MARCH 17-31, 2008
Santiago to Buenos Aires -- Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan
Portions on the videotape are in bold red print, such as the introductory map showing the route from Santiago to Buenos Aires. Factual background information from Google. Fred took photos with his digital camera.
Mon. Mar. 17
Annette and I left New Ulm around noon so we could eat lunch at Emma Crumbees en route to the airport. Annette dropped me off at the MSP terminal around 2:30 pm. I departed on Delta Flight #1240 around 5:20 pm. All of my seating assignments for all flights were along the aisle. Arrival in Santiago, Chile took place at 7:30 am. A Princess cruise representative met us on the other side of customs to guide us to an awaiting bus. From the bus, I took a departing shot of our Delta aircraft.
A note about the religious affiliations in Chile: Most of Chile's population is Catholic. According to the National Census, carried out in 2002 by the National Statistics Bureau 3,129,249 people 15 and older identified themselves as Catholics, equivalent to 68.7% of the total population, while 595,173 (13.1%) described themselves as Evangelical Protestants. Around 1.2% of the population declared themselves as being Jehovah's Witnesses, while 0.9% identified themselves as Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 0.25% as Jewish, 0.11% as Orthodox and 0.03% as Muslim. Approximately 10.4% of the population of the Metropolitan Region stated that they were atheist or agnostic, while 5.4% declared to follow other religions.
Tue Mar 18 Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile
I was really anxious to see Santiago, but our bus bypassed the city entirely. This was to be the only real setback of the entire trip. The two-hour drive did prove to be interesting and the tour guide provided helpful information as we moved along. He pointed out evidence of the Andes copper mines that played such an important role in the area’s economy. Recent prosperity was brought about by the rising price of copper. Our journey took us (see map) along Alameda O’Higgins going west until it turned into Ruta National 68. At one point we crossed Hwy 5 that was once part of the Pan American Highway. Later in our trip, much further south, we will travel on portions of this famous highway. Our well-maintained toll road took us through two long tunnels. Our guide explained that this was the fall season (opposite from the Minnesota spring season) and that the countryside was harvesting vegetables and fruits. The valley did not receive much rain, but irrigation made the area productive. He bragged about the quality of grapes in the vineyards and the fine Chilean wines.
I reviewed a little Chilean political history from notes that I had taken on the web. The information source revealed some sensitivity to US involvement in Chilean internal affairs Salvador Isabelino Allende was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death committed suicide) during the long tradition of political involvement in progressive and liberal causes.
His grand-father was a prominent doctor and reformist who founded one of the first secular schools in Chile. As a Socialist Party politician, he became a senator, deputy, cabinet minister and after failing in the 1952, 1958, and 1964 presidential
elections, he was elected President in 1970. He was the first Marxist leader of a nation to gain power through democratic process.
We did not go directly to the pier in Valparaiso, but were taken to a holding area at the five-star Sheraton Miramar in Vina del Mar, just north of Valparaiso. Here we could have an advance check-in for our cruise, enjoy refreshments and just plain take it easy.
Perched on the shoreline alongside Caleta Abarca Beach, the hotel offered a nice view of the pristine sea water below. The weather was delightful enough
for Elaine and her sister to stroll around the open-air patio.
It wasn’t long, around noon, before we returned to our bus #6 and the driver took us along the waterfront of the city to the pier. The entire town of Valparaiso seems to precariously hang on precipitous cliffs. The word Valparaiso literally means “paradise valley” and international sailors called it the Jewel of the Pacific. Our guide noted with pride the subway system along side the roadway. T
It was only a matter of minutes before we reached the port of San Antonio, a beach town favored by local artists and writers. Waiting for us here was the good ship Star Princess.
Ironically, this is the same ship that Annette I sailed the Mediterranean Sea in 2004. The cruise was on sale then, too ($779 for 14 days from Venice to Barcelona). My room was located on the Emerald Deck, an upgrade to an outside window on the starboard side. The view was partially obstructed by a lifeboat (tender), but I still had a nice view of the outside world. Since I was solo there was plenty of room. Lunch was available in the Horizon Court so I partook of a fruit plate and two pieces of fish. Nice fresh buns were on hand but no barley loaves.
At 6:00 pm (1800) the Star Princess set sail. A pilot boat escorted us out of the harbor, as required by the port. With its mission accomplished the tug turned back, but a boatload of cheering tourists continued to follow us out to sea. Note the tri-colored flag of Chile flapping in the wind from the front of the ship. After the fanfare and shipboard safety drill, we had our first dinning room experience. I had requested fixed seating and was placed on a waiting list. Since no openings were available, I used the anytime dinning arrangement of the Portofino. This turned out to be fortunate, because I had the chance to meet many very nice people every day. After dinner I enjoyed Welcome Aboard Showtime (printed announcement; no video because of copyright protection) featuring the Star Princess Dancers.
Wed Mar 19 At Sea
Today we would spend the entire day sailing the Pacific southward along the coast (see map).
The word “pacific” hardly described the ocean this day. The size of the waves prompted me to take a video from my cabin window. On my way to buffet lunch on the 14th deck I paused to tape the pool activity. The weather was nice and sunny; the water motion in the pool reflected the activity of the sea. After eating in the Horizon Court, I stepped out to record the ocean from the back (aft) of the ship. Somewhere to the right, I imagined, was the coast of Chile.
Thu Mar 20 Puerto Montt, Chile (tender required) 7:00am 6:00pm
Although we had sailed a considerable distance southward, the weather was still quite nice and warm with temperatures in the upper 60s. Our ship anchored in the Bahia Puerto Montt (map) around 7 am. The city itself was founded on February 12, 1853, after government-sponsored immigration from Germany that began in 1848 populated the region and integrated it politically to the rest of the country. It was named for Manuel Montt, Chilean president between 1851 and 1861, who set in motion the German immigration.
I signed up for the $49 optional tour Frutillar and the German Settlers. Our tour bus took us through Puerto Montt, population 130,000, passing the central Plaza de Armas. The redwood cathedral on the city's plaza is the city's oldest building, dating from 1856. We left the city on the northwestern edge and from our bus I videoed the highway ahead -- which was part of the Pan-American Highway (that spans from Alaska to Patagonia). Our first stop en route was Puerto Varas. From the main square of this "city of roses," we had views of Lake Llanquihue (South America's third-largest natural lake).
Osorno Volcano, which usually can be seen presiding over the lake, was not visible because of cloud cover (right). I thought it only fitting that I video one of the beautiful yellow roses on the square. Mission accomplished, we re-boarded bus H4 and headed for our main stop, he city of Frutillar. Here we found timbered buildings with gabled roofs that gave this village the feel of Germany’s Black Forest.
The bus stopped opposite the German Museum, which featured a model of a German family homestead complete with house with period furnishings, photographs and memorabilia.
A blacksmith’s shop, gardens and other buildings were located near the entrance of the museum. An accordion player belted out old German melodies that added to the Old World atmosphere.
The German influence is visible in the city at every step: The “German school,”names like Kaiserseehaus or Frau Holle can be seen everywhere and restaurants offer "Onces Alemanas" with apple strudel. A number of houses have signs saying they sell the Kuchen (type of tart). When we returned to Puerto Montt, I taped some wooden dwellings residing on the mountain slope.
