Tag Archives: South America

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

DSCN0702DSCN0704

Yesterday was a sea day and a chance to wind down.  Today, Sunday 4 March, we were off to see dolphins and sea lions in the icy Atlantic Ocean.

Next to the ship was a very, very long pier which we had to walk along to board an RIB – Rigid Inflatable Boat – for a ride to the Punta Loma Nature Reserve about 40 minutes away.  The Reserve was created in 1967 to protect South America’s only permanent sea lion colony and is home to about 600 sea lions.

DSCN0678DSCN0685DSCN0662

We were very lucky to be there at high tide, otherwise we probably would not have seen many.  As it was, the sea was very calm, the weather great and with a perfect high tide, the boat was able to position itself for plenty of photo taking opportunities of sea lions and cormorants.  The sea lions were not concerned that the boat was so close to them and were so noisy, I don’t know how anyone gets any sleep!

DSCN0680DSCN0682DSCN0688

On the way back, the captain looked for dolphins, but we were out of luck.  Although there seem to be plenty of dolphins in these waters, all the sightings have been some distance from the ship.

Seeing the sea lions in their natural setting was one of the highlights of our trip so far.

Montevideo, Uraguay

DSCN0581

DSCN0584

River Plate – looks as big as the ocean

Our first port of call since boarding the Emerald Princess was to Montevideo on 2 March.  We chose to take a tour around the city and then on a scenic drive through the seaside villages of Portezuelo and Punta Ballena.  We stopped to see Casapueblo, the cliff-hugging home of one of Uruguay’s most famous artists and then continued to Punta del Este for lunch in one of the most popular seaside resorts in South America.  Lots of large apartments close to the beach each with glass balconies, looking very similar to back home in Australia.

DSCN0587DSCN0619

Our last stop was to the Ralli Museum featuring an impressive collection of contemporary Latin-American art consisting of sculptures and paintings, including works by Salvador Dali.  We had time to explore the different rooms, patios and gardens.  Very interesting.

Montevideo is also known for its proximity to the first naval battle of WWII, the Battle of the River Plate, between the German ship Graf Spee and two British cruisers named Exeter and Ajax.

All in all, we thought that this excursion, with its’ mix of modern and traditional, was quite a nice overview of Montevideo.

Hola from South America

Buenos Aires

DSCN0382DSCN0436DSCN0426

Here we are at last, with a 13-hour flight behind us.   We were very pleased to find that our hotel, The Intercontinental, was an excellent choice; spacious and very comfortable.  Could not speak highly enough of the staff and we would stay here again.

Buenos Aires cast its’ spell on us straight away.  No time for jet lag, we were keen to explore and when I mentioned that I was keen to try “real” tapas, the hotel provided a minivan to take us to a nearby restaurant.    We had no Spanish, the waiter had no English, but in no time, he was cooking various delicious dishes with very fresh ingredients and bringing them over for us to try.

Buenos Aires is such a city of contrasts.  Wide boulevards, old world architecture, luxury apartments and dog walkers, walking up to a dozen dogs at a time.  Tango cafes, cobblestone lanes and the widest street in the world, the Ave. 9 De Julio.  I counted 10 lanes which we walked across, but I was later told that there are 18-22 lanes!  Impossible to take a photo; groups of lanes are separated by grass strips and places for motorcycles to park.

So pleased we gave ourselves two days before boarding our cruise ship, we had time to explore a few areas if the city, including coffees at Café Tortoni.   This café is so well known and popular, they have a doorman there all the time and there is a tango show each night.

DSCN0476DSCN0477

DSCN0464

The resting place of Eva Peron.

It might sound a bit weird to be sightseeing in a cemetery, but the Recoleta cemetery, located in an exclusive neighbourhood is a virtual city containing 6,400 architecturally diverse mausoleums including the black marble crypt of legendary Eva Peron.

DSCN0407DSCN0411DSCN0406DSCN0396

Another interesting place to visit was La Boca.  This historic district has a strong European flavor, multi-coloured houses, a vibrant street art scene and several tango cafes.

DSCN0443

Lovely flower sculpture.  Opens during the day and closes at night.

DSCN0433

This is a family home built on top of apartment block.

We loved our introduction to South America and found the people welcoming and friendly despite the language differences.  We tried the local beef and found it tender and delicious.  Interestingly, after reading online about large portions of meat being served and not given the option of how we would like the meat cooked, we found the opposite to be the case.   We also enjoyed dulce de leche, a caramel spread that is used inside sweet pastries, frosted onto cakes and was even tucked inside my churros – delicious!