What a day we had yesterday. Drama, mishap, mystery and intrigue. I started my day off preparing for my time outside on the deck in freezing weather for the next few days. Silky long johns are ready, sweater, jeans, down jacket, snow boots, arctic hat and gloves. That is my ensemble for the outer decks

I went to the Lido for breakfast and was sitting with my young Scottish friend. A wave or swell hit the ship just before we rounded the horn and we listed to starboard for quite some seconds before the ship righted itself. A lady close to me was thrown from her chair and as far as I know she is ok. Dishes, coffee and orange juice went flying everywhere. The list was at least to the Main Deck which is where my cabin is located.

After this occurrence just when the Captain is blowing the whistle to indicate we were at the place where the Pacific joins the Atlantic it started to snow. This is quite a sight when you are aboard a ship in the middle of an ocean. I did receive another certificate for rounding the horn and it is also suitable for framing.

The rest of the day was quite uneventful ; went to the chef presentation and the lecture on the Antarctic (I have tried to go to all the lectures about the Antarctic since I am quite ignorant on this subject.). Took a nap and then got ready for the evening festivities. I was attending the Mystery Dinner at the Pinnacle Restaurant and we started off by going to the party for our high school reunion. There were a lot of characters at the reunion party including Agnes Crabapple, the school librarian, Nate Nurdley, the victim, Mario Testosteroni, the detective, Venus Mantrap and many more.

The dinner was very good with lobster and fillet as the main course. I was seated with another couple, Diane and her husband, and Agnes Crabapple. The lights went out and Nate Nurdley was murdered in the kitchen. It seemed like everyone got in character and played along. When Agnes was being questioned I, of course, stepped in as her attorney and advised her to keep her mouth shut. After all the main characters were questioned and all were accusing each other of the dirty deed, we voted on who was guilty. We came up with Jaques Strappe as the guilty party with I might add, a little coaxing by Agnes. AND, the killer was Agnes Crabapple. As she was hauled away, I shouted keep your mouth shut. I don’t have a good photo of Agnes as she moved when I took the shot.

I went back to my cabin and my key wouldn’t work so I was on my way to the front desk to have it re-zapped when a code red was called. The ship’s crew were racing to get to the Explorer’s Lounge. I heard later someone had choked on an olive but they were all right.

When I first started my blog I was very uncomfortable posting. I had to use a cheat sheet and as you all know had a little difficulty with posting photos due to my own techno-dyslexia and just plain stupidity. You will all be so proud of me. I no longer use a cheat sheet. I no longer feel uncomfortable making my way from “my stuff” to internet connections of “my blog” and have become a super cyber chick. I now even use the internet cafes with ease. It is true that you learn by doing.

Had a short tour of Ushuaia (You shoe I a) including an old prison. The wind was bitterly cold but quite pleasant when in a sheltered area. The city is surrounded by mountains with snow. Actually, the city reminded me of Vevey, Switzerland, close to where my daughter, Dana, lives. I could not resist this photo. This is a working heater in the prison fueled by natural gas. This cat didn’t move from its napping spot even with at least 100 people wandering around.

I have mentioned all the nice people I’ve met but like on all cruises or in all situations there is at least one not so nice person. We had our sail away up in the Crow’s Nest when leaving Punta Arenas. This was suppose to take place about 7:00 pm so I was ready for dinner and looked quite presentable in red sweater with silver accents, midcalf black wool skirt and *!@# stomping boots. In other words I looked very cute. As I walked in I spoke to several people I knew at the bar but because there is smoking there I chose not to sit at the bar but I didn’t see anyone at the tables that I knew. I walked over to the cushions that are located aft by the windows and sat down. There was a couple sitting at a table some distance (at least 6 feet) from the cushion but I was sitting at the corner of “their” area. The man asked me “Do you plan to sit there?” To which I replied “Well, I guess so.” He then said “You are blocking our view.” I said “Sorry” and moved over. He then said “You are still blocking our view.” I moved over some more. Now, you have to understand that I was not even remotely blocking their view. About that time the people at the table next to me invited me over to sit with them. I nearly knocked them over as I jumped from where I was sitting at their suggestion. I later told them what they had saved me from and they were so irate that they loudly proclaimed in no uncertain terms what I should have said to him. At that point he and his silent wife left.

Sail away wasn’t on time as the overland tour to Antarctica was late getting back to the ship due to the airplane having mechanical problems. This overland cost $4800 for a single person and lasted 11 hours including 5 hours on the ground in Antarctica. In other words to have bragging rights that you stepped on the ground in Antarctica it cost you $4800.

I had not planned a tour at Punta Arenas but my new friend, Joan, has been fighting a secondary infection from a cold (sounds familiar to me) and gave me her tour ticket because she didn’t feel up to taking the tour. I really enjoyed the tour. We went to the “end of the world” which really is the last point of the South American Continent. Ushuaia is the most southern city but since it is on an Island it doesn’t count according to our Chilean guide. Of, course, our Argentinean guide disputed this. Apparently there is a certain amount of rivalry between the two countries for bragging rights.

Magellan is the hero or possibly the villain of Punta Arena and this is his monument in the main square. Lots of music and dancing and the obligatory shopping stalls were also in the square. Ellen, another new friend, helped me negotiate the prices on a couple of Kayden and Kylie purchases. These are my two little grand babies.

Another new friend, Peggy, is notorious for turning purchases into fashion statements such as wearing a table cloth over her shoulders or a table runner tucked into a belt. No one thought it strange that she found this fur hat with feathers standing straight up and bought it. She did plan to take the large ostrich feather out of the hat so you could more readily see the rest of the feathers.

I mention my new friends. I have met numerous people who are most friendly and we are hitting it off famously. The three I have mentioned are also CSI clients but I could and will mention more in the future that are not CSI people and yet we have become friendly. Next episode will detail a run in with a not so nice chap.

We have had cold weather while cruising in the Golfo Corcovado and the Darwin Channel. Seemed to warm up around the Amalia Glacier but turned quite nippy again around the Straits of Magellan.. It then got very windy and cold in the Patagonian channels and Canal Cockburn. I will cover Punta Arenas and Ushuaia in two separate posts. There is not much to say about just cruising in this area of the world. Magnificent, majestic awesome, great. Ok, that is it.

I have a tour later today so I have some time to catch up on my blogging. How is it you can be so busy doing nothing. Cruising is like retirement. Never enough time in the day to get everything done.

A couple of events to commemorate before I get busy on Puerta Montt. My girls turn 28 years of age today and they have now been a part of my life for 17 years. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Rachael and Robin. Laura, John and Grace Topping ‘s youngest girl, and Michael’s youngest niece, just graduated and is now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and destined for Germany. Grace sent photos and she does look radiant. CONGRATULATIONS Laura. Way to go.

Also, I just read the comments to my next to last post and Congratulations to Charlie and Don on booking the WC on the Queen Mary for 2011. Thinking that far in advance while on another ship for another WC makes my head hurt. Next time I am in an internet café I will look at the itinerary.

Puerta Montt was almost a mile from where our tenders dropped us. It was such a pleasant day I decided to walk and I was very pleased I did so Just a lazy walk along side the water with a couple of parks along the way. I walked around the town , which was not for tourists, but for the locals. Weather held for the walk back a couple of hours later. And, that was it.

Once you get behind writing it is hard to catch up. I have at least two more episodes after this one to complete before my tour tomorrow.

The Antarctic Orange Ball is what it is called. The Antarctic is all white so they use Orange to mark humans and things to be able to see them. Thus we have the theme for the ball. Most everyone wore a splash of orange. The photo is of Melvin, one of my tablemates and Dowd, our cute waiter with the obligatory orange stocking cap and orange bowtie for good measure.

I have played bingo a few times and have won three times for a total of $86. This is what you call big time bingo, cruising style.

HAL has given us some nice gifts. A beautiful log book, navy blue stocking cap and scarf with the HAL logo, a nautical map of the straits and horn and I received my **pin. I don’t think it gives me much more in benefits than my *pin. CSI gave us a light blue fleece jacket and large tote bag back at the Westin Hotel.
The gifts have been good quality.

Met three more people who were on the QE2 but I only recognized one of them. All very nice people and a lot of fun.

CSI threw a great party for us. Apparently there are 170 of us doing the world and we are now at 169 after Gloria’s death. I met a lady at the party named Shirley. She is sharp, witty and a real kick. Birthdays came up and I mentioned I would turn 70 on the cruise. She looked at me and said “Young lady, I could be your mother.” She is turning 90 in November. Even though she walks with a walker she sure doesn’t show it in any way. I now call her mom. Another gal sitting with us also indicated that she could be my mother. Even though she looks 75 she is 85. Still sits at the bar and has her smoke. Our Captain (who is young, good looking and personable) came over to say hello to us and shook my hand as I was the newbie at the table.

The Amsterdam’s speed is at 22.5 knots and I remember the QE2 was capable of about 10 knots faster. QE2 is over 90,000 tons; Amsterdam 61,000. QE2 965 feet long; Amsterdam 780. Width about the same. QE2 holds 2,058 guests; Amsterdam 1,380. We are not full and after Buenos Aires we will have around 800 passengers on board. No lines, no waits for elevators, and food gets to our table hot and fast.

I now realize I used the wrong word; I should have used the word nobility and not royalty . I would enjoy having more nobility on board such as Lord Kay but alas, that is not to be.

For those of you posting on my face book, because of the costs of internet time I am not using my face book. Use the comment section of my blog and contact me there in stead. For those of you shocked shocked at my having a face book site you can just think of me as cyber chick .

Valparaiso is not one of my favorite cities and I had toured there before. The most memorable thing to me about Valparaiso was the containers at the dock. They were piled so high and looked like skyscrapers with streets between rows of them. That was two years ago. Look at the port now and you can see the difference in the worldwide economy.

We are now on our way to Isla Robinson Crusoe which is a part of Chili. This is where Daniel DeFoe got his inspiration for his book based on the experiences and/or legends of Alexander Selkirk. Seas are quite high so unless they are calmer next to the island there is no way the Captain is going to allow a tender. We are rocking and rolling and have had a degree of this for about 12 hours. Thirty to forty knot winds. I am in my element. As I am writing about this the Captain just announced unless the bay is calmer we won‘t be able to tender so we are in a wait and see mode.

The Captain did maneuver the ship to give us more protection from the wind and we were able to tender to shore. Lovely island; very clean and no hovels. High peaks and lush greenery a welcome relief to the big cities. It would be fun to stay here for a month or so.