Our guide offered to have those who so wished to be dropped off at the handicraft market in Angelmo for shopping. I declined the offer. Back at pier, I boarded one of the Princess tenders and ended for the anchored ship. That evening I had a nice dinner of Salmon at the Portofino topped off with German torte dessert. Fish I have eaten so far include mahi mahi, river trout, halibut, cod and now Pacific salmon.
That night we were treated to the music of a music group called Liquid Blue followed by A Night at Carnegie Hall musical performance by Mac Frampton . I wrapped up the evening listening to the comedy of Tom Fletcher (printed notice).
Fri Mar 21 At Sea
Today would be a day of leisure. We could sleep in, sip coffee in the Horizon Court and take pictures of the still rolling ocean. Princess had just the best naturalist, Jackie Hedgreth, to give slide presentations on wildlife found in this environment. Today she concentrated on the different kinds of penguins and just about every aspect of their lives.
She mentioned that penguins locate their mates by voice. Find offspring the same way. Besides using burrows some penguins use stones to build a nest, and often steal stones from their neighbors (which brings a response). Penguins maintain “their space”. Adults feed their children so they can build up blubber for winter. This feeding activity often makes the young ones bigger than the adult. The parents catch fish and store it in their crops and regurgitate it for the young, who reach into the beak for their food. Penguins have eyes that work differently in the sea (extra lid) than on the land. Penguins are re-
stricted to Southern Hemisphere.
The ocean current that drives the nutrients helps food chain. This explains why penguins are so prevalent around the Cape Horn region and extending to the Falklands (map on video).
Additional notes on Magellanic Penguins:
Magellanic penguins are only found around the Falkland Islands and South America, but they are extremely numerous within these regions. The Falklands has a population well in excess of 100,000 breeding pairs, but this is small compared to populations in South America, which number around 900,000 breeding pairs in Argentina (Centro National Patagónico) and 800,000 pairs in Chile (Environmental Research Unit). Breeding colonies range from the Golfo San Matías in Argentina, southwards around the islands of Tierra del Fuego, and northwards up the Pacific coast of Chile as far as Puerto Montt. The Magellanic penguin is around 70cm long, and has an average weight of about 4kg. The head and upper parts are black apart from two broad white stripes beneath the throat; one running up behind the cheeks and above the eye to join the pinkish gape, the second running adjacent to the white under-parts with which they merge above the legs. Females are slightly smaller than the males, but have similar plumages. Magellanic penguins particularly like offshore islands with tussac grass or small shrubs that are in abundance around the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego and the Pacific coast of Chile. Such islands offer deep layers of soil for burrowing into, and dense vegetation offering protection from aerial predators. The Atlantic coast of mainland Argentina is much drier, and has less vegetation cover, but it is still home to around 650,000 breeding pairs, many of which nest above ground in surface scrapes or under bushes. Magellanic Penguins prefer to nest in burrows, but when soil conditions are unsuitable for burrowing, they will nest on the surface using whatever protection they can find.
Adults arrive at the nest sites to breed in September, and after a period of burrow excavation and repair, begin egg lying around mid October. Two equally sized eggs are laid 4 days apart, each with a weight of around 125g. Incubation takes around 40 days, with the female incubating the eggs for the first shift, while the male feeds at sea. He forages at distances of up to 500km away from the breeding site, before returning to relieve the female some 15 or 20 days later. She then goes to sea for a similar period, and when she returns, the two birds change over at regular intervals until the eggs hatch.
Both parents continue to brood the chicks in turn on a daily basis, for a period of about 30 days. Chicks are fed daily, with adults leaving the colony in early morning, and returning with food later the same day. Magellanic penguins mostly forage within 30km of the nest site during chick rearing, except in the Falklands where longer foraging trips are forced by conflict with commercial fishing.
By the end of 30 days the chicks have developed their mesoptile plumage, and are able to venture out of the burrows. At this stage they look very different from the adults, being a brown- grey above, and creamy white below. Living in burrows, chicks have good protection from both predators and cold weather while both parents are away feeding, and consequently they do not form creches in the way that most surface-breeding species do.
When the weather is fine larger chicks often sit outside their burrow entrances, but will rapidly return to the safety of their burrows at the first sign of danger. Fledging occurs at 9 to 17 weeks of age, depending on food. Fledglings look similar to the adults, except for being grayer and lacking the clearly defined banding of the adults. Freedom from parental responsibilities allows the adults to spend a period of time at sea, feeding up in preparation for their annual moult in March. Moulting takes 3 to 4 weeks, after which the adults leave the breeding site, and remain at sea until the following breeding season. Magellanic penguins can live to about 20 years of age. Females may begin breeding at 4 years of age, but the males do not normally breed until they are at least 5 years old. This is quite possibly a consequence of there being more males than females, making it easier for inexperienced females to find partners than for inexperienced males. Magellanic penguins generally show strong site and mate fidelity.
Magellanic penguins from both the Falkland Islands and South America face natural predators at sea, such as sea lions, leopard seals and orcas (killer whales). They also face predation of chicks and eggs by avian predators, such as gulls and skuas, but where the penguins nest in burrows, such predation is greatly reduced.
Curiosity got the best of me so at 3 pm I ambled over to see what line dancing was like at the Vista Lounge. Frenchie from the Cruise Director’s Staff was teaching some “floor fillers.” Charlotte kept up
with the best of them. Dinner that evening at the Portofino presented a tough choice, but I selected the pork dinner instead of the flounder. The mercury level was the deciding factor.
Then at 8:15 pm I took in Vincent Talarico In Concert (right) at the Princess Theater followed by An Evening with the Duke of Verona w/ Maurizio on piano. Somehow a portion of the line dance segment ended up here. I probably
unknowingly taped some over the middle of the line dance segment – breaking it into two pieces.
Sat Mar 22 Amalia Glacier, Chile (Cruising)
What a great morning! Following along the Peel Inlet, we approached the Amalia Glacier. I was out on the Promenade Deck for most of my videotaping. The majestic and beautiful Amalia glacier is located north of the central area of Southern Ice Fields. Its long silhouette seems to be hanging between the peaks of the mountains, being a real spectacle for visitors. Its ice towers and its colorful contrast with its surroundings touch anybody seeing it. This glacier is approximately 1 km wide and 40 m high, its ice mass is mainly supplied by intense snow-storms through out the entire year. It’s one of the forty-eight
glaciers that make up this Ice field, which is considered to be the third largest fresh water reserve in the world.
Because of the glacier's immense weight, the oxygen has been pressed out of the ice, giving it an amazingly beautiful crystalline appearance. Approximately 73 square miles in area, the Amalia's mammoth blue mountain of ice is constantly changing, and like other glaciers, gradually shrinking. Clear pieces of ice were floating in the water drifting out to sea.
Instead of using the Horizon Court for lunch, I thought I’d take my time and savor the food at the Portofino. Starting off with an Italian pasta dish, I worked myself towards pork ribs and finished up with a fresh fruit dish. A pianist made beautiful music from the white baby grand piano on the fifth floor. Nearby an elaborate Easter exhibit was laid out with colorful decorated eggs of all sizes and colors.
