that I am really looking forward to.  It will also give me a chance to discover whether I really brought too much cold weather clothing or not… –Cynthia

The Falklands: War and Charles Darwin.  In 1982 and early in the reign of Margaret Thatcher, PM, her Crown Colony of the Falkland Islands was invaded by the armed forces of Argentina, which had claimed the islands for more than a century.  The Islas Malvinas, as the Falklands are known locally, include a pair of islands (and farther asea, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands).  With her usual grit, Thatcher is credited with winning the conflict, with the help of her armed forces, in a little over 2 months.  (“The Empire Struck Back!”)

     Following a political settlement in 1989 the islands remain a UK possession, and although inhabited by the descendants of the original British colonists,  Argentina still claims possession.  I was reminded of the unfortunate conflict during our visit to East Falklands, one of the island pair that superficially resembles the more verdant, low-hilled islands off the west coast of Scotland.  And more vividly by the image of the islands appearing on the side of our Patagonian tour bus, with the inscription “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”.  (The one Argentinean I’ve actually asked about the caption thought it quaint but not unusual.)  Further, our Argentinean map of Patagonia includes an inset of Islas Malvinas and identifies three towns: the capital, Puerto Argentino (that is, Port Stanley), Porto San Carlos (San Carlos Port) and Darwin.  Not surprisingly, other geographical features are identified by Spanish names, although the one river depicted is named Rio Fitz Roy. 

     Whatever their lingering disagreement with the UK, Argentineans continue to acknowledge the importance of Englishman Charles Darwin, who in the 1830s visited the Falklands twice in HMS Beagle (commanded by Captain Robert Fitzroy).  While there he collected numerous fossils and biological specimens and speculated (as it turned out, incorrectly) about the origin of valleys filled with large fragments of quartz stone – he thought them the product of earthquakes and we now believe them to have been generated by myriad cycles of freezing and thawing.  Darwin’s journal, however, accurately describes an island fox as the sole large carnivore, and much more significantly, notes variations in its morphology between individuals found on the adjacent islands. These journal entries suggest early musings about the origin of species that would be fleshed out by subsequent notes of variations among the finches on different Galapagos Islands, which he postulated were derived from a single mainland species.  Unfortunately, the Falkland fox like the dodo is extinct.  Phillip Stone has a nice essay on Darwin in the Falklands @http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5311/1/Darwin4FIJ.pdf.   

I’ve been reminded I should refer to the Estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay and Parana Rivers as Rio de la Plata (or Silver River) rather than ‘Plate River’.  I’m still puzzled by why the name exists as all since there’s no ‘river’ of that name, just the estuary and, therefore, why it is not just called the Parana or the Uruguay.  In looking it up I found this photo which shows clearly how much of a different color it is than the ocean and why it is a ‘river’ or estuary rather than a bay.

Viking Sun passengers (‘guests’) are almost uniformly exceptionally courteous and friendly. Partially responsible, I suspect, is the extreme courtesy and friendliness of every member of the crew (mandated no doubt by management).  Pass any staff member and you are greeted with a variation of “Good morning. Have a very pleasant day” said with conviction.  The ship is also very big on cleanliness.  We are encouraged to wash hands frequently and every entrance to a dining facility includes wash basins & soap plus a sanitizer station.  The crew is constantly cleaning and maintaining everything—washing windows, varnishing railings, etc.

Sea days mean the return of the bridge program.  New cruise ‘guests’ replace those who left—though we don’t, as of yet, have as many replacements as departures.  Still it’s a good crowd. 

Sunday also means another interdenominational service led by our amazingly talented, versatile, and hard-working cruise director Heather.  This Sunday she delivered another excellent homily and led a service of prayers, readings, and hymns to the accompaniment of a Viking pianist. For this segment of the cruise there are two passengers who are Roman Catholic priest on board and they have volunteered to do a mass as well so more opportunity for Sunday worship. (See Chris’ post below.)

Interdenominational Church Services on Sunday seem patterned on an abbreviated version of Episcopal services I’ve taken part in.  These are held for a sizeable group in the Star Theater at 9:30 a.m. Each Service includes a Call to Worship (with a confession of faults); a Responsive Reading (derived from a Psalm); a Hymn; an Affirmation of Faith (a standard Creed); Prayers (of the Faithful) followed by The Lord’s Prayer; a Lectionary Text {so far, a reading from one of the Epistles); a Hymn; a Message (i.e., Homily); and finally, Blessing of Peace & Dismissal. The Hymns and texts are all very familiar, save for the mutual sharing of Peace that curiously entails fist-bumping.  The Service is led by our Cruise Director, who has delivered thoughtful and articulate homilies based on the scriptural readings and with her operatic training leads as well as directs our singing.    

