Viking Cruise 2019

DECEMBER 21, 2019 CRUISING THE PACIFIC OCEAN Recuperation day. Time to spare. Speaking of which - do you have some time to spare? Time to do some amazing world travel? Well, this is your lucky day, for I have the websites that will take you all over the planet - and you don't have to leave your home. Dig this....... h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37IqCYVUhcs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5hA2qo2EFc&t=290s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGxwcqy5HUw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICFQS_jpzFY And if you want more, lots more, go to Youtube and enter "amazing places on our planet". That's it. 

DECEMBER 20, 2019 MANTA, ECUADOR Time to head back to the ship. Fly from Cusco to Lima; fly from Lima to Guayaquil; bus to Manta Port where the Viking Sun sits dockside. In Guayaquil each guest was presented with a Panama hat (which originated in Ecuador in 1904). We gave the hats to our two room stewards. The worst part of the day was the interminably long bus ride. When we finally reached port we were welcomed back by a double file of staff including senior management applauding our descent from the bus as we then gratefully accepted a flute of champagne. Naturally, our reaction to all this unexpected attention was to lift our voices and hail 'Hallelujah'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q But wait! You are in for a special Leonard Cohen treat, I mean a truly special treat. Leonard Cohen has received many awards including the Prince of Asturias Award in Spain for communication and humanities. His extemporaneous acceptance speech is one of the most extrao...

DECEMBER 19, 2019 MACHU PICCHU, PERU Finally the day has arrived. Bus to the train, train to the other bus, and there we are an hour and a half later. And this is what we see; the morning fog lifted as the day proceeded:  You are likely more familiar with the classic National Geographic type  photo: What hasn't changed is the place's wondrous magic. We walked the site for three hours spellbound while our guide explained just about everything on site. During the last half hour it rained and the chinese plastic ponchos that were handed out all tore to shreds and became useless. Still, it was a memorable day. If you want the WHOLE  Machu Picchu story, here is a National Graphic one hour video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqipjHdPYM8 For MP's Centenary Anniversary Medwyn Goodall wrote " Machu Picchu ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz5P3MrQgGw  Picchu

DECEMBER 18, 2019 CUSCO, PERU We toured the salt fields in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Maras. This is one of the five places on the planet where pink salt is produced by evaporation. Naturally, you could buy pink salt (among other souvenirs) in any quantity you wanted.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGxh9d16J9c Moving on, we stopped at the Misminay community of 100 where we were instructed in local lore and we also participated in making a condiment sauce by grinding a dozen ingredients using rock rockers on rock tables. The sauce was for the barbecued guinea pig bits we ate. Guinea pig is a popular meal throughout this region - but boney, like rabbit. Karen and I each received an Inca wrist lanyard as a goodbye present.   After an amazing six course outdoor lunch at Huaypo Lagoon our group bussed to the  Chinchero weaving centre. There we learned the intricacies asso...

DECEMBER 17, 2019 CUSCO, PERU We are on our way to Machu Picchu, of course, but it is deemed wise to acclimatize for a day or two in Cusco (pop 600,000).  Cusco is at 11,000 feet while Machu Picchu is at only 8,000 feet. And yes, most of our 70 sightseers did get light-headed at Cusco. But, Karen had brought pills for that. Cusco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXDGt97eNxA We stayed at the Palacio del Inka - room rates begin at USD $998 per night (surely Viking got a hefty discount). Easy to get lost in this palacio, it is that large. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXIiAb9iyQ First stop is the Temple of the Sun, just across the street. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5btdreEAtnA Then it was around the corner to the Catholic Cathedral where  we had to pay USD $9.00 to enter and promised not to take any photos or videos (some religions aren't free). The ultra impressive cathedral which took a total 104 years of labour to build and decorate. If you want to witness o...

DECEMBER 16, 2019 PISCO (GENERAL SAN MARTIN), PERU I can't help looking back at Chile with mixed emotions. Patagonia and the Atacama Desert were definitely impressive landscapes and will be long remembered. The flip side is the unease we feel about what is happening to that country. The Santiago protesters are doing major damage to the economy, not just in Santiago but the effects are being felt in every city and town. The damage is hurting thousands of innocent people in all walks of life, not just the merchants who have had their businesses destroyed. How can that be justified? And political graffiti has become universal. Ugly! All that aside, there is litter and real garbage piles everywhere - in the countryside, along the highways, in town streets, in any open space. What does that say about civic pride? Where I come from we believe that people who live in filth, think filth. A great philosopher once said, "Smart is, as smart does". Chile is in crisis. Rwanda wa...

DECEMBER 15, 2019 CRUISING THE PACIFIC OCEAN Karen and I went to our first Viking Cooking Class. There were twelve of us preparing the various Peruvian courses overseen by a top notch chef. The recipes for the various dishes required so many ingredients and so much seasoning that we laboured for two hours - the recipes were complex, to say the least. Then, we were ready to feast - and feast we did! From quinoa & artichoke shrimp salad to marinated and grilled beef tenderloin skewers to picarones beignets (squash and sweet potato donuts with spice-infused sugar syrup). The meal was accompanied by a white wine from Tuscany and a red wine from Rioja. Deeeeeelicious!  Not surprisingly, we had little inclination to have dinner this evening. As happens from time to time, Viking created a special show in the Star Theatre exclusively for the world and half-world cruisers. The British-themed sketches featured songs and gags hosted by a very special personage - Queen Liz II. Nuf...