The Princess Theater that evening starred Gaucho Del Plata in South American Showtime and all the seats were filled. I recognized the entertainer immediately because Annette and I had taken in his macho show before. He had slowed down considerably, doing more talking and waiting for laughs than doing his usual macho tricks. Even so, it was entertaining.
Sun Mar 23 Punta Arenas, Chile (tender required) 6:00am 7:00pm
Today was Easter Sunday, but as far as I know there were no Lutheran or Protestant services on board, but the headlines of the Princess Patter had a big Happy Easter caption.
We were pretty far south by now and the weather was predicted to be in the 50s. That’s warmer than the 30s predicted in Minnesota. I had signed up for the visit to the Magdalena Island Penguin Reserve. This optional tour departed Punta Arenas around 9 pm. The old car-ferry we boarded was nothing fancy, but we could escape the windy breeze by stepping inside a lounge area. Bagged lunches (with two sandwiches, water bottle, orange juice, cereal bar and chocolate) were placed on the seats. The boat headed pretty much due north up through the Strait of Magellan. We sailed through rather choppy water for around two hours before we sighted Magdalena Island in the distance. Magdalena Island, together with Marta small island, make up the natural monument Los Pingüinos, natural habitat of more than 120,000 Magellan penguins and one of the biggest southern penguins colony of Chile.
When our ship lowered its landing ramp on the sandy penguins scurried away from being hit, but they did not appear to be overly alarmed.
We walked ashore and headed along a pathway cordoned off for us aliens. Simple fences keeping people just a short distance away from burrows is all that is required, and this can benefit both penguins and tourists. Not only are the penguins protected from being crushed in their burrows, but also they also rapidly learn that humans will not enter beyond the fence, and will confidently remain sitting outside their burrows for all to see.
By contrast, visitors to unfenced sites will generally see little more than distant penguins scurrying away, or faces looking out from within their burrows. During our one hour excursion we saw thousands of penguins from the trail that led along the coast and then to the top of the island, where there is a lighthouse that houses the Environmental Interpretation Center with the history of the strait and the fauna of the area.
Even areas where the ground is unsuitable for making burrows are used, with Magellanic penguins nesting on the surface. There was quite a number where the seashore was rocky and the incline up the slope was steep. Here the community was quite mixed with various types of birds and sea lions (sea wolves) rested together with the penguins.
The trip back to Punta Arenas took around two hours, but we still had time to acquaint ourselves with the region. A light rain had started, but nothing to fret about. As our bus moved along the boulevard leading to the city, I videoed the bent trees that were witnesses to the strong winds that whipped through here.
Winds tend to be strongest during the summer when city officials put up ropes in the downtown area to assist with unique wind currents created by the buildings. The Punta Arenas harbor, although
exposed to storms with 110 mph winds, was considered one of the most important in Chile before the construction of the Panama Canal, because it was used as a coaling station by the steamships transiting between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Punta Arenas (literally in Spanish: "Sandy Point") is the most prominent settlement on the Strait of Ma-
gellan and the capital of the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile, and is claimed to be the world's southernmost city. (Ushuaia, Argentina, also makes this claim and is further south, but has only half the population of Punta Arenas). Punta Arenas is the third largest city in the entire Patagonian Region. In 2002, it had a population of 120,000. It is roughly 1418.4 km from the coast of Antarctica. The city is often a jumping-off point for Antarctic expeditions, although Ushuaia (Argentina) and Christchurch (New Zealand) are also common starting points.
Our bus passed a monument (almost not visible) on the boulevard to the sheep industry. Between about 1890 and 1940, the Magallanes region became one of the world's most important sheep-raising regions, with one company (Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego) controlling over 10,000 square kilometers in southern Chile and Argentina. The headquarters of this company and the residences of the owners were in Punta Arenas.
Our tour bus stopped at the Plaza de Armas and dropped off those of us who wished to explore the city on our own. The plaza was dominated by a bronze statue of Magellan perched precariously on a galleon cannon. At his feet are a mermaid and a pair of reclining Indians. Magallanes is Spanish for Magellan, the explorer who, while circumnavigating the earth for Spain, passed close to the present site of Punta Arenas in 1520. His ship was literally blown through the strait that also bears his name by a series of gales. Even though it was Easter, and even though it was raining, vendors set up shops around the plaza. I gave in and purchased earrings and a T-shirt for my absent wife. We were on our own to get back to the ship, but the directions were simple (see map) and the rainfall very light.
Entertainment in the Princess Theater was really great that evening – Lenny Windsor: British Comedian and Writer for Benny Hill.
Lenny Windsor is a successful British television comedian, now living in Florida and the UK. Before Benny Hill’s death Lenny was a writer for him dealing on a one-to-one basis. He was hilarious -- however part of his wit was aimed at latecomers or victims sitting in the front row or people who
somehow caught his attention. One young boy (or girl) sitting in my row left his (or her) seat to leave when Lenny stopped his act to ask: “Is that a boy or a girl.” The family may not have appreciated this. I had wondered about the gender myself earlier, but never did come up with a determination. The evening was still young so I headed over to the Explorers Lounge for a Country and Western Hoe-down Party. The Cruise staff joined in and helped produce a foot stomping good time. Then over in the Vista lounge
afterwards the Star Princess dances put on the production musical the Motor City (not on tape for copyright reasons).
Mon Mar 24 Ushuaia, Argentina
After breakfast this morning in the Horizon Court I ventured out on deck to view the icy water of Beagle
Channel (note map). A rainbow graced the sky presenting a Kodak moment. Ice capped mountains
added to the gorgeous scenery. The Princess staff had arranged a golf shipping competition at the Calypso Pool. The crowd cheered on those who placed balls within a floating raft. The weather was nice and we expected temperatures in the 50s.
Just before noon we entered the Bahia (Bay) of Ushuaia and a harbor pilot guided us to what we had hoped would be our docking pier. Before us was the city of Ushuaia at the foot of a mountain.
Ushuaia (pronounced [u’swaja]) is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, and claims to be the world's southernmost city It is located on the southern coast of the island of Tierra del Fuego in a wide bay, guarded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel. Its population in 1999 was estimated at 57,300 . The city was originally named by early British colonists after the name that the native Yámana people had for the area. For most of the first half of the 20th century, the city was centered on a prison for serious criminals.
The captain had led us to expect disembarking at the pier, but now an announcement came over the PA that local officials had closed the pier. The Star Princess then lowered its tenders for the tender operations, but the local officials demanded that local catamarans must be used and nixed this. We were never given explanations for change, but I suspect it was extortion. To further complicate matters, Princess offshore excursions that had planned on renting the catamarans now were cancelled. So we were escorted ashore via catamarans. As our craft pulled away I videotaped the Star Princess sitting serenely in the harbor.
Once onshore I boarded my C1 bus for the shore excursion Southernmost Railway & Ensenada Bay.
