Viking Cruise 2019

NOVEMBER 16, 2019 CRUISING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN During my morning walk on the second deck I saw something new - patches of white on the deck - it was salt. And not just a powdery-type salt, there were large, flat grains. They coated the deck, the hand rails, the windows, the walls, everything. Looks like the lads have some work to do this morning. I just finished reading " Bean Counters - The Triumph of The Accountants and How They Broke Capitalism " by Richard Brooks. What an education! This is must reading for anyone who breathes air. https://braveneweurope.com/beancounters-the-triumph-of-the-accountants-and-how-they-broke-capitalism-by-richard-brooks No serious matters or events to report today. Reading time.  Oh, there is one thing. I ran out of my stash of Bundaburg Ginger Beer; that's the mix I use with Crown Royal - wonderful!  Room service reported that they were out of that drink, but they will pick some up for me tomorrow i...

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 SEA DAY Early on it was a typical day - got the daily crossword puzzle for Karen, the daily sudoku for me, had a  sauna, bridge lesson, lunch, finished yesterday's blog, duplicate bridge game - the usual. Later, however, we went to a cocktail party at our neighbours' huge aft suite down the hall. Fourteen folks in their living room with plenty of space to spare. Very nice. Then it was time for a special Brazilian-style dinner at the World Cafe. Naturally that was followed by a Brazil-themed dance on the Pool Deck. The band played crazy loud, but the the dancers didn't mind, they simply turned off their hearing aids. Photo op time arrived. Captain Lars and Entertainment Director Vicki accommodated the swarm of people who wanted souvenir pictures with them. Today we have two music selections, both are courtesy of Suzanne Ciani. She plays her own compositions " Mozart " and " Meeting Mozar ...

NOVEMBER 14, 2019 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL This is the big day - Christ the Redeemer Statue on tap. Although it's misty with a bit of cloud, it is warm and not particularly windy. No apparent need for umbrellas or the rain coats I bought in anticipation of our upcoming visit to Iguazu Falls. The first site scheduled on our 7-hour excursion is Sugarloaf Mountain. From its top there is a perfect 360 degree view of the surrounding areas. Rio is situated amidst a series of tunnel-ridden mountains which form separate boroughs with their individual social and economic characteristics. Here is a photo of  the downtown area with Rio's domestic airport and the 14 kilometer bridge crossing the bay: ... and here's Ipanema, almost a separate city: The difference between these photos and the same scenes on a sunny day is almost like day and night.     Ah well, spit happens. This trip is an adventure and one must take the good ...

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL The last time I visited Rio it was sunny and clear, visibility was forever. This is what we saw as we entered Rio's harbour today, not promising: It got brighter later but a thin cloud cover persisted. Tomorrow we are expecting rain (80%). As we entered R io's bay I looked around - as far as I could see in all directions it was Rio de Janeiro - this is one BIG city. Almost nine million actually - but only the sixth most populous city in South America. The lectures I mentioned previously - well, they are usually more fascinating than I ever expected.  Don't laugh, you had to be there to appreciate this one. This evening Viking brought a local samba club aboard, Samba Cervila, to put on a show for as many as the Star Theatre would hold, about 500. Terrific and gorgeous. The troupe: At its core Rio is samba. Want a sample? Watch : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAiHEQblKeQ MOST IMPORTANTLY ...

NOVEMBER 12, 2019 A SEA DAY HEADING TO RIO Standing by the railing on the 7th deck this morning I watched a seagull called a masked booby as it soared and then spiked into the water for breakfast - small fish and/or squid. It used the updraft of the wind deflected by the ship's port side to aid its flight, seldom needing to flap its wings. Often it flew within eight feet of my hand, a pleasant visit.   Today, Peter Mawby's lecture was titled, " In the Wake of Giants ". In a highly professional fashion he retraced Charles Darwin's voyage on HMS Beagle during his first encounter with the Southern Ocean's wildlife as far as the Falkland Islands. It was more informative and captivating than I expected both in content  and graphics. A top notch lecture! Of course, if you miss it personally, all of Peter's lectures are available on TV in your suite. We are aware that Renaissance paintings often depicted cherubs p...

NOVEMBER 11, 2019 SALVADOR DA BAHIA, BRAZIL For a city that I've never heard of, Salvador da Bahia is a surprisingly large metropolis. Three million people live in this sprawling, modern city. It seems as though there is a catholic church at every street corner, a bit like Starbucks. The photos I took today all disappeared as I was downloading them, so I borrowed a few from the Internet. This is part of the old town where we walked - it was crowded.  Most of the city is on an escarpment above the water. In order to access the escarpment, there are three funiculars and this 73 meter Elevador Lacerda which was built in 1873 - it costs 4 cents to ride up or down.  Also in town is the cruise ship, World Odyssey. You might recall that this ship operated as a floating condominium at one time and sailed wherever the owners decided. I guess that concept passed its expiry date for the ship now sails under its new flag "Seminar a...

NOVEMBER 10, 2019 STILL CRUISING THE ATLANTIC Our breakfast view from the aft dining deck - the hot tub and infinity pool get only moderate use (fortunately) - the clientele are well advanced in years.... ya know what ahm sayin'? There is a similar pool at the fore deck as well as the main central pool and a large bubble pool in the spa area. Every day there are guest lectures available. The subjects range from local culture to international politics. Here is Hugh Neighbour, formerly a diplomat with the US State Department, explaining the intricacies of South American diplomacy.  Today we passed two of Brazil's offshore drilling rigs which were accompanied by two oil tankers and three tug boats. Flying near our ship were the world's largest sea birds, the albatross - they, like many other birds,  spend most of their lives over water. But the champion of distance flown each year is the Sooty Shearwater; it flies a remarkable 40,000 miles ...