     A Holy Catholic Mass is scheduled for the second leg of the Cruise (from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso).  (What a “non-holy” Mass on a Viking ship full of old fogies would look like or why the interdenominational service isn’t also “holy” escapes me!  Not so, what seems to be clerical insensitivity!)  The Masses are being celebrated at 8 a.m. by two priests from northeastern PA who apparently are on a Sun vacation for that period.  The much smaller gathering of 50 or so fits comfortably in the ship’s nightclub and the backdrop of musical instruments are fittingly over-shadowed by a rear-projected triptych of stained glass windows, which our Cruise Director thoughtfully provided. Of course given their similar traditions, the sequence of prayers in the two services and the sentiments expressed are similar, but even with a shorter homily the Mass lasts a bit longer. It is basically a communion service and features readings from Old and New Testaments (including a Gospel passage) as well as appropriate offertory and sacrificial prayers and ritual. –Chris

The Viking Sun moored in the lovely river bay complete with island and we tendered ashore.  An expensive and beautiful resort town for mostly Argentinian and Brazilian wealthy vacationers, with beaches both on the Atlantic side (appealing to surfers) and on the calm bay side, there is a section named Beverly Hills (and some slums as well), and it will soon have a completed Trump Tower.  Renowned Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal built an incredible and huge house here and on a beach is his most famous sculpture La Mana (the hand), versions of which he also created and installed in other parts of the world.  We did a short bus tour and later sat on our balcony reading as if we were in a million dollar apartment facing the beach.

Buenos Aires lies up the Plate River/estuary and is on the opposite bank from Montevideo.  We were overnight in port making it possible for Viking to bring aboard a tango troupe for an evening performance.  In addition to tango, a performer dressed as a gaucho dances around with a boleadoras (or bolas), a device made of leather cords and three iron balls or stones that was thrown at the legs of an animal to entwine and immobilize it. It makes an incredible dance I can’t describe that is very rhythmic due to the striking of the balls on the floor.

We did a bus tour of the city the first day that showed us lots of monuments and buildings, including the brightly colored houses poor Italian immigrants built, plus the incredible above ground cemetery where Eva Peron is interred.

The second day we drove to the Parana delta and took a boat ride.  This was our first actual rainy day, but the boat was enclosed so no problem.  The delta is huge (they say the biggest in the world) and also unusual in that it empties into a river (the Plate) instead of into the ocean.  In a maze of  rivers and creeks, islands of the delta have no roads, and inhabitants travel by boat.  There are bus boats for school children (primary and high schools are on the islands) and taxis, boat supermarkets so you buy groceries at your dock, as well as a boat bringing doctors and dentists.  Bottled water is required for drinking and cooking; otherwise water is from the river.  I gather it was a popular place once, but the population decreased drastically in the 1970s and a majority of houses are unoccupied (and falling apart).  But there are some nice houses and boats, and real estate is inexpensive…

260 ‘members of the Viking family’ disembarked in Buenos Aires (the end of the first of the five legs of the cruise) and a new group arrived headed for Valpariso, Chile, the end of the second leg. e

Montevideo is on the Plate River, the estuary formed by the confluence of the Parana & Uruguay rivers.  On the map I see this area as an ocean bay, but, since it’s fresh/brackish water, it’s considered river, and it’s quite brown because the rivers that form it have a lot of silt. The cruise dock is close enough to walk easily into the ‘old town.’ but we took a bus tour anyway.  Good guide and I liked Uruguay instantly.  It’s a mostly rural and agricultural small democracy.  Originally a Spanish colony (it received independence in 1825), the population includes a large portion of Italian immigrants but very few Indians or blacks.  An early president conducted a genocide against the Indian tribes (not their finest hour, they acknowledge) and, although the port received African slaves, they were all in transit to other parts of South America.

A useful fact in both Uruguay and Argentina is that shops aimed at tourists take American dollars and even give change in dollars—something I’ve not encountered before.

I seem to need the two sea days to recover from the 3 land days!  But tomorrow we begin a series of 4 land days…  I realize when I posted a few days ago about what to do on sea days I completely omitted anything to do with the body or exercising.  In addition to my informal walking, there are organized walks and exercise classes (mostly at 5 am…) as well as an excellent fitness center and a slew of activities in the spa including various Nordic sauna & cold pool types.  I also omitted the very popular (but not yet attended by us) trivia contest each noon.  There are movies both in the theater and on the tv.  I’ve just discovered we can actually watch news on tv but I’d rather not… There is a book club and ship choir, and the author & writers’ workshop has been replaced by a photographer & photography lectures and workshop.  There is also, of course, the nightly entertainment, some of it quite elaborate shows, beginning at 9:15—which is the time I’d rather be in my room reading.  I find I need time quietly by myself and bridge is pretty much sufficient activity.

This afternoon there was an Andrew Lloyd Webber concert—appropriately ended with ‘Don’t cry for me, Argentina’ since we’re on our way to Buenos Aires.   I enjoyed hearing the ship’s wonderful singers (and pianist) whom I miss by not attending night performances.  They are excellent!  The ship choir of passengers also sang very well. 

Next our absolutely outstanding bridge teacher and his wife (herself an excellent bridge player who hosts knitting sessions (there’s another activity) in the morning and helps with duplicate in the afternoon), Michael & Beverly Walker hosted a reception for all participating in the bridge program.  Despite Viking’s lack of advance publicity (we didn’t even know there would be bridge instructors and duplicate), it’s been very popular–up to 9 tables at duplicate plus 2-3 playing social bridge and most of us attending classes. Michael says he’s taught bridge on many cruises and never had such a large participation.  He figures 20% of the passengers have participated to some degree.  The occasion was saying goodby to those leaving the ship in Buenos Aires, where a new contingent (hopefully including bridge players) will board.  It was, of course, also nice to get together informally.

What a beautiful, complicated harbor with bays, bridges, and abrupt granite mountain peaks!  Just like in the photos… 

The first morning we took a bus to the cog railway that goes up through Tijuca National Park (jungle) to the statue on Corcovado mountain of Christ the Redeemer with his arms wide. The railway doesn’t go all the way to the statue; you need either to take a lot of steps or an elevator & two escalators.  The railway staff took Chris from the bus to the top (including escalators) in a wheelchair!  Impressive statue and view of the surrounding area. 

A friend had suggested we visit the H. Stern jewelers since Brazil is famous for precious and semi-precious stones.  We didn’t find them, but our guide Paola had a friend at another reputable jeweler and our bus was going right by their shop at Copacabana.  She arranged for him to meet us and the bus dropped us off.  So we did some jewelry shopping, and they transported us back to the ship—probably the most independent thing we’ve done.

Later in the afternoon another bus and guide took us to Sugarloaf , the conical granite peak you ascend on two cable cars.  That was fun and another great view of the surrounding area.  We were there for sunset, which was pretty though I think the sunrise and sunsets we’ve seen from the ship were more impressive.  Of course, you always take a chance with weather.  Our cruise director said the first time she saw the Christ statue she could only see the feet due to fog. 

It was foggy in the morning but cleared and, despite forecasts to the contrary, we had two sunny and hot (90 degrees plus) days in Rio.

The second morning we went on a bus tour of the highlights of the city.  We had almost thought of cancelling—we were tired and had already taken two buses through the city—but we were glad we went.  Our guide was fantastic.  Originally from Italy, John was so interested in and knowledgeable about architecture, history, and culture that it was fascinating.

We sailed out after lunch and that was lovely too, but it’s amazing how tiring three consecutive days in port were!  We did get an extra hour of sleep because the clocks were turned back—presumably the beginning of many turning backs! — Cynthia

Paparazzi?… The morning we arrived in Rio was warm, and initially, cloudy; more significantly, we were met by a hovering helicopter.  The same or a similar machine followed closely over the rear deck of the World Café, so we ate al fresco while being observed.  Within a matter of minutes that helicopter was replaced sequentially by 4 others (of different shapes and colors),,, and subsequently by 3 others, which may or may not have been different than the earlier ones.  Anyway, for 30 min or so noisy sheep dogs nipped at our heels and herded us into harbor while we ate.  Why?

     A hint at the reason came with scrambling waiters and supervisory restaurant staff at some point in the paparazzi parade, hurriedly setting previously empty tables, which were then quickly filled with waving diners.  When asked, the Restaurant Director indicated Viking had hired local film crews to record Viking’s first arrival in Rio.  (A single helicopter followed our departure as well.)

     So, the next time you watch Masterpiece Theater or see another Viking promotional film clip, look for a Viking Ship sailing into or out of a large metropolitan port amidst small islands with conical mountains (one of which is likely Sugarloaf).  With such a fleeting, small scale view, however, you are unlikely to see a frowning, grey-haired diner on the rear deck. — Chris

Buzios was a fishing village (with 26 beautiful beaches) about 2 hours by car north of Rio de Janeiro until 1964 when Brigitte Bardot, tired of the paparazzi in Rio, arrived and immediately turned Buzios into a tourist destination.  Now, I’m told, almost all people who live there are involved in tourist trade.

We were tendered ashore (see tender photo above) and went on a walking tour.  Even along the shore it was hot (90 degrees I think) and many walkers dropped out along the way including Chris.  I’m not sure why we chose a walking tour—we mostly avoided them for the whole trip—since there was a trolley, catamaran, and schooner tour available.  But our guide was a lovely young man who taught Portuguese and English in high school; if I didn’t pay close attention I could even believe he was American since he had little accent.  There’s little to see in Buzios except the beautiful beaches, restaurants, and tourist shops as well as the bronze statues by a local artist dotted around town (two pictured above.) –Cynthia

Viking Speak: “We are not “Tourists”; we are “Travelers”!  Or when tendering folks from ship to shore, travelers are instructed to “disbark” the ship, not, I guess, to be confused with the effect of rubbing vigorously against a tree.  —Chris

A reasonable question is ‘What do people who don’t play bridge do on sea days especially when there are several in a row?’  I’m actually not sure myself.  A sampling (I’m sure I’m omitting many): An author does a popular writers’ workshop addressing issues of how to write.  There is a lot of mahjong.  Jigsaw puzzles are out and board games such as scrabble are available—some on electronic tables.  There are cooking classes/demonstrations, tours of the kitchens and laundry (apparently very interesting—who knew.)  Many mini concerts are held around the ship.  Today saw a screening of Aida from the Met.  Some folk, of course, spend much of their time in and around the pools.  We have lectures (though I’m less than impressed by some of the lecturers and less than interested in some of the topics.)  Today a highlight was a simulator flight on a 747 from where we are to Rio, including views of scenery and explanation of all the controls.  It was offered by a passenger who is also ‘one of Viking’s resident astronomers’ and coincidentally a pilot.  He was very good, and it was enjoyable and informative.  The best lecturers seems to have been amateur enthusiasts (the pilot is a professional pilot but involvement in flight simulators is a hobby—though I gather he writes some of the manuals;  the other good one is the whale/dolphin watching guy who also spoke about the Amazon.)  –Cynthia

Al  Fresco Dining.  One of the benefits of dining at the World Café on Deck 7 is eating outdoors at the rear of the ship; not to mention the views, where ocean and sky meet and the horizon is visible through an arc of about of 140 degrees.  Sunsets are outstanding and it’s a nice walk from our stateroom.  Sure, the space is warm and humid, but the aft deck breeze is refreshing and constant (even more so now the ship’s mechanical problems have been resolved and we are clipping along at 17 knots.); normally about half the tables are shaded.  A diverse array of freshly prepared hot (and cold) dishes are only a few steps away inside, at the Café’s smorgasbord (aka cafeteria). Moreover, always courteous and friendly waiters provide drinks (and seat cushions) on request.  What’s not to like?  Besides, why go on a Cruise through southern waters if one wanted simply to stay indoors and cool all the time?  (Both conditions are present this time of year in Vermont; and more inexpensively!) 

     Unfortunately, this al fresco space is congested, serving three not always compatible functions: dining (and occasionally, preparation), sun-bathing and soaking.  Squeezed aft of the Café’s out-back tables, three rows of chaise lounge chairs face each other across a very, very small infinity pool and an elevated hot tub, both of which interrupt a diner’s view of the expansive ocean, winking waves, blue sky and fleeting clouds.  There is, after all, a more spacious pool centrally located with chaises, bar, and bar fare further forward on the same deck…why crowd the aft deck? 

    Moreover, three times so far (suggesting an ongoing frequency of five day or so), the Café has set up a lunch-time preparation and serving station in place of most of the shaded aft tables, restricted dining to sun-drenched tables or those in the cool interior.  Today, the special fare was freshly made and cooked pasta… but insufficient space to enjoy these al fresco. –Chris