This tour involved riding a narrow-gauge train of the southernmost railway in the world. The bus dropped us off at the railroad depot. The narrow gauge, diesel locomotive retraced the route used by the inmates of the island’s penal colonies (the last one closed in 1947). The Argentine government set up a prison following the example of the British with Australia or the French with Devil's Island: escape from a prison on Tierra el Fuego was similarly impossible. The prisoners thus became forced colonists and spent much of their time cutting wood in the forest around the prison and building the town. They built this railway known as the End of the World Train (Tren del Fin del Mundo). Our 30-minute ride took us through Tierra del Fuego National Park and ended up at Ensenada Bay.
From here we had a terrific view of the Beagle Channel and beyond. The flag of Argentina in the foreground reminded us where we were. Across the channel was territory belonging to Chile.
Very strong winds whip the region, and that is why trees growing here follow the wind direction, and therefore they are called "flag-trees" for the bent that they are forced to take. When we were here the wind was strong, but not bothersome. The average high temperature here for March is 54 degrees, about what we were experiencing. Our guide called us back to our C1 bus (the number possibly stood for Convicts First Class).
Catamarans were used to shuttle us back to the ship. After supper we were treated to a great show in the Princess Theater – comedy ventriloquist Joel Leder. He looked a lot like Gomer Pyle of TV fame (whom he later impersonated).
He exhibited unbelievable talent and his act was very entertaining. I noticed Lenny Windsor in the audience afterwards, sitting with the family of the boy (or girl) he had embarrassed. They seemed to be having an amicable conversation.
Tue Mar 25 Cape Horn (Cruising) 8:00am 9:00am (Average March high and low temperatures 55-38)
Our ship was now approaching Chile's southernmost region. During the night The Star Princess did a lot
of rocking. The captain said that “horrific winds of 55 knots” (over 60 mph) hindered our speed. He informed us that we would reach Cape Horn one hour later than anticipated. W could have kept our
schedule, he added, but that would have meant discomforting slapping sounds when the ship came down in the water. So, we had tolerable motion and were an hour behind schedule. On deck we observed the mighty Andes now dissolving into a few rocky islands in the sea. The waves were still awesome. Those brave enough to face the ocean wind on deck had to hang on to the rail for dear life. Our ship’s naturalist pointed out the albatross out there and explained how they operate in the wind.
narrow wings are strikingly graceful. Equally impressive are the large heads featuring massive hooked bills. Their bodies are mainly white and they have long necks, short legs, and mostly short tails. Albatrosses are supreme gliders; with modified wings to maximize the updrafts and thermals over the open ocean. Albatrosses are best observed during rough weather, when high waves create strong uplifting air currents, enabling them to remain aloft with hardly a wing beat for hours on end. They swoop low over ocean swells, dipping down when the sea falls and rising when the wave rises. Their wings are capable of "locking" into an extended position, thereby reducing strain over long flights.
Then we came to Horn Island, the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, and the
Americas for that matter. Passengers now ventured on deck to see this famous island. Here is where
the confluence of the mighty Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet.
For sailors, Cape Horn was awe-inspiring -- where nature's power is often unleashed. Thanks to the tools of modern navigation, rounding "the Horn" is no longer fraught with treachery. For early explorers, successful passage around this rocky headland at the tip of Chile's Tierra del Fuego was no mean feat. Ships regularly ran aground in the strong currents and stormy climate of the "roaring forties," the waters between 40° and 50° latitude.
Soon we were in the calmer waters of the Atlantic and heading toward the Falkland Islands (map). From the Atrium came the soothing sounds of music produced by a trio of lady musicians – one pianist and two violinists. At 3:30 that afternoon, Jackie Hedgpeth, the ship naturalist, gave a slide presentation on Whales, Seals and Sea Lions of the Falklands. What I thought was especially interesting was her use of slides – using photos taken when she was swimming with whales in a controlled setting. After dinner I caught the magician act by Chip Romero in the Princess Theater (not on videotape). I’m that wild about magicians, but I thought he was entertaining. The audience seemed to really appreciate him. More to my liking was the “King of Banjo” Michael Young in the Vista Lounge, who played everything from the classics to contemporary music.
Wed Mar 26 Port Stanley, Falkland Islands (tender) 8:00am 6:00pm
The map shown below is of the Falkland Islands and the city of (Port) Stanley. The Star Princess was restricted to anchoring in the Williams Sound necessitating the use of her tenders. Beyond the inlet is the Stanley Harbor.
Stanley (formerly known as "Port Stanley") is the capital and only true city (with a cathedral) in the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope, south of Stanley Harbor, in one of the wettest parts of the islands. Its population is around 2,000 people. On days when a large cruise ship like the Star Princess dock in the town tourists may outnumber the local residents.
British to the core, Port Stanley is a remarkably bite-sized chunk of England — with fish and chips, red phone booths and convivial pubs. Cars drive on the opposite side of the road.The settlement grew as a deep-water port, specializing at first in ship repairs, indeed, prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, Port Stanley was a major repair stop for boats traveling through the Straits of Magellan. The rough waters and intense storms found at the tip of the continent forced many ships to Stanley Harbor, and the ship repair industry helped to drive the island economy. Later it became a base for whaling and sealing in the South Atlantic and Antarctic.
Upon arrival at the dock, Princess photographers greeted us and asked us to pose with their people-sized
“penguins”. Since I had not signed up for any Princess shore excursions, I sought assistance from the tourist information office at the end of the dock. The person on duty informed me of a bus tour costing $10 being assembled just outside. I stepped in at the back of the line and found myself an excellent tour going to Gypsy Cove.
The four-mile bus right to Gypsy Cove was very nice, too. One could not complain about the weather that reached into the 50s. From the bus I taped the rugged terrain along the road. After leaving the bus I walked down a narrow crushed-stone pathway leading to Yorke Bay and Gypsy Cove.
Here was situated a colony of some 300 pairs of Magellanic penguins. There on the bank was a group of
penguins huddling together as if contemplating a plunge. They were at a distance so I had to zoom in on them. Nearby one fellow was waddling up toward the walkway, waving his flipper to keep his balance. Some visitors complained that there were not many penguins to watch. Comedian Lonnie Windsor later joked about seeing the island penguin (singular).
Magellanic penguins declined severely in the Falkland Islands during the 1980's and 1990's, which coincided with the rise of commercial fishing for squid and finfish. The current Falklands population stands at just 20% of its 1990/91 level, and this decline is still continuing. This pattern has not occurred in nearby Chile or Argentina where colonies are protected from commercial fishing. The breeding sites themselves also show the magnitude of the Falklands decline. In the Falklands, populations have declined so much that 80 to 90% of burrows are unoccupied or derelict. A Magellanic penguin in the Falkland Islands has no difficulty finding a suitable burrow. There are plenty of ready-made ones whose owners have either died or moved elsewhere.
I continued along the pathway and up to an overlook called Ordinance Point. On the way were posted warning signs that mines may still be in the area – a grim reminder of the Falkland War. Stanley was occupied by Argentine troops for about ten weeks during the Falklands War in 1982 and renamed Puerto Argentino (the name gained some support in Spanish-speaing countries). Stanley suffered considerable damage during the war, a result of both the Argentine occupation and the British naval shelling of the town, which killed three civilians. After the British secured the high ground around the town the
Argentines surrendered with no fighting in the town itself.
The beaches and land around it were heavily mined and some areas remain marked minefields.
Here at Ordinance Point is a cannon pointing out to the Williams Sound where our Star Princess was now anchored.
Returning down the pathway I encountered penguins standing besides their burrows. The soft peat so prevalent here is easily worked into burrows by penguins.
Peat was once a prominent heating fuel source in Stanley. Landslides (peatslips), caused by excessive peat cutting, destroyed part of the town in 1879 and 1886, the second landslide killing two people.
There are many burrows amid the patches of tussac and cinnamon grass on the slopes around the beach. Further along the pathway I had a commanding view of large birds strutting along the sandy beach. According to the Penguin News Visitor's Guide 2005/6, along the water's edge of the sandy bay are birds such as the Magellanic and blackish oystercatchers, the Falkland flightless steamer duck along with the kelp goose and the crested duck. Also present are abundant numbers of the upland goose and the near threatened ruddy-headed or "Brent Goose".
I was satisfied with the morning spent here at Gypsy Cove and returned to the bus terminal, which was really just the parking lot. After a brief time I could see the tour bus coming in the distance along the narrow dusty roadway. On the way out of here I noticed some shipwrecks in the harbor (map), so I anticipated taking video shots on the return ride. In particular I was watching for the wreck of the Lady
Elizabeth.
The Falkland Islands has very many shipwrecks dotted around the coastline but the Lady Elizabeth must be the most photographed one. This Iron ship was built in Sunderland, England in 1879, but came to grief while cruising around Cape Horn. She made it to Stanley but here she lanquished.
The Gypsy Cove bus dropped us off at the pier, but I still wanted to see more of th historic city.
I started off down Ross Road along the waterfront (map). First stop was Anglican Christ Church Cathedral the southernmost cathedral in the world, which actually made tiny Stanley into a city. The foundation stone was laid in 1890. Once inside I videoed the church proper and a prominent stained glass window of Jesus blessing children.
Then I taped the outside of the structure from both the front and the side. Adjacent to the Cathedral is the Whalebone Arch, constructed in 1933 from the jawbones of two blue whales to commemorate the centenary of continuous British administration in the Falklands.
Continuing on down Ross Road, I came upon Victory Green, created to commemorate the First World War. The mizzen mask from the SS Great Britain is positioned on the Green (on the right).
Then across the road (right) was the 1982 War Memorial. This Liberation Monument is a tribute to the 255 British troops and the civilians who gave their lives in 1982 during the Argentine-British conflict.
As a courtesy to the Brits, the Princess literature suggested we not wear any Argentine logo clothes in Stanley.
I concluded my self-guided tour with an observation of the wrecked hulk of Jhelum, a 3-mast ship built in Liverpool in 1849. She was damaged rounding Cape horn in 1870 carrying a cargo of guano and upon reaching the Falklands she was scuttled. Despite being the oldest wreck in Stanley she remains possibly the best preserved.
Tenders along side the Star Princes were still accommodating passengers as we approached the ship.
Entertain this evening started with a spirited presentation of Destination Anywhere (printed notice only, no video) starring the Princess Dancers. Then at the Explorers Lounge it was rock and roll time at the 50’s Sock Hop Party. I sat off to the right hand side of the stage and dancing area so others could take center stage. As it turned out, the exuberant Princess staff people performed right in my face – not that I minded. Yope and his lovely wife from Tuscany (actually, both reside in Vancouver) danced to one of the slower numbers.
At 10:30 pm I moved over to the Vista Lounge where dynamic international singing sensation Vincent Talarico performed.
I returned to my room (above) via the atrium.
Thu Mar 27 At Sea
This morning everyone could sleep in because we would be at sea all day. The Star Princess had left the Falklands (map) and we were headed north along the coast of South America.
I did get up early enough for break- fast to make sure I could catch Lenny Windsor at 9:30 am in the Vista Lounge. This famous comedian was slated to talk about Benny Hill and his own relationship with Benny Hill.
I gleaned from his presentation the following:
---Benny Hill was the greatest comedian the world has ever known; yet Hill suffered from manic depression his entire life. He could make others laugh, but could not escape his own sadness. Once he left the set he would never laugh or be funny.
--Benny Hill was born in Southhampton, England (the cruise port), but it is only recently that a memorial or statue is being erected there in his name. Benny is buried there in a grave next to his mother.
---Benny Hill never ad-libbed anything. Everything was carefully scripted to the last detail. He took pride in his work and knew how to pick excellent talent for his shows. Jackie the bald headed man with no teeth was spotted by Benny and became a big hit (On the show Benny always slapped his head). The tall thin radio announcer was also a great choice. Of course, Benny picked the greatest writers (like Windsor”).
---Benny never married and was very lonely. Whenever he dated, he was always the rejected suitor. He had no family after his mother died. He had a twin brother who had died. Benny was alone when he died of a heart attack. No survivors to inherit his vast fortune.
---Benny was cheap. Although he had millions he would leave his billfold at home when he ate out and relied upon others to pick up the tab. He never owned a house; instead chose to live in an apartment. He used public transportation. When BBC did a special on him, they had to clean up his apartment and buy props to make it look like he had wealth. Benny suggested that next time they do a special in his kitchen. After Benny died they found hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of un-cashed checks in his apartment.
---Lonnie Windsor loved Benny and wrote for him several years. One of Windsor’s best scripts was when he had Benny take the role of a church superior rebuking a priest for his sermon and citing errors: There are 10 commandments, not 12. There were 12 apostles, not 10-. David slew Goliah, not beat the crap out of him, etc., etc.
Then at 10:30 am in the Princess Theater, the ship’s naturalist, Jackie Hedgpeth, favored us with another
great slide presentation. This time she spoke on the animals and birds of Patagonia. The condor was of special interest:
Source for the following: "Andean Condor", Wildlife Explorer. USA: International Masters Publishers. 1998" The Hawk Conservancy - Andean Condor", http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/priors/george. htm. The condor is the largest vulture in South America with a wingspan of 10 feet or more. Male condors can weigh 24 to 33 pounds and females from 18 to 24 pounds. The bird has mostly black feathers, with white flight feathers on its wing. Condors can soar to altitudes of 18,000 feet, and to keep their heads warm at that height they tuck them into a downy, white neck ruff. Condors can live up to 50 years, and mate for life. The Andean condor has a long life, but breeds very slowly. It takes them 6 to 8 years before they become mature. Any interference from humans quickly disturbs their pattern of breeding.
The female will lay her egg on a cliff ledge. Because there aren't any trees or other materials to build a nest with where they live, they lay their egg on bare rock. Both parents take turns incubating the egg. They have one chick every other year. Their young ake a lot of time and effort to raised. They can't fly until they are 6 months old and then rely on their parents for two more years.
Condors roost on the face of a cliff, and use the thermal updraft of warm morning air to lift off. They spend most of the day soaring on the updrafts created by the mountains and valleys.
They cover a large area while foraging. Andean condors can be found over the coasts of Peru and Chile, and the Patagonian steppe of Argentina. They can spot a carcass from several miles off. Usually they follow smaller scavenger birds to find a carcass. This helps both scavengers, because only the condor can tear through the tough hides of some carcasses. The older condors get to eat first, and then the younger ones take turns in order of age. Condors feed mostly on the remains of mammals such as sheep, llama, vicuña, cattle, seals and the eggs of seabirds. Sometimes they will take newborn animals.
(Jackie Hedgpeth noted that when a fox appears at a carcass site, the condor knows it is no match for a conflict and backs off. The bird may just circle the site for daysuntil it is safe to land.)
Hunters kill the condor for sport, and farmers kill them because they think condors kill their animals. Because they mate for life, the death of a mate is very hard on the other partner and their chick. Condors have also died recently from pesticides that have been carried through the food chains. The number of Andean condors has gone down rapidly in recent years, but they still aren't on the official endangered list. Rescue attempts have been made through breeding captive condors and habitat research. These efforts have been moderately successful.
I received a printed invitation for the Captain’s Cocktail Party in the Vista Lunge. This day had been designated as a formal dress-up day (the second one so far), so I donned my black suit and tie for the occasion. The reception was held for those of us who traveled with Princess before. I skipped the fancy little sandwiches and such, but did indulge in a nice cool cocktail.
Show time at 8:15 featured Michelle Murlin, a Broadway star who had a lead role in Cats for three years. Among her numbers was one that she sung in the Cats production on Broadway. I kept my tie on for another comedian performance by Lonnie Windsor at 10:30 pm. He was funny, but this time I thought he was a little too raunchy. Even though it was midnight, party people were milling about. The atrium was the scene of a champagne waterfall and seemed to be a popular spot, but I was ready for bed and turned in.
Fri Mar 28 At Sea
Today was to be a day at rest as we moved closer to Uruguay (map). Instead of a buffet lunch in the Horizon Court I settled for a more drawn-out meal at the Portofino topped off with a fancy chocolate torte. I always meet the nicest people when the headwaiter seats me at random. This time I sat next to a couple from England who had been married for only two weeks and this outing was a honeymoon cruise. As it turned out, this was the same newly married couple that would appear on the Newlywed/Not so newlywed Game Show this evening in the Explorers Lounge.
Sat Mar 29 Montevideo, Uruguay (Average March high and low temperatures 79-59)
The Star Princess pulled into Montevideo (map) early this morning.
While we were still approaching the pier, I took a video from my cabin window of the sunrise over the city’s skyline. This morning I would explore this great city on my own so I got ready in earnest. Montevideo is the largest city, capital and chief port of Uruguay, the only city in the country with a population over 1,600,000. According to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Montevideo is the Latin American city with the highest quality of life (followed by Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile). There are at least two explanations for the name Montevideo: The first states that it comes from the Portuguese "Monte vide eu" which means, "I see a hill". The second is that the Spaniards recorded the location of a mountain in a map as "Monte VI De Este a Oeste" meaning "The sixth hill from east to west". The city's full original name is San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo.
When the first Europeans came to this land there were Native Americans here. The Portuguese founded Colonia del Sacramento in the 17th century despite Spanish claims to the area due to the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Spanish chased the Portuguese out of a fort in the area in 1724.
Then, Bruno Mauricio de Zabala – governor of Buenos Aires – founded a military base there on December 24, 1726 to prevent further incursions. By 1730 the population increased and the military base was given the right to have its own Cabildo (Town-Hall), which stimulated its growth. The first settlers arrived from the Canary Islands, brought by Francisco de Alzáibar. The city's first economic boom occurred when the Spanish Crown gave Montevideo the right to be the only slave port in the Viceroyalty of La Plata, which infuriated the Viceroyalty's capital, Buenos Aires. In 1828, the town became the capital of Uruguay.
After a brief breakfast, I ventured down the gangway for my adventure. Located very conveniently by the docking area was the Graf Spee Monument (above). During World War II, in ten weeks, the Graf Spee ravaged merchant shipping in the South Atlantic, sending 50,000 tons of British merchant ships to the bottom. After the Battle of the River Plate with the British navy on December 13, 1939, the Graf Spee retreated to Montevideo's port, which was considered neutral then.
To avoid risking the crew in what he thought would be a losing battle, Captain Hans Langsdorff (above) scuttled the ship on December 17. Langsdorff committed suicide two days later. On 10 February 2006, the eagle figurehead of the Admiral Graf Spee was recovered.
To protect the feelings of those still sensitive to Nazi Germany, the swastika on the figurehead was covered as it was pulled from the water. The hulk of the ship remains submerged, but the anchor of the Graf Spee is part of a monument to the ship erected on the 25th anniversary of the incident.
I followed the painted green tourist path through the security gates and over to the must-see portion of the walk, the Mercado del Puerto (Port Market). At one time a train station (opening in 1868), this wrought-iron. structure is now a market housing an array of restaurants, specializing in Uruguayan beef. I aimed the video upwards to catch the high ceiling of the terminal.
From here I moved on to Plaza Zabala with a monument to the founder of the city, Bruno Mauricio de Zabala. A relief on the monument indicated the importance of sheep in the history of Uruguay. Zabala sits prominently on his stead in the center of the square. On the corner was the Bank of Uruguay headquarters.
Going east from here via the pedestrian friendly Calle Sarandi, I entered Constitucion Square (also commonly named Matriz Square), the oldest plaza in Montevideo. It is located in the first part of the city that was built, Ciudad Vieja. The ornate cantilever fountain in the center of this tree-filled square was installed in 1871.
Because today was Saturday the square was alive with activity. Venders had set up their wares everywhere.
I stepped inside the Cathedral or the Catedral Metropolitana de Montevideo), the main Roman Catholic church in Montevideo. I thought the interior quite attractive and well maintained.
From the steps of McDonald’s I videoed the exterior. The children nearby were going from person to person begging for McDonald money.
I saw the Solís Theatre (below) just a block over so deviated from my lesson plans to catch it. Opened in 1856, this once-prominent music theater hosted world-renowned conductors, composers and performers until 1930, and now features occasional cultural events. Guidebooks state that it even overshadows the opera house in Milan. I thought that was probably true for the exterior.
Then back to the pedestrian street Calle Sarandi to approach where the old city walls once stood. Until 1829 the city was surrounded by a wall that protected it from possible invasion. After the wall was torn down, the only part of it that was kept was its gateway, which is up to this day an emblem of this part of town.
The giant colonial door is called the Puerta de la Ciudadela. Some streets remind the presence of the wall, like Ciudadela (citadel) or Brecha (breach), which has this name due to the fact that it was near but at this point that the British managed to open a breach in the wall during the 1807 British invasion.
The old street that I had been standing on, Sarandí , was turned into a pedestrian walkway in 1992, which increased its commercial and tourist attractiveness. I walked around the historic gateway and before me stood the massive Plaza de la Independencia.
The 30-ton monument for General Jose Gervasio Artigas was featured prominently in the center. General Artigas was born in Montevideo in 1764 and he is considered the "father" of Uruquay's movement for independence. In 1811, Artigas was commissioned in the patriot army, in BsAs (Buenos Aires), and returned to lead the fight in the Banda Oriental, slowly moving on the royalist center here in Montevideo. Artigas became a very popular figure much to the dismay of the Unitarians in BsAs. (Note: Unitarians favored a strong central government in Buenos Aires, while Federalists, preferred near autonomy for the provinces). After several twists and turns, Artigas – with help from BsAs – captured Montevideo in 1814. He had always hoped for aconfederation of equal provinces and became a leading voice for Federalism.
The Unitarian launched a couple of forays across the river at him, which he defeated, and he proclaimed Uruguay, Entre Rios, Corrientes and Santa Fe to be the League of Free Peoples of the Littoral with himself as Protector. Not a dictator in the true sense of the word, he preferred to work through local cabildos. He is best known for his attempts to break up large haciendas to give unused lands to some of his humble followers, but what really scared the porteno Unitarians was his belief that government by the people should include everyone – even the lower classes and Indians. The people in BsAs were only too glad to see the Portugese invade Uruguay in 1816, watching as Artigas finally fled Uruguay in 1820 living the last 30 years of his life in a Paraguayan exile.
At the end of the square was South America’s first skyscraper, the 26-story Palacio Salvo. Some would call it an eyesore, but others would extol its beauty. Whichever, it does tower over the square and is a prominent landmark.
On the south side of the square is the Palacio Estevez, one of the most beautiful of the old buildings in the city. It was the seat of government until 1985 when the president’s offices were moved to a more modern building. It is used on occasion for ceremonial purposes.
I now decided to venture below the Artigas monument to reach the mausoleum. It was strangely dark. Here an urn with the ashes of the general stood on a platform between two guards in colorful uniforms.
Deciding to retrace my steps, I returned to Sarandí where I found this picture of a couple engaged in the tango.
The city of Montevideo is well known for its contributions to the tango. The origin of the tango is linked to Argentina as well. It evolved from the slums where lovelorn male migrants, bereft of female company, would re-enact the intimacy of man and women. One male would play the part of the female while the other represented the rough wooer. Initially the upper classes looked with distain upon this activity and it took a long time before the tango was sufficiently refined to be acceptable in higher social circles (Insight Guide, South America, p.56).
Back on Constitution Square, I picked up a pair of earrings for my wife. Music in the background caught my attention and led me to a lady musician singing just off the square. People started athering around here. A group of children sitting on the curb were some of her biggest fans.
When I was here earlier this morning, I had overlooked the Old City Hall or the Cabildo (built between 1804 and 1812) so I included it here (above).
When I returned back to the ship I started packing up my suitcase for the flight home. Princess Patter stated our luggage should be outside the cabin door by 5:30 pm. This was a reminder that the end of a fantastic cruise was nearing an end. BUT, I still had a day in Bueno Aires!
Sun Mar 30 Buenos Aires, Argentina(Average March high and low temperatures 79-59)
Embarkation began early this morning, but because I had booked a city tour of Buenos Aires with Princess, I did not have to check out until 8:30 am. My air flight departure time was 8:30 pm so I had a full day before then, The arrangement was that the bus driver of my tour would drop me off at a designated hotel after the tour and that I would have access to a day room until a bus took me to the airport. This turned out to be a great day, just as my day in Montevideo had been. Buenos Aires is a city rich in history and a great city to visit!
Seaman Juan Díaz de Solís, navigating in the name of Spain, was the first European to reach the Río de la Plata, in 1516, but his expedition was cut short by an attack in which he was killed by the native Charrúa ttribe, in today's Uruguay. The city was first established as Ciudad de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre (literally "City of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Fair Winds") on February 2, 1536 by a Spanish expedition under Pedro de Mendoza.
More attacks by the indigenous peoples forced the settlers away, and in 1541 the site was abandoned. A second (and permanent) settlement was then established in 1580 by Juan de Garay, who was to arrive by sailing down the Paraná River from Asunción (now the capital of Paraguay). Eventually the natives were killed, driven out or forced to change their culture. Some say they that today they are extinct.
Our bus tour started with Cemeterio de la Recoleta. Our guide began the tour under a banyan tree and espoused on its novelty. The size of the tree was unbelievable.
Very often, they germinate from a seed dropped by a bird into the foliage of another type of tree. The seed sprouts there and sends its roots down to ground level. As it grows over time it's numerous roots completely encase its original host, killing the tree. By then, the well-established Banyan continues to send its branches out horizontally, with further support roots dropping down to ground level every so often. Banyan trees, with the world's largest leafy crown, can grow to be 100-ft high and cover an area of 1-2 acres an be difficult.
We walked along a park-like path to the entrance of Recoleta Cemetery founded in 1822 by the Recoleta Fathers. and considered one of the most famous cemeteries in the world.
The cemetery is filled with a wide range of vaults, containing the bodies of writers, scientists, national heroes and former presidents, exhibiting a vast variety of architectural styles and stones. Our guide pointed out one particular monument for discussion (right). It was the tomb of Aramburu, a former president of Argentina.
In contrast was the tomb of Maria Eva (Evita) Duarte, which we visited next, Her vault is deliberately not marked, but this does not deter anyone from finding it. Our guide took considerable time to explain why she herself admired Evita. Our guide had been saddened when Madonna was chosen to play Evita in the well-publicized film because Madonna was not “the right kind of person”. Evita was a noble person, she maintained, because she fostered education for everyone, promoted advancement in medical care, espoused social reforms that helped working people, favored paid vacations and work leaves and fought for women’s rights. Anyhow, Evita is now history and resides secure six feet below in concrete.
Our tour guide said we could identify the tomb by flowers placed on it. A steady succession of locals and foreigners visit the site in order to pay homage to one of Argentina’s most illustrious figures, much to the dismay of Buenos Aires’s privileged families.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Juan Peron was three times president of Argentina, serving from 1946 to 1955 and from 1973 to 1974. Perón and his second wife, Eva (Evita, who died of uterine cancer in 1952 at the age of thirty-three), were immensely popular among some of the Argentine people and are still considered icons by the Peronist Party. Perón's followers praised his efforts to eliminate poverty and to dignify labor, while his detractors considered him a demagogue and a dictator. Perón gave his name to the political movement known as Peronism, which is followed by the Justicialist Party.
After World War II, Argentina became a leading haven for Nazi war criminals, with explicit protection from Perón. Examples of Nazis and collaborators who went to Argentina include Emile Dewoitine, who arrived in May 1946 and worked on the Pulqui jet, Erich Priebke, who arrived in 1947, Josef Mengele in 1949, Adolf Eichmann in 1950, his adjutant Franz Stangl, Austrian representative of Spitzy in Spain, Reinhard Spitzy, Charles Lescat, editor of Je Suis Partout in Vichy France, SS functionary Ludwig Lienhardt, German industrialist Ludwig Freude, SS-HauptsturmführerKlaus Barbie. The Argentine consulate in Barcelona gave false passports to fleeing Nazi war criminals and collaborationists.
Several terrorist acts were committed against civilian targets during Peron’s second term On April 15, 1953; a terrorist group detonated two bombs in a public rally at Plaza de Mayo, killing 7 and injuring 95. On June 15, 1955, a failed coup d'état by anti-Peronists used navy aircraft to bomb Peronists at Plaza de Mayo, killing 364. This is considered a prelude to the dirty war in Argentina between 1976 and 1983.
In 1954, the Roman Catholic Church, which had supported Perón's government, confronted Perón's enactment of the divorce law, among other reasons. Following the expulsion of two Catholic priests, the Pope Pius XII excommunicated Perón in 1955. Perón was admitted back into the church in 1963.
Perón died of a heart attack on July 1. Isabel Perón succeeded her husband to the presidency, but proved incapable of managing the country's political and economic problems, including the left-wing insurgency and the reaction of the extreme right. Ignoring her late husband's advice, Isabel gave Isabel, Perón's term ended abruptly on March 24, 1976 by a military coup d'état. A military junta, headed by Jorge Rafael Videla took control of the country, starting the self-styled National Reorganization Process. The junta combined widespread persecution of political dissidents with state terrorism. The death toll rose to thousands (at least 9,000, with human rights organizations claiming it was closer to 30,000). Many of these were "the disappeared" (desaparecidos), people kidnapped and executed without trial or record.
Perón was buried in La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires. In 1987, his tomb was desecrated, and his hands and some personal effects, such as his sword, were stolen.
On 17 October 2006 his body was moved to a mausoleum at his former summer residence, rebuilt as a museum, in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Vicente. A few people were injured in riots, as Peronist trade unions fought over access to the ceremony. The police contained the violence enough for the procession to move to the mausoleum.
Coming closer to La Boca, we passed by soccer fields, so symbolic of the area. La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavor, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse and some people believe that the Buenos Aires' barrio was indeed named after it. It is known throughout the sporting world as the home of Boca Juniors, one of South America's top football clubs.
La Boca is a popular destination for tourists visiting Argentina, with its colorful houses and main-street, the Caminito.
Tango music was born in the suburbs, notably in the brothels of the Junín y Lavalle district and in the arrabales poorer suburbs).
Our tour bus was on the road again. We passed by former warehouses, now restored buildings that are part of Catholic University. Our guide said this area was once evidence of Buenos Aires success in trade. In the 1930s, the port facilities were relocated to Puerto Nuevo, the "new port", 1 km to the north, and most of the older brick warehouses were all but abandoned. In the 1990s, local and foreign investment lead in a massive regeneration effort, recycling and refurbishing the west side warehouses into elegant houses, offices, lofts, private universities, luxurious hotels and restaurants that conform to a gallery of options for this new district in a city that grew up turning its back to the river.
A little further and also to our right was the Women’s Bridge or Puente de La Mujer. The Puente de la Mujer (above) is a footbridge in the Puerto Madero barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina that spans " dock 3”. It is of the Cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge type and is also a swing bridge, but somewhat unique in is asymmetrical arrange- ment. It has a single mast with cables suspending a portion of the bridge that rotates 90 degrees in order to allow water traffic to pass. When it swings to allow watercraft passage the far end comes to a resting point on a stabilizing pylon. Started in 1998, it was completed on 20 De-
cember 2001.
We reached our final destination, the NH City Hotel, located within sight of the Plaza de Mayo.
The “day room” was great. We had a lot of space and were served snacks, coffee, orange juice and water. Best of all, I could spend three hours roaming around the Plaza De Mayo.
The Plaza de Mayo has always been the focal point of political life in Buenos Aires. Its current name commemorates the May Revolution of 1810, which started the process owards the country's independence from Spain in 1816. On October 17, 1945, mass demonstrations in the Plaza de Mayo organized by Evita (Madonna) and the CGT trade union federation forced the release from prison of Juan Domingo Perón, who would later become president of Argentina.
For several years the Peronist movement gathered every October 17th in the Plaza de Mayo to show their support for their leader (and October 17 is still "Loyalty Day" for the traditional Peronists). Many other presidents, both democratic and military, have also saluted people in thePlaza from the balcony of the Casa Rosada. Years later, in 1974, Perón, then president for the third time, expelled from the Plaza the members of the Montoneros, an armed organization that tried to influence the political orientation of the national government.
Crowds gathered once again on April 2, 1982 to hail de facto President Leopoldo Galtieri for starting the Falklands/Malvinas war. Since the late 1970s, this is where the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo have congregated with signs and pictures of desaparecidos, their children, who were subject to forced disappearance by the Argentine military in the Dirty War, during the National Reorganization Process. The Argentine military was anti-Communist, and people perceived to be supportive of such ideas would be illegally detained, subject to abuse and torture, and finally murdered in secret.
Several of the city's major landmarks are located around the Plaza. I started with the La Casa Rosada (Spanish for "the Pink House"), officially known as the Casa de Gobierno ("Government House") or Palacio Presidencial ("The Presidential Palace").
The current building dates back only to 1873. Its balcony, which faces the square, has served as a podium for many figures, including Eva Perón, who rallied the descamisados from there, and Pope John Paul II, who visited Buenos Aires in 1998.
Madonna sang her filmed rendition of the song "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," for the movie Evita, from the balcony after a meeting with the then President Carlos Menem. The building is painted a light pink color (and a darker pink color on the side facing the plaza, after a recent repainting). It is currently undergoing extensive renovation, including repainting. Dubbed "Casa Rosada" by President Sarmiento, it is said that he chose this color scheme in order to defuse political tensions by mixing the red and white colors of the country's opposing political parties. An alternative explanation suggests that the original paint contained cow's blood to prevent damage from the effects of humidity.
Next I focused in on the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, the main Catholic church in Buenos Aires. The Cathedral was rebuilt several times since its humble origins in 1580. The present building is a mix ofarchitectural styles, with an 18th century nave and dome and a severe, 19th century neoclassical façade without towers.
The interior keeps precious 18th century statues and altarpieces, as well as abundant Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque decoration. The portico lends the building the appearance of an ancient temple rather than a Catholic church. The Mausoleum of General San Martín is guarded by three life sized emale figures representing Argentina, Peru and Chile.
The statues represent three of the regions freed by the general. In 1880, the remains of San Martín were brought from France and placed the mausoleum, which may be reached from the right aisle of the church.
While I was there a Changing of the Guard took place. Guards in full uniforms are kept here in honor of the Argentine hero.
The Buenos Aires Cabildo (Spanish: Cabildo de Buenos Aires) is the public building in Buenos Aires that was used as the government house during the colonial times of the Viceroyalty of the River Plate. Today the building is used as a museum. The building of the Cabildo in Plaza de Mayo was proposed on March 3, 1608, and was finished in 1610 but was soon found to be too small and had to be expanded. The tower of the new Cabildo was finished in 1764, yet even by the time of the May Revolution in 1810 the Cabildo was still not completely finished.
I soaked in the warm sun and enjoyed the park activity until it was just about departure time. A bus picked me up at the hotel around 5:30 pm and us remaining adventurers were on our way to the Ezeiza International Airport. Our luggage was waiting to be claimed and checked in for travel.
The airport was jammed with people and there were endless lines everywhere. Despite what looked like chaos we reached our gate (barely in time). Delta Flight 110 left Buenos Aires fifteen minutes later at 8:30 pm and arrived in Atlanta at 5:55 am. Delta Flight 1402 left Atlanta at 7:30 am (now Monday, March 31st), but without Buenos Aires luggage. Annette picked me up at the Green Parking Ramp door at 9:45 am. in Minneapolis. Delta arranged for the delayed luggage to be delivered to my home in New Ulm.
To sum everything up – terrific experience!
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