tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34844827650335320672024-03-05T04:36:07.192-08:00Goldring Travel's Making Waves - Candid Cruise & Travel Info - (877) 2GO-LUXURYLuxury and Experiential Travel - Delivered! Goldring Travel provides our clients with extraordinary travel experiences with exceptional value. Enjoy our blog and all it has to offer; travel industry executives do! Consider this: If Goldring Travel provides this much candid opinion and analysis here, imagine how much more Eric Goldring will have to offer when you call or email when considering your next travel experience (land or cruise)! Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comBlogger1170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-87450065822003072912022-07-22T09:30:00.003-07:002022-07-23T08:34:47.364-07:00Seabourn 's Outrageous & Vindictive Conduct - It Is Time For You to Abandon the Seabourn Ship<p><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">Goldring Travel's Website is Temporarily Down, but WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS! <i>(And I am temporarily posting from my old blog...so I am not going to be silenced! š)</i></span></p><p><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-g1lKkfuBDYEOJxhF8eq2eNJr68X5HLKzObU_QlJIjAtxMgxiP-XC6TiXM0-o_wgvIqqnWLRah3-U4abfTU4NVqXctDE4hC7KqVRA-nOF1pkbSUHba0I_WhL05n-2rrzo9ccCS5VXMS-Mpq3_Hd4jjXpbg3MVAwtMRnosRevKUHr7U08NA_0OO6glA/s2048/Goldring%20Profile%20Ponant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-g1lKkfuBDYEOJxhF8eq2eNJr68X5HLKzObU_QlJIjAtxMgxiP-XC6TiXM0-o_wgvIqqnWLRah3-U4abfTU4NVqXctDE4hC7KqVRA-nOF1pkbSUHba0I_WhL05n-2rrzo9ccCS5VXMS-Mpq3_Hd4jjXpbg3MVAwtMRnosRevKUHr7U08NA_0OO6glA/s320/Goldring%20Profile%20Ponant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><p><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p>Why? Because yesterday </span><em style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;">Seabourn - temporarily - caused the Goldring Travel website to be shutdown over a claim that I used two (2) photographs </span></strong></em><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">- on only three of the over 2,000 webpages - that Seabourn now claims their use violates its copyrights and trademarks. Again, this was done without notice to me. Seriously,</span><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><em style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">Seabourn is being that petty and that vindictive.</span></strong></em><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px;">I have been dealing with what I perceive as </span><em style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Seabourn and Holland America dancing on the very thin line between Arrogance, Incompetence, and Dishonesty</span></span></strong></em><span face="Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px;">. You need to decide for yourselves if you want to give your money to such companies and, possibly more important to you, if you trust Seabourn to deliver the luxury cruise experience (from pre-cruise to cruise to post-cruise) you have purchased or may purchase in the future.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">As you read ask yourself:</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><em><strong><span style="color: #8b13db;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px;">Why Do Seabourn and Holland America want to spend so much time, effort and money escalating, rather than resolving, the conflict with Eric Goldring and Goldring Travel?</span></span></strong></em> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><em><strong><span style="color: #8b13db;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px;">Donāt they have enough problems?</span></span></strong></em> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><em><strong><span style="color: #8b13db;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px;">Maybe it is because Goldring Travelās opinions are that valuable and respected by cruise consumers and the cruise industry?</span></span></strong></em></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">More on that in a minuteā¦but, again, please know that <em><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;"><span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Goldring Travel is up, running and 100% in business</span>, making new bookings and servicing all of my clients and potential clients!</span></strong></em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><strong><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Some Background!</span></strong></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In November 2021 Seabourn and Holland America tried to put me out of business by - without notice - blacklisting me and refusing to pay me commissions on a very large number of cruises. </span><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">THEY FAILED</span></span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. Obviously, they thought that if they defamed me, the industry would shun meā¦but exactly the opposite happened and I have been embraced with open arms. </span><span style="color: #f30a0a;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>THEY FAILED AGAI</b>N<b>.</b></span></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">As Goldring Travel was not driven out of business - as Seabourn and Holland America clearly had hoped - in June I sent Seabourn, Holland America and Josh Leibowitz a copy of my draft lawsuit to see if the matter could be settled and to be sure nothing they considered to be confidential information in it. While what I consider bad faith efforts to resolve the matter were attempted, Seabourn and Holland America decided to race to the courthouse so they would look better by being first.</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">In a clear effort to intimidate me (how silly is that!), Seabourn and Holland America filed a 110 paragraph Complaint that is about trademark infringement; <em><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;">not alleging that I have said anything that isnāt true or that I had done anything wrong in my dealings with Seabourn.</span></strong></em> (As a lawyer I know all of its claims - tenuous as they are - could have been made in less than half that).</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">What is truly shocking and unconscionableā¦without getting too far into the weedsā¦Seabourn and Holland America clearly know they are on very shaky footing because they are relying on a document that <em><strong>expired </strong></em>in 2019 that they claim was revived in 2020, but <em><strong>expired </strong></em>at the end of 2020 as if it was still in full force and effect in 2021 and 2022! <em><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">You canāt make this stuff up!</span></strong></em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">While <em><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;">I will very shortly be filing a Counterclaim for in excess of $2,000,000 in damages</span></strong></em> - and not only for the all of the commissions Seabourn wrongfully hasnāt paid me on many of your cruises - (and, potentially, a Third Party Complaint against Josh Leibowitz due to what I perceive as his personal vendetta against me for my calling out what I see as his troubling conduct), I did move the case from Washington State to the <span style="color: #0c3feb;">Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington, </span><em><span style="color: #0c3feb;">Case No. 2:22-CV-00999-BAT</span> </em>so that the trademark claims can be properly adjudicated and some of the gamesmanship I perceive opposing counsel is engaging in can be curtailed. <em>(If you want copies of the pleadings, which are public record, just let me know. You may also be able to see them for a fee on the US District Court website.)</em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><em><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">So why is Seabourn so hell-bent on continuing its plight to put Goldring Travel out of business?</span></strong></em> It appears clear to me that it is because <b><em>Seabourn doesnāt want you to know the truth about what they are doing and why it is wrong</em> </b>- known as analysis and opinion. Seabourn Cruise Line is, at best, stagnant while literally every other luxury cruise line is growingā¦and it has no plans for any new ships. Seabourn is, in fact, so concerned about my analysis that it has demanded - detailed below - that I remove my article that Seabourn is for Saleā¦even though it quotes CNBC and Arnold Donald did not deny the story and, in fact, said Carnival would look at every opportunity including the sale of a cruise line. Why me and nobody else? <em><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">Curiousā¦and vindictive!</span></strong></em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">And, of course, it seems equally clear that Josh Leibowitz, while posting photographs with crew that are obligingly smiling, has been leading a cruise line into the depthsā¦completing what has been the virtual <em><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;">Abandoning of the Seabourn Ship by virtually every executive that was so devoted to the company (as well as many staff and crew)</span></strong></em> and the increased angering and alienation of so many previously loyal Seabourn guests. And I donāt think he wants me to be discussing that either.</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">With that, I know that some of you will feel that this is all āsour grapesā by me and/or you donāt know that you want to do business with me with this controversy swirling. Folks, that is exactly what Seabourn and Holland America want you to think. Just remember, the only claims they have made is that I have violated their trademark and, now, a couple of allegedly copyrighted photographs. So who is it you donāt want to do business with because of what is going on? Who is acting with vindictiveness? Who is engaging in troublesome tactics? It aināt Goldring!</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">Put another way,<strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;"> YES I AM THAT GOOD! </span></strong>I will always protect my clients and let you know what is going on with any cruise line or tour operator. I will always work to get you everything you paid for and for your desires to be exceeded. <em><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;">Ya think, knowing what has been going on at Seabourn, the problem really is that Seabourn cannot consistently deliver what it promises from pre-cruise, to cruise, to post-cruise and Seabourn doesnāt want me to tell you about it, no less explain how it adversely affects you.</span></strong></em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">OK, back to the website issues taken right from Seabournās attorneyās letter to Godaddy:</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><em><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">āthe images of Seabourn's proprietary ships, located here:<br /><br /></span></span><a href="https://hal.widen.net/s/tpwsbhw7cq/seabourn_encore_00aerial_mv16082f" style="color: #006c73; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">https://hal.widen.net/s/tpwsbhw7cq/seabourn_encore_00aerial_mv16082f</span></span></a><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://hal.widen.net/s/km9kvl2xbg/seabourn_quest_aerial_s3zppuyzdf0ncm8i1ycigio_cmyk_l-2" style="color: #006c73; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">https://hal.widen.net/s/km9kvl2xbg/seabourn_quest_aerial_s3zppuyzdf0ncm8i1ycigio_cmyk_l-2</span></span></a><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /><br />2. The material which infringes the copyrighted work appears at the following website addresses:<br /><br />The webpages located below infringes Seabourn's Works, and therefore, should be disabled:<br /><br /></span></span><a href="https://goldringtravel.com/goldring-travels-2018-culinary-cultural-cruise-part-i-getting-ready-and-looking-forward/" style="color: #006c73; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">https://goldringtravel.com/goldring-travels-2018-culinary-cultural-cruise-part-i-getting-ready-and-looking-forward/</span></span></a><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://goldringtravel.com/seabourn-cruise-line-is-in-fact-for-sale" style="color: #006c73; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">https://goldringtravel.com/seabourn-cruise-line-is-in-fact-for-sale</span></span></a><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://goldringtravel.com/luxury-expeditions/" style="color: #006c73; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">https://goldringtravel.com/luxury-expeditions/</span></span></a><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> ā</span></span></em><span style="color: #0c3feb;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><strong><span style="color: #f30a0a;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Thatās it</span></span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. And Seabourn felt compelled to do this in good faith? Me thinks not. Personally, the pettiness, vindictiveness and failed efforts to intimidate me</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">So with that some substantive context before I close:</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">Two days ago Seabourn - without any transparency - advised many that their cruise on the Seabourn Pursuit was now going to be on the Seabourn Venture. While the reason is obvious, have you thought about the fact Seabourn just couldnāt say the Pursuit is seriously delayed? Do you wonder how the Venture has so much space available and had the identical itineraries so that, miraculously, every Pursuit booking could be shifted over? Did you notice that Seabourn didnāt ask you if you wanted to be on the Venture, but rather made you be on the Venture? Oh, it is, to me, so very troubling! <em><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">(Isnāt it curious that Seabourn thought they made it so that I couldn't post an article that really discussed these issues now?)</span></strong></em></span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="color: #0c3feb;">But this isnāt new conduct for Seabourn!</span></strong> You remember when Seabourn took all those final payments for the Venture when it knew - announced just days later - the ship would be delayed? That money grab was, to my mind, unethicalā¦<em><strong>and I let Seabourn know it</strong></em>. And, similarly, when they just moved the Maiden Voyage from one date to another to another to another in July and then a ānaming ceremonyā in Novemberā¦and your money too?</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">Consistently, remember when Seabourn was one of the only expedition companies that canceled Antarctica 2021-22 and offered nothing to all the guests? Yes, <em><strong>I was the one that complained and said it was āNOT Seabournā</strong></em> to treat guest that way. </span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">And then remember when<em><strong> Seabourn then agreed with me</strong></em>ā¦then said they would allow for all of the guests to book a Venture Antarctica expedition at āthe same fareāā¦but in reality it was at āthe same priceā? So with some less than transparent wording (was that intentional?) Seabourn was āgivingā you the ability to pay the same amount for a shorter 10-12 day expedition as you had been paying for a longer 21-25 days, but 10-12 days? Yes, <em><strong>I complained about that </strong></em>because it was terribly deceptive, to my mind.</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">So you can see Seabourn apparently doesnāt want you to have a real advocate protecting you. Can you think of any other reason Seabourn and Holland America are putting so much effort into this conflict?</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">I most certainly understand that conflict is ugly and, to be sure, Seabourn and Holland America's obsession with me and Goldring Travel seems a bit perverse or worse, But - and this is of important note - Carnival Corp. just announced it is issuing $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) of new stock; further diluting its value and in what seems to be a desperate attempt to raise cash while diluting shareholder value. </span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">I know there is staff and crew onboard the Seabourn ships that are waiting to provide you with an amazing cruise experience. (Remember, many of them are my friends!)</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">In the short-term I believe you will probably have a wonderful experience...as long as Corporate let's them do their job and stops changing itineraries, playing games with pricing, and being far less than transparent; especially during the pre-cruise experience. </span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">But in the long term - and how many times have I been wrong (Not Many!) - the systemic issues that keep growing at Seabourn coupled with Carnival Corp.'s openness to selling the Seabourn brand and ships (per its CEO and CNBC, among others) and Seabourn's admittingly failing to have a long-term growth plan, means NOW is the time to look at options with cruise lines that are working hard to earn your future business...as they grow and develop some amazing new ships. Just sayin'.</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">Oh, and yes, I can still assist you regarding any Seabourn cruise you may be interested in. I am working on some as I write this. Again, Just Sayin'!</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;">Give me a call, drop me an email or message me on Facebook or WhatsApp.</span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="last-child" style="font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-76598065816275424492020-06-06T12:48:00.000-07:002020-06-06T12:48:10.250-07:00Making Waves Lands on a New Shore<h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: silver; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 46.8px; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 3.6px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative;">
Making Waves Lands on a New Shore</h1>
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In an effort to make Making Waves a bit more user friendly and technologically advanced, Goldring Travel has moved its blog from Googleās Blogger to <a href="http://goldringtravel.wordpress.com/">WordPress</a>. </div>
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Nothing should change for you other than possibly if you were using a blogspot.com URL to find Making Waves. This move should make your reading and searching for articles a bit easier.</div>
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If you are looking for new content, please head over to <a href="http://www.makingwavesblog.com/">www.makingwavesblog.com</a>; the new home of Goldring Travel's Making Waves.</div>
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Thanks!</div>
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Eric</div>
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Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-13536709879390156052020-05-01T12:30:00.001-07:002020-05-01T12:30:59.829-07:00CDC's Requirements to Repatriate Cruise Ship Crew Clearly is Prejudiced and Designed to Fail.Once again I see anti-cruise line headlines; this time by the <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242380421.html">Miami Herald</a> stating that the cruise lines "refuse" to repatriate over fifty thousand cruise worldwide because it is "too expensive". Once again, the article is, for the most part, accurate, but it does not really tell an accurate story or reflect what the headline is communicating. The issue is really "<b><i><span style="color: blue;">What and why does the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have the requirements -only for cruise ships - and are they reasonable under the circumstances?</span></i></b>"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MM7eTXZYA-Rt9NL7HVDtrmAT88lC4ITOknVAS1L7rjZT0KL1F6mpZM2fWQx8x_yCkyvT0q-j4vy5DkNqNb2ScFxiRPfbUNBbhPb2faaziIui9tc9aVmPM7mGkHjeK7cQbOQS6Vjhnrdi/s1600/CDC+Temperature+Check.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MM7eTXZYA-Rt9NL7HVDtrmAT88lC4ITOknVAS1L7rjZT0KL1F6mpZM2fWQx8x_yCkyvT0q-j4vy5DkNqNb2ScFxiRPfbUNBbhPb2faaziIui9tc9aVmPM7mGkHjeK7cQbOQS6Vjhnrdi/s400/CDC+Temperature+Check.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the reality and, to be sure, I find it both ethically troubling and scientifically unsupportable. I say this not as a travel agent, but as a person with some real world experience and a background that has a bit of science in it.<br />
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As background you may want to read my earlier article:<br />
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<a data-id="7129442016919312905" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2020/04/what-does-cdc-and-media-have-against.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #333333; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">What Does the CDC and the Media Have Against the Cruise Industry? Facts Should Matter...Egos, Hype and Ratings Shouldn't</a></h1>
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If I was to be working as a meatpacker in a factory that has a high rate of COVID-19 infections and have not been tested, I could, without any restriction, take a subway, train or bus to any U.S. airport of my choosing, walk through the airport and board a plane anywhere I so desire without any restrictions or limitations (other than social distancing and, possibly, having to wear a facemask).<br />
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If I was a doctor or nurse in a hospital dealing with COVID-19 or a grocery store clerk, a transit worker, a first responder or any other essential worker the same would be the case. You know, the same people that you see on television saying they are sleeping in their basements or garages if they have them so they don't infect their family or live with the fear they might if they can't live separately.<br />
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In fact,<b><i> easy access to air, train and bus travel is the case for anyone other than a member of the crew on a cruise ship!</i></b> The question is: <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Why and upon what scientific basis</span></i></b>?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0cy1Rn3b2tCIcD6Z_WCh8Zs7DLkxwAnW8Pn4Q7N2pQ2pt8FMv8tWK4YkRs_uBhvYlS_Ggks5L7NG6A2mggZ-oUz5RCDYpplWo6AHXNa4jdlvyPWNweVvCyfk10DpmnKvyLioV6FwOfYn/s1600/CDC+Ebola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0cy1Rn3b2tCIcD6Z_WCh8Zs7DLkxwAnW8Pn4Q7N2pQ2pt8FMv8tWK4YkRs_uBhvYlS_Ggks5L7NG6A2mggZ-oUz5RCDYpplWo6AHXNa4jdlvyPWNweVvCyfk10DpmnKvyLioV6FwOfYn/s400/CDC+Ebola.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CDC photo from its July 2019 Ebola facility.<br />I bet these medical professionals went to an airport, boarded on a commercial aircraft, <br />stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants, etc. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I will leave for the moment the U.S. government's woeful actions regarding testing. It would seem logical and practical that if a ship with 150 crew were to come into the U.S. today (such as the Seabourn Sojourn) there should be the ability to have them all tested and the sent on their way. But the US is months behind in having sufficient testing for governmental purposes and who knows how long for non-essential businesses. (Yes, I can admit that cruise ships are not "essential" in this context.)<br />
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So what does the CDC require to disembark crew? [NOTE: The onboard requirements in many instances have no relationship to the reality of shipboard life or actual reduction (as opposed to a symbolic "show") in transmission of COVID-19 in a population].<br />
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The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/management/interim-guidance-no-sail-order.html">CDC Requirements </a>need the segregating out only those crew members with no known exposure to COVID-19, being temperature tested and medically screened by onboard medical staff, and 72 hour notice being given to local authorities of various types, etc. So these folks have been significantly isolated and screened so the possibility of COVID-19 infection is extremely low, if not statistically non-existent. This crew may disembark, but only if:<br />
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<br /></div>
"Cruise ship operators must ensure that disembarking crew members:<br /><div>
<ul>
<li>will not stay overnight in a hotel before the flight or at any point until they reach their final destination</li>
<li>will not use public transportation (including taxis or ride-share services) to get to the airport/charter flight</li>
<li>will not enter the public airport terminal</li>
<li>will not take commercial aircraft after an initial charter flight</li>
<li>will not have a transportation layover exceeding 8 hours</li>
<li>will have no interaction with the public during their travel home (e.g., rental car companies, restaurants, etc.)"</li>
</ul>
and then the cruise lines have to ensure that the crew self-isolate for 14 days upon reaching their home.</div>
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Let's take an easy one: American crew member wanting to go home and there are no other crew members who live nearby. The crew would have to take a cruise paid for bus or car to a private airport or area of LAX to take a private charter aircraft from, say Los Angeles (where the Seabourn Sojourn docked) to, say, Chicago. That cost is about $20,000. But if that person lived two hours from the airport, additional car service for a few hundred dollars would apply. One crew member = $20,000+ rather than say, $300 for a normal crew airline ticket with no logistics issues. </div>
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Now let's take 50 crew that call the Philippines their home. A charter flight from LAX will cost that much per hour x 14 hours and require a roundtrip charge. So the base cost is $280,000 just to get them out of the U.S. With flights normally costing the cruise lines say, $750 per crew, or $37,500 it will now cost, all up, well over $300,000. And that assumes whatever country is going to allow a non-commercial flight to land and its "Scarlet Lettered crew into the country.</div>
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<br />Of course the CDC could waive those requirements for those I have mentioned, but it hasn't.<br /><br />And those are the easy cases! Imagine who many cases that are not so easy with the current 50,000+ crew stranded on cruise ships.</div>
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So why has the CDC created such draconian requirements for crew, but not meatpackers, doctors, nurses, airline crew, etc.? Nobody at the CDC has commented other than to say that cruise ships present a special circumstance where social distancing is not readily possible. Forget the rest of the science, statistics, inconsistencies, people with far higher probability of infecting others, etc. </div>
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Why hasn't the CDC said more? To me the reason is obvious: This has nothing to do with science, but rather politics and egos. </div>
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Keeping in mind that other than the Diamond Princess (which was woefully handled by the Japanese Ministry of Health and, to a degree, Princess Cruises) there have only been 1,881 COVID-19 cases worldwide associated with cruise ships according to the same <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241914096.html">Miami Herald</a> spanning over 300 ships. That is remarkable small number; especially if you look at the demographics of which ships, where and countries refusal to allow a few COVID-19 positive cases to be disembarked for treatment; resulting in more onboard infections. </div>
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Taking it further, that 1,881 is the total number of cases ever reported. The number of reported current COVID-19 cases among cruise crew now is: ZERO. Granted there is not sufficient testing, but there can only be so many asymptomatic cases that can exist and follow on with additional asymptomatic cases for so long. That is an incredibly low infection rate. <br />
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By way of example, the crew of the Seabourn Sojourn were at sea with no other direct contact for over 40 days, without any symptoms and no reported positive cases. Now, is it possible there is an active COVID-19 case or two. Anything is possible. Is it probable? Statistically and scientifically: No. (And you don't need to be a scientist of draw that obvious conclusion.) Is there a greater chance that a New York transit worker is infected? It would most certainly seem so.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: red;">And what is the probability that a person who happens to be COVID-19 positive but who is socially spacing and wearing a real (not merely a single layer cloth) facemask would infect another person? You going to love this: NOBODY KNOWS!! </span></i></b>That's right! Nobody from the CDC to other scientists and health professionals can tell you how effective facemasks are, other than in theory they are better than nothing. I won't bother you with the paper trail, but just take a look at this <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/RespiratorInfographics.html">CDC Respiratory Protection Infographics</a> page and notice not a single statistic (other than an N-95 mask removes up to 95% of airborne particles) exists.<br />
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So where do I go with this article? I have absolutely no idea. All I can do is inform and point out the inconsistencies and illogical and unscientific approaches to what has become an incredibly inconsistent and political CDC; something that is not what or how the CDC has ever, not my knowledge, been.<br />
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I have reached out to the CDC for comment and explanation of its scientific basis and inconsistencies. Should I get a response I will most certainly let you know.<br /><br />Do you have questions or wish to discuss COVID-19 and its effect on travel? Give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<br /></div>
Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-71294420169193129052020-04-28T13:50:00.000-07:002020-04-28T13:50:17.421-07:00What Does the CDC and the Media Have Against the Cruise Industry? Facts Should Matter...Egos, Hype and Ratings Shouldn't<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: red;">"If I knew then, what I will learn tomorrow!"</span></i></b></div>
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For reason that I believe are based upon prejudice/bias, lack of information, the need for sexy headlines, and even ego (among other things), there have been, and will continue be, an improper attack on the cruise industry; including a singular shift of responsibilities from individuals and governments to cruise lines and, to be sure, at higher levels than is imposed upon any other industry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-ckQJ1KXMRlCiIbhARfIv7WCpdcsTBohQ0vVoXbi-_uOyQ49VhLEkrAhwZc8FQA9PC8rS82pCG91BmcqRMy3MDmfAWnfFR8hdevXlMjBzu97lgQ6-Tf4YRnTNXzlih6-NnIKfuKg6y5q/s1600/cdc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-ckQJ1KXMRlCiIbhARfIv7WCpdcsTBohQ0vVoXbi-_uOyQ49VhLEkrAhwZc8FQA9PC8rS82pCG91BmcqRMy3MDmfAWnfFR8hdevXlMjBzu97lgQ6-Tf4YRnTNXzlih6-NnIKfuKg6y5q/s400/cdc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is a long article which, in large part, is my personal journey analyzing the past, present, and probable future. It is not a "pitch". It is not intended to be a persuasive article. But it is written as thousands of people cram onto certain beaches in Florida and California and others come together in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 across the country with the response being little more than "Geez, I wish they wouldn't do that" or "What do you expect. People want to get on with their lives."<br />
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I preface this article further by stating I am not a virologist or medical doctor, but do have a degree in Biology (with honors) and am a member of <a href="https://www.sigmaxi.org/">Sigma Xi</a>, the scientific research honors society among other things. As such, I am skeptical by nature (multiplied by my Jersey roots and prior life as an attorney involved in more than enough litigation - including medical malpractice cases) so I do not blindly listen to the "experts" or accept figures thrown at me. Along those lines, <u>you will see numerous links in this article, so you can see where I obtained my figures and assertions</u>...and so you can dig deeper if you wish.<br />
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For example, the virologists look to see how viral a virus may be. They naturally take the "worst-case" scenario and then add a factor that increases it due to uncertainty. I have found no <a href="https://institutefordiseasemodeling.github.io/COVID-public/reports/Working%20paper%20%E2%80%93%20model-based%20estimates%20of%20COVID-19%20burden%20in%20King%20and%20Snohomish%20counties%20through%20April%207.pdf">modeling </a>which calculated the asserted possible 2,000,000 US deaths would be reduced to 70,000 (estimated eventual total US deaths) through social distancing; <u>nothing even close</u>. But the media and CDC ran with those numbers, including Dr. Anthony Fauci - the "ordained to be infallible" virologist. <i>(BTW, self-congratulations are wonderful, but let's not overstate those either. Social distancing was and is important, but we must not forget the virologists' estimates were most probably highly inflated...a point that is quietly being discussed outside of the popular media and I will touch on herein.)</i><br />
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Related thereto, for weeks we were falsely pitched a death rate of over 3%...but then it was admitted that (a) the death rate is actually significantly skewed higher because of a very specific group (over 65 with underlying serious medical conditions; actually those over 80 is where the numbers really increase) and then (b) that there is a very significant amount of the population has been infected (we are still figuring out how many) and were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. <b><i><span style="color: red;">Now a <a href="https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/04/24/study-challenges-reports-of-low-fatality-rate-for-covid-19/">mortality rate</a> of between 0.1 - 0.3% seems to be the reality...including the skewing of the rates by including those most vulnerable.</span></i></b> In other words, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">the actual death rate appears to be 1/10th or less of that originally asserted. </span></i></b>(On the other hand, the ability of this virus to spread was woefully underestimated, so a lower mortality rate with far more people becoming infected is where we are.)<br />
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We also need to keep in mind that the initial focus was on preventing the overwhelming our healthcare systems; not the elimination of COVID-19 from our daily lives (not that it shouldn't be an ultimate goal). I will say what I have said before, the unfortunate fact is that people die every day in greater numbers from other usually preventable causes...and we have learned to balance that cost against the benefits of continuing on with life. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm">According to the CDC </a>US deaths from heart disease (650,000 per year), cancers - primarily lung (600,000), diabetes (84,000), flu (yes, flu: 56,000) and suicide (47,000) are all things we have decided to live with though significantly preventable and thus haven't shut down our lives.<br />
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We need to ask if - as with the 2,000,000 possible deaths and the 3+% death rate assertions - there is a middle ground that we need to look at rather than being dragged down the road of constant overstatements and overreaction? Please don't get me wrong, I am not saying COVID-19 is not serious or should be discounted. What I am saying is that in order to do the right thing we need to deal with facts and not emotions or prejudices.<br />
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And with that...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Some Basic Facts Regarding </span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">CDC, Cruise Ships and Other Public Accommodations</span></i></b></div>
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The phenomenon of the United States Centers for Disease Control having a tough and, I believe, improperly prejudiced view and, thus, handling of health issues on cruise ships is not anything new. But there comes a time when the balance between regulations that keep us safe and healthy versus those that are punitive (whether intentional or not) with goals that go beyond reasonable health and safety concerns need to be called out.<br />
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Before I discuss how cruise ships are a huge focus of the CDC (and the media) while hotels, aircraft, trains, buses, restaurants, bars, nursing homes, etc. are not, during this COVID-19 pandemic, let me point out a few important facts:<br />
<br />
1. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">An obvious fact regarding the relationship between cruise ships and COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) has been lost</span></i></b>: <b style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;">COVID-19 spread around the world because of <u>air travel</u>; not cruise ships.</span></i></b><br />
<b style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></b>
As the facts are being discovered, the real start of the COVID-19 infections in the eastern United States was primarily from travelers arriving from Italy (and to a lesser extent China) through airports (there are no winter cruises from Europe or China to the United States) and the real start of infections in Italy came from China (which has a long history of air travel to the northern areas of Italy; especially Milan). Meanwhile, it appears that the first west coast of the U.S. infections were not in Seattle, Washington, but about 1,000 miles away in California...again through air travel. [<i>According to the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/mission/office-policy/aviation-policy/352081/us-international-air-passenger-and-freight-statistics-march-2019.pdf">US Department of Transportation</a> there are (were at the relevant times) approximately 4,000,000 people that fly to the US every month from Italy and 8,000,000 from China. This dwarfs the cruise traveler figures. Overall, last year there were 4,540,000,000 air passengers versus 30,000,000 cruise passengers...most of which were also air passengers...or <b>0.6% of travelers</b> if you exclude all other forms of travel; an infinitesimal number by comparison.]</i><br />
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Without looking for a scholarly article on the subject, I believe it is safe to say that more people have become infected on aircraft and in restaurants, bars, grocery stores, parks and even just walking down the street than have been infected on cruise ships. (They had to get it somewhere if not on a ship.) And while it is easier to identify where a person probably became infected if they had been on a cruise, while that may well not be definite, it is most certainly easier to trace subsequent infections of contacts. Why? Because tracing is far easier than with a person whose place of infection cannot be so easily determined. Try figuring out who got infected by whom and where in New York City, for example! (By the way, this is why testing is so important. There is no luxury of knowing where people have become infected and testing gives that insight.)<br />
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2. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">According to the most arguably reliable recent <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241914096.html">data </a>(compiled by the Miami Herald and released on April 23, 2020) other than the Diamond Princess, there have been only 1,881 COVID-19 cases associated with cruise ships worldwide and of those no more than 1,000 have been associated with guests.</span></i></b> That includes those guests who were not found to have it when they disembarked, but later were diagnosed after traveling and coming in contact with others. Taking into account that there are approximately 500,000 passengers carried on 314 cruise ships on any given day, that comes out to an infinitesimally small number of COVID-19 infections. And, most certainly, far less than has been brought from one country to another via air, train, bus, car, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-r4hzbaPrfYukb20aAu2HzRPJ7ctu4MAne63ksdfLXjHoZZwj9UPVN5YBC2a79Atrm4TYdj9lvS-_Cd9UOtKgwt35CkDzYop_um0sVOvrIUXOfX2fv8SKVTvI4VhC2v2ZkA62Sf5gUky/s1600/cdc+vessel+sanitation+program.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-r4hzbaPrfYukb20aAu2HzRPJ7ctu4MAne63ksdfLXjHoZZwj9UPVN5YBC2a79Atrm4TYdj9lvS-_Cd9UOtKgwt35CkDzYop_um0sVOvrIUXOfX2fv8SKVTvI4VhC2v2ZkA62Sf5gUky/s400/cdc+vessel+sanitation+program.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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3. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">The Centers for Disease Control has a very stringent health inspection protocol for cruise ships </span></i></b>that have any connection to the United States (which includes almost all cruise ships you may sail on). This is known as the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/healthy.htm">Vessel Sanitation Program</a>, which are very rigorous inspections, done without notice, and take approximately 8-10 hours to be completed.<br />
<table class="table table-bordered" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); color: #212529; font-family: "Open Sans", apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; width: 804.762px;"><caption class="caption-top" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: top; color: #555555; padding-bottom: 0.75rem; padding-top: 0.75rem; text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">VSP inspects eight major areas on ships</span></span></caption><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><th style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Major Areas VSP Inspects on a Ship</span></th><th style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Inspectors Look At</span></th></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Medical facilities</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Documentation for gastrointestinal illness surveillance<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Medical logs</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Potable water systems</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Procedures from water source to storage until use<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Water distribution<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Protection and any cross-connections<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Disinfection process</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Swimming pools and whirlpool spas</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Filtration<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Disinfection<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />General maintenance<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Safety</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Galleys and dining rooms</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Food protection during sourcing, provisioning, storage, preparation, and service<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Employee health and personal hygiene<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Facility equipment maintenance and dishwashing</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Child activity centers</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Properly equipped diaper changing stations, toilets, and handwashing stations<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Facility disinfection<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Infection control for ill children</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hotel accommodations</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Routine cleaning sequences and infection control procedures during outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness, including the use of appropriate disinfectants and outbreak policies</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ventilation systems</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">System maintenance<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />System cleaning</span></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common areas of the ship</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(222, 226, 230); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.75rem; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Integrated pest management strategies<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />General cleanliness<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Maintenance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As an illustration of what it takes to fail the inspection, dings on <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article240881356.html">February 1, 2020 inspection of the Regent Seven Seas Mariner</a> included, among other things, apparently watered down soap at a handwash station; a single fruit fly landed on cut fruit; a single dead fly was found on the ice used in a buffet; buffet food placed too far forward of the sneeze shields while other food was put too far back; five decorative bowls weren't sufficiently cleaned; two ice bins had black debris (probably mold) that wiped off with alcohol; and, a dairy storage area was found to be in a "temperature danger zone". NOTE: This inspection scored an 88 is one of the lowest scores on a luxury cruise ship with most of the major problems limited to the buffet; not the rest of the ship and all of the hotel, pool, ventilation, common areas, etc. of the ship. <b><i>A<span style="color: #38761d;">LSO NOTE that the <u>vast majority </u>of cruise ships, not just luxury ones, receive scores in the 95-100 range</span></i></b><span style="color: #38761d;">. </span><br />
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While the failings noted above are of concern, they pale in comparison to what you encounter on an almost daily basis...even when you are at home. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Think about what you have seen at that all you can eat salad bar, that hotel breakfast buffet, that hotel bathroom, that dirty rag wiping down your table in a restaurant, your concerns over whether anything is "living" on the hotel bedding from a prior guest, etc. And, of course, you have just been bombarded with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffwhitmore/2019/03/20/how-dirty-are-airplanes/#1ca26d562ebb">how dirty an airplane tray table is</a> (and<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-safe-is-the-water-coffee-tea-on-your-favorite-airline"> don't drink the water from the plane's sin</a>k)! </span></i></b><br />
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The list of books and television shows, including some with real star power, have informed you that what occurs on land is consistently and horrifically worse than anything even remotely possible on a cruise ship. Take a moment and read <b><span style="color: blue;">Anthony Bourdain's </span></b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Updated-Adventures-Underbelly/dp/0060899220"><b>Kitchen Confidential</b></a>, watch an episode or six of <a href="https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/hotel-impossible"><b>Hotel Impossible</b></a> or <a href="https://www.fox.com/gordon-ramsays-24-hours-to-hell-and-back/"><b>Gordon Ramsey's 24 To Hell and Back</b></a>. I have worked in, and otherwise been in, more than enough restaurants and stayed in more than enough hotels to know that what these shows depict are only exceptions as to the extent of the disgusting conditions, but not the ubiquitous existence of them.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: red;">Addressing the Hype:</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><i><b>Cruise Ships are <u>NOT </u>"</b></i><i><b>Floating Petri Dishes"</b></i></span></div>
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<i><b><span style="color: blue;">Just read the articles and their actual facts; n</span></b></i><i><b><span style="color: blue;">ot the conjectures and emotional quotes!</span></b></i></div>
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We have all read and seen this media hype. But is there any basis for this? Cleary, my answer is: No! That is not to say that cruise ships are 100% germ-free, but rather that cruise ships are far cleaner than you will find in almost any hotel, restaurant, airport, aircraft, train, bus, etc.<br />
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From what I can tell, the "petri dish" concept arose out of a 2014 article on CNN.com. While the article's title "<a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cruises-sanitation/index.html">Are Cruise Ships Floating Petri Dishes?</a>" was clearly intended to hype the issue, if one actually reads the article it accurately states that in 2014 there were about 21,000,000 (that's right, twenty-one million) land-based norovirus cases while in 2013 there were only <u>1,200 cruise ship based cases,<span style="color: blue;"> or 0.005% of all norovirus cases</span></u>, arising out of only 9 sailings and over 10,000,000 passengers. The final sentence - not the first one - is a quote, <i>"Bad things happen. If you stop your life for fear of what could be, you never experience anything." </i>Do you wonder why that was put at the end of the article rather than the beginning? I don't.<br />
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Don't think things have changed much, the false petri dish analogy arose again recently with the NewYork Times (among others) going for sensational article titles, such as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/world/asia/coronavirus-japan-cruise-ship.html">"We're in a Petri Dish": How a Coronovirus Ravaged a Cruise Ship.</a><br />
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And the cruise writer for <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/">The Points Guy</a> and I (long time business friends) have has some words about my perception of him doing the same thing: Hyped and Damaging Headlines followed by an accurate story. But, as I said, he is not alone...by a longshot.<br />
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The Washington Post, also engaging in seriously questionable and sensational attack of the cruise industry with its April 24, 2020, article, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/cruise-ships-coronavirus/">Pandemic At Sea</a>. The article asserts the cruise industry made the "decision to keep sailing for weeks...despite the efforts of top U.S. health officials to curtail voyages". You will see below, it is not only inaccurate, I dare say it is intentionally false and misleading.<br />
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As quoted below, on March 8, 2020 Dr. Fauci, the U.S. top spokesman, said that if you were healthy there is no reason not to take a cruise. On March 16, 2020, the cruise lines all changed their procedures, denied boarding to anyone who had been to China or had a temperature, etc. in accordance with CDC guidance. On March 13, 2020, the cruise lines suspended all cruises with a U.S. port, and then on March 17, 2020, the CDC issued a "no sail order" consistent with the previous voluntary action by the cruise lines. Finally, on March 24, 2020, the cruise lines suspended all cruises through the beginning of May 2020 (which has since been extended) but had many ships already sailing with passengers and crew.<br />
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Please tell me where the cruise lines decided to keep sailing for weeks after CDC guidance. It simply is untrue. The worst case would be that a few days went by...and that is stretching it, if only to kinda sorta find a scintilla of justification.<br />
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Yet the Washington Post, with the damning quotes coming from relatives of passengers and passengers, and, of all the countries, an official from Jamaica, makes some pretty outrageous, emotional and unverified statements. Further, contrary to the detailed Miami Herald article, it claims that by casually reading articles, but with no documentation, 55 ships allegedly one-fifth of the global cruise fleet, had COVID-19 infected passengers and crew...leaving out all but a handful by name and the number of cases on even less. Even the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0409-modifications-extension-no-sail-ships.html">CDC in its April 9th statement </a>stated, "In recent weeks, at least 10 cruise ships reported crew or passengers that tested positive or experienced respiratory symptoms or influenza-like illness". <b><i><span style="color: blue;">I always worry about tossed about figures...because they are just that! </span></i></b>So again, the Washington Post published simply false information; which probably will be blindly quoted as some point in the future...just like the debunked petri dish analogy.<br />
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The article then goes on to damn the Celebrity Eclipse for sailing on March 21, 2020, and the Coral Princess (in total compliance with the CDC guidance). You know, when the cruise lines were told by the CDC that setting sail was not prohibited, the rate and manners of transmissibility of COVID-19 were not known to be as high as now known, etc. Oh, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">"If we knew then what we will learn tomorrow!". </span></i></b><br />
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Not done, it states "scores of ships...continued voyages even after early outbreaks on other vessels" Huh? What? So there were no infections and the ships were supposed to immediately stop sailing? Oh, and the Washington Post, omitted the fact that many of the ships continued to sail with guests because port after port was (and remain) closed to them. So what were they supposed to do? This is a classic "Don't step under my foot" argument. (I won't get into the ethical argument of countries turning their backs on sick passengers needing medical care in this article.)<br />
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So with the sensational articles dealt with, let's take a look at the question: <b><i><span style="color: red;">Where is that petri dish? </span></i></b><br />
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The answer is: <b><i><span style="color: blue;">If it exists, it is brought onto the cruise ship and an incredible effort is made to find it and then eliminate it. </span></i></b>Heck, even the tabloidesque Washington Post article admits that! </div>
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When you get sick days after being at a hotel, conference, flight, etc. you don't really know where you picked up the disease.<br />
<ul>
<li>Was it at the airport (and where)? </li>
<li>Was it the tray table on the plane? </li>
<li>Was it the chicken? </li>
<li>Was it that pen when you checked in?</li>
<li>Was it the elevator buttons?</li>
<li>Was it the television's remote control? </li>
<li>Was it that less than clean bathroom? </li>
<li>Did they really change the sheets and, ugh, that blanket?</li>
<li>Was it room service or the phone you picked up to place your order? </li>
<li>Was it the rental car?</li>
<li>Was it that bar you went to?</li>
</ul>
And the CDC does little, if anything, to address this litany of issues...except on a cruise ship. (<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Let's not get into the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/chicken.html">CDC allowing bacteria-laden chicken to be sold to you</a> and then you being told it is so infested you shouldn't wash it for fear of spreading it around your kitchen</span></i></b>.)<br />
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Taking this just one step further, disease does not spontaneously create itself on cruise ships. Leaving COVID-19 aside for the moment, the disease (for example, norovirus, flu, common cold, etc.) is brought onboard; usually by a guest who doesn't feel great, if not overtly ill, but is going to go on their vacation no matter what. And where has that person, or those that are asymptomatic, been before boarding? Yep, the pretty much unregulated by the CDC airport, airplane, hotel, rental car, restaurant, etc.<br />
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So how does a cruise ship deal with this once an issue is known? We all know this because, <u>in addition to the rigorous Vessel Sanitation Program,</u> we have seen the additional steps taken if a viral infection appears on a ship:<br />
<ul>
<li>No self-service at buffets, etc. </li>
<li>Mandatory use of hand sanitizers. </li>
<li>Limiting access to items that can be reused by guests without cleaning each time. </li>
<li>More rigorous disinfecting of handrails, doors, public toilets and lavatories, and other high-touch part of the ship.</li>
<li>Mandatory quarantine for those that admit or are otherwise found to have gastrointestinal illness. </li>
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Is there more that goes on cruise ships to keep guests healthy? Of course, there is! Think about your suite before you ever enter it:<br />
<ul>
<li>All sheets and towels replaced</li>
<li>The duvet is replaced</li>
<li>The mattress pad is replaced</li>
<li>The bath mats are replaced,</li>
<li>The water bottles are replaced, etc.</li>
<li>All surfaces are disinfected. </li>
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And that is before you get into your suite! During your cruise your bed linens are changed every 3-4 days, bath mats are replaced, every hard surface is wiped down daily (even baseboards at least once a week). On my last cruise I had a whirlpool tub and it was disinfected with bleach four times in 24 days...and even when I clearly hadn't used it.<br />
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In addition, most cruise lines keep a sharp eye out for those individuals that fail to use hand sanitizer, breach buffet protocols, try to hide signs of illness, etc. Why? Because the cruise lines have a vested interest in keeping their guests and crew safe from more than rough seas. A healthy ship is a happy ship and that which can reasonably be done is done...more so than any other public area.<b><i><span style="color: blue;"> (I won't get into the entire issue of the percentage of people that enter a hospital with one medical issue and wind up with another!) </span></i></b><br />
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Armed with this information, why does the Media hype this? Attention-grabbing headlines! But then, and I have seen in this on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, etc. reporters who clearly have never been on a cruise speak with alleged authority making misstatements and after misstatements in efforts to justify the headlines. There is a reason there are so many articles on the issues, but almost none on what cruise lines do to protect their guests not only from disease generally, but from each other. (I won't go down the rabbit hole of these same reporters calling a three-day rust bucket cruise to the Bahamas a "luxury cruise".)<br />
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In 2017 Yosemite National Park had over 170 people who suffered from norovirus. That did not make the headlines. May 2019 a Canadian hotel was shutdown after 100+ people came down with norovirus. That didn't make the headlines either. Nor did the March 2020 closing of a hotel in Guernsey for the same reason. There are dozens of examples of non-cruise ship norovirus outbreaks and they simply are not reported. Why? Because it is not "sexy"!<br />
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Now the argument is that on a cruise ship the focus is on having people gather in large numbers in the restaurants, the shows, the pools, the tour buses, etc. and that is a disaster scenario when trying to stop the spread of COVID-19. While it most certainly is an issue, let's go back to the statistics of how many cases have been found on cruise ships (other than the Diamond Princess debacle caused by both the Japanese government and the cruise ship): <b><i><span style="color: red;">Less than 1,900 guests and crew...and that was, "If we knew then, what we know now...no less what we will learn tomorrow!"</span></i></b><br />
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While nobody knows the ultimate requirements (even the CDC changes its position as the days change - see for example today's new <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/meat-poultry-processing-workers-employers.html">guidance</a>...<u>not requirements</u>...for meat packing plants) here are some of my conjectures; noting I do not believe all of these are necessarily effective. <i>[I do have to note before setting them out that years ago I was on a panel with regulators of the superyacht industry and it was asserted that stricter requirements for glass windows were required. When I pressed them on how many deaths or injuries occurred from failed yacht glass they said it was irrelevant. When I pressed further about how many of these undisclosed (actually it was zero) injuries and deaths would be reduced with the proposed new regulations I was only met with a very loud, "Man, we are saving lives!" I responded, "As you haven't been any identified lives lost, maybe the only thing that might be saved by pushing these new regulations is your job!"]:</i><br />
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<li><b>Pre-Cruise Medical Screenings </b>- Temperature is easy, but will there be others? Doctor's Certifications (which raise all sorts of issues with recalcitrant doctors not wanting to be sued for malpractice, if you can even get a doctor to see you for a well-visit). Will there be a similar screening for the airlines?</li>
<li><b>Requirements that Guests and/or Staff Wear Facemasks (and what type)</b> - At high density situations such as shows, tour busses, etc. where social spacing is not possible.</li>
<li><b>Reduced capacity at restaurants and bars to accommodate social spacing</b> - This may require staggered dining for a while and even additional "blue plate special" early dining...which creates issues regarding working hours for crew.</li>
<li><b>More personalized supplies</b> - Water bottles for tours provided in suites. Small bottles of hand sanitizers and wipes provided in each suite. </li>
<li><b>Specified Quarantine Areas</b> - Avoiding intermingling of guests and unprotected/not fully trained crew. Use of more strategic disinfection techniques from room service trays to laundry.</li>
</ul>
Whether these things will continue after a COVID-19 vaccine or truly effective anti-viral treatment has become widely available, I cannot say. But what I can say is that <a href="https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22838-cruise-ship-designers-prep-major-changes.html">there are some pretty outrageous pitches being made</a> such as having anti-microbial carpets and lockers in hallways for guests to put their shoes and clothes from the day and others for self-service linen changes and quarantine food delivery. Aside from such (what I will call) idiocy that clearly shows a lack of understanding of efficacy, practicality and deliverability, with all of the current and probably changes what exactly is the percentage decrease in infection these things are going to cause; noting that they cannot amount to much of any. (Think about how many hospital visitors get infections; or should I say don't.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">The Centers for Disease Control: </span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Prejudice & Ego Overshadows Its Legitimate Crucial Role. </span></i></b></div>
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Consider the CDC's lack of focus, accuracy, and constantly changing positions in just the past few weeks just on the use of facemasks:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Social distance</li>
<li>No facemasks are necessary unless you are sick because they won't protect you.</li>
<li>Facemasks are OK to use, but don't because healthcare workers need them</li>
<li>Facemasks should be used not to protect you, but to protect others from you.</li>
<li>You don't need to wear a facemask if you can social distance</li>
<li>You should wear a facemask and social distance</li>
</ul>
<br />
Then consider the CDC's refusal to confirm that preliminary test after test showed the hyped hydroxychloroquine not only does not appear to be effective, but increased death rates. And that was after numerous doctors advised against it because of the potential for heart damage.<br />
<br />
So with this background, and its the foregoing information, what is new is the CDC's current "puffing its chest" against the cruise industry because some ships <b><u><i>allegedly </i></u></b>sailed after the CDC issued an "<a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-cruise-ship">Advisor</a>y" on <u>March 17, 2020;</u> only a month ago!<br />
<br />
That CDC Advisory did not say anyone shouldn't go on a cruise, but rather that if are going on a cruise:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Don't go if you are sick</li>
<li>Avoid contact with sick people</li>
<li>Talk to your healthcare provider especially if you are older or have serious chronic medical conditions</li>
<li>Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer</li>
<li>If you are sick with a fever, worsening cough or trouble breathing during your cruise, stay in your cabin.</li>
<li>Stay home for 14 days and use social distancing upon your return from your cruise. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
It is important to read the actual CDC Advisory because what is being reported is not the truth. I have read too many articles that certain cruise lines didn't follow the CDC's recommendations and set sail anyway. Wait! Huh? What? Where did that come from?<br />
<br />
Apparently it, and the CDC's retrospective position, came from Dr. Anthony Fauci's irresponsible comment that no one should go on a cruise...even though he walked that back the next day stating:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: #fafafa; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: blue;">I think if you are healthy young person, there is no reason -- if you want to go on a cruise ship go on a cruise ship</span><span style="color: #333333;">. Personally, </span><u style="color: #333333;">I would not going to push it because I do not like cruises</u><span style="color: #333333;">. But that is another story. </span><span style="color: blue;">But the fact is, if you have the conditions that I have been speaking about over and over again to this group, namely an individual who has an underlying condition, particularly in and early per person that has an underlying conditions i would recommend strongly that they do not go on a cruise ship.</span></b></i></blockquote>
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So with the CDC and the top U.S. virologist stating that going on a cruise is perfectly acceptable the media started pushing sensational headlines and factually inaccurate articles.<br />
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It was only after that did the CDC issue its continuation of its "No Sail Order" on April 15, 2020 asserting that no ship may sail in U.S. waters with a total capacity of over 250 persons for a period of 100 days or until the CDC decides otherwise. (The prior order didn't apply since all major cruise lines had already suspended service before it was issued.)<br />
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Confused by the mixed messaging from the CDC? I bet you are. But now it gets worse!</div>
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<div>
The CDC was the cause of an irresponsible and woefully inaccurate headline asserting that COVID-19 remained on the Princess Diamond 17 days after the ship was evacuated. That was, however, not all the media's fault because the <b><i>CDC pushed out a false statement </i></b>to that effect on March 23, 2020 which is subsequently corrected on March 27,2020. The facts are that the CDC instructed Princess not to clean certain staterooms and that when the CDC inspected them 17 days later there was no (that is "no") COVID-19 virus present, but only the harmless genetic material remnants (RNA) was....because the staterooms were intentionally not cleaned. This is no different than if you wash your hands that had COVID-19 on them and resulting harmless RNA was found on the paper towel you used to dry your hands and then you left it out for 17 days. What is it supposed to do spontaneously combust? Vanish into thin air? Disappear because it is April?</div>
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With the constantly changing guidance and requirements set out by the CDC in March, the false statements regarding COVID-19 RNA and a No Sail Order that merely mimicked what the cruise industry had already put in place, the CDC requested the cruise industry provide it with proposed protocols above and beyond the Vessel Sanitation Program. According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0409-modifications-extension-no-sail-ships.html">CDC's April 9, 2020 statement</a> it wants the cruise industry to:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[D]evelop a comprehensive, detailed operational plan approved by CDC and the USCG to address the COVID-19 pandemic through maritime focused solutions, including a fully implementable response plan <u><i>with limited reliance on state, local, and federal government support</i></u>. These plans would help prevent, mitigate, and respond to the spread of COVID-19, by:<br />
<ul>
<li>monitoring of passengers and crew medical screenings;</li>
<li>training crew on COVID-19 prevention;</li>
<li>managing and responding to an outbreak on board; and</li>
<li>submitting a plan to USCG and CDC for review</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
I have emphasized the phrase, "with limited reliance on state, local, and federal government support". The question that comes to my mind is, "Why is there state, local, and federal support for managing and responding to an outbreak on an airplane, in a hotel, or frankly anywhere else on land?" To be sure, the cruise lines - as noted above - do a tremendous amount already and have made some significant proposals, but all that is known currently is that the CDC apparently wasn't satisfied with whatever those proposals were.<br />
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I must jump forward for a moment. Even though the Seabourn Sojourn, just as an example, has been at sea with no possibility of infection for over 40 days and without the use facemasks, the CDC now requires that the personnel onboard must wear facemasks assumedly to avoid infecting each other. Aside from the factually impossibility of anyone infecting anyone else...especially if they could have and didn't over the past month and a half...is there any legitimate scientifically sound reason to require same? None. <br />
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But if there were, why does it mandatorily apply to cruise ships, but not nursing homes, meat packing plants, etc? <br />
<br />
Getting back to the analytical history, on April 14, 2020, the cruise industry again paused its sailing through the end of June, brought about by not only issues with ports remaining closed worldwide, international air travel being all but absent, crew and provisioning issues, passenger recalcitrance, but also the continually being altered information concerning COVID-19 and how to address same. This was only days after the CDC renewed its No Sail Order for US ports stating it would continue until one of three things happened:<br />
<ol>
<li>COVID-19 was no longer considered a health emergency</li>
<li>CDC rescinds or modifies the order</li>
<li>100 days passed (July 24, 2020)</li>
</ol>
The July 24, 2020 date was not established based upon any particular factual scenario, and is inconsistent with the Canadian port closures until July 1, 2020 port closures, but was simply set out. This effectively terminates the vast majority of the Alaska cruise season at<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-03-13/how-places-like-alaska-without-a-coronavirus-outbreak-could-still-be-devastated"> a cost of almost $800,000,000 </a>in lost revenues plus up to 10% of the entire Alaska workforce jobs. This, of course, does not take in to account the <a href="https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/port-of-seattle-delays-start-of-2020-cruise-season-indefinitely">$900,000,000 and 5,500 job losses </a>in Seattle, plus Miami's loss of as much, if not more, plus at least 1,000 Royal Caribbean employees plus 800 contractors. You will note I have not discussed the economic costs worldwide or even to the cruise lines (which are not U.S. companies). I am talking about U.S. jobs and economic losses.<br />
<br />
I digress once again to note that the CDC has not asserted that it will shutter nursing homes, meat packing plants, retailers, hotels, shopping malls, food courts, movie theaters, sports stadiums, etc. unless they comply with certain specific guidelines; only cruise ships. The CDC has not asserted that any of those venues must, to the greatest extent possible, manage and respond to an outbreak caused in its facility....whatever that means. And, as shown above, it is without question that millions more infections from COVID-19, norovirus, flu, etc. are a direct result of interactions in these venues.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: red;">So Where Do We Go From Here?</span></i></b><br />
<i><b><span style="color: blue;">"We know more now than we knew then. But we will learn even more tomorrow"</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></i>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What is clear is that cruise ships provide a far more sanitary environment than almost any other venue and, further, it has a history of quickly reacting to viral outbreaks such that while COVID-19 has spread quickly on land, overall the spread on cruise ships has been extremely limited. And if <i><b><span style="color: red;">"We knew then what we know now, no less what we will learn tomorrow" </span></b></i>those already low rates would be even lower. </div>
</div>
<br />
Things that could have been done onboard with (a) facemasks for everyone and (b) mandatory social distancing once an infection was discovered (since, for example, who was infected could not be known due to asymptomatic infections), (c) liberal use of hand sanitizer (not just at dining venues), (d) quarantining in a specific location on the ship (rather than in one's stateroom) and, (e) specified disinfecting techniques for everything from room service to laundry (due to COVID-19 longer life on surfaces)<br />
<br />
But...and this is a Big But: As I look back on this analysis it seems to me that the Number One factor that needs to be addressed is "Confidence". And that confidence is on a number of levels. We are faced with, and the world community sees, a patchwork of inconsistencies in the U.S. approach to COVID-19. And when it sees the cruise industry being the target of the CDC it raises unnecessary red flags; flags brought on by fear.<br />
<br />
Fear because COVID-19 clearly started in one country and overwhelmed the medical systems of so many countries in a matter of but a few weeks. One cannot deny there is a definite "fear factor" and that is dangerous, if not effective in keeping us social distancing. Fear is an emotion and emotions cloud judgment. Facts exist and are definite. Relying on facts gives certainty.<br />
<br />
The elephant in the room is that there is little confidence in how the U.S. Government and its Centers for Disease Control is handling the COVID-19 crisis, not only because of its ever-changing and inconsistent positions, but because of what appears to be a definite political agenda versus a scientific and factual one. <br />
<br />
How does the cruise industry address this fear and prejudice?<br />
<br />
The cruise industry needs to be more aggressive rather than kowtowing to governmental errors, unfounded demands and prejudices (United States or Japan, so far) for fear of reprisals because the industry's life depends upon it. (Imagine if Princess Cruises said to the Japanese government, "Your country is the cause for COVID-19 having infected our ships. What are you going to do about it?!")<br />
<br />
The cruise industry needs to demand facts and science govern its regulation; not bureaucratic muscle-pumping. The cost trying to appease those that have less interest in what is needed than in what they want is both futile and potentially financially backbreaking.<br />
<br />
The cruise industry needs to aggressively counter the "Petri Dish" argument; which, in fact, is not an argument, but rather a sarcastic headline that was proven false right in the very same article. Call it out for what it is and show, as here, that the very premise is utterly false. The industry's life depends on it.<br />
<br />
The cruise industry needs to challenge irresponsible journalism and hyped headlines not only by calling out the journalists, whether they be tabloidesque or responsible but with misleading headlines. It needs to engage those journalists head-on, challenging them to prove their points or to retract the false ones.<br />
<br />
How do guests address this situation? Keep on top of the facts and ignore the hype. Keep optimistic while being realistic. Understand that world travel will, at least for the next months, be different. And, while different, that uncertainty should not give rise to fear, but rather curiosity with sufficient caution.<br />
<br />
Remember, while COVID-19 seems to be omnipresent, it's biggest issue is not the unfortunate that become seriously ill or die, but rather that so many people (possibly a majority) have absolutely no symptoms.<br /><br />
Do you have questions or wish to discuss COVID-19 and its effect on travel? Give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232</div>
Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-74793815333531625582020-04-08T12:46:00.000-07:002020-04-08T12:46:57.032-07:00Goldring Travel's 2021 Culinary & Cultural Cruise: Panama Canal, Colombia, Ecuador & Peru<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Goldring Travel is excited to announce its 2021 Culinary & Cultural Journey on the brand new Seabourn Venture departing on a 14 day journey starting on October 12, 2021 from Barbados to Callao (Lima), Peru filled with truly unique culinary, cultural and expedition experiences. I always ask, "What is your luxury?" Well, this journey will fulfill "your luxury" whatever it may be!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEXGkwxFiEsJADng4EPJxul0htDEfT-bLWeZ0QMzQrP6aI9RZVnAF0fcxkzD1FYsmVUBAGcVmKrEfdDlNtNxCsoz5aIWESd92vw07YqOo9dGbI1xcDokmwLkjv0gEeC9qo9uvjdjGinEJ/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+-+Wise-saying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEXGkwxFiEsJADng4EPJxul0htDEfT-bLWeZ0QMzQrP6aI9RZVnAF0fcxkzD1FYsmVUBAGcVmKrEfdDlNtNxCsoz5aIWESd92vw07YqOo9dGbI1xcDokmwLkjv0gEeC9qo9uvjdjGinEJ/s400/Seabourn+Venture+-+Wise-saying.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is going to be a truly a multi-cultural experience combining Caribbean, Central American, Colombian and Western South American cuisines with numerous indigenous and Spanish-related cultures...and, of course, combining that with the luxury expedition experience that only the Seabourn Venture and Seabourn's Expedition Team can provide: Incredible wildlife (birds, sloths, sea turtles, penguins, etc.), gorgeous beaches, dense jungles, petrified forests, and more along with classic Spanish colonial mansions, ancient cities and temples, as well as lazy shoreside towns.<br />
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<a href="https://www.seabourn.com/content/dam/sbn/inventory-assets/itineraries/T1W14A/V160/T1W14A-667x430.jpg.image.325.244.high.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://www.seabourn.com/content/dam/sbn/inventory-assets/itineraries/T1W14A/V160/T1W14A-667x430.jpg.image.325.244.high.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is a brief description of the Goldring Travel 2021 Culinary & Cultural Cruise:<br />
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Departing from <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Bridgetown, Barbados</span></i></b> with two sea days to relax and enjoy the Seabourn Venture we will arrive at <i><b><span style="color: blue;">Santa Marta, Colombia</span></b></i>, the second oldest city in South America, with a rich history of both indigenous culture and Conquistador domination, gorgeous beaches and dense jungle and, of course, the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) and the picturesque town of Minca. I must mention Santa Marta is famous for its street food!<br />
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The island of <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Bocas del Toro, Panama</span></i></b>, called "The Galapagos of the Caribbean" is next. It has beautiful beaches, but also mangroves and abundant wildlife (birds, sea turtles, a beach full of starfish and numerous sloths, and more) along with numerous indigenous cultures and plenty of opportunities to purchase handicrafts. Colorful coral reefs waiting for you to snorkel or, possibly, scuba dive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakTt0HtXSy5-sIn1faTH2DJ5drtP23s8DQeteYbis08PVdp-6b0lVFItXllw3iS8nbdX4Ruy8MzIoRNkFkIeJVElwq6jKagTXwITXwEsJk4HsYo-Wh-C9aKLaevWmjVomBZOhuddxvt9N/s1600/starfish+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakTt0HtXSy5-sIn1faTH2DJ5drtP23s8DQeteYbis08PVdp-6b0lVFItXllw3iS8nbdX4Ruy8MzIoRNkFkIeJVElwq6jKagTXwITXwEsJk4HsYo-Wh-C9aKLaevWmjVomBZOhuddxvt9N/s200/starfish+beach.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Always a favorite, the Seabourn Venture will then make a <b><i><span style="color: blue;">full transit of the Panama Canal</span></i></b>; the perfect time for a Goldring Travel Private Event as we spend the day enjoying this Travel List must do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkskVci-kG-GOStKrr12xlCGqDmeTUp-tCye-SPlkJaXv665n2cUfelbALU9-aoQlfRFkutVZFmlyAhRuVRfCP-p41X6XZr7bAk1QpdmK3tRZ199VAL0T3nYXPZp8nA_WyvuUODD6aGcf/s1600/Panama-canal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="1200" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkskVci-kG-GOStKrr12xlCGqDmeTUp-tCye-SPlkJaXv665n2cUfelbALU9-aoQlfRFkutVZFmlyAhRuVRfCP-p41X6XZr7bAk1QpdmK3tRZ199VAL0T3nYXPZp8nA_WyvuUODD6aGcf/s640/Panama-canal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After a day at sea we arrive at <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Manta, Ecuador</span></i></b> for an overnight stay. Manta is known, in part, for its tuna fishing fleet, charter fishing (if you interested in catching - and releasing - a marlin), the Pacoche Reserve with hundreds of bird species, howler monkeys, wild cats, deer and more. Manta is also known for a vibrant nightlife with many small restaurants that feature their own encebollado (tuna soup) recipes and other fresh seafood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NeTXsJ7IgygEuVZL3XH5L_OT1UwoJmbwjkjlG0mz4hgaA2DLPGVu8ezNQPoaVdX3sEhGci2POMo_tmfjuNksmEErNphXsW4sia59CoBTj5zy8RJ4PdqDd_fZrtTa3C8xrxaKSgOJWuIv/s1600/Encebollado-tuna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NeTXsJ7IgygEuVZL3XH5L_OT1UwoJmbwjkjlG0mz4hgaA2DLPGVu8ezNQPoaVdX3sEhGci2POMo_tmfjuNksmEErNphXsW4sia59CoBTj5zy8RJ4PdqDd_fZrtTa3C8xrxaKSgOJWuIv/s400/Encebollado-tuna.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Encebollado - Ecuadorian Tuna Soup</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Machala (Puerto Bolivar), Ecuador </span></i></b>is next. Known as the Banana Capital of the World and large exporter of wild shrimp, it also home to Petrified Forest Puyango, which has the largest collection of fossil trees in the world. Close by is Isla del Amor with vibrant bird life, which I am confident the Expedition team will lead us in exploring.<br />
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It is then off to<b><i><span style="color: blue;"> Isla Lobos de Tierra, Peru</span></i></b>, an island about eight miles off the coast of Peru. You will notice the temperatures cool as the Humbolt Current brings cold water (and nutrients) to the surface so the bird life is amazing. Peruvian pelicans, Peruvian and Blue-footed Boobies, guanay cormorants and other seabirds. It is a perfect location for zodiac exploration and walks along the guano laden nesting areas. This is sure to be an amazing day!<br />
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The next day is a dramatic change as we arrive in <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Trujillo (Salaverry), Peru</span></i></b>. Founded by conquistadors it is famous for its colonial mansions and numerous archaeological sites, including the ChimĆŗ capital of Chan Chan. (The Chimu Civilization dominated the area prior to the Incas.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ChimĆŗ capital of Chan Chan</span></span></td></tr>
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Believe it or not, we are not done. Our last day affords us a morning at <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Isla Guanape, Peru</span></i></b>; a four island area with huge populations of seabirds and wildlife including <span style="background-color: white; color: #606060; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;">pelicans, boobies, Humboldt penguins and Southern sea lions. Yes, that's right, this is a great opportunity to see penguins!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Benton-book; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;"><span style="color: #606060;">Our Expedition and Culinary & Cultural Cruise ends in </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Callao, Peru</span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;"> which is only 45 minutes from </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Lima, Peru</span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;">. If there is sufficient interest, an overnight in Lima may be arranged so that Lima's culinary mastery can be enjoyed. Lima, Peru is one of the culinary capitals of the world combining its indigenous, Spanish, and Japanese (yup!) cuisines and cultures to create culinary magic. Lima also has a rich history that is well worth exploring. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peruvian Cuisine in Lima, Peru<br />with all ingredients from the Andes and/or Amazon</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;"><span style="color: #606060;">If anyone is interested in extending this experience sailing further down to </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">San Antonio, Chile </span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;">or even to </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Ushuaia, Argentina </span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;">and then onto </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Antarctica</span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;">, please let me know.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;"><span style="color: #606060;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;"><span style="color: #606060;">Interested in a post-journey experience to </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Machu Picchu</span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;"> or the </span><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Galapagos Islands? </span></i></b><span style="color: #606060;">Goldring Travel can make that happen too!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #606060; letter-spacing: 0.25008px;">As for the Seabourn Venture, here is all the information you may want on the ship:</span><br />
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<a data-id="4214587744205571636" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/12/seabourn-venture-expedition-ship-and.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="outline: none; transition: all 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="color: blue;">Seabourn Venture Expedition Ship and Program: <br />Everything You Want to Know!</span></a></h1>
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Pricing for the Goldring Travel 2021 Culinary & Cultural Cruise starts at $9,999 + $1,040 in taxes per person for a Veranda Suite. I am confident this will sell out quickly, so if you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible.<br />
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Interested? Give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br />
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US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-29507654533488385592020-04-01T14:17:00.000-07:002020-04-01T14:17:04.450-07:00Pent Up Travel Desires? 125% Future Cruise Credits? Now is Time for "Once in a Lifetime" Travel!<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
<b><span style="color: red;">Goldring Travel has some very special deals for you!</span></b><br />
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But before I let you know about them: Three years ago today, while in Myanmar, I had one of the best soups; and I always am on the lookout for soup during my travels. I still remember sitting on a tiny stool at a tiny table on the side of a tiny street with a big bowl of deliciousness with my head on fire from the spices looking at the big smile of the woman who created it seeing how much I enjoyed her cooking.<br />
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We need to remember, and embrace, that not only does travel give us experiences, it gives experiences to those we openly engage with...and it provides critical financial support some of the most amazing people we otherwise would never know.</div>
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With the COVID-19/novel coronavirus/"The 'Rona" pretty much consuming much of our lives, making us look at only the present and also making us fearful of the unknown, there is one thing that we must focus on: </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">This too shall pass!</span></i></b></div>
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Yes, there is an end to this ordeal coming. Whether travel can begin in one month or four, the fact is that whether it is "flattening the curve", the downslope of the peak, the discovery of anti-virals and vaccines, acquired immunity and/or a changes in the way we address social spacing/distancing, the fact is that the present state of affairs is NOT going to be the way of the future...and travel will happen.</div>
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We know that businesses need to reopen, that our global community needs to reopen and that borders are going to reopen. And with so many cruises cancelled - in addition to the current social limitations - people are looking to or, better, craving, to get out and explore, there is a very vibrant demand for cruises in late 2020 and 2021. (I have been finding literally every day, that desired future cruises (ocean and river), expeditions and land tours are sold out or nearly so, suite categories not available and preferred dates gone.) <br />
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<i>Even if your closer-in cruise hasn't yet been cancelled, might you consider a backup trip? You can book something for later in the year or next year and if your planned journey happens you can either cancel it (provided you do so within the cancellation parameters) </i><i>or keep it as another journey.</i></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Goldring Travel's Special Deals!</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"><b>Seabourn Quest - December 20, 2020 (24 Days) </b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"><b>Seabourn's Holiday South Georgia Island, Antarctica & Patagonia Cruise</b></span></i></div>
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I will be your host during my fourth journey to Antarctica and my second to South Georgia Island. Yes, it is that special and amazing. Anyone who has traveled to Antarctica will tell you that whatever they anticipated it to be it was so much better and so different. And many of my clients have decided that once was not enough and have either already made a second journey or have one booked.<br />
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On this sailing Goldring Travel will be providing you with:<br />
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<ul>
<li>A <b><i>Generous Discount</i></b></li>
<li>A <i style="font-weight: bold;">Generous Onboard Credit</i> over and above any Seabourn offers to the public</li>
<li>Complimentary <b><i>Private Transfer </i></b>from the Airport to your hotel or directly to the ship</li>
<li>Complimentary <b><i>Private Cocktail Party with Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team Members</i></b></li>
<li>Complimentary <b><i>Pisco Sours at Shackleton's Bar </i></b>in Punta Arenas, Chile</li>
<li>Complimentary <b><i>Post-Cruise Chilean Wine & Culinary Experience</i></b>, <b><i>Short Tour of Santiago</i></b>, Chile and <b><i>Transfer </i></b>to Santiago Airport or Your Hotel (Group Experience)</li>
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Note that as long as you are healthy, physical limitations are not an issue. Whether you just want to see Antarctica, step on the White Continent one time, take zodiac tours or fully embrace it with numerous landings and even kayaking, Seabourn and the Expedition Team will make it a true <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i>Once In A Lifetime Experience!</i></b></span><br />
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Here is a taste of what you may experience. Each day is different. In fact, what happens during each day is different. It is, in part, what makes this such an extraordinary journey and so worth taking the time to truly delve into this remote part of our world.<br />
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<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 40px 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 669.524px;">
<a data-id="7145638289055785400" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/12/seabourns-antarctica-and-patagonia_27.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #333333; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part III (South Georgia Island)</span></a></h1>
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<a data-id="1543553719894086286" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2020/01/seabourns-antarctica-and-patagonia_8.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #333333; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part V (Paradise Bay, Torgersen Island & Half Moon Island)</span></a></h1>
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With my being onboard with you, I will happily provide you with as much or as little guidance as to what to expect, photography tips, and, because it is Goldring Travel, a few extra surprises!<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Seabourn 2021 World Cruise Segments</span></i></b></div>
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Seabourn Sojourn will be sailing on its 2021 World Cruise from Miami to Barcelona with an extraordinary itinerary transiting the Panama Canal, down the coast of South America, crossing over to French Polynesia, onto Australia, Indonesia and then, for me, the most exciting part of the journey: Africa before ending in Barcelona.<br />
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While Goldring Travel has some great pricing on the Full World Cruise, we are able to offer truly exceptional special pricing on segments sailing from Sydney, Australia or later; not not only in Veranda Guarantees, but in specific suites in most categories, including Penthouses. The pricing is so special I am not allowed to publish it!<br />
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These are the available specially priced segments:<br />
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<li>Sydney to Benoa (Bali) - March 4, 2021 (21 Days)</li>
<li>Sydney to Cape Town - March 4, 2021 (51 Days)</li>
<li>Sydney to Barcelona - March 4, 2021 (81 Days)</li>
</ul>
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<li>Benoa (Bali) to Cape Town - March 25, 2021 (30 Days)</li>
<li>Benoa (Bali) to Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles - March 25, 2021 (13 Days)</li>
</ul>
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<li>Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles to Cape Town - April 7, 2021 (17 Days)</li>
</ul>
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<li>Cape Town to Barcelona - April 24, 2021 (30 Days)</li>
<li>Cape Town to Dakar, Senegal - April 24, 2021 (12 Days)</li>
</ul>
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<li>Dakar, Senegal to Barcelona - May 12, 2021 (12 Days)</li>
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You might even want to consider having Goldring Travel design an African Safari to combine with your cruise! Having been on two African safaris and designed quite a number for my clients, it is truly another <b><i><span style="color: purple;">Once in a Lifetime Experience</span></i></b>. Of course, if you feel you are not physically up to a safari or don't want to commit that much time or money, these Seabourn cruises will most certainly give you a very impressive taste of Africa!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Veranda Guarantee & Penthouse Deals</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Later 2020 and 2021</span></i></b></div>
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Goldring Travel also has very special pricing on a number of Seabourn cruises to Alaska, Caribbean, Arabia, Asia, South America, Australia/New Zealand and even a few in Europe including Transatlantic sailings.<br />
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Sweetening this even more, if any of the sailings are also Ensemble Travel Group sailings you will receive an additional Onboard Credit of up to $175 per person or, possibly, an Ensemble Experience shore excursion, compliments of Goldring Travel.<br />
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If you are thinking that you just cannot afford a Seabourn cruise at this time, some of these sailings are truly fantastic bargains, so it might well be worth your while to contact me!<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Seabourn's Book With Confidence Program</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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Some of the Veranda Guarantee & Penthouse Deals are for close in sailings. Let's face it, there is a chance they will not sail or you may have something (even just concerns about traveling) that keep you from sailing.</div>
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To encourage you to consider one of these cruises, Seabourn's Book with Confidence Program should help significantly. All bookings made now and for <b><i>sailings through July 31, 2020</i></b>, guests will be able to cancel up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) of any monies paid to Seabourn and currently within cancellation fees. You then would have until December 31, 2020 to rebook with your FCC on any published voyage(s) departing prior to December 31, 2021.</div>
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Interested in booking one of these Seabourn experiences or any other cruise or land journey? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!</div>
<br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232</div>
Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-86420743587715860242020-03-27T13:31:00.001-07:002020-03-27T14:02:20.034-07:00Our New Reality and Planning New Travel Experiences Now! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE-XtNHk7RaLkLCDyQTSbbYM_q1ShHdok4kV63q4jUF17HYWtbs4En0G_IWUhRtYIQzpLTrVHxBoyeKby-SwgiFhEZc0GB2JuoadBMe0eRI8KD05Ss3R5NKwt6IlbAz9GUQpxHH2fdqKD/s1600/Milan-Venice-Dubrovnik2003+341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE-XtNHk7RaLkLCDyQTSbbYM_q1ShHdok4kV63q4jUF17HYWtbs4En0G_IWUhRtYIQzpLTrVHxBoyeKby-SwgiFhEZc0GB2JuoadBMe0eRI8KD05Ss3R5NKwt6IlbAz9GUQpxHH2fdqKD/s400/Milan-Venice-Dubrovnik2003+341.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The World has been through many ordeals...many far worse than COVID-19.<br />
We will survive and eventually thrive, just like we always have.</td></tr>
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The past month has been an ordeal for many; some emotional, some financial, some both. And we have made it through it not really knowing how - or even at times why - we would. We also know we are not done going through this and don't know when we will.<br />
<br />
But we do know we will get through this and that there is an end. That "end" will happen because the world will not shut down forever. It can't. It won't. However that "end" - or, better, "new beginning" - will require adjustments in our travel regime; whether it is something as simple as departure/arrival screenings or a doctor's certificate stating that if you are over a certain age you are medically able to safely travel or, well, who really knows at this point! <b><i><span style="color: blue;">In fact, as I am writing this article, a World Heath Organization official, <a href="https://www.gazettextra.com/news/nation_world/the-latest-who-official-says-world-must-live-with-virus/article_2fbf0e77-2063-503b-8b0e-86952784613a.html">Dr. Michael Ryan</a> appealed for a shift toward measures that allow us āto live with this virusā until a vaccine emerges.</span></i></b><br />
<br />
But what we do know is that COVID-19 is ubiquitous, quickly spreading throughout the world's population, and the number of serious illnesses and deaths are not astronomical, but rather there is a concern that at the fast rising peak they numbers may be, <b><i>but only as it is relative to our health care systems</i></b> during the peak period. There is <b><i>no </i></b>noted prospect of the overall population being overwhelmed or our populations overall ability to live and recover from this virus in the long term; especially when a vaccine is available.<br />
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Once this initial period is over (the downside of the now infamous "curve") there will be a return to normalcy. A normalcy that is similar to how the world deals with the flu, car accidents, bathroom falls and the other conditions that face humans every day: <i><span style="color: blue;">Life is imperfect, there are risks that we acceptingly live with, but it must go on...and going on includes the most important part of survival: </span></i><b><i><span style="color: red;">The Joy of Living</span></i></b>!<br />
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I do have to say something that may not be politically correct, but is a very certain reality:<br />
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Yes, Dirty Harry is correct, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">"A man's (or woman's) got to know his (her) limitations!"</span></i></b><br />
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Having traveled the world so often over the past decades, I have - and most all of us have - come across people that we have thought should not be traveling or, better, should not be traveling in a way that negatively impacts others (possibly a private experience rather than a group one or a less rigorous one).<br />
<ul>
<li>Yes to traveling on a land tour. But no to traveling on a tour that requires extensive walking and many hours each day that one cannot realistically keep up with. </li>
<li>Yes to a cruise. But no to a cruise when you cannot care for yourself without more than a gentle bit of assistance. </li>
<li>Yes to any kind of travel. But no to travel if you have medical needs or issues that can, with a certain degree of probability, adversely impact an entire tour or cruise ship.</li>
</ul>
This will, of necessity, be a relevant and necessary topic of travel conversation. The days of it being all about "my" vacation are going to have to be tempered if not eliminated. With social spacing we have all learned that what we do impacts others...possibly significantly.<br />
<br />
One ugly thing that I have observed over the past month is a troubling increase in the amount of self-absorption and failure to be self-aware conduct. It goes beyond the illogical hoarding of toilet paper, rice and eggs. It goes to some people, too many people, failing to respect the lives of those around them. Failing to make sure their conduct does not adversely impact those around them...like not going to the store when you are symptomatic or recently were. Traveling to second homes and rentals in vacation mode to areas that they know cannot support them being there and are specifically told not to come; even when they know they are supposed to be in their primary residence . Even clogging open spaces so that those who trying to engage in proper social spacing cannot.<br />
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So with that, what can we do? We can either focus on the current situation <u><b><i>or </i></b></u>the limitations that are clearly going to be imposed upon us <u><b><i>or </i></b></u>we can plan for that travel experience we all so desperately need while working within those limitations. I prefer the latter and the resulting <b><i><span style="color: red;">Joy of Living</span></i></b>!<br />
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I know. I know. For some, especially in the luxury travel market, there is going to be more concern and impact due to health-related issues. But this is where the previously overly-optimistic view of one's limitations needs to be honestly dealt with so that there is <b><i><span style="color: red;">Joy </span></i></b>rather than Frustration.<br />
<br />
To give a personal example: I used to ski pretty much anything and would do it with about as much speed as I could handle (sometimes more, which would result in what in skiing terms is called a Yard Sale...think about it. LOL) But now I say, "<i>I don't bounce the way I used to</i>", so I more enjoy making hopefully pretty turns and enjoying the views. My friends, most of whom are younger than me, ski the extremes and I just honestly - and comfortably - say to them I can't. I don't even buy lift tickets to where they regularly ski...because I know and accept my limitations. Yet I find <b><i><span style="color: red;">Joy </span></i></b>in my skiing and in their <b><i><span style="color: red;">Joy </span></i></b>of that which I will not take part.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Now for the fun part:</span></i></b> </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">With our minds set and accepting our new reality it is time to plan our future journeys.</span></i></b> </div>
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I would not be focused on the near term, though as Clint Eastwood said, "<i>You've got to ask yourself one question, 'Do I feel lucky?'"</i><br />
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I am comfortably looking at planning travel in July 2020 and onward. That is not to say that travel may not begin even as early as May 2020, but I consider those to be more a possible Last Minute deal situation. And, of course, travel in July is not guaranteed; especially without acknowledging some areas will not be available.<br />
<br />
If you are considering something less exotic with less concerns over logistics, Alaska this summer could be a great experience. I think Europe will be opening up as well, but with some limitations. And, of course, for the North American winter, South America and Antarctica are perfect. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">(I am heading back to Antarctica on the Seabourn Quest's December 20, 2020 sailing...but more on that in my next article.)</span></i></b><br />
<br />
Too close in for your comfort or not the optimal time, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">I am seeing very significant demand for 2021</span></i></b>. In just the past two days I have had to tell clients that the expedition, river cruise and ocean cruise they were interested in were almost sold out. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">That's right, the luxury market is HOT for 2021</span></i></b>. So if you have Future Cruise or Travel Credits; especially those at 115% or 125%, NOW is the time to plan and make those bookings.<br />
<br />
Is there something more enjoyable than planning your next vacation while you are sheltering at home? Yes: <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Booking It</span></i></b> and <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Looking Forward</span></i></b> to reengaging in the <b><i><span style="color: red;">Joy of Life</span></i></b>!<br />
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If you are interested in planning or booking a new journey, give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-29979998502207982542020-03-16T17:30:00.001-07:002020-03-17T10:15:01.344-07:00Social Spacing/Social Distancing and Travel: Oh, What to Do? Keep Perspective, Think Positive, & Look Forward. The Travel Industry is NOT Going Anywhere!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While you are engaged in Social Spacing/Social Distancing:<br />
Keep Yourself Dreaming!<br />
<i>(Yes, I took this photo on a Safari in Kenya - A Travel Idea?)</i></td></tr>
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The past three weeks have been chaotic to say the least. And with those having travel plans, it has been - for many - nothing short of an emotional and logistical ordeal. For those with travel plans now through mid-April 2020, at least there is some finality (other than possibly whether to take a Future Cruise or Travel Credit with a bonus of 25% or more or a refund and canceling air and hotels).<br />
<br />
By the way, you are going to need some patience to get those confirmation and revised Invoices confirming your cancellations and Future Travel Credits because your travel agent/advisor/designer/professional must wait for the travel or cruise company to send them out...and they are now faced not only with unprecedented numbers to deal with, they must also cope with working remotely (if they are able to), their own social spacing, child care, etc.) It will all get sorted out, but perspective and understanding are not only appreciated, but truly needed.<br />
<br />
But what about all those travel plans after mid-April? Well, they fall into three basic categories:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1. Those that for logistical reasons aren't going to happen.<br />
2. Those that for logistical reasons probably aren't going to happen.<br />
3. Those that could happen, but are contingent on what exigent circumstances happen between now and then. </blockquote>
Over the next week those in Category 1 will become crystallized.<br />
Over the next week those in Category 2 will have a higher probability<br />
Over the next two weeks those in Category 3 will have more clarity.<br />
<br />
All of the cruise and travel companies are aware of this, and of the ever changing circumstances, so cancellation and change fee deadlines are not something most need to worry about in the short term. Remember, they want you. They need you. They are, frankly, in some instances desperate not to lose you. <u>So there is no reason to panic. </u><br />
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I have said often over these past weeks, something I said often when I was really practicing law and the tensions and emotions were seemingly always at a crescendo: <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Don't make a decision until you have to. There is no benefit is making an unnecessary decision or making one before all the facts are in and the consequences understood. </span></i></b><br />
<br />
Hence, you have a chance to <u>Breathe</u>.<br />
<br />
Now that you might have taken a breath, I'm going to be somewhat unfair and posit one thought I feel I must get off my chest:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b><span style="color: red;">Is shutting down everything from cruise ships, to cross-border travel, to bars, theaters, ski resorts, etc. worth it?</span></b></i></blockquote>
On the one hand, there is a real and legitimate concern that COVID-19 may overwhelm medical facilities and thousands of people will die that might otherwise have been saved if we "flattened the curve".<br />
<br />
On the other hand, to date, there is a not really spoken real and legitimate concern that the shutting down of so many industries and businesses, and the follow-on loss of jobs, effects of social isolation, effects of financial problems, the loss of regularity in our lives, and the emotional toll of what has become a rudderless ship with no leader taking charge (so cities, states, and countries are acting in an ad hoc, rather than coordinated basis) can be devastating on an individual and group basis. We are going to have to deal with mental illness and suicides, thousands of businesses that will never reopen, businesses that will never be the same, job losses, foreclosures, evictions, medical bills, and more. I am truly concerned that we may seriously adversely affect and/or lose more, lives to these things than to COVID-19.<br />
<br />
So what can we do to keep perspective, to look forward, to realize the sun is going to shine, the birds are going to sing and we will be socializing and otherwise living our lives in a somewhat normal fashion in a "relatively" short period of time?<br />
<br />
I am not being a mental health professional (and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express either!) but I have found that for myself, and I see it in some of my clients, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">looking six months, ten months even a year down the road helps</span></i></b>. I mean I could focus on all the chaos and stresses of the ordeals of the past weeks and what will, for sure, be another round of issues OR I could focus on the light at the end of the tunnel; knowing that travel will continue.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: red;">WHAT?: Travel is going to continue? The Cruise & Travel Industry isn't going to die?</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This is where realizing history is a great teacher comes into play. I will set out some words or phrases and you let me know what comes to mind when you think of them with regard to cruising and international travel:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The Plague</li>
<li>The Telephone</li>
<li>World War I</li>
<li>The Depression</li>
<li>World War II</li>
<li>Transcontinental Air Travel</li>
<li>Video Conferencing</li>
<li>The Crash of 1987</li>
<li>9/11</li>
<li>The Internet</li>
<li>Ebola/SARS/MERS/H1N1/Swine Flu</li>
<li>The Crash of 2008</li>
</ul>
OK, you don't have to tell me, because I know:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">The Travel Industry Survived and Came Back Stronger Than Ever!</span></i></b></div>
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While you are social spacing (I think a far more positive and appropriate term than social distancing) and waiting for the stock market to rebound (or, for those not of weak heart, pouncing on those great buying opportunities) consider where you want to go when you are able to do so. And, while I am most certainly looking at this concept from a business perspective, I am more so looking at it from a mental health perspective. <i>(You see I want my clients and potential clients to actually live and be happy. Heck it is better for business too!)</i><br />
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So head online, visit <a href="http://goldringtravel.com/">GoldringTravel.com</a> and <a href="http://www.makingwavesblog.com/">Makingwavesblog.com </a> for ideas, videos and reviews. Check out Seabourn, Silversea, Lindblad, Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent, AmaWaterways, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, Crystal, and so many more. You have the time and the need to dream and look forward.<br />
<br />
I would not recommend you get your heart set on a new journey beginning before June 2020, but keep it in mind...just in case the social spacing things is abandoned and the infection rate drops. (Dr. Sanja Gupta says that shortly it may not make any difference...which is why the effort will be re-evaluated in 15 days.)<br />
<br />
I would also urge you to consider your own health (physical and mental) and abilities to travel safely. Moving forward if you are 70 or older you may (that is "may") need a doctor's certificate that you are fit to travel. Presently it is a proposal based upon the US government's concern not only for your safety but so that you are not communicable to others if you are ill (though age is not yet shown to be a factor in carrying the virus).<br />
<br />
Remember that if you have a cruise or land tour booked for September or December 2020 or even 2021 you are still counting (or even just hoping) that it will be going and thus you are not canceling it. So, while some may think that there are going to be awesome deals - which may be the case in some instances - the more upscale and luxury ones may have less capacity. So if you see something of interest, see when the cancellation penalties kick in and then book it knowing you can cancel it with no or little penalty (Goldring Travel never charges a change or cancellation fee).<br />
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I know there are lots of questions and, unfortunately, not enough great answers. But we will get through this and will do it better if we do it together. Along those lines, I know you take comfort in my usually having definitive answers. However, right now I have many, but not all. But I am here to answer your questions to the best of my ability and, to be sure, I have no fear of saying, "I don't know".<br />
<br />
Oh, yeah, and if you are interested in booking a new journey, give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-30573644592871898192020-03-09T13:56:00.003-07:002020-03-09T23:34:37.987-07:00COVID-19: Attacking the Cruise Industry is a Cheap and Meritless Shot. Enough of the Hype, Fear & Media Circus. What are the Facts?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
This is not a political article.<br />
This is not a sales pitch.<br />
This is an attempt to interject some sanity and rational thought to a viral situation that, other than to a small minority, should not really impact the lives of billions (that's right: billions) of people.<br />
<br />
There is a battle going on regarding the coronavirus known as COVID-19. The battle is between government, the media and reality.<br />
<br />
And I am not just talking about President Trump only being worried about keeping his numbers down (the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the US) resulting in his demanding a Princess cruise ship be held off the coast against literally every medical opinion out there...and said it is the worst possible approach as to how to deal with the human beings on the ship, but combining that with a single person related to "his" government irresponsibly saying that if there is one thing you shouldn't do is take a cruise...and he did so with absolutely no scientific or statistical basis for same...and the media running with it!<br />
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Oh, you think I am just saying that is totally irresponsible and outrageous because I am in the travel business? Read on!<br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: red;">[After originally writing this article Trump's Coronavirus Task Force expert Dr. Fauci made a total reversal after putting the cruise industry into a tailspin stating:</span></i><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: red;">I think if you are healthy young person, there is no reason -- <b>if you want to go on a cruise ship go on a cruise ship.</b> Personally, <u>I would not going to push it because I do not like cruises</u>. But that is another story. But the fact is, if you have the conditions that I have been speaking about over and over again to this group, namely an individual who has an underlying condition, particularly in and early per person that has an underlying conditions i would recommend strongly that they do not go on a cruise ship.</span></i></blockquote>
<i><span style="color: red;">The irresponsibility of making a claim that you should never go on a cruise ship and then, twenty-four hours later...and only when prompted at a news conference...to say that you can safely cruise is beyond reprehensible as the damage done is indescribably enormous.] </span></i><br />
<br />
According to Cruise Market Watch at then end of 2018 (the most recent verified figures) there were 314 cruise ships carrying approximately 537,000 passengers at time with 26,000,000 passengers annually. Of course there are a few additional cruise ships as of March 2020 and along with that some additional passengers as well. Out of those 314 cruise ships and half a million passengers there have only been two ships (both Princess) that had any COVID-19 issues that affected but only a few guests and more so crew (but still limited numbers).<br />
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I won't get into how the Japanese government totally blew the handling of the Diamond Princess or how Princess Cruises didn't do much better in relation to instituting proper protocols. But what I will get into is that the Diamond and Grand Princess each carry about 4,000 people (passengers and crew), or 8,000 total. Of the Diamond Princess 4,000 - after pretty much insisting everyone on the Diamond Princess - most of whom are considered in the higher risk categories (older and/or with underlying conditions) be repeatedly exposed to the virus over a period of weeks - only about 17% were infected while on the Grand Princess only 2 guests of 2,400 tested positive so far.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Take a moment, think about that <u>and then</u> think about this: </span><span style="color: red;">There have been no instances of COVID-19 on 312 of 314 cruise ships. </span></i></b>Why, because the vast majority of cruise ships (especially the luxury ones) are bastions of cleanliness. Staff are constantly cleaning, hand sanitizers are ubiquitous, cleaning and service protocols are in place and the rate of illness (other than the Diamond Princess) is actually lower than in other environs. Add to that the increased screening now being undertaken before anyone can board a cruise ship. Put another way: Imagine how few would have become ill without the Diamond Princess and Japanese government mishandlings! You would actually say, <b><i><span style="color: red;">"Put me on a cruise ship because it is cleaner and safer there!"</span></i></b><br />
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In contrast, consider that <b><i><span style="color: blue;">in just New York City 4,300,000 people ride the New York subway every day</span></i></b> and use 6,714 cars and 1,100-plus commuter rail cars, along with 472 subway stations, 21 stations on Staten Island Railway, 124 stations and terminals on the Long Island Rail Road and 101 Metro-North stations. If you have ever ridden on this system you will know that it is not, to be kind, one of the cleanest place on earth and even now, if you were to clean it twice a day it only takes minutes for one of those 4,300,000 people to cough, sneeze, wipe their hands onto a surface for it to be recontaminated.<br />
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Imagine if you were on the aforementioned subway, packed in with at least a dozen people within six feet and the remnants of hundreds of people who just previously were in your pace and you later became ill, you would not identify with the subway, could not make a definite connection and you would have traveled to dozens of places before the onset of any symptoms so those folks could not make the connection back to your subway ride. On a cruise you are there on the ship. Now whether you got ill in a port or on the ship is never considered, but what is known is that you are on the ship and it can be identified.<br />
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It really irked me when one WHO person said the fatality rate was over 3% and after the media ran with that, the experts universally said they expected that rate to fall significantly when there is better reporting and more testing. WAIT. HUH? So the WHO put out a statistic it new was scientifically and statistically invalid? What was the legitimate purpose of doing that? Oh, and by the way, that rate was based in a very large part on the inclusion of Chinese data...and did not take into account subpar medical care.<br />
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We hear that the virus is most serious with people who are older and/or have underlying medical conditions. What the heck does "older" mean? That is not a "condition". So someone says "over 60" and that is run with. Why? Where was that scientifically and statistically established? Oh, yeah, it wasn't. From the published information available, <b><i><span style="color: red;">"Patients who reported no pre-existing ("comorbid") medical conditions had a case fatality rate of 0.9%." </span></i></b><br />
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So how do they get to 3%? People in the 80+ range have a 15% fatality rate, 70-79 are at 8% and 60-60 is 3.8%. But go and find how many of them also suffered from one of the cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, cancer and/or diabetes...because that combination statistic isn't readily found..and is most relevant because most people that are 70+ suffer from at least one of them. According to a journal article in Clinical Geriatric Medicine essentially over 70% of people over 60 have cardiovascular disease and in another article it states at about 17% suffer from chronic respiratory issues. Want to add to these figures the number of active smokers in China? I do. About 60% of Chinese men smoke.<br />
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So with the science and statistics showing that the issue is not cruise related and is really not primarily age related, why are government's just closing their ports to cruise ships? What was it that President Trump and "his" officials saying without any scientific or epidemiological support? But almost all of those same governments are allowing people to fly, drive and train into their countries with nothing more than a temperature screening...and then to travel far and wide around their countries. It makes no sense...and I believe eventually - and hopefully soon - sense will become part of the equation.<br />
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To be sure, based largely upon governmental pressure (also known as directives or guidance) public and private institutions are, for now, taking draconian approaches to avoid or supposedly minimize "community spread"...but to what ultimate end? To avoid lawsuits? Political fallout? We hear everyday that it now in X and then in Y. And then we hear, that there are most certainly far more cases, but people aren't reporting them because the symptoms are so mild if at all. It is as the mantra, "<b><i><span style="color: blue;">We have to do something even if it really is ineffective so we can say we did something.</span></i></b>"<br />
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Why am I optimistic about sensibility and science become relevant again? Because I am speaking and emailing with clients, doctors and cruise line employees...and filtering through the news...and fear of COVID-19 has dropped at a remarkable rate among people and private doctors...not governments or bureaucrats . This is because people are:<br />
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<li>(A) Finding responsible ways to educate themselves; and </li>
<li>(B) The reality that this virus is not fatal or even serious for the vast majority of people</li>
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To be sure, I do not seek to belittle COVID-19, but rather keep perspective as to the disease, how to effectively prevent getting it and, most importantly, how to live with its existence as we do with colds, flu and so many other diseases.<br />
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In the meantime, while all this is sorted out, remember that things will get better. COVID-19 will become better understood. Governments will realize that irrationally shutting down so many avenues to economic growth will only hurt their economies and their people (and their political fortunes). Life will go on and people will travel.<br />
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As we go through this my suggestion is not to make any emotional or panicked actions. Calmly consider your options and when you must make that decision to cancel a trip. Until you are getting to that time, take a moment, take a breath and then: <b><i><span style="color: red;">Don't make a decision until you have to, because things are going to change. </span></i></b><br />
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And while you are waiting, think of your next trip. You know the one you want to take in a few months or a year from now...and book it. You have no downside and it gives you something positive to look forward to.<br />
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And if you have any travel questions give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
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US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-57404165191978884002020-03-05T11:05:00.004-08:002020-03-07T12:38:22.572-08:00Seriously Special Seabourn Pricing on a Wide Variety of 2020 and 2021 Cruises<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; min-width: 100%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter">
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Before I get to the<strong> <span style="color: red;">Seriously Special Seabourn Pricing</span></strong>, obviously the coronavirus, or COVID-19, situation has significantly impacted the travel industry and will for some time. If you have not yet read my article: <strong><a data-id="4674708037421870228" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2020/02/coronavirus-covid-19-luxury-travel.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #007c89; font-weight: normal; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Coronavirus COVID-19: A Luxury Travel Agent's Perspective</a>.</strong><br />
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Unfortunately, the media has really jumped on this story and it has created panic, emotional responses and perceptions that just are not accurate. Whether it is the reports that Milan is shut down (one of my longest and most responsible suppliers posted videos this past weekend of crowds of Milanese celebrating the warm weather by a lake) or cruise ships are bastions of disease (the Japanese government admitting there protocol was horribly flawed) the reality is that over 80% of those infected have no or mild symptoms...and the percentage may well be far higher because those folks generally have not reported themselves as sick and/or have not been tested.<br />
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In short, every disease raises some level of concern. We just need to scientifically and based upon actual facts determine what that level is. In the meantime, the experts at the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control state that unless you are already medically compromised: Don't wear masks (as they do little to nothing); Wash your hands often; Use hand sanitizer if you can't; and, Don't touch your face or mouth without doing the foregoing. <em>(BTW, Goldring Travel has, and will continue to, provide you with travel size hand sanitizer.)</em></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><em><strong>Seabourn "Book With Confidence" Policy</strong></em></span></div>
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Virtually every cruise line and tour operator has just instituted some sort of near term protection for its guests due to the uncertainty surrounding governmental actions concerning COVID-19. (Long term commitments just aren't possible because literally nobody knows fully how to navigate these uncharted waters...though one thing is for certain those uncharted waters are going to be traveled through by land, sea and air!)<br />
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Seabourn's Book with Confidence policy is <strong>valid now through April 30, 2020</strong>.</div>
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<strong>Coverage</strong>: All existing bookings and new bookings made from March 2, 2020 through April 30, 2020 for sailings departing between April 30th and October 15th, 2020.</div>
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<strong>Policy</strong>: Guests may cancel <strong>up to 30 days prior to departure</strong> and receive a <strong>100% Future Cruise Credit </strong>of any monies paid to Seabourn that are currently within the cancellation period. <em>That means in order to benefit from this policy you must cancel your cruise and submit it for review at least 30 days before such cruise's departure date to be eligible</em></div>
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The Future Cruise Credit is valid for bookings made within 90 days for any published sailing departing prior to December 31, 2021. <em>That means <strong>you must rebook within 90 days</strong>, but can put the sailing off for almost two years on a sailing that is already published (i.e. not hold out until new sailings are published). Please note that you will not receive a refund, but rather a Future Cruise Credit that has no cash value and is not transferable.</em><br />
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Please also note that the normal cancellation policies and penalties still apply to other cruises (thought that may change dependent upon how things develop). You may cancel your cruise anytime up to 121 days prior to sailing (150 days on longer sailings) with no penalty (and Goldring Travel never charges a change or cancellation fee). Penalties are generally equal to the amount of your deposit until 90 days prior when final payment is due and the penalties increase.</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><em><strong>Now for the Seriously Special Seabourn Pricing!</strong></em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">As with segments of the 2021 Seabourn World Cruise Goldring Travel has seriously special pricing on a number of Seabourn cruises in </span><strong style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: mediumblue;">Alaska</span></strong><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">, </span><span style="color: green; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Panama Canal</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">, </span><span style="color: brown; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Mediterranean</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">, </span><span style="color: darkorange; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Northern Europe</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">, </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Australia/New Zealand,</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"> </span><span style="color: violet; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Arabia</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">, </span><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Asia (yes its true!) </strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">and a very limited amount of </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><strong>South America and Antarctica</strong></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">. Special pricing is not available on every cruise, but there certainly is a wide enough variety that something will probably peak your interest; most being 7-14 days sailing...and many of those can be booked as back-to-back sailings. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">I also continue to have special pricing on a number of segments of the 2021 Seabourn World Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn. If you have not done so, you can read my recent articles: </span><a data-id="5450639211271860994" data-item-type="post" href="http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/07/lets-talk-about-seabourn-2021-world.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong>Let's Talk About the Seabourn 2021 World Cruises (and The Segments) Offerings</strong>.</a><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"> and </span><strong style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><a data-id="1563701572431164753" data-item-type="post" href="http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/07/luxury-and-premium-world-cruises-lets.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Luxury and Premium World Cruises: Let's Compare!</a></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">As those who have booked some of the 2021 World Cruise segments can attest, these are true special prices that will save you so much I cannot be publish them. You have to call or </span><a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com" style="color: #007c89; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">email </a><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">me. (Hey, you know I don't hype, so don't delay.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">If you have any questions be sure to speak with your health professional first. </span><br />
And if you have any travel questions give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232 </td></tr>
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Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-46747080374218702282020-02-24T13:16:00.000-08:002020-02-24T13:45:11.230-08:00Coronavirus COVID-19: A Luxury Travel Agent's PerspectiveI have received a number of emails from both clients and readers about my thoughts on the novel coronavirus, now officially named COVID-19. Rather than writing individual emails I thought it best to write an article answering all of them in one place.<br />
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Over the past weeks, the No. 1 topic...and No. 1 headache...has been the novel coronavirus. To say it has caused significant disruptions in the travel industry would be an understatement. Similarly, to say it has caused upset, anxiety, frustration and disappointment within the traveling public would be an even greater understatement...but, importantly, only for some.<br />
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Before I discuss the effect on travel and travel planning, first let's get some perspective:<br />
<ul>
<li>This is a new virus and at present there are no vaccines or antivirus medications, though at least one is showing promise. </li>
<li>For those with compromised immune systems or underlying illnesses this virus can be very serious or fatal.</li>
<li>For the vast majority of people that have contracted the virus they are either asymptomatic (most not even knowing they are infected) or have very mild symptoms.</li>
<li>For the vast majority of serious or fatal cases the unfortunate outcomes are as much related to unavailable or improper treatment, including such simple things as proper hydration.</li>
<li>According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/opinion/coronavirus-china-numbers.html">February 18, 2020 New York Times Opinion piece</a>, there have been <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">72,869 cases and 1,873 deaths; but as noted above most of those deaths are associated with other conditions and there are certainly many more cases of non-fatal infections that have gone unreported...which make the actual morbidity rate of the virus much lower than reported.</span></li>
<li>According to the same article the alleged huge spike in cases is a result of China redefining who has the virus to include anyone with the symptoms of coughing, fever and/or difficulty breathing even if they have tested negative for the virus. </li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As of the date of this article, there less than 50 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States and about 1,000 worldwide other than China (and most of those are in South Korea). </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As of the date of this article, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm">Centers for Disease Control</a>'s weekly report there have been over 29,000,000 cases of the flu, 28,000 hospitalization and 16,000 deaths from the flu, just in the United States. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The World Health Organization states that the flu infects over 5,000,000 severe cases with 650,000 deaths annually worldwide.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It is not known of the COVID-19 will spread or die off as the flu virus does seasonally.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Because the information is so new and incomplete it is not possible to have valid statistics as to which is more serious: COVID-19 or flu.</span></li>
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OK, so with that information, we need to meld in the fact that the hysteria over the woman on the Holland America Westerdam that Malaysia initially said had the COVID-19 virus (which spread, 'er um, virally spread through the media) ultimately was found not to have it and the Japanese authorities who determined how the Diamond Princess was kinda-sorta maybe quarantining the passengers made a huge debacle of same and created a worse situation with cross-contamination everywhere.</div>
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Hence there is a balance between biology, medicine, statistics, and emotion...and each of these, as noted above, cannot be fully quantified or their validity vouched for just yet.</div>
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Now, the BIG question: What does all this mean for travel, and especially cruise travel, in the near and long term?</div>
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The short answer is:<b><i><span style="color: blue;"> I don't know! </span></i></b> That's right a definitive "<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Dunno</span></i></b>"! </div>
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And that is because of the combination of the current lack of knowledge, misinformation and what I will call "hysteria" (though that is probably a bit of an overstatement). More specifically, the World Health Organization is focused on containing the virus and keeping it from becoming a pandemic (or effecting more people than normal on a worldwide basis) and, thus, national and local governments are reacting on a wide variety of bases from measured and scientific to emotional and overreactive. Thus nobody (not airlines, tour operators, cruise lines, etc.) can know in advance what is going to trigger what governmental action and whether it is based rationally, politically or emotionally.</div>
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That is why, over the past month, cruise lines have put plans in place that they felt were responsive to conditions and governmental authorities...and then found that they were no longer valid; sometimes then becoming valid again. This was the case of Vietnam consenting to the Seabourn Ovation making port calls and then deciding it was reconsidering same and then deciding, after days floating at sea, that they would permit them. And then it all went to heck when it was improperly claimed a passenger on the Westerdam has somehow contracted COVID-19 when, in fact, she had not. </div>
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In response all the cruise lines decided to simply leave Asia entirely and probably for all of 2020 while tightening restrictions on who can board their ships (nobody with recent contacts with China, those having a fever, etc.) and head down to Australia and New Zealand before heading through Indonesia, through Arabia and up into the Mediterranean where all is quiet...until it wasn't! </div>
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As of this morning Northern Italy has 10 towns of 50,000+ residents on lockdown after 227 cases of COVID-19 appeared with 101 people hospitalized and two days of Venice's famous Carnival cancelled and Iran says 47 have been discovered with 12 deaths. (Meanwhile back in Asia, <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">South Korea is reporting over 800 cases.)</span></div>
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So what does this mean for people on cruises in Australia in a month's time: I just don't know. </div>
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How about those spending time in Bali? Not a clue. </div>
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The Western Mediterranean exclusive of Italy? No crystal ball here.<br />
Cruises touching Italy? Can't really say.</div>
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HOWEVER, I can make the following observations and couple them with my unofficial and unregulated crystal ball:</div>
<ul>
<li>As with SARS, Bird Flu, MERS, Ebola and others, a rational, systematic and scientifically based approach will be taken and it will be taken with the next month or so.</li>
<li>This better and more educated approach will quiet many of the concerns and emotional responses</li>
<li>Medical treatments, including anti-virals, will be available within a few months</li>
<li>Those that educate themselves will be more likely to travel then those that don't.</li>
<li>Perspective of contracting the flu or some other disease versus COVID-19 will become normalized</li>
<li>The lock-down approach will be eliminated (save, probably, China) as being ineffective and unwarranted considering the costs and the limited benefits.</li>
</ul>
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In the meantime, and not just because my business is creating travel experiences, I would suggest that the idea of not making plans because something might happen is the least productive approach one can take and, further, itis one that penalizes your mental health because you are trapping yourself when there is, in fact, no trap. (I mean there are significant numbers of deaths from falling in the shower, no less bathtubs, and you don't hesitate to shower everyday.)</div>
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But I would plan your travel wisely, not as if there is nothing going on. In that light I suggest:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Work with responsible (both ethically and financially) travel professionals. Trying to get answers, results and changes on your own can be far more daunting than you might think and a travel professional that is merely concerned about keeping one commission may not be looking at your long-term best interests or be sufficiently motivated to put the hours of time in that are necessary.</li>
<li>Work with responsible (both ethically and financially) tour operators and cruise lines. They are in it for the long-haul and want to keep you as a client, and not just for one trip. Their solutions may change and may not be perfect, but they are really working hard to make your travel plans happen and, if they cannot, that they to provide you with a solid alternative...and then another one when unexpectedly a government(s) changes its (their) position(s). </li>
<li>Possibly put those less expensive non-cancellable hotels and airline tickets on hold. The premium paid to allow you to voluntarily cancel your reservations might just give you some flexibility and piece of mind.</li>
<li>Decide if you are traveling for a particular destination, a cruise experience or to just get away so that you can keep better focus on what the effect of a change is really going to mean to you (rather than the theoretical that "everything" is now ruined).</li>
<li>Don't assume travel insurance is going to cover you. Fear of a problem is not a covered loss. There are exclusions for known conditions (coronavirus is now known). Unless you purchase additional insurance coverages changes in ports are generally not a covered loss. Cancel for any reason coverage, though expensive, may be something to consider. </li>
<li>Be flexible.</li>
<li>Keep perspective</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Most importantly: Breathe.</span></li>
</ul>
Yup; just breathe. We don't know what will be happening in two weeks, no less two months or longer. Since there is no way to predict what will be happening...even though each day we think everything has settled out...and then it isn't...worrying about "What if's" doesn't really help your situation or your mental health. I know. I know. Easier said than done, but we have to start somewhere.<br />
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So don't put off your vacation planning, but rather keep those pre-penalty cancellation dates in mind. Would I consider an Asia trip for 2020? Probably (OK, definitely for now) not. But the reality is that the vast majority of you weren't considering one to begin with. And, barring something truly unforeseen, the travel chaos related to Asia and cruise itineraries of the past two months should well and truly settle down in less than next thirty days.<br />
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If you have any questions be sure to speak with your health professional first. And if you have any travel questions give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232 </div>
Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-22948163003003390642020-01-28T13:26:00.001-08:002020-01-28T15:13:00.715-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part VI (Patagonia) The final leg of my third Antarctica and Patagonia journey on the Seabourn Quest started with a "Drake Lake" crossing arriving into Ushuaia, Argentina on time. But it was Sunday with a 1:00 PM departure so there was virtually nothing open and no opportunity to enjoy a bit of Argentinian cuisine before our journey into the Chilean fjords and Patagonia.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuI9eioI9HVCuRUx2VN74eeMWoDYp-gauWuGKdLD9K0VmCYzC25VjV5kES9F3kixAdx-9uBNMBvisQCeC_lmGgFiV33lEKbHDsZqUYQddgybILJDGUUVIUvdCW1wV29v4vaTjU4qLYEr7/s1600/IMG_20200105_101732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuI9eioI9HVCuRUx2VN74eeMWoDYp-gauWuGKdLD9K0VmCYzC25VjV5kES9F3kixAdx-9uBNMBvisQCeC_lmGgFiV33lEKbHDsZqUYQddgybILJDGUUVIUvdCW1wV29v4vaTjU4qLYEr7/s640/IMG_20200105_101732.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ushuaia, Argentina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We tied up to the pier along with Ponant's L'Austral, the Hanseatic Nature and the old Albatross Expeditions Ocean Atlantic. The luggage on the pier for each of these ships reminded me that coming all this way for a much shorter experience, and with not near the luxury, is not what I preferred...and that I still had over a week more to enjoy the Seabourn Quest!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu6PUJukbhiVJ7HzmWbX40mSzeOcLc8wJcYoqzHtfVIR0WMqWOELKWzwoBlaKNWHld6ka5KnDpE9jqhnybhMx1Zhhb5FTjRBz5zk6fs-EKE0lHTDimEiv9JOB68wbQ9EAN1zDwG1ClCQ6/s1600/IMG_20200105_094731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu6PUJukbhiVJ7HzmWbX40mSzeOcLc8wJcYoqzHtfVIR0WMqWOELKWzwoBlaKNWHld6ka5KnDpE9jqhnybhMx1Zhhb5FTjRBz5zk6fs-EKE0lHTDimEiv9JOB68wbQ9EAN1zDwG1ClCQ6/s640/IMG_20200105_094731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Quest - Ushuaia, Argentina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">What I was able to enjoy was my first long walk (about 5 miles), in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">cluding up the hills of Ushuaia, which was refreshing and well-needed.</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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As I wondered the town, I came upon the Dublin Pub, where I had a very "enjoyable" evening two years ago with some of the crew and Expedition Team. I saw a sign that said "Open", so I approached closer. I saw a chalk sign that said "Open" so I got right up to the locked front door. Alas, the 17:00 opening time in the ghost of chalk past hardly showed...and my excitement for a bit of luck turned to disappointment. Oh well.<br />
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It was quickly time to get back onboard and for our cruise; not expedition, to continue.<br />
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Monday brought us to Punta Arenas, Chile and my time to host the Ensemble Experience which I called, "Shearing Sheep and then Eating Them"! Well, actually it was a walking and driving tour of the city and then a drive to a small show estanzia (or farm) where we had a bit of a walk followed by a sheep shearing demonstration, a tasty llama empanada and a pisco sour, and then a barbecue of lamb (get it?), beef and chicken.<br />
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Making it more interesting was not only a great guide, but two of the Seabourn Expedition Team came with us.<br />
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After lunch some of the guests returned to the ship, but some of us headed into town and another pisco sour at the famous Shackleton's Bar. As we walked another member of the Expedition Team joined us. And immediately after I posted on Facebook that I was there, Trevor Potts - who recreated Shackleton's Journey messaged me and then stopped in, then Rob Egelstaff stopped in and then another member of the Seabourn Expedition Team came by. Of course we enjoyed pisco sours!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpnrComdMR5EQNs84iXbrCL1K3W8agfRUfgXbgeIuVU8SmR8xgnBhz1eQ3PbfZ4INKT3V-_LVteFP6JPgFDogiSSvfvPsngjN_q6828uLDzbGu7TsaPr7o6oyQM0Ss8yq9cjNubOgotDw/s1600/IMG_20200106_163323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpnrComdMR5EQNs84iXbrCL1K3W8agfRUfgXbgeIuVU8SmR8xgnBhz1eQ3PbfZ4INKT3V-_LVteFP6JPgFDogiSSvfvPsngjN_q6828uLDzbGu7TsaPr7o6oyQM0Ss8yq9cjNubOgotDw/s640/IMG_20200106_163323.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Seabourn Expedition Team members Trevor Potts and Rob Egelstaff (who recreated Shackleton's Journey)</div>
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in Shackleton's Bar in Punta Arenas, Chile</div>
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While some went off to shop and others to take the shuttle back to the ship, Rob and I enjoyed (as we did last year) a nice four mile walk along the coast back to the ship. As luck would have it, just as we arrived the skies opened. Whew!<br />
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It was then two sea days or, better, days both wondering through the fjords and inlets of Patagonia coupled with some hours in open ocean. Because the seas were predicted to be quite rough (false alarm fortunately) Captain Joost took a very creative and beautiful meander that had not been done before. Hopefully Seabourn will do this in the future as well. It was far more picturesque and enjoyable than open ocean.<br />
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Our day in Castro, Chile was, as it was again my third time there, focused on one place: Mercadito; a small rustic restaurant which has the best frozen pisco sours, fresh oysters that are almost clam like, and other deliciousness like a seafood soup.<br />
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It was also time for me to give the Seabourn Expedition Team a bit of a Thank You...which allegedly caused the restaurant to run out of pisco. That's their story anyway!<br />
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After finding another little restaurant for that last pisco sour that nobody actually needed, it was time to catch the last tender back to the Seabourn Quest...and none too soon. What a fun day!<br />
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And while it was a great day, our final port of call was only a few hours later: Puerto Montt, Chile. Here is where I was scheduled to meet up with my friend and guide, Maria, owner of <a href="https://www.patagoniatrails.cl/">Patagonia Trails</a>. Maria invited me to visit her new homestead with views of the Osorno Volcano and which, after hiking through gorgeous fields of wheat, backs onto a national forest...and then a hazelnut orchard. It was worth getting up at 6:00 AM to make the first tender to shore. (OK, I made the second tender, but let's not quibble about that. It was a strong showing after Pisco Day. LOL).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Osorno Volcano, Puerto Montt, Chile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOtL2HRf_5M_ghwd4jYiF9v55yiyksajZJ8m9Tu3AaZAzqz4bXHwBxfIASicP0geLBMATBmpXe8uwOf836h2jyJaIXuBXH6X-yMpSfOTIcK3S_6ngv1BKP7FIOYj0whNURlwHRh_l1ea8/s1600/IMG_20200110_105207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOtL2HRf_5M_ghwd4jYiF9v55yiyksajZJ8m9Tu3AaZAzqz4bXHwBxfIASicP0geLBMATBmpXe8uwOf836h2jyJaIXuBXH6X-yMpSfOTIcK3S_6ngv1BKP7FIOYj0whNURlwHRh_l1ea8/s400/IMG_20200110_105207.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazelnuts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Maria, of <a href="https://www.patagoniatrails.cl/">Patagonia Trails</a></div>
<div>
My favorite hiking guide!</div>
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This was a most unexpected, but beautiful and refreshing hike...and much needed after so much time on the Seabourn Quest.<br />
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After the hike, tired and muddy, but very happy, Maria dropped me off that the old market so I could take a quick look around before heading back to the ship. I wish I had some Chilean pesos so I could again sample some of the seafood, but I think I was too tired to find an ATM and, of course, the Seabourn Quest was departing shortly and I only had an hour to wander and catch the last tender.<br />
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Some of the biggest and fatest</div>
<div>
fur seals live behind the market in</div>
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Puerto Montt; feeding on salmon scraps</div>
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It was then back on the ship in time for my second Hamburger & Hot Dog Test. Consistency is important, right?? Once again I found that you need to "order down" one temperature to get what you want. So if you want a medium rare burger, you should order rare. After a few cruises I find this definitely works. <br />
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It was then time for the Seabourn Classic Caviar Sailaway (postponed from earlier in the cruise). It is something many of the guests enjoy, but for me I don't get why one wants to wait in line to be served caviar when you get have it on request anywhere you want on the ship at any time.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which, that <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">night was the last formal night, but after the last hosted table I sat at had some "difficult" tablemates and I had just relaxed after my wonderful hike, I gave it a miss. I did wander about in a jacket and slacks, as is appropriate, and did have some caviar and potato chips at the Observation Lounge...having my own quiet Seabourn Caviar sailaway!</span><br />
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And then it was the last day; a sea day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view forward from the balcony of the Seabourn Quest's Wintergarden Suite</td></tr>
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It was also time to pack up after 24 days on the Seabourn Quest and almost the end of this phenomenal adventure. One last dinner; a wonderful evening with Hotel Director Ares and Expedition Leader Srigley and then an after dinner cocktail with some of the Expedition Team.<br />
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The next morning it was time to disembark, saying so many "goodbyes" and "No, I can't stay on for the next cruise too", I also said a number of "hellos" to staff and Expedition Team members I passed leaving the terminal that were just arriving to embark on the Seabourn Quest that morning.<br />
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And then... I had arranged a Bird Watching Tour with lunch for myself and four of my clients through the <u>usually</u> very reliable Tours By Locals. Our guide met me and the first words out of his mouth (after Hello) was that there has been a very long drought in the area we were going so there won't be many birds. Huh? Seriously? Now is when you decided to tell me this? How about you don't offer a bird watching tour without birds? What an innovative concept.<br />
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The good news is that he showed up and the van was new, clean and appropriate to handle all of us and our luggage. It was then a pleasant hour's drive to El Yali National Park; which neither our guide nor our driver exactly knew where it was or, once there, where the park office was. <br />
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When he said he had been there about five months ago I knew things weren't going to get better, but kept a smile and a scintilla of hope. When we slogged through volcanic sand and he ignored the few songbirds we had seen along the way, that little hope was dwindling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Tailed Meadowlark</td></tr>
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We eventually found ourselves on the beach; not exactly a hot bed for birdwatching, so after a stroll down the beach our guide had an alleged shortcut. After wandering back and forth along a barbwire fence separating horse paddocks there was only one thing to do: Crawl under the barbwire. Yep! You got it! An expensive birdwatching tour without birds got worse.<br />
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And when we got to the "wetlands", which was actually a tidal pool (at low tide), there were but a few birds in the distance with our guide not making much of any effort to identify them either.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unidentified wading bird from a 500mm lens and then magnified</td></tr>
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It was then time to call it "quits" so it was over to an old path in a horse paddock to another locked gate and, again, crawling under yet more barbwire.<br />
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It was the, fortunately, time for lunch...and as disappointing as the birdwatching ordeal was, the lunch was equally...BETTER!<br />
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We stopped at a small restaurant, <a href="https://parador-turistico-el-yali.negocio.site/">Parador Turistico El Yali </a>on our way into the park and was given a choice of beef soup, chicken breast or fish. Upon our return we had an amazing lunch. As you may know I am a huge fan of soup and what appeared was a giant bowl of beef soup deliciousness!<br />
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The chef and owner was very proud to tell us - with our guide interpreting at points - about how he made the beef soup, which was filled with local potato, corn, rice, carrots and more along with a giant bone-in portion of super-tender beef. He then went to show me photographs of him with, apparently, famous Chilean people who he has cooked for. (My Spanish, especially with his dialect, just couldn't keep up at all!)<br />
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He then took us for a short tour of his small farm (and this meal was truly "farm to table"; actually more like just "farm"). He had a little bit of everything: Chickens (eggs and meat), peaches, apples, melons, herbs, etc. And you would have never known this if you didn't take the time to look. <br />
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Truly enjoyable and a moment of refreshing simple life.<br />
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It was then a two hour ride to the airport...and my turn to deal with LATAM. Ugh. <br />
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Fortunately, my bid for an upgrade to Premium Economy was accepted ($130), which as I figured it was only $30 more than what it would have cost me to check my luggage. A definite win!<br />
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After being told by LATAM they could not check my luggage through to Tahoe, I called over a supervisor and it was done and with no charge for anything. A win!<br />
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And the aircraft did not, as my arriving flight did, have ashtrays in the armrests, but rather it was a 787. Another definite win!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FemYbXi104orS8H2GjmMM_p0jBVBf4X_lx3KwcLFXqPsS-nDNNx4lD0IKZeTdqyZMReCHQH8Is7r21qH5Qvr2Yf06J2_DYXMe4bclaj7xlAEix7HUp5UFlkRP5oTd6rFbgW6Nd2yyjgK/s1600/IMG_20200112_181440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FemYbXi104orS8H2GjmMM_p0jBVBf4X_lx3KwcLFXqPsS-nDNNx4lD0IKZeTdqyZMReCHQH8Is7r21qH5Qvr2Yf06J2_DYXMe4bclaj7xlAEix7HUp5UFlkRP5oTd6rFbgW6Nd2yyjgK/s400/IMG_20200112_181440.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying over the Andes</td></tr>
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The only downside was that LATAM changed the departure time to two hours earlier so I had a 6.5 hour layover in Lima, Peru before boarding my United flight to Houston. Juggling my Star Alliance Gold status for entrance into one lounge and my Priority Pass through American Express Platinum for another I was able to spend all of my time in two lounges (conveniently next to each other), including grabbing a bed for a couple of hours of sleep and a truly needed shower (remembering the birdwatching fiasco).<br />
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When I finally got home, after 30+ hours of travel, I received a Facebook message from someone on the Seabourn Quest, "<b><i>Eric Goldring come baaaaaaaaack</i></b>".<br />
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Oh, I intend to. Antarctica does that to you.<br />
<br />
Interested in experiencing Antarctica or any Seabourn cruise or just want to ask me a question? Give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-15435537198940862862020-01-08T08:37:00.001-08:002020-01-08T08:39:22.811-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part V (Paradise Bay, Torgersen Island & Half Moon Island)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQTQJSsO4YVP1ryscm3PpzsMmeF4WPzB9yX3AuHnoji8swX4U4xQ1BjD9gQ8BN84jrzuVgUhU65MyqG1mpuDngFY3JG_fcyTxN63m2jSk8GUyAJT9QRr48l6uvqxt2IVPDSRJbPpP33KN/s1600/P1050121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQTQJSsO4YVP1ryscm3PpzsMmeF4WPzB9yX3AuHnoji8swX4U4xQ1BjD9gQ8BN84jrzuVgUhU65MyqG1mpuDngFY3JG_fcyTxN63m2jSk8GUyAJT9QRr48l6uvqxt2IVPDSRJbPpP33KN/s640/P1050121.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half Moon Island, Antarctica</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The Seabourn Quest continued its South Georgia Island,
Antarctica and Patagonia Expedition with its āmandatoryā visit to Paradise Bay,
Antarctica and the Chilean base of Gonzalez Videla.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>Having visited there twice before and seen its
small colony of Gentoo penguins, small buildings and souvenir shop I chose to
spend New Yearās Day chilling on the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was especially easy as the internet was slow, so it was near
impossible for me to do much work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggo-PThUCMBox6OuivXPQ3q-oCCfC5dcvxWYH9XJ4a1BlazNKEmi8awwlUDS8CiUQhUgWnjhtWLZVD2knaWRGimyblbnk-pqy18JRWTSr70VljDJLlK28D8Cl35sdSjbD1QRb03h-HpLz/s1600/IMG_20200101_094902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggo-PThUCMBox6OuivXPQ3q-oCCfC5dcvxWYH9XJ4a1BlazNKEmi8awwlUDS8CiUQhUgWnjhtWLZVD2knaWRGimyblbnk-pqy18JRWTSr70VljDJLlK28D8Cl35sdSjbD1QRb03h-HpLz/s640/IMG_20200101_094902.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast on the Seabourn Quest Among the Icebergs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This did not mean that I took this place or this day for
granted. Quite to the contrary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
have previously written about this location and both my worst and one of my best
kayaking experiences there (over my prior two visits) I wonāt repeat
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I intended to spend <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>some quality time in the hot tub located on
the bow of the Seabourn Quest on Deck 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I executed my plan, the clouds parted and the skies turned bluebird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was both exhilarating and peaceful just ābeingā
in Paradise (Bay)ā¦and a very memorable connection with the peace and beauty that
Antarctica can offer if you just let it come to you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNLFIGNDeSWggej89SjqkbsG9bey3_TrhkVNh0C_B5SmG2M8zIOC_lRRq0PRO4kbWgEXZ5VjMVmNn1RMlLfxSi9NLo3qFtIgZs1maWz5KrrFBPBupa6MvS6oCKtat8G2kfjmT4k2wy2fl/s1600/P1050106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNLFIGNDeSWggej89SjqkbsG9bey3_TrhkVNh0C_B5SmG2M8zIOC_lRRq0PRO4kbWgEXZ5VjMVmNn1RMlLfxSi9NLo3qFtIgZs1maWz5KrrFBPBupa6MvS6oCKtat8G2kfjmT4k2wy2fl/s640/P1050106.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solitude: Quietly soaking in the Seabourn Quest's bow-located hot tub just watching the snow and the clouds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsA7Aa1__Chq9UQe84xjZho4U1IDlGZ97SO9gceXYSs0upTQu-wWIPreqtMaBeUpYMZUvLPRKBbM_RRurnTwh5rgP4Wd0sMd98lOC41wwfgpNvpuQT8cFvxoUosmZo4rOgxGLJ539c3t6/s1600/P1050105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsA7Aa1__Chq9UQe84xjZho4U1IDlGZ97SO9gceXYSs0upTQu-wWIPreqtMaBeUpYMZUvLPRKBbM_RRurnTwh5rgP4Wd0sMd98lOC41wwfgpNvpuQT8cFvxoUosmZo4rOgxGLJ539c3t6/s640/P1050105.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNLFIGNDeSWggej89SjqkbsG9bey3_TrhkVNh0C_B5SmG2M8zIOC_lRRq0PRO4kbWgEXZ5VjMVmNn1RMlLfxSi9NLo3qFtIgZs1maWz5KrrFBPBupa6MvS6oCKtat8G2kfjmT4k2wy2fl/s1600/P1050106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
Seabourn then did something new for Seabourn, exciting for many guests...and a bit
troubling for me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A true Polar Plunge
where guests jumped into the Antarctic waters off the zodiac platform on Deck 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A total of 67 guests (but not this one)
signed up to one-at-a-time jump into Antarctic waters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was far more impressive than the prior
jump into the poolā¦and far more guests participated.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEz5QIDTkXhWUl76Uaexwo7diNjL4XCvg45NGbxg5xa1QtsbNpGIhYfkAelOA2QrwDCMWmClWoICUKWuLW1KLsctPj8ikB3ViRNvBUEEe7iT1HkqnpyAfDWqKMh5DQhfAcOyrsu0oRTLS/s1600/P1050116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEz5QIDTkXhWUl76Uaexwo7diNjL4XCvg45NGbxg5xa1QtsbNpGIhYfkAelOA2QrwDCMWmClWoICUKWuLW1KLsctPj8ikB3ViRNvBUEEe7iT1HkqnpyAfDWqKMh5DQhfAcOyrsu0oRTLS/s400/P1050116.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Why is it troubling for me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I see Antarctica as a place to be embraced
and this a special time in peopleās lives to appreciate not only the beauty,
but also the sensitivity of this fragile environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have great difficulty with those who want to conquer itā¦not as
explorers...merely for self-edification: Helicopters, heli-skiing, etc. especially
in the small band of the continent where wildlife exists. (Mountaineering is, in many ways, a different experience but that is a possible topic for another article as many of those who engage in this have a more personal relationship with the mountain and nature...especially where it does not interact with critical wildlife areas.)<br />
<br />
Yes. Yes, I understand the concept of some activities
creating a bond between nature and person in ways that are as different as the
individuals engaged in them. And I acknowledge that the Polar Plunge did not in
and of itself cause any harm to the environment. But, alas, I didnāt hear
anyone say anything along those lines, but rather āI did itā.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I am overly sensitive, but any activity that gives a human
the false feeling that they have in any way overcome the power of Antarctica
(even if its waters, in reality, are no colder than the winterās waters on the New
Jersey Shore or Lake Tahoe, California) concerns me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Just for a moment think back to the first
whalers who ā in a very brief period ā felt they could survive in Antarcticaā¦and
then exploited it; nearly destroying seal and whale populations to the point
that without economic intervention (lack of seals and whales making it cost-prohibitive
and the discovery of alternative oils) the animals and even the now nearl prstine environment might well no longer exist. Or that one
plastic water bottle that āwontā do any harmā. Large or small, negative impacts
in thought or physically add up. OK, enough of that!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCAcR-AiaJA3xcy93t1s-EbOxnon6hCHCmobCFrQJ8E00KPXSd2cLKiAFP1F5kGGGGzWmv_UQsYcXbUfr739BYXO7kvJL2sYT9DwRyB8yqMQVEp24xtnJ0eyOlj_q00hJ0TyqhRyocUwD/s1600/IMG_20200101_185901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCAcR-AiaJA3xcy93t1s-EbOxnon6hCHCmobCFrQJ8E00KPXSd2cLKiAFP1F5kGGGGzWmv_UQsYcXbUfr739BYXO7kvJL2sYT9DwRyB8yqMQVEp24xtnJ0eyOlj_q00hJ0TyqhRyocUwD/s640/IMG_20200101_185901.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As we departed Paradise Bay the captain brought the ship
pretty much right along side a tabular iceberg. It wasnāt the biggest or most spectacular
iceberg I have seen, but it did bring a feeling that it was as close to a
Titanic experience as I would like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And,
of course, for most of the guests it was very exciting and its beauty
undeniable.<br />
<br />
The next morning was going to be a new landing site for me:
Dorian Bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as the Antarctic
weather is unpredictable, the bluebird skies of yesterday gave way to clouds, colder
temperatures and much stronger than forecasted winds; resulting in our landings
being cancelled. However, Captain Joost and the Expedition team did not give
up and cancel the day, but rather were able to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>relocate the Seabourn Quest to near Torgersen
Island and the United Statesā Palmer research station. (I did not expect views of so many Antarctic bases; that is for sure.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
As we arrived so did a pod of humpback whales, some bubble feeding
right near the ship; and that is something you just donāt see every dayā¦and a
new one for me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It wasnāt something
easily photographed, but most certainly remembered.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraxXsyergIN5VizB7uDU8gJBxLqJysefxg3YRmXxqPty7Fh3M8kgS7VXp1uANWf8qFmQQmYMYAyEPXAVLjfpYkpQ83VnupH1AihKTZbQ-XYHklP_sX9w70qMJWx6ZwhkDa8QmS8K0fc_s/s1600/Whale+Mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraxXsyergIN5VizB7uDU8gJBxLqJysefxg3YRmXxqPty7Fh3M8kgS7VXp1uANWf8qFmQQmYMYAyEPXAVLjfpYkpQ83VnupH1AihKTZbQ-XYHklP_sX9w70qMJWx6ZwhkDa8QmS8K0fc_s/s640/Whale+Mouth.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYBH8cz1KMrnUzF6HUu0Rvarv4A_hR-JvFzgx88DrqimsYX78pbzJhjob-x6lwjb7ZzDcGCM7ZotoSCRxYtQsiX_LapKts3DB09bP3eQ4Ccv4RhcZWA50-lNvQ5JGBpQXaBBAtRHZoYJC/s1600/Whale+Missing+Part+of+Fluke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYBH8cz1KMrnUzF6HUu0Rvarv4A_hR-JvFzgx88DrqimsYX78pbzJhjob-x6lwjb7ZzDcGCM7ZotoSCRxYtQsiX_LapKts3DB09bP3eQ4Ccv4RhcZWA50-lNvQ5JGBpQXaBBAtRHZoYJC/s640/Whale+Missing+Part+of+Fluke.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Humpback Whale missing half its fluke happily feeding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While most everyone was focused on the whales I observed a skua trying to get a kelp gull to give up its catch. It was an areal dog...I mean gull...fight that was just magic to watch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6voHP7DLoFkrf0lCLgoEmBxX5l3hjkK6OuyqaEVkkVStqnLTl7ObnqRvGYhyphenhyphenQ3B-RgRB3z0jeipB-vq2eVJSMYBQ0Sbi8ZtJNc0ApPnItG6RQ_JvTyN-vPS9l3mUfUJGesAVm-MiZYbVn/s1600/Skua+and+Kelp+Gull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6voHP7DLoFkrf0lCLgoEmBxX5l3hjkK6OuyqaEVkkVStqnLTl7ObnqRvGYhyphenhyphenQ3B-RgRB3z0jeipB-vq2eVJSMYBQ0Sbi8ZtJNc0ApPnItG6RQ_JvTyN-vPS9l3mUfUJGesAVm-MiZYbVn/s640/Skua+and+Kelp+Gull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
That should have turned the guests' disappointment of not making a
landing into excitement to get into the zodiacs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But shockingly that didnāt happen; for about
half of the guests opted not to spend an hour touring the areaā¦and area I
have been to twice before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
And they missed it.<br />
They missed a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0of_e4lo60lCT4t5_dqJst9aXMQODbpzAtrxqhQnUAPjJnxw9yCN03vPJciwAvUT6WsCv1AIPQqYPjVR9szuAmtz8B-ZDe4Kx8t5DWjCo1lUkCTy1OOUa1c9K_xNuR0DN2pYuhz9LUGB/s1600/Elephant+Seal+Big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0of_e4lo60lCT4t5_dqJst9aXMQODbpzAtrxqhQnUAPjJnxw9yCN03vPJciwAvUT6WsCv1AIPQqYPjVR9szuAmtz8B-ZDe4Kx8t5DWjCo1lUkCTy1OOUa1c9K_xNuR0DN2pYuhz9LUGB/s640/Elephant+Seal+Big.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
By far the largest Elephant seal I have ever seen. Massive!</div>
<div>
(He is just starting to grow his proboscis. </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohxtyGC6kfy9D_zuclXvQqP6NTJA2yD49HUZbn_Azqw-iFfAi0bqoawU6bvB-wN2h2cowwY8zwuqPXavZl8t8US32cwgIhSe-wPZPZiXbYs4sm4SpjV6Wn4fQ_-NZ3O7ERtp6RObt6A86/s1600/Elephant+Seals+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohxtyGC6kfy9D_zuclXvQqP6NTJA2yD49HUZbn_Azqw-iFfAi0bqoawU6bvB-wN2h2cowwY8zwuqPXavZl8t8US32cwgIhSe-wPZPZiXbYs4sm4SpjV6Wn4fQ_-NZ3O7ERtp6RObt6A86/s640/Elephant+Seals+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY3cyVsYbRRZQc66OZ9AxIJ5QLN7vqjBaCWEeM9ASZkAa2pRsdqlctrYT-GFaUqUbt2uhnSkAxDd87BB0JoTzLK064l3hJ2Ej2uAI3zKgRwokpRx8CXirjH9BLAt4l5rGckgny-8fPE5C/s1600/Brown+Elephant+Seal+on+Rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY3cyVsYbRRZQc66OZ9AxIJ5QLN7vqjBaCWEeM9ASZkAa2pRsdqlctrYT-GFaUqUbt2uhnSkAxDd87BB0JoTzLK064l3hJ2Ej2uAI3zKgRwokpRx8CXirjH9BLAt4l5rGckgny-8fPE5C/s640/Brown+Elephant+Seal+on+Rock.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0of_e4lo60lCT4t5_dqJst9aXMQODbpzAtrxqhQnUAPjJnxw9yCN03vPJciwAvUT6WsCv1AIPQqYPjVR9szuAmtz8B-ZDe4Kx8t5DWjCo1lUkCTy1OOUa1c9K_xNuR0DN2pYuhz9LUGB/s1600/Elephant+Seal+Big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohxtyGC6kfy9D_zuclXvQqP6NTJA2yD49HUZbn_Azqw-iFfAi0bqoawU6bvB-wN2h2cowwY8zwuqPXavZl8t8US32cwgIhSe-wPZPZiXbYs4sm4SpjV6Wn4fQ_-NZ3O7ERtp6RObt6A86/s1600/Elephant+Seals+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium4RJd5naJ7h6ZVHTz4eu4AEln0QMBabnaaf0BmSl9E4nb3_8p_UMWxoef_GX4rS3Ikwu1eHrG7Q77EMMnH-FEIG7Bf4h2dlFvLorX_9UVwDwZosZy-n_Mi4kUHlv75bpo8eRRzAYjD1W/s1600/Adele+on+Ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium4RJd5naJ7h6ZVHTz4eu4AEln0QMBabnaaf0BmSl9E4nb3_8p_UMWxoef_GX4rS3Ikwu1eHrG7Q77EMMnH-FEIG7Bf4h2dlFvLorX_9UVwDwZosZy-n_Mi4kUHlv75bpo8eRRzAYjD1W/s640/Adele+on+Ice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adelie Penguin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW_pVsnYEa4icPSSbaLnsb7VDfRTvve_a-ItGBV7uMr3kMGBK87YxMyt3kwRUaCHfzYIMvErWctcolUmB4HF0xPJ2xFjNyC6F9zlEH4-tZ2t95aW73Y88PZ4hrFlaLu9OZ1SACKb52PJp/s1600/Giant+Petrels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW_pVsnYEa4icPSSbaLnsb7VDfRTvve_a-ItGBV7uMr3kMGBK87YxMyt3kwRUaCHfzYIMvErWctcolUmB4HF0xPJ2xFjNyC6F9zlEH4-tZ2t95aW73Y88PZ4hrFlaLu9OZ1SACKb52PJp/s640/Giant+Petrels.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Petrels nesting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Others observed humpback whales feeding right next to the zodiacs and others took in the magnificent glaciers as well.<br />
<br />
I must pause and say I am not sure if made me angry, frustrated
or baffled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those that didnāt experience
this day have spent tens of thousands of dollars and traveled thousands and
thousands of miles to get to Antarctica. Yet they decided it just wasnāt worth
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, alas, it was their loss and one
they chose, so I only mention this in passing. <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(Originally I had written above, āSo what did they miss?ā but I it didn't properly express my bewilderment; especially because I had a great experience observing a Weddell
seal, numerous Elephant seals, Giant Petrals, Adelie penguins and more.)</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
And then:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our last
day in Antarctica came; and it came way too fast. It seems like it all just
started. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This expedition is the longest
I have spent āon the iceā yet the time has flown by; giving me a feeling that I
have somehow been cheated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed ā no,
need - more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are places I
havenāt seen, places I want to revisit (like Neko Harbor and Peterson Island), more
rocks I need to sit on, more animals to observe, more views to take in, more smells
(even the guano)ā¦heck, just more of everything.<br />
<br />
But I have to remember three unbelievable days in South Georgia
Island and six incredible days in Antarctica (noting that we were most fortunate
to not have a single day cancelled due to weather). I mean who gets eight days
like we had plus our last day, which was in one of my favorite places: Half
Moon Island, Antarctica!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSheunxmBB_dyot6TEXgKPI-mo0iv2tsm_7AwjaNaLNWGuEb0iB41ohQEbPAXnaksp-1xo1TdNlmQNbq9aDesRRZm1MXxcjI5kYZ7TR_4sDvr4rVC4zjulRAZcFzSsyEe5JByxuDheR4J5/s1600/IMG_7735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSheunxmBB_dyot6TEXgKPI-mo0iv2tsm_7AwjaNaLNWGuEb0iB41ohQEbPAXnaksp-1xo1TdNlmQNbq9aDesRRZm1MXxcjI5kYZ7TR_4sDvr4rVC4zjulRAZcFzSsyEe5JByxuDheR4J5/s640/IMG_7735.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Half Moon Island, Antarctia</div>
<div>
Penguins on Ice </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Half Moon Island has it all: Birds and Seals, Ansel
Adams-esque views from one side and huge seemingly never-ending glaciers on the
other, rock outcrops and snow. </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z9eUHy_ecytT1cm1oMO6frScetzEO22T01UcNAmeAr_SGo4HoMPjB_BsyeuLIG7BpP51CSOBeqBb6UZyikF8XBhOUzftIgoq53sb_s8Fdis2Mvak-7T1xPp4KNl1WbGqT0EqwaR__kF8/s1600/IMG_7647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z9eUHy_ecytT1cm1oMO6frScetzEO22T01UcNAmeAr_SGo4HoMPjB_BsyeuLIG7BpP51CSOBeqBb6UZyikF8XBhOUzftIgoq53sb_s8Fdis2Mvak-7T1xPp4KNl1WbGqT0EqwaR__kF8/s640/IMG_7647.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinstrap Penguin chick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIm5qdlZJbZT9g0gWecZInZrOySO5-5Hh48sEM5szDIirJRk_kA35kEKfb_rzz54Yias39iaoSyPBRaIXRSKvdvjrlVfrZQ8cEqNpcXTko29Cusm2QZ6q_6qbkF4jQrRlAfllpG9HFhCY/s1600/skua+and+Chick+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIm5qdlZJbZT9g0gWecZInZrOySO5-5Hh48sEM5szDIirJRk_kA35kEKfb_rzz54Yias39iaoSyPBRaIXRSKvdvjrlVfrZQ8cEqNpcXTko29Cusm2QZ6q_6qbkF4jQrRlAfllpG9HFhCY/s640/skua+and+Chick+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skua chick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGzbF7foplORrVkszb7C2fbZ1GDIelSuafDYmjpgJNgbbwuS2bKcRkv2JD_87f7iRxQpciXgU-W5XhRlzJAl1o5byBGbYA9Crp381IybEI6-dgw6r3bg-o7vmqrATcoMZRpdQ2FyUY38J/s1600/Skua+and+Chick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGzbF7foplORrVkszb7C2fbZ1GDIelSuafDYmjpgJNgbbwuS2bKcRkv2JD_87f7iRxQpciXgU-W5XhRlzJAl1o5byBGbYA9Crp381IybEI6-dgw6r3bg-o7vmqrATcoMZRpdQ2FyUY38J/s400/Skua+and+Chick.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I spent my time taking it all in; only stopping to take
photos once in a while. It is a definite āPut the Camera Down!ā kinda
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even doing that there was
plenty I was able to photograph.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpTaShyphenhyphenQQm26IYh_eUMwb5Pkg3-W91-J6SFfPxJRbb8jgyrL8lVfWCuSZlO_bd1jEhHXrkpyc5j6_Fx4qTqSpdiFwANh9gKSIQYoMg6CD9z2bxVz3hm8P9rsaeHYEK94rL_OX_YOyJva6/s1600/Kelp+Gull+Chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpTaShyphenhyphenQQm26IYh_eUMwb5Pkg3-W91-J6SFfPxJRbb8jgyrL8lVfWCuSZlO_bd1jEhHXrkpyc5j6_Fx4qTqSpdiFwANh9gKSIQYoMg6CD9z2bxVz3hm8P9rsaeHYEK94rL_OX_YOyJva6/s640/Kelp+Gull+Chicks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelp Gull chicks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9zGhreEx-yiG_Hn70gwZk0MHKv8_YkIFBoJTP_vPMFVvOuOjpQ6bdcosr1GBzLaR6zpbzJbYeCO6KM_JAZxb2JKff9-WLr91HukiznX3qVi7XVWPt7qmKVO9H9BEx2U3Is5T_bzZEP_S/s1600/IMG_7634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9zGhreEx-yiG_Hn70gwZk0MHKv8_YkIFBoJTP_vPMFVvOuOjpQ6bdcosr1GBzLaR6zpbzJbYeCO6KM_JAZxb2JKff9-WLr91HukiznX3qVi7XVWPt7qmKVO9H9BEx2U3Is5T_bzZEP_S/s640/IMG_7634.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgaE67EN96MpaZlKLh1e2qoYItwR1Wv7lPUeFwF6ggRVA0UQZPaHjvR-4nXihLdDXfdTJnM6_9kUz7C6x5HhRxBn6P0pT-ngQIs0b4_31VXZr6rNGtbo9-Jdgt185Mf43Jv7-fRwMCC8T/s1600/IMG_7689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgaE67EN96MpaZlKLh1e2qoYItwR1Wv7lPUeFwF6ggRVA0UQZPaHjvR-4nXihLdDXfdTJnM6_9kUz7C6x5HhRxBn6P0pT-ngQIs0b4_31VXZr6rNGtbo9-Jdgt185Mf43Jv7-fRwMCC8T/s640/IMG_7689.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinstrap penguin feeding time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And when I was done, I headed back to the ship to get ready
to kayak one final time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time we
were lucky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our group was the last of this
expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the one before us was
cancelled due to wind and too much brash ice, as we headed out on the zodiac I
wasnāt too confident it was going to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And thenā¦the zodiac engine broke down. But the Expedition Team was on it
and within minutes we transferred to another zodiac and were off to an area
that the kayak team had been able to clear just enough brash ice after the wind
has subsided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a quick safety
briefing as most all of us had kayaked before and the concerns over the brash
ice again closing in was real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cz1rD8aX5n47Nd9Z4YZpl2SJCjkoW-kHZwbCx8C8lTCBX1cNYM1fSQhveDAZyxQYUlu5P3m_9NVskO7ZjN1vB_RNKiFuxoBAmFcJYCSHgsbuS29CD7wXTYC4_J133j15XMUB4GfImAwm/s1600/P1050118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cz1rD8aX5n47Nd9Z4YZpl2SJCjkoW-kHZwbCx8C8lTCBX1cNYM1fSQhveDAZyxQYUlu5P3m_9NVskO7ZjN1vB_RNKiFuxoBAmFcJYCSHgsbuS29CD7wXTYC4_J133j15XMUB4GfImAwm/s640/P1050118.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking along this beach on Half Moon Island, Antarctica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn1ySw6MowyoK-I40lIL58rUFv-v8t37UmNXAUnEmOXuF1RW9m1TF46WUZNbOQtN9Gskgu28kT2o0KgXbxjYwj5Fe4w0tHIN1_S7NTAxK9xqJ3RtzpvXQVz2f1VFEMw-6pp-X_LvLj-hY/s1600/P1050124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn1ySw6MowyoK-I40lIL58rUFv-v8t37UmNXAUnEmOXuF1RW9m1TF46WUZNbOQtN9Gskgu28kT2o0KgXbxjYwj5Fe4w0tHIN1_S7NTAxK9xqJ3RtzpvXQVz2f1VFEMw-6pp-X_LvLj-hY/s400/P1050124.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weddell Seal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ironically, my my kayaking partner had previously been my first
ever Seabourn Ventures kayaking partner on Komodo Island, Indonesia during the
maiden voyage of the Seabourn Encore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who
woulda thunk? She is a wildly entertaining kayaking partner (or should I just say
partner as she didnāt do much kayakingā¦because she is definitely not a āput the
camera downā kind of woman). It was a very enjoyable and light-hearted time,
which was fine as I donāt think anything could have topped my snow-globe
kayaking earlier in the expedition.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3JAHVt7TYwJbQXogoP86FhLorKHTjJH1Yi156VOg_TrvDYB5WiMeQktaGAa9VxROrpYE6UvLoRvKstuVpHIQ85V9DPByCYP6bbl-ad-dQNY9u5YhyphenhyphengUl1VTk53PNU90j3W2OFZREhDpG/s1600/P1050122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3JAHVt7TYwJbQXogoP86FhLorKHTjJH1Yi156VOg_TrvDYB5WiMeQktaGAa9VxROrpYE6UvLoRvKstuVpHIQ85V9DPByCYP6bbl-ad-dQNY9u5YhyphenhyphengUl1VTk53PNU90j3W2OFZREhDpG/s640/P1050122.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking along this beach - Half Moon Island, Antarctica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3JAHVt7TYwJbQXogoP86FhLorKHTjJH1Yi156VOg_TrvDYB5WiMeQktaGAa9VxROrpYE6UvLoRvKstuVpHIQ85V9DPByCYP6bbl-ad-dQNY9u5YhyphenhyphengUl1VTk53PNU90j3W2OFZREhDpG/s1600/P1050122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #b00000;"></span><br /></a>
That said we both truly enjoyed the two minutes when our
guides Rob and Brandon had us raft up with another kayak, close our eyes and
just be silent for two minutes so we could take in all the sounds, smells and
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they said it was time to open
our eyes five chinstrap penguins came porpoising <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>toward our kayak. A wonderful moment to end my
expedition.<br />
<br />
But I wasnāt going to leave Antarctica on a somber note! I
had arranged a small party in my Wintergarden Suite for my clients and some of
the Seabourn Expedition Team as a Celebration of Antarctica and a thank you for
all of them making this both possible and extraordinary.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcijH_GQEfCHf0lqi0G7dU9sMjLTBRJ2pXvhx1UUE9A4BujgjWoSbyKbYY-ay6ewT3FdwukijkmFvU24EWxIT8aw3X3lyEWXdoofQz8OS61Fv8CuN1-zVQhXjTK9owZBoVWAdWHmX1FcB/s1600/IMG_20200103_192854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcijH_GQEfCHf0lqi0G7dU9sMjLTBRJ2pXvhx1UUE9A4BujgjWoSbyKbYY-ay6ewT3FdwukijkmFvU24EWxIT8aw3X3lyEWXdoofQz8OS61Fv8CuN1-zVQhXjTK9owZBoVWAdWHmX1FcB/s640/IMG_20200103_192854.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Seabourn Expedition Team Members</div>
<div>
Jennifer Fought, Rob Egelstaff, Meredith Bass, Anton Wolfaardt, Brent Houston, Trevor Potts, Chris Srigley <span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #005500; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In typical Seabourn fashion, though I told everyone that I
didnāt need it to be āover the topā Seabourn made it so. Sashimi, caviar,
lobster medallions, scallops, tempura prawns, spicy Szechuan beef, cheeses and
moreā¦plus some wonderful wines.<br />
<br />
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<br />
I really enjoyed my clients having time to actually
socialize with the Expedition Team and the Expedition Team to have some
(relative) down time.<br />
<br />
And with that, the South Georgia and Antarctica portion of
this cruise came to an end and my depression and sadness started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must focus on the all of the positive
energy, optimism and joy this expedition has brought meā¦and the fact that while
the āexpeditionā may be over, the ācruiseā had just begun as we sail toward
Ushuaia, Argentina! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">But there could be no way to better come to an end of this expedition by having a Drake Lake crossing and Captain Joost making a special detour to Cape Horn...while I dined at The Grill by Thomas Keller!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjva1zmx107tj75mS2Dn2qfleYcV4s2MjMUNGU1XmSZRGLRWABfqb1CWJIrgM2acSTCYJEgN2V1gSOwmMwjqx2XQEvTBvNn1rQTJa8TGXv_PF619z8W6xrSHY4yAprCJLW5cGG9XkxtPp-J/s1600/IMG_20200104_211114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjva1zmx107tj75mS2Dn2qfleYcV4s2MjMUNGU1XmSZRGLRWABfqb1CWJIrgM2acSTCYJEgN2V1gSOwmMwjqx2XQEvTBvNn1rQTJa8TGXv_PF619z8W6xrSHY4yAprCJLW5cGG9XkxtPp-J/s640/IMG_20200104_211114.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVNKulpBP9LYbamBYMPz-aAV74sQjwyfYK7rgDJPcNkLg1uF2Unyk0pNSIaDwIIuSDzNrDx0WyG_6sv7F8NFIDlBPNhXNrB7S9xuqb8pgdNNqsKRqlTofeDR-gUL6ACkpGuT-Dq2Fjxym/s1600/IMG_20200104_205724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVNKulpBP9LYbamBYMPz-aAV74sQjwyfYK7rgDJPcNkLg1uF2Unyk0pNSIaDwIIuSDzNrDx0WyG_6sv7F8NFIDlBPNhXNrB7S9xuqb8pgdNNqsKRqlTofeDR-gUL6ACkpGuT-Dq2Fjxym/s640/IMG_20200104_205724.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjva1zmx107tj75mS2Dn2qfleYcV4s2MjMUNGU1XmSZRGLRWABfqb1CWJIrgM2acSTCYJEgN2V1gSOwmMwjqx2XQEvTBvNn1rQTJa8TGXv_PF619z8W6xrSHY4yAprCJLW5cGG9XkxtPp-J/s1600/IMG_20200104_211114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Interested in booking a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica or elsewhere? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-42269405521332371842020-01-02T05:25:00.001-08:002020-02-04T20:40:31.310-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part IV (Hope Bay, Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel and the Iceberg Graveyard)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeYxjznjReclKod4YFznDjDIsHHn03b2yroAVj08z8e4zl0J7igu10c91AtrtjyWtB0v0sQrycMPo_aIwdCdBDFm8OqYy8VaSusfH_gAop_jtvSjf2hY1WvL_MmSw_-a0YHfFCLQGBs2Q/s1600/IMG_20191229_062743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeYxjznjReclKod4YFznDjDIsHHn03b2yroAVj08z8e4zl0J7igu10c91AtrtjyWtB0v0sQrycMPo_aIwdCdBDFm8OqYy8VaSusfH_gAop_jtvSjf2hY1WvL_MmSw_-a0YHfFCLQGBs2Q/s640/IMG_20191229_062743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Hope Bay, Antarctica</div>
<div>
Argentinian Base Esperanza</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My expedition on the Seabourn Quest to South Georgia Island and Antarctica continued with two days at sea. After an initial few hours of
slightly rough seas it was smooth sailing as we crossed the Scotia Sea and
headed to Hope Bay, Antarctica lying right at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
<br />
<br />
It struck me as Day 2 of our passage from South Georgia
Island took us by Elephant Island, where Ernest Shackleton and three others
took off in a 23-foot boat for South Georgia Island to find rescuers
for his stranded men. The time, the heavy seas and the ability to find this tiny
island in the middle of nowhere in a small wooden vessel really struck me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As did the fact that Trevor and Rob, part of
the Seabourn Expedition Team, followed in Shackletonās path in their own 23-foot boat,
recreating the incredible feat and I (and all the Seabourn guests) have been
given the gift of speaking with them and their friendship. <br />
<br />
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<br />
Arriving into Antarctica was, yet again, an emotional
experience for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I donāt really know
why even though I have thought about it quite a bit. But there are somethings, whether
it be a painting, the love of your life or this, it is better to simply appreciate
it than analyze it.<br />
<br />
I was given permission to be on the bridge as we approached
the White Continentā¦which, at the coast, is white with huge black basalt mountains
that provide incredible contrast and are so powerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 4:00 a.m., as the Seabourn Quest was still
out of view of land and there was a good bit of fog, I saw the waters were
filled with ice; and I mean lots of ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Were we going to get through?<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1tVEYpqswrGsfIiMKXI5aDQyg2oZkEH-kaUTkaOlJD7HzuU55Bo1Dc2-HLFNM58r6rHHZwH5TsCm2_g_gKZ1a5noJNVsDaCAv1Vg_W7UEgqLuigshbhiHG87glropa3XSeIoHg11uDUg/s1600/IMG_20191229_051310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1tVEYpqswrGsfIiMKXI5aDQyg2oZkEH-kaUTkaOlJD7HzuU55Bo1Dc2-HLFNM58r6rHHZwH5TsCm2_g_gKZ1a5noJNVsDaCAv1Vg_W7UEgqLuigshbhiHG87glropa3XSeIoHg11uDUg/s640/IMG_20191229_051310.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Run Away! Run Away!</div>
<div>
Seabourn Quest maneuvering through the ice</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was fascinating watching and listening to Captain Joost
and Ice Pilot Sasha playing chess with the ice. There was a strong wind coming
right at the ship, giving the impression that the bands of ice were coming
towards us; but, in reality, the currents were causing them to travel in our
same direction, but at different speeds. And, as the ice shifted location,
should the Seabourn Quest go hard to starboard or take a more forward lineā¦because
the next three moves needed to be considered so we didnāt get trapped. What speed
does the Seabourn Quest need to maintain? For if we go too fast the maneuver
will be too soon; not giving the ice enough time to move. If we go too slow the
ice on the port side might hit the ship rather than slide off within the wake
of the bow.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCeLoQ9vm2HGtcZOklk1ra0FvFOSMuohgV6L4ZPrnVflY63Dd7gdbiMMm7BwtVcoZY1-0hA67iVdko2AP-667LA8jBua-cXGMnB1RFHCzxec8NqU_xWS2FecDo3dRQ-h8LsGsDYlEjXpK/s1600/IMG_20191229_043905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCeLoQ9vm2HGtcZOklk1ra0FvFOSMuohgV6L4ZPrnVflY63Dd7gdbiMMm7BwtVcoZY1-0hA67iVdko2AP-667LA8jBua-cXGMnB1RFHCzxec8NqU_xWS2FecDo3dRQ-h8LsGsDYlEjXpK/s400/IMG_20191229_043905.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
But with two lookouts, two officers, another able body seaman
and the two in command the Seabourn Quest made itā¦and the Silversea Silver
Explorer (which was contemplating turning back) followed the master seamanship the
Seabourn Questās bridge had just shown.<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
This being my third journey to Antarctica I wasnāt really
sure how many photos I would take since I have a nice catalog already and how
much my mantra of āPut the camera down!ā would come into play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I found a good balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I also found a better balance of
appreciating the history and explorers of the Antarctic far more than I had in
the past. In a humbling, but a proudful moment, Trevor Potts came up to me and read
my earlier article on the subject and said, with the famous cock of his head āGood
article. Aye, I listened to you goinā on about the animals, but I knew youād
eventually come āround.ā)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKC_E6O9QoeKDJ2U_41lzeYTJsgWCI0UATyK2nEAzI7sesY_UII-1g02BdsdGpQ6e43ptPMfFggpmUms0sGFqNAZv_sR8ekmb7CCMQR-QBxy73eu3mrgxh_KZmULXYABmTeQrHVHZHVOv/s1600/IMG_20191229_062800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKC_E6O9QoeKDJ2U_41lzeYTJsgWCI0UATyK2nEAzI7sesY_UII-1g02BdsdGpQ6e43ptPMfFggpmUms0sGFqNAZv_sR8ekmb7CCMQR-QBxy73eu3mrgxh_KZmULXYABmTeQrHVHZHVOv/s640/IMG_20191229_062800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope Bay, Antarctica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Having arrived at Hope Bay, Antarctica on time at 6:30 a.m.,
the Argentinian base, Esperanza, came into view. With its reddish-orange buildings
contrasting against the stark black and white landscape it was almost as
breathtaking as the view of the mountains, glacier and over 100,000 Adelie
penguins nesting and running about. It was also time to inhale the incredibly clean and crisp
Antarctic air (with a touch of aromatic penguin guano)ā¦and get my butt out on a zodiac to see Adelie penguins; the most
amusing and active of the penguins.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Because my kayaking time interfered with my landing group slot
I took advantage of being on the first zodiac out for the day.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It was cloudy, windy and cold, but magic.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As Brent Houston, penguin expert extraordinaire,
says, āThese are the toughest birds. They Work. Work. Work. Go. Go. Go. They
never stop!ā And, of course, Brent sarcastically asks the question: āHow many Adelies does it take
to make a decision?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Ten.ā</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is because they will pile up at, say, the
shoreline, stare at the water and eventually one of them will decide to go inā¦and
they all follow.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimDB1UoqzZYLzd6tuzoWzuVmPuIWenDvm86YozXbRLxL5xu8v-bNoYeKk1_t8fuzI55x6N5hy-EgtZsZS5ujZV4xNoa5TD1KZ2yZLICVDD3oH1uJgWBo2mlCRFbdqDNUsqIioHnDmrwXg/s1600/IMG_6983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimDB1UoqzZYLzd6tuzoWzuVmPuIWenDvm86YozXbRLxL5xu8v-bNoYeKk1_t8fuzI55x6N5hy-EgtZsZS5ujZV4xNoa5TD1KZ2yZLICVDD3oH1uJgWBo2mlCRFbdqDNUsqIioHnDmrwXg/s640/IMG_6983.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Adelie Penguins are frenetic</div>
<div>
"Let's go over here!" "No, over there!" "No, over there!" "How about we just stay here?"</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPYcHjDM7ElI-Qm-FoT1aLkvkroDaR8LUS8zHg1b8IuCFcSz2aCzI8FkSaY9RuJ4MDqQ1JPJXkj2QGOgfEP-UUzasqCAML4sXzp3jgGqH2e4owL0SyaUpJskB1KiOFsJAsA2QEeHjqnra/s1600/IMG_6951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPYcHjDM7ElI-Qm-FoT1aLkvkroDaR8LUS8zHg1b8IuCFcSz2aCzI8FkSaY9RuJ4MDqQ1JPJXkj2QGOgfEP-UUzasqCAML4sXzp3jgGqH2e4owL0SyaUpJskB1KiOFsJAsA2QEeHjqnra/s640/IMG_6951.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, Adelie penguins, Let's run up the hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3dSgYgaBBztyj_EftBt-dI_neAig_YqOOZ_o2R0JsNZzr1lFqUPZvuE5T_2MB91B6vlH1uWJCA5lchexE-8zbxSOC9QUpyQrHkKkxfpMG4fOELoXVDa5m942-1j0rWhTdbUozy6Qy_-D/s1600/IMG_6966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3dSgYgaBBztyj_EftBt-dI_neAig_YqOOZ_o2R0JsNZzr1lFqUPZvuE5T_2MB91B6vlH1uWJCA5lchexE-8zbxSOC9QUpyQrHkKkxfpMG4fOELoXVDa5m942-1j0rWhTdbUozy6Qy_-D/s640/IMG_6966.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, Adelie penguins, Let''s run down the hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzACSPDfMhMWAfe0YK7zdHaNk1AYSgh5yUbowiAKoFmAB5Erpb79kuMHCFGp1nRiEL0T3PTeTZIVC1OjV1DVFVqs7TxcGAKs7tPu8TnyE0b8cs4GG4m3YNgIBquNo1tuG9N5McpsrG-AfV/s1600/IMG_6993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzACSPDfMhMWAfe0YK7zdHaNk1AYSgh5yUbowiAKoFmAB5Erpb79kuMHCFGp1nRiEL0T3PTeTZIVC1OjV1DVFVqs7TxcGAKs7tPu8TnyE0b8cs4GG4m3YNgIBquNo1tuG9N5McpsrG-AfV/s640/IMG_6993.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adelie Penguins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPe7sMnEPJBEmzj63fQEXMdgtqL2xqlTOV3vS4z-Y6mCiz2uqzNAL1RJkebsCZDeRzl6kqUZFK8gnIx2zTVlaTvE6I4j_nfdI7e6L4lsoA0pjK1HSCSbjcLpYjCqZLSymj_GTSHTHiARI/s1600/IMG_7025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPe7sMnEPJBEmzj63fQEXMdgtqL2xqlTOV3vS4z-Y6mCiz2uqzNAL1RJkebsCZDeRzl6kqUZFK8gnIx2zTVlaTvE6I4j_nfdI7e6L4lsoA0pjK1HSCSbjcLpYjCqZLSymj_GTSHTHiARI/s640/IMG_7025.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Adelie penguin chick...not exactly the cutest thing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Upon returning to the ship, the adrenaline of the morning
subsided and exhaustion set in having been on the go since 4:00 a.m. Time for a nap; a really long nap.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And then kayaking! </span>We took the zodiac to a protected cove where a crabeater
seal decided to haul out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasnāt
exactly happy to see us and eventually made its move to the water; not through
the path we made for it, but over the kayaks.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayHXjCyohyFPQgvbOEmdJ7yEx4iNluJAMz5C0Eu7T3cnF8Y8qFD-aRwUKiJDx3kXeGrR_xORePmwO2Tms5F2NWXWHB3Tksg8O2QJDa7-JjDiJZ0k1Us-G5GhhnDJPp1jOmZmR4bL3fqnx/s1600/Crabeater+Seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayHXjCyohyFPQgvbOEmdJ7yEx4iNluJAMz5C0Eu7T3cnF8Y8qFD-aRwUKiJDx3kXeGrR_xORePmwO2Tms5F2NWXWHB3Tksg8O2QJDa7-JjDiJZ0k1Us-G5GhhnDJPp1jOmZmR4bL3fqnx/s640/Crabeater+Seal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A crabeater seal hauled out where our kayaks were located</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8pSTw3_Lr4BwikJFRpv0gJTxoHMrdfcE5ofngGJFJZMfAg2bvoGHDB_neXpvkZJxDVgIaIolxeWNlQIiUg4YpJ1QiUjOAq4nu8y1ZO6FWIsp11X2pyLtZXpdv6nsXKe7pg58Gxz3Ls8K/s1600/P1050057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8pSTw3_Lr4BwikJFRpv0gJTxoHMrdfcE5ofngGJFJZMfAg2bvoGHDB_neXpvkZJxDVgIaIolxeWNlQIiUg4YpJ1QiUjOAq4nu8y1ZO6FWIsp11X2pyLtZXpdv6nsXKe7pg58Gxz3Ls8K/s400/P1050057.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It was then time us to make better use of the kayaks and the
kayaking was magical. It was snowingā¦just enough for it to accumulate on the
kayaks, but not enough to interfere. The wind was more of a breezeā¦just enough to
gently move the snow sideways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water
was calmā¦but with just enough of a wave to give it some texture. It was cloudyā¦but
with just enough light to make the blues of the ancient ice glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(And, of course, I had a great kayaking
partner: Chris, the head of Guest Services.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLzS-cugvGyKH5J3F6PSZ9aO39K2SuNTJzBR7rMPWuTMEkvcSxrbIhMmq8Q15setfibTQrYtnqIM79Ux1VKsimFEpIjBJ2deZYyrx_iWUkFngfxfYKlbN1NkqsMZSrip7E_DqP5xpzhOa/s1600/P1050067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLzS-cugvGyKH5J3F6PSZ9aO39K2SuNTJzBR7rMPWuTMEkvcSxrbIhMmq8Q15setfibTQrYtnqIM79Ux1VKsimFEpIjBJ2deZYyrx_iWUkFngfxfYKlbN1NkqsMZSrip7E_DqP5xpzhOa/s400/P1050067.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8pSTw3_Lr4BwikJFRpv0gJTxoHMrdfcE5ofngGJFJZMfAg2bvoGHDB_neXpvkZJxDVgIaIolxeWNlQIiUg4YpJ1QiUjOAq4nu8y1ZO6FWIsp11X2pyLtZXpdv6nsXKe7pg58Gxz3Ls8K/s1600/P1050057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I took a couple of quick photos, but this was definitely for
me a āPut the camera down!ā experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were all pretty much frozen by the end of the kayaking session, but I didnāt
want it to end.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Back onboard it was definitely time to warm up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually keep away from hot chocolate, but it
was definitely the way to go. Seabournās warm foamed milk with a chocolate stirrer
and just a touch of spiced rum was perfect.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
I should note (so I am!) that I am regularly asked what is the best day
of the expedition, what is the best location to kayak and whether it is better
to be in the first group or the last of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My response always is, āYou never know. Just
go with it.ā And this day was the perfect example. My landing group was the
fourth group out and they saw a leopard seal eating a penguin. I missed it because
I was in the first group due to my kayaking conflict. Another group had an Adelie
penguin jump into its zodiac (after trying twice and hitting one gentleman in the
back of his head!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas, I was ārelegatedā
to capturing photos of Adelie chicks and kayaking in a snowglobe; only a few
days after photographing a leopard seal with its mouth agape. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">We were told that the next day we would be landing at Cuverville Island, Antarctica in the afternoon, so I had a late night and put the Do Not Disturb sign on my door. I awoke at 7:00 a.m. (wondering why I did that) and fell back asleepā¦and then the shipās PA came on and the Expedition Leader, Chris Srigleyās, voice ungraciously knocked me out of bed. </span>Guess what? We arrived early and my sleep-in just ended.<br />
<br />
Cuverville Island is a breathtaking place that has just about everythingā¦and Gentoo penguins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is snow, stones, glaciers, green lichen-covered mountains, icebergs in the bays and distant views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where āJust pull up a rock and take it in!ā well and truly came into play. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had a nice chat with Anton Wolfaardt while taking in the views. (As a bonus it was so warm that I had to unzip my jacket and I was still overly warm.)<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdOm4N3iZ88midpgEZM5UnW9NN_xf0TWatrfq5XAAMqZm_SeauhzRFlfTNdCtUMjxhUnT0ww5mrZqTo4rgOfc70ArGH09ksBslGio0BXbIHGc2uqo1Caaj8AtUIA5sE2T1hBD78GckaRu/s1600/P1050080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdOm4N3iZ88midpgEZM5UnW9NN_xf0TWatrfq5XAAMqZm_SeauhzRFlfTNdCtUMjxhUnT0ww5mrZqTo4rgOfc70ArGH09ksBslGio0BXbIHGc2uqo1Caaj8AtUIA5sE2T1hBD78GckaRu/s640/P1050080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Quest at Cuverville Island, Antarctica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59cHcNRrA7mUdxS7-IdrE9D1KT2mXQTePLTBFukiu7-3mfRSIlycN4x_v6Bq1EPJl5MdRrEUhAbMPIgyf-TuisAjeBw8aDtmtXwc2OUEdgr0GmB4MN13WjojBcRwduBRs0Abjroherx7G/s1600/Penguin+Glacier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59cHcNRrA7mUdxS7-IdrE9D1KT2mXQTePLTBFukiu7-3mfRSIlycN4x_v6Bq1EPJl5MdRrEUhAbMPIgyf-TuisAjeBw8aDtmtXwc2OUEdgr0GmB4MN13WjojBcRwduBRs0Abjroherx7G/s640/Penguin+Glacier.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d01O3L6QZUfYln2jb53lDDvYnAKQTN5ZjaDIedAJIHh1fGtzCeosvAPeD8gvgkvDbKEMCdxxOayiYz87YGqmTMCfYpo_hDY74UeGLaZeu8epFWJONC_NZBpAWgNSoftTg3zb14j8IX2A/s1600/P1050078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d01O3L6QZUfYln2jb53lDDvYnAKQTN5ZjaDIedAJIHh1fGtzCeosvAPeD8gvgkvDbKEMCdxxOayiYz87YGqmTMCfYpo_hDY74UeGLaZeu8epFWJONC_NZBpAWgNSoftTg3zb14j8IX2A/s1600/P1050078.JPG"></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDTOojiGsuRyIBpk3THvHo-Kwz4Qwqa_4SAI92wnNUKqYSK8G6fdtLjNC6imHw1K_F28nR30YC5Sd4dIiYpDChV8pKkOZnQKqA6tcOrcT0Hjwkcj52_DjkAruwGnYz7m9rGL8awjf_vR-/s1600/Gentoo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDTOojiGsuRyIBpk3THvHo-Kwz4Qwqa_4SAI92wnNUKqYSK8G6fdtLjNC6imHw1K_F28nR30YC5Sd4dIiYpDChV8pKkOZnQKqA6tcOrcT0Hjwkcj52_DjkAruwGnYz7m9rGL8awjf_vR-/s640/Gentoo+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gentoo Penguin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdfutYWYbvRxKc3px-iXXEHl_NQJsK7TxGzc8L4fKhyHjvlTqb0V-0PZupcSRft71fvKByCBe2xFWo_PJAThdbJ2NWRBmsEjUU3k8llL8gw3A8wwj-JZ4n99DaP7f6_EfLVkzpLkeHvzs/s1600/Gentoo+with+Whale+Bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdfutYWYbvRxKc3px-iXXEHl_NQJsK7TxGzc8L4fKhyHjvlTqb0V-0PZupcSRft71fvKByCBe2xFWo_PJAThdbJ2NWRBmsEjUU3k8llL8gw3A8wwj-JZ4n99DaP7f6_EfLVkzpLkeHvzs/s640/Gentoo+with+Whale+Bones.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gentoo Penguin with Whale Vertebrae</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zZmuEPdWNTd8n9F0Dpcvi0wqntTgosdct1GUBx8t_QXFO5Mq2R55X1Mi_mnYY5DjXnCuhE9bbmMPsCOGdysEYfYndP2WSxk092Bsi_GE8lIQUdzZWAMh9AUqkCC9KoQrz7lBP-dpcIac/s1600/P1050082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zZmuEPdWNTd8n9F0Dpcvi0wqntTgosdct1GUBx8t_QXFO5Mq2R55X1Mi_mnYY5DjXnCuhE9bbmMPsCOGdysEYfYndP2WSxk092Bsi_GE8lIQUdzZWAMh9AUqkCC9KoQrz7lBP-dpcIac/s640/P1050082.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48g3GRU_tAG2_zmfQuFztA0aJwQWtOlyoFZsfzoT-GrQtbwxm-tX-jtX9v7Ei7dxdkaoscIIJ24j_qNr99OnIBGyS_ayyXsZ_XGSbJ5zCLqdokBQBan8VJijbrhOLv4P-2CyZMSJuL-L4/s1600/Gentoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48g3GRU_tAG2_zmfQuFztA0aJwQWtOlyoFZsfzoT-GrQtbwxm-tX-jtX9v7Ei7dxdkaoscIIJ24j_qNr99OnIBGyS_ayyXsZ_XGSbJ5zCLqdokBQBan8VJijbrhOLv4P-2CyZMSJuL-L4/s640/Gentoo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_b0gFAg4lRugP6Qsenec1KiO8jzzmGX3a08uYLW-UWqZsIho-aNkfNlO8y6hu5TpBunHnFGG5pNgQJjzH4nwTTvl893j9N0HA8vgEAjxu95t5N7oDVTTqAjBZa8PPYbVnulfD3bdthbX/s1600/Skua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_b0gFAg4lRugP6Qsenec1KiO8jzzmGX3a08uYLW-UWqZsIho-aNkfNlO8y6hu5TpBunHnFGG5pNgQJjzH4nwTTvl893j9N0HA8vgEAjxu95t5N7oDVTTqAjBZa8PPYbVnulfD3bdthbX/s640/Skua.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skua doing what a Skua does</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was interesting that none of the Gentoos had chicks,
except one pair, yet. I had thought that by now the chicks would be quite active.
It seems Gentoo hatching is very dependent on location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, Jennifer Fought found that just
hatched chicks and I was lucky enough to watch the parents change places and
the one that just returned from sea feed the two only days old chicks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJE2KYCUy1qTccHs-RTvmmgXRdStJBHgQRnC5ADi7p7DlKCOFKP4pv1JYtZFM3VsOI1RI8dTnNy0jbeg17TVB81HtTHp2q9yH6EUb_P19GNPkgdeRds-KtPyxQZ8FkLBWxbbjiCxJksw2o/s1600/Gentoo+Chicks+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJE2KYCUy1qTccHs-RTvmmgXRdStJBHgQRnC5ADi7p7DlKCOFKP4pv1JYtZFM3VsOI1RI8dTnNy0jbeg17TVB81HtTHp2q9yH6EUb_P19GNPkgdeRds-KtPyxQZ8FkLBWxbbjiCxJksw2o/s640/Gentoo+Chicks+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWl6TBUNOfHITPE9bhPInUVfhhyJDIuxDLjbYg-Q0XBH2CjNXu3HGVfF9B-zsQsFfnpKqRcu4phrmZW6fEztkLUksurWv5Ad-Smdbp0es4VwshKkONzn3l88MbiE5sGe9_UhGWbun5P7b/s1600/Gentoo+Chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWl6TBUNOfHITPE9bhPInUVfhhyJDIuxDLjbYg-Q0XBH2CjNXu3HGVfF9B-zsQsFfnpKqRcu4phrmZW6fEztkLUksurWv5Ad-Smdbp0es4VwshKkONzn3l88MbiE5sGe9_UhGWbun5P7b/s640/Gentoo+Chicks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR-g25dLw-9CGPmLSGFx3oeVWcac-ZqGrZxO1FJbxSBmF5A-tqgthItDGyNI3bi_waPZHx7Vxfq4jlQTmbbj2Ra20AVKXOk3OXMucPImzp12Uij1wDPxO-HM0ySpuoorta6lCrpZ3ZEND/s1600/Gentoo+Family+Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR-g25dLw-9CGPmLSGFx3oeVWcac-ZqGrZxO1FJbxSBmF5A-tqgthItDGyNI3bi_waPZHx7Vxfq4jlQTmbbj2Ra20AVKXOk3OXMucPImzp12Uij1wDPxO-HM0ySpuoorta6lCrpZ3ZEND/s640/Gentoo+Family+Portrait.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After returning to the ship I figured with such a beautiful view and the Wintergardenās
soaking tub, I would do that which I pretty much never do: Take a
bath. With a copy of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Fraserās Penguins </i>discussing the very areas we are traveling in (and what
I believe is a mandatory book to understand both penguins and some of the
serious effects of climate change) it was a wonderful hour.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBoFMxPTGk0aNdA7IwTX4tsHdzfhogAhG0owDI9gzeQQHtZS0Q6sVNM9K5-YGjS7Dy0M0XRevSsHAjHPJa8fJlSCO9O-L6Wkg6OukOpCxkwkkWUm_GR59NBSmtXgeTeLO4ip0yGXDfb_g/s1600/IMG_20191230_164701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBoFMxPTGk0aNdA7IwTX4tsHdzfhogAhG0owDI9gzeQQHtZS0Q6sVNM9K5-YGjS7Dy0M0XRevSsHAjHPJa8fJlSCO9O-L6Wkg6OukOpCxkwkkWUm_GR59NBSmtXgeTeLO4ip0yGXDfb_g/s640/IMG_20191230_164701.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Quest's Wintergarden Suite Soaking Tub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
followed by a wonderful nap!<br />
<br />
Because we were able to move the schedule up scenic cruising
was scheduled for after dinner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
the perfect time to enjoy dinner with a view at Earth & Ocean. (Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will discuss the ship and the dining
experiences in a separate article.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After some during dinner spectacular viewsā¦and having been in this area
beforeā¦I began to wonder where the after-dinner scenic cruising was. (You see I
was told a secret: We would quietly attempt to travel through the Lemaire
Channel, but it would not be an event until the next evening when we travelled
back through on New Yearās Eve.)<br />
<br />
As the Observation Lounge was just getting very quiet I
looked up and there it was: Lemaire Channel. In my two prior expeditions we tried
to pass through, but could not. And here we were. Was it going to happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
As we approached I looked at the photograph I took the prior
year with that incredible sunset and tried to photograph the same locationā¦.still
not knowing if we would be able to make the passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then we did!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaOZaEwVLnIfWf44wBHf6-0sGNf1Q3OilDW8yyFkD-whpmevnW9A0J008jisulN4ggXIJhAHX1YgJcgb66-nLKOSeDH26GRp7O_XR_W8HV4fxte-aVHKnEFI8SPMQDmM1i8vVYm8YvJwm/s1600/IMG_20191231_001446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaOZaEwVLnIfWf44wBHf6-0sGNf1Q3OilDW8yyFkD-whpmevnW9A0J008jisulN4ggXIJhAHX1YgJcgb66-nLKOSeDH26GRp7O_XR_W8HV4fxte-aVHKnEFI8SPMQDmM1i8vVYm8YvJwm/s400/IMG_20191231_001446.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemaire Channel - December 2019</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrbNZolvR-cKfo7MjR2A5ixOryGA5oXLtwnXMw7F8wrZNnHnRQFiiaaPpC7etETAdTeVgOhQV2_rOHAHSCgmuH0F2FiV4rfNZbW5njvCw2l3I-dRJEGtWV62iPO_PcGzOg87pMW0Wy7TU/s1600/IMG_20190125_232557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrbNZolvR-cKfo7MjR2A5ixOryGA5oXLtwnXMw7F8wrZNnHnRQFiiaaPpC7etETAdTeVgOhQV2_rOHAHSCgmuH0F2FiV4rfNZbW5njvCw2l3I-dRJEGtWV62iPO_PcGzOg87pMW0Wy7TU/s640/IMG_20190125_232557.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemaire Channel - January 2018</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As we were passing by I asked one of the guests pointing to
the face of a glacier if they could tell me how high it was. They said about 20
feet. I said to them, āDo you realize you are standing on Deck 10 of the
Seabourn Quest and it is higher than we are?ā<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, Antarctica does make you lose perspective because it is so big! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGhyBShE1QIwsMUS2hXfmyHZ6pxDgrm0OXUUNSY0pz-iqjnqKRmxCITCcLS1Gk0PVcQGzzRQYI1JjQybFGKO5IFo_9wU7TNHAePE7Vjr43xqS2R5K-WJqy34WChLe_tNVWRkApQaWQuRd/s1600/IMG_7235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGhyBShE1QIwsMUS2hXfmyHZ6pxDgrm0OXUUNSY0pz-iqjnqKRmxCITCcLS1Gk0PVcQGzzRQYI1JjQybFGKO5IFo_9wU7TNHAePE7Vjr43xqS2R5K-WJqy34WChLe_tNVWRkApQaWQuRd/s640/IMG_7235.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxsR5P374Eqi1RxSXJOxJQu6sa7cSoHmdvPGX0lgcbkWlAg0kxavDnFzvF3UQdgrn1Fg2dyX684k43OXV-AJ3e34zEPJIKqFHwuSIaWwhRXSpfIZxUEIKT-JpDwhdC7QADYnd3NGm5Ijz/s1600/IMG_7233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxsR5P374Eqi1RxSXJOxJQu6sa7cSoHmdvPGX0lgcbkWlAg0kxavDnFzvF3UQdgrn1Fg2dyX684k43OXV-AJ3e34zEPJIKqFHwuSIaWwhRXSpfIZxUEIKT-JpDwhdC7QADYnd3NGm5Ijz/s400/IMG_7233.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGhyBShE1QIwsMUS2hXfmyHZ6pxDgrm0OXUUNSY0pz-iqjnqKRmxCITCcLS1Gk0PVcQGzzRQYI1JjQybFGKO5IFo_9wU7TNHAePE7Vjr43xqS2R5K-WJqy34WChLe_tNVWRkApQaWQuRd/s1600/IMG_7235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYteVUy87wlhfC_HdfDstc8hG11OGCRQPTtahcKb4wf6QGefaUpUvkKaOKLhZQ_REd7OAryyihyphenhyphenJNhUpDSLSuMbSvXFdO6oZmrNFcXkle-rje19IFYh6s_kaD6IGfhrhqxy0SAiTOx021/s1600/IMG_7241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYteVUy87wlhfC_HdfDstc8hG11OGCRQPTtahcKb4wf6QGefaUpUvkKaOKLhZQ_REd7OAryyihyphenhyphenJNhUpDSLSuMbSvXFdO6oZmrNFcXkle-rje19IFYh6s_kaD6IGfhrhqxy0SAiTOx021/s640/IMG_7241.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
With us settled in a spot and whales feeding off the bow of
the ship, it was time to finally get some sleep; knowing the next day I was in
the last group and that since there would be no internet as the mountains
blocked the satellite it would be a restful day ahead of New Yearās Eve.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPlY8oULXpaO5jI9R2shjXOFeaqaV7Nu9m3Ljmg_BEqnko3ZsJz1FdBLz21TVYyMFD-ZOc9L-8zR7E3RNME1lvmDAVwhX3yc5Sqp954IW_LTFiY-in-wbs1W8kS7pX8mFH9YpCnrihxme/s1600/IMG_7296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPlY8oULXpaO5jI9R2shjXOFeaqaV7Nu9m3Ljmg_BEqnko3ZsJz1FdBLz21TVYyMFD-ZOc9L-8zR7E3RNME1lvmDAVwhX3yc5Sqp954IW_LTFiY-in-wbs1W8kS7pX8mFH9YpCnrihxme/s640/IMG_7296.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Quest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I awoke with the Seabourn Quest anchored off Pleneau Island,
also known as the Iceberg Graveyard. This is because the water is relatively shallow
so when an iceberg breaks off of a glacier it grounds itself on the bottom and
just stays there, be it for five, ten or even fifty years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside of my suite was a beautiful iceberg with arches and
caves, little bergy bits floating by and such calm and quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with the temperatures warming, it was
wonderful sitting outside and taking it all in.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SGv8uZn5xKkHCtjEXucjy-2WEEejERXkTf0vnvaAj5mgxhQ4d_uUg2dcVE3uBmedm03n6GHOIHmWoYOUDndhiSPd6h1ZyEluTnYc1notEaYYnrylj5WmeHyEJPNJIxw-13to_DBGbbf6/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SGv8uZn5xKkHCtjEXucjy-2WEEejERXkTf0vnvaAj5mgxhQ4d_uUg2dcVE3uBmedm03n6GHOIHmWoYOUDndhiSPd6h1ZyEluTnYc1notEaYYnrylj5WmeHyEJPNJIxw-13to_DBGbbf6/s640/IMG_7250.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The zodiac in the foreground gives you some perspective as to this iceberg's size</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Eventually it was our groupās turn for a zodiac tour around the
Iceberg Graveyard. The sun had finally broken through a bit and the ice started
to show its true colorsā¦while off in the distance dark skies, almost purple in
color, were building. Absolutely breathtaking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3XLgTMP2VoeRE_jayxLAxOG_CY0iszYFEsmRlZt0gR5Gc1-AwK6-Bc4ifpZsCbDL1hglmq_XmoVPzw0Zpe10Fu3ZFgDhXzHr8S7svwcLhmiyHN7PLKFnF7OlRv0mNNUz_bZa-c8s1Iwl/s1600/P1050096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3XLgTMP2VoeRE_jayxLAxOG_CY0iszYFEsmRlZt0gR5Gc1-AwK6-Bc4ifpZsCbDL1hglmq_XmoVPzw0Zpe10Fu3ZFgDhXzHr8S7svwcLhmiyHN7PLKFnF7OlRv0mNNUz_bZa-c8s1Iwl/s400/P1050096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx16UGq9zjW7eQohvgWJZqGcu8fp6MjpC1AYyZ_yf6jZ6-kSrWD7-8GXsEO8rghahovzGprBNg9BrD3551Lu3zGkRQcOF3GSlhoj7QcdQ1onxzS3XJJqjg06TJEsj-xqE16ZCp-qFBgbi/s1600/P1050100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx16UGq9zjW7eQohvgWJZqGcu8fp6MjpC1AYyZ_yf6jZ6-kSrWD7-8GXsEO8rghahovzGprBNg9BrD3551Lu3zGkRQcOF3GSlhoj7QcdQ1onxzS3XJJqjg06TJEsj-xqE16ZCp-qFBgbi/s640/P1050100.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Speaking of breathtaking, as everyone in our zodiac was
looking to the left, I was looking to the right and a huge humpback whale rose out of the water to take a
breath not even 20 feet away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglo7ufRwjtANLMELv9eubfw4DHfTn3pQlFAuN2T386CH6sD41R4EAYbayS0xMTly_Y9tDesP-RYh7WhBF3udQrAVmCl9IOv1pwG0kg9RWrX7NCAM_6MTYtFAW1nUj2PrKQu2m-hYWbOxWP/s1600/IMG_7270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglo7ufRwjtANLMELv9eubfw4DHfTn3pQlFAuN2T386CH6sD41R4EAYbayS0xMTly_Y9tDesP-RYh7WhBF3udQrAVmCl9IOv1pwG0kg9RWrX7NCAM_6MTYtFAW1nUj2PrKQu2m-hYWbOxWP/s400/IMG_7270.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
We cruised along looking at feeding whales and sleeping
crabeater seals while marveling at the sizes, shapes and colors of the icebergs
that surrounded us. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGr7yj_XNZaCACfCPaYl5AqN-MyurD15zYQI6SfjNkAUeZB47a5SJKrnJHdJ_7PpV7_LFoBclOaCcMw-_9zqUVY7yimAT4CMkRFFdOpjOdfexlec61dDUa58HOuvJE88GqqkXmYkdUlLc/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGr7yj_XNZaCACfCPaYl5AqN-MyurD15zYQI6SfjNkAUeZB47a5SJKrnJHdJ_7PpV7_LFoBclOaCcMw-_9zqUVY7yimAT4CMkRFFdOpjOdfexlec61dDUa58HOuvJE88GqqkXmYkdUlLc/s640/IMG_7311.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Crabeater Seal with krill drool (not blood) </div>
<div>
They eat krill, not crabs!</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I can think of no better way to put oneās mind into a good place for the end of 2019 and the start of 2020.<br />
<br />
It was then time for a quick rest and then New Yearās Eve
festivities which included a lovely dinner hosted by the Ares, the Hotel Director,
with delicious wines and cuisine.<br />
<br />
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<br />
As Antarctica does not have any official time zone, shipās
time prevailed and at midnight a group of us were standing on the deck outside
the Observation Loungeā¦and I took this photo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA6sH8XirlIGT6PLVISYEe3D4_S_S4SqFFCzE8Qzb1z_mUcZxjSVe41Yuk1Fr5-O4JnnCKIrIaovY6TZXt_ajMKmwauSBG5Rpdeld6KKth1370_dUtL5d9g1Idb4gujHSpXhlQFyS1gVj/s1600/IMG_20200101_000305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA6sH8XirlIGT6PLVISYEe3D4_S_S4SqFFCzE8Qzb1z_mUcZxjSVe41Yuk1Fr5-O4JnnCKIrIaovY6TZXt_ajMKmwauSBG5Rpdeld6KKth1370_dUtL5d9g1Idb4gujHSpXhlQFyS1gVj/s640/IMG_20200101_000305.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Wishing everyone peace and beauty for the coming yearā¦and
continued journeys (as our's shall tomorrow!)<br />
<br />
Interested in booking a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica or elsewhere? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-71456382890557854002019-12-27T10:54:00.001-08:002019-12-27T10:54:06.626-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part III (South Georgia Island)After years of "You have to go to South Georgia Island" it was time. I was finally going to get there. And Seabourn let us know that there was a change in the schedule: Rather than the two days in South Georgia we would have three full days there!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4FyuZmEA6xmD5dkP2Lu8sI3Chql99Sze3zW9nyHEo6Pnvvql2o4A8O6UllLurBxBvNS4uWnnXEZUYITAVt1O-H-Ds_urb5e9np8KNYPp9wGEIpeNLIiJo0AQ1tMWbclOeb3NMQxTLRhb/s1600/IMG_6584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4FyuZmEA6xmD5dkP2Lu8sI3Chql99Sze3zW9nyHEo6Pnvvql2o4A8O6UllLurBxBvNS4uWnnXEZUYITAVt1O-H-Ds_urb5e9np8KNYPp9wGEIpeNLIiJo0AQ1tMWbclOeb3NMQxTLRhb/s640/IMG_6584.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Georgia Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During a coffee with Captain Joost Eldering he suggested I be up at 4:00 AM for the sail in to Grytviken, South Georgia Island as the sunrise is supposed to be amazing and it would be a beautiful start.<br />
<ul>
<li>I awoke at 4:00 AM. Fog.</li>
<li>Back to sleep.</li>
<li>I awoke again at 4:45 AM. Fog.</li>
<li>Back to sleep.</li>
<li>I awoke for a third time. Bright sun and the Seabourn Quest was already anchored. Missed it! (But still quite a view to wake up to!)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAt1EJTrzmZAoAqVhKVTJ40DK_TZKC0MNoviWRTL1r660FniIaLT3kpyztw5IVBgEDur2xXArFlY-nVA2CpSp9YrKr1Kfr6Ntbl0SSVq41XiDqQQVmuGB5VbeFEhPbIrPzTJL4u_qvEKf/s1600/IMG_6352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAt1EJTrzmZAoAqVhKVTJ40DK_TZKC0MNoviWRTL1r660FniIaLT3kpyztw5IVBgEDur2xXArFlY-nVA2CpSp9YrKr1Kfr6Ntbl0SSVq41XiDqQQVmuGB5VbeFEhPbIrPzTJL4u_qvEKf/s640/IMG_6352.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grytviken, South Georgia Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Making matters worse, the guests are broken down into five color groups for landings so that no more than 100 people are on shore in Antarctica. I, of course, was in the last group so I would not be landing until 10:00 AM.<br />
<br />
So I paced the ship, overlooking this former whaling center, thinking about the history that Trevor Potts has passionately, but understatedly, told over the past three Antarctic journeys, the return of wildlife after man's decimation of fur seals, elephant seals and whales as well as the eradication <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">from South Georgia </span>of rats and mice introduced by man that would attack the chicks of nesting birds, as Brent Houston has passionately conveyed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtyIhReS1dE4ad6h9_6YoMSn7WeuEmzSNCi1KVFUzIS6wxw6WTTKO5H2pGHxSHz-qAhLJgPAC_B5AVY0lmXCwJDOpf-UAJOHM1rke2DQWTDcyMvgjtvv1eOAxEcOJhp-MlWh_DZoEOrPq/s1600/IMG_6411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtyIhReS1dE4ad6h9_6YoMSn7WeuEmzSNCi1KVFUzIS6wxw6WTTKO5H2pGHxSHz-qAhLJgPAC_B5AVY0lmXCwJDOpf-UAJOHM1rke2DQWTDcyMvgjtvv1eOAxEcOJhp-MlWh_DZoEOrPq/s640/IMG_6411.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The former Whaling Factory at Grytviken, South Georgia Island</td></tr>
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I repeatedly said to myself, "Just get my ass off this ship and onto the beach!" And then it finally happened. And my initial feelings were totally different from what I had expected. I thought about the history more than the animals. And, to be sure, that was quite something as the fur seals were literally just a few feet from the zodiac, both big males and tiny pups grabbing one's attention.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZ8IvEv66tYqw7c77GUVWW64w2fGTNn6GGSK5dr5Td6dLHM-Y-2sO-TMDIvkw0sWNdl-1cOItnrPTN2VU3hbuD0seqyIQtgc1fyxdHp19Toe1CVVFYchZhR1HibmzfiqCv9eCcr4RNMKS/s1600/IMG_6363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZ8IvEv66tYqw7c77GUVWW64w2fGTNn6GGSK5dr5Td6dLHM-Y-2sO-TMDIvkw0sWNdl-1cOItnrPTN2VU3hbuD0seqyIQtgc1fyxdHp19Toe1CVVFYchZhR1HibmzfiqCv9eCcr4RNMKS/s640/IMG_6363.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite the welcome to Grytviken, South Georgia. He wasn't exactly thrilled!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But in this moment, after taking a few photos of the seals, it was a wander over to the cemetery and a moment of respect at the grave of Ernest Shackleton. Before I was there I consider it more of an obligatory stop, but once I was in front of the grave it was a moment of deference and perspective.<br />
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After, it was a wandering around what was a massive facility for processing huge numbers of whales juxtaposed with fur seals, young elephant seals, giant petrels, skuas, King penguins and a couple of wayward Gentoo penguins...and then a touching moment that made this journey so much more than I had ever expected.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGHSgW5QZUdIyi6wQCP5OpzSrk88wGv433vWQNIEpyxvCq_U1dIx_O1G0-shjNBe4eWjxl_r82ENJFqofo3LZGKXRJU6MVwXOuK5vgrnZHPnpNn808AