There and Back Again by D.A.Webb

I had been putting it off, but the day finally arrived. My wisdom tooth was not getting better and something had to be done. It all started Saturday before leaving for the trip. While eating cereal, I lost a filling in my wisdom tooth. Luckily Dr. Scharfenberger, our family dentist worked me in between appointments. It was a complicated case as the tooth was in poor shape and had splayed roots. A proper restoration or extraction would require a specialist. I needed to leave in three days for the cruise and there just wasn't enough time. I opted to replace the filling in hopes it would last until we returned. Sadly, it did not. Thankfully Royal Caribbean added a well qualified dentist to the World Cruise medical staff. Information travels quickly on a cruise ship and I heard good things about Dr. Nathaly our ship's dentist. She had all the necessary credentials so I scheduled an appointment. Dr. Nathaly was very thorough and presented the same options I heard months before. This...

Enjoyed an afternoon of classic walkabout street photography with a splash of architecture to add perspective.

We spent two days and nights docked in Lima and spent the first day resting and enjoying the harbor sights. The port was busier than most shuffling containers about, but then about eleven the real show started. I always enjoyed photographing pelicans, but typically only see one or two snoozing on a post. When they do fly off, I am seldom ready. Birds in flight are always a challenge. Today a school of bait fish surfaced just outside our balcony and about three dozen pelicans flew in for lunch. The show lasted about thirty minutes and was nonstop excitement. Nothing like being in the right place at the right time.

Today's tour is less about culture and more about nature as we ventured into Paracas National Reserve. Like so many of our South American ports, Serenade shares the port with cargo vessels and buses shuttle passengers between ship and customs. Obviously this is for safety concerns, but they probably anticipated my getting lost in the maze of stacked cargo containers.  Once on the tour bus, we exited the port and expected to see a busy metropolis. We saw nothing but sand and sky. We were in the desert headed for Paracas National Reserve.  We chose this tour based on the reserve's unique seashore. I had never experienced an interaction between desert and ocean and figured it would be a lesson in extremes. There are many challenges. This is 'Tour Photography' which is much like 'Street Photography' in that the photographer has no control over light, subject or time of day. Today the main subjects are desert and ocean. Both receive harsh mid day sun. Both ...

After leaving the glaciers, icebergs and fjords behind, we headed towards the equator along the western coast of South America. As expected the South Pacific gradually calmed and the weather quickly changed from biting winter squalls to inviting summer breezes. All was good onboard, but ashore something was drastically different. Most ports were surrounded by deserts.  One might expect the coastal climates of North and South America to be similar. Both border the Pacific with major mountain ranges inland. They reside in different hemispheres, but that only accounts for the opposing seasons. The difference is most North American coasts receive significant rainfall resulting in lush green environments, while most South American coasts receive little rainfall resulting in vast deserts. Don't take my word for it, check out the greens and browns in Google Maps satellite view. We know this difference exists, but why? There must be another factor drastically affecting rainfall.  The ...

Today's excursion was a cultural tour to Codpa Village. The bus ride was enjoyable and at times seemed like we were traveling into the past. As we drove towards the mountains, we entered the Atacama Desert and after two hours reached an elevation of 7,076 feet and the hidden valley containing Codpa village. The village's central structure is a 16th century Spanish church surrounded by additional buildings completing the village of about 1,000 residents. Traditionally they were self-sufficient, but now days rely on weekly resupply runs for additional necessities. Their local school provides primary education for the village kids and those in surrounding areas. The guest students arrive each Monday by bus, spend the week attending school and return home on Friday. Graduating students often leave the community seeking opportunities outside those found in the community. The 16th century Church of San Martin de Tours is the main village structure and one of many important mis...

With the ship docked in Valparaiso, our excursion headed inland to Chile's Capitol and largest city, Santiago. It had everything we learned to expect in South America, but what caught my eye was the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago. Despite many earthquakes and wars, the current structure looked immaculate with no signs of disrepair. It was obviously old, well respected and maintained, but why?  The current Metropolitan Cathedral was completed in 1800 and is probably the fifth and possibly the seventh structure in that location. In any case, it all began in 1541 when the first structure was built and later destroyed that same year. Given the current Cathedral's immaculate condition and past reconstruction efforts, Christianity is obviously well accepted and an important part of the community. Why is this so and how did it happen? The answer is linked to Spanish colonization.  Spain's obvious colonization goals were to extract gold and silver from the Americas, stim...

As we continue sailing north, everything begins returning to normal. No glaciers, icebergs, fjords or angry skies to photograph. Winds are calm, decks are open with no worries of being blown over board. Seas are calm, waves are tolerable and walking the halls is no longer a contact sport. Temperatures are pleasant, pools are open and active. Sleeping is back on schedule along with the sun rises and sunsets. Life is good especially since mother nature quit with all the drama. Normality has returned.

An untold secret used by many landscape photographers is to replace skies with something more exciting. Within Photoshop, it is an automated process beginning with selection of the replacement sky from a library and ending with manual refinements to optimize results. When done properly, the images are fantastic. The world cruise seemed like a perfect opportunity to create a custom sky library. Since we have a balcony suite, capturing those early morning and late evening shots can be accomplished in comfortable PJs. The library is growing with a wide selection of skies. The attached example demonstrates not all skies have to be dramatic. Just like life, sometimes it is better to just blend in.

As we traveled up the western coast of South America, the Pacific Ocean was more than a bit choppy.  Lucky for us, an alternate route through the fjords and channels offered protection from the open sea and a more comfortable ride.  It definitely was not a short cut, but was scenic and offered better sleeping accommodations.

When Punta Arenas' port closed, Captain turned the Ship around and began executing plan B. We headed into the fjords seeking shelter and glaciers. Despite the misty cold weather, the scenery was breathtaking. After six hours the Captain announced we had arrived. Alberto de Agostini National Park was worth the trip.

Despite Punta Arenas' weather forecast not looking favorable, we again headed to port in hopes of improvement. Shortly before arrival, local authorities closed the port to all ships. Not to be undone, the Captain put plan B into effect. Although I have never been to Punta Arenas, I doubt it could top the day's new activities.

Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world. Originally inhabited by indigenous peoples like the Yaghan, it later became a penal colony in the early 20th century. Over time, Ushuaia transformed into a hub for exploration and tourism, known for its stunning natural landscapes and proximity to Antarctica. It officially became a city in 1985, and today, it continues to attract visitors seeking adventure and unique experiences in the southernmost region of South America.

On our first day in Ushuaia we caught a catamaran and ventured 40 miles east to Martillo Island on the Beagle Channel. The channel is part of the south American fjord system and serves as a major east west shipping artery between the Atlantic an Pacific Oceans. Today we explored the channel's natural beauty and wildlife. The scenery was outstanding and included clear blue waters, high ragged mountains, snowy peaks and islands teaming with wildlife. During our short four hour cruise we visited several penguin rookeries and sighted Magellanic, Gentoo and King penguins. Some of the same islands also hosted sea lions and seals busily relaxing on the rocks or playing in the surf. There was never a dull moment. If the skies weren't showcasing cormorants and sea gulls, the seas were showcasing whales and dolphins. Ushuaia is a highly recommended destination teaming with natural beauty and wildlife.

Cape Horn marks the southernmost point of South America and is known for its challenging maritime conditions, including strong winds and turbulent seas. The cape gained prominence during the age of exploration in the 17th and 18th centuries when European navigators sought new trade routes between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Even today many ships still faced perilous conditions, earning the cape a reputation as a maritime hazard. Our visit was met with a dreary cold rainy day. The winds were blowing, but conditions were not a challenge for Serenade of the Seas. The conditions did fuel grade school memories when I first learned about the cape. As back then, I thought about how brave those early explorers were sailing into the unknown. I thought about the small wooden ships and how many failed to return home. Now I find it curious how small bits of knowledge planted so many years ago, surface from the depths and tie the past with the present. The mind is a strange creation.

The forecast for Stanley, Falkland Islands called for high winds making tender operations dangerous. In hopes the weather might improve, we traveled to Stanley, but upon arrival found conditions were still not favorable. Our visit was cancelled and we headed onward to Cape Horn.

Today is our second encounter with Drake's Passage and so far a much better experience.  Definitely cool and cloudy weather, but no washing machine action in the main dining room.  Obviously we paid our dues the first trip and now are blessed with smooth passage.  Next up is tender operations at Falkland Islands.

The Antarctica portion of our voyage ends with a passing view of Point Wild, Elephant Island. The Captain, with his authoritative Norwegian accent, retold the Shackleton's adventure as only a captain could. It seemed like Shackleton himself was speaking, telling his story, bringing history to life.  Although not visible offshore, Point Wild has several monuments and plaques celebrating the Endurance survivors. To summarize, one inscription reads:  "Here on August 30th, 1916, the Chilean Navy cutter Yelcho commanded by Pilot Luis Pardo Villalón rescued the 22 men from the Shackleton Expedition who survived the wreck of the Endurance living for four and one half months in this Island".

Elephant Island entered the history books as an unplanned part of Ernest Shackleton's 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Shackleton and his crew sought refuge on Elephant Island after their ship, the Endurance, was crushed by ice in 1915. The island provided temporary shelter until Shackleton and a small group of men embarked on a daring rescue mission, reaching South Georgia Island, Falkland Islands and eventually rescuing the entire crew. Even today over one hundred years later, the island looks foreboding.

Known for its glaciated mountains, whales and penguins, Paradise Bay has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in Antarctica. First visited and eventually named by whalers in the early 20th century, the British were first to establish a permanent research station in 1920. When whaling ended so did most human visitation giving Paradise Bay back to nature. Protected by extreme arctic weather and the treacherous Drake's Passage, little has changed in Paradise Bay since the beginning. Ships provide the only means of access. There are no lavish hotels or tourist attractions. Strict international regulations are enforced to protect the environment. Cold raw nature is what visitors expect from Paradise Bay and it definitely delivers.

As we progressed south the days grew longer and the sun rose earlier. Officially sunrise happened at 3:39 AM, but the skies woke up much earlier. Twilight seemed to last forever unlike the tropics where night went to day with the flip of a switch. These latitudes mess with everything including my sleep. The drapes where open revealing calmer seas and drab skies. The temperature was about 30° and there had been snow. I contemplated more sleep, but couldn't pull it off. Thoughts of our visit to Antarctica took precedence and burned up several more hours. I don't recall the exact sequence, but I ended up on the balcony photographing our first iceberg in PJs and a windbreaker. Some people will do anything for a photo and I obviously belong to the club. Luckily I was dressed when the captain announced we were approaching an iceberg with arches. He suggested everyone head for their favorite viewing location while he positioned the ship and commenced a pirouette maneuver. He did and e...

Drake's Passage is the body of water separating the Pacific and Atlantic oceans between South America and Antarctica.  First traversed by Willem Schouten during a 1616 expedition, the passage later became an important maritime route during the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unpredictable weather and challenging conditions have contributed to its reputation as one of the most demanding waterways in the world.  With the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, vessels had a shorter and less dangerous route and could finally avoid Drake's Passage. Serenade of the Seas spent the day crossing Drake's Passage on its way to Antarctica.  Captain Stig Nilsen warned us things would get rough.  The swimming pools were drained and outside decks were closed to passengers.  All outdoor lounge chairs were secured.  The ship pitched and rolled all day.  Walking in a straight line and not running into anything was impossible.  Walking on Deck 13 was beyon...

Puerto Madryn has 'something special' which to the casual observer is obscure and might be overlooked. Some might consider it a weakness. It definitely exists and if embraced by other communities could prove beneficial. First I want to point out my observations are from a small sampling and by no means scientific or representative of the entire region. The observations are more of a general feeling, observed life style or attitude demonstrated by the individuals encountered. Likewise, there wasn't a single observation, but rather a series of somewhat unrelated events. Perhaps the best way to explain is to recap the day. The tour began with a two and a half hour bus ride from Puerto Madryn's port to the penguin rookery. Since Puerto Madryn is within Argentina, they too experienced runaway inflation, economic downturn and radical political change. As noticed earlier, these conditions typically lead to increased crime, declining living conditions and struggling econ...

The Puerto Madryn excursion was all about the ‘Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery’. Our tour guide Claudea and driver Richard were a great team teaching us about the area's history, culture and people. There was definitely ‘Something Special’ in the narrative, but for me, remained elusive until much later. More on that in the next post, but now it is time for the penguins. Punta Tombo is home to the Magellanic Penguin and their largest breeding colony in the world. Current estimates indicate 210,000 adult pairs mate yearly.  Males arrive to build nests in September.  Females arrive in October to check the nests and if unacceptable change mates.  The couples produce two chicks of which only one survives. Those not succumbing to the elements or predators have a life expectancy of 30 years. The Rookery is not a manmade or controlled environment. It is the birds natural breeding grounds of which we are visitors. For this reason, there are strict rules of engagement. All visit...

Change is inevitable. Just as plans come together, things change. Today Captain Stig Nilsen announced another World Cruise itinerary update. To avoid severe weather, we will be skipping the Falkland Islands and heading straight to Antarctica. The Falkland's will be picked up before resuming north in the Pacific. Not all change is bad. Change is part of life and learning to cope is a valuable life skill. Some parents avoid moving so the kids don't have to change schools. The change could be disruptive. That is definitely true, but may not be all bad. During the first six years of my primary education our family moved eight times and I attended six different schools in two different states. Obviously it was difficult, but I adjusted. The experience taught me to accept change, adjust to new situations and move forward. The experience yielded new skills utilized thought my careers in computer science and data analytics. Change is not that bad, but failure to cope is always worse. ...

Birthdays are strange days in that their importance changes with age. During the informative years they were extra special. Unlike Christmas and other major holidays, birthdays were unique and belonged strictly to the individual. Everyone had that one special day for a party with family and friends celebrated with gifts, cake and ice cream. Lots of great memories. Years come and go and birthdays loose their importance. Many try to forget the day figuring Father Time and aging will pass them by. Let me tell you, it doesn't work. Later in life birthday's start becoming important again. They become a time for reflecting on the past, looking forward to the future and ensuring every moment counts. Late life birthdays, including this one, are often full of surprises. The utmost surprise is seeing another year. The next is family and friends finding a moment to celebrate the day while Joan and I travel the globe. The ultimate surprises came from those new in my life, those ch...

When ambition exceeds capability, reality intercedes and it's time to recharge. That is precisely the situation today. No real issues, just the realization this cruise is a marathon, not a sprint. The old body is slower recovering, so why push the limits? Is there really something I must prove to myself or others? What really does matter in life? Wish I had learned this lesson earlier. I would have spent less time chasing my tail getting nowhere. Ricky Nelson probably expressed this best with "You can't please everyone so you gotta please yourself."

The tour began with a drive from Argentina's largest city, Buenos Aires to the Tigre Delta region. The area is unique with it's many lowland islands and a community of homes on stilts. With only rivers and no roads, one of the unique challenges for the community is receiving common goods and services from the mainland. This is primarily accomplished by specialty vessels include but are not limited to supermarket boats, bottled water boats, taxi boats, police boats, ambulance boats, garbage boats, school bus boats, etc. Basically everything required for daily life is delivered by a flotilla of shallow draft specialty boats or your own private boat. Not many years ago the Delta's livelihood was agrarian based. This changed when city folks, seeking a simpler life, rediscovered the Delta region. The area soon transformed into a weekend getaway featuring short-term rentals offering peace, quiet and an assortment of water activities. The area adapted and has been transformed i...

Today we chose "Birdwatching in the Wetlands of Montevideo" as our excursion. We knew serious birders prefer early mornings and late evenings, but we aren't that serious and booked the tour. Our guide, Adrian was not only knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but also a pleasure to be around. We visited a wetland pond, lake and estuary beach all while being treated to refreshing water, fruits and snacks. In all, the group spotted and identified 68 different species in four short hours. Adrian would hear a bird song, identify the species, play the appropriate bird call coaxing it out, scope the bird and then present information from his birding manual. We all took turns peeking through his scope. He spotted birds in the bush most of us had problems locating even with his help. He was also proficient with birds in flight. Joan figured he could spot one approaching from Africa. We learned about mating habits, nesting techniques, migration patterns and probably things the bird...

Traveling is one of the best ways to meet interesting people. No special skills required. People just pop up and enrich the trip. Investing time in others usually results in productive and memorable experiences. Sometimes not so much. On the Rio excursion I had one of those memorable opportunities and chance meetings. We'll call him Mr. Zorn because although our paths crossed several times, we never had the opportunity for a meaningful conversation. The shore day had gotten off to a rough start. We had ticketing issues, excursion departure time confusion and Joan required a second adjustment to her medical device. Let me be clear, these were not Royal Caribbean issues. They were all our issues. Despite the challenges, after a long walk on a short pier we made it to the bus on time. Everything was finally progressing smoothly. We could relax on the large comfortable bus and enjoy the tour. Although it was hot and humid outside, the bus A/C handled it well blasting out pl...

We had two years from when we booked the trip until embarking in Miami December 10, 2023. During that time, life kept us busy, planning progressed and friends shared their thoughts. A common topic was time management on ship days. The concern was finding things to do when stuck aboard ship. Perhaps the best explanation is sharing an average ship day. 5:00 AM - The day started with typical activities for people my age. Our port side balcony was positioned perfectly for viewing sunrise, so I grabbed a few sky replacement shots. Sent text messages to UPS pals Reg W. and Dave H. Joan and I discussed and planned the days activities. The idea for today's blog entry emerged. 7:00 AM - Windjammer deck 11 for brand muffin and coffee. Grabbed the usual table should travel buddy 'Ansel' Pete make it in for breakfast. Joe, my Safari partner, made contact regarding an upcoming 'Townhall Meeting'. Unable to make the meeting, I would take notes and share with him later. Started wo...

This New Year's Eve we spent on ship about half a mile east of Copacabana Beach. We weren't alone, from my count there must have been another six or seven cruise ships doing exactly the same thing, just sitting, patiently waiting for the Brazilian's to do their thing. At midnight it began. The entire two and a half mile beech lit up with fireworks. It was relentless, colorful shells choreographed to perfection. Rockets ascended while others burst creating colorful overlapping rosettes with the beech, buildings, Rio, mountains and Christ the Redeemer as the backdrop. The early Brazilian summer cooperated. In twelve short minutes it all fell silent with only memories and a cloud of smoke indicating something significant once existed. Good bye 2023. Thank you for the memories now part of times gone past. Hello 2024. Looking forward to all you have to offer, the good and the not so good. It takes both to make life meaningful. Experiencing both is how we gain understa...