ALBATROSS Reaches for the SUN

Rambling notes recall the high and a (very) few low lights on a happy ship that sailed March 1/09 from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso. Inclement weather is often a factor on this Cape Horn run but the Norwegian Sun must have had contacts with the other sun as we had but one day of serious rain. The Sun was great, and so was the weather. The ports and en route sights, remarkable. What's left to say? I'll try to be brief and note please, that my observations are naturally subjective. B.A. Arrived four days early and the city needs that as the sights and size are seemingly endless. Stayed at the Hilton in the new "old port." Excellent value. Victor and Charles at the concierge desk were uber helpful. Take the ninth floor facing the city for skyline views. Being a photographer I'll dwell on angles. Break up a hot day with a dip in the rooftop pool. The hotel to Plaza Mayo (center) is a 10 minute stroll. We did the bus tour day one and Victor arranged a reasonably priced private car to take us back to our preferred areas on day two though taxis (radio cab) are very cheap. Saturday the locals go to the the Delta (train) and take tours on the canals in lovely old wood planked tour boats. Pictures at every turn. I recommend a compact camera with both HD video and 10x zoom such as the Panasonic Lumix. I also used more professional gear but in B.A. Valparaiso and Santiago the risk of theft is high, especially for women. Spoke to a tourist who was in a "safe" area of Valparaiso when robbed. She fell to the ground and her husband coming to her aid tripped on a cobblestone and cracked his shoulder blade. Avoid jewelry, carry only funds needed, a credit card and a copy of your passport. At start and ending ports you have to take a transit by bus but things flowed smoothly.

Our first port, Montevideo, just across the wide LaPlatte Riverwas (for us) a small version of Buenos Aires with the addition of a stretch of parkland lining a sandy beach on a bay. For touring in general there are three routes. NCI excursions at a premium but usually fail safe. Mini bus/van tours you book on the web or sign up for as you exit the ship at generally half or less the ship price or gambling on finding a cabbie with a grasp of english. We'd find a compatible couple to share the cost 4 ways and always found a reasonably bilingual cabbie. The benefit was you could stop where and when you wanted and if the weather was inclement scuttle the trip without cost. Carnivores should try the indoor resto market near the dock for cold beer and mounds of colorful atmosphere. Then came a sea day and time to explore the Sun and her offerings. The first came on the balcony of our cabin 9265 in the form of a sociable albatross who happily rested in one of our deck chairs. Julio (as we called him) didn't want to leave even when we raised his chair to rail level. Eventually the environmental officer took him to the bow of the ship where he flew off that night. To his knowledge this was the first time the Sun played host to an albatross. The cabin was well arranged and my wife who packs what we need then doubles that, found a home for everything. The mattress was a tad on the firm side and the "huggable" pillows were anything but. Our room stewards, au contraire, were very huggable. We tried the buffet breakfast and discovered what others have mentioned. It's a feeding frenzy, morning, noon and night. Gratuitous gluttony unleashed, albeit tasty if you can find a seat. We normally opted for the traditional dining rooms where the wait staff created a more leisurely experience. Go for the fresh pressed OJ, the free alternative contains water and some questionable coloring. Puerto Madryn in Patagonia seasonally offers penguins and/or whales. Wales on the other hand is an all season event if you go to Gaiman settled by the Welsh in the 19th century with many traditions and tea houses intact. We visited the Punta Tombo rookery with more magellan penguins then you can toss a kipper at. It's a 2.5 hour trek each way over vegetation challenged scrub land that rises and falls in plains. For the sake of comfort make it a bus not a mini-van which you are often shoe-horned into. Another relaxing sea day followed. Compared to other ships, we noted the casino was, hey, a casino The shops were, well, shops. The spa (such indulgence) comes with a caveat. Prices are steep and the 25% discount card in our cabin for the first visit , extended to only one person. I got the discount and my wife who had double the treatments and costs got the full tab. Plus they'll gently (be fore- warned) recommend post spa essentials. Having been delivered of a deep body massage by arguably the worlds most stunningly beautiful masseuse how could I say no to a potpourri care package of eco friendly lotions and sprays guaranteed to remove all the wrinkles and bulges in my wallet. Welcome to Port Stanley and the Falkland Islands. WARNING. If there is one expensive ship tour to take. Take note. It's here. Don't worry about the limp state of your post masseuse wallet. This tour you'll have booked BEFORE you've left home. It's the King Penguin tour and sells out fast. How expensive? It'll cost more than that 10x compact leica lens camera I recommended and be worth every King of it. Beside the Kings, the magellans and gentoos are mere foot notes. But when walking they all have notable feet. Think Charlie Chaplin exiting the scene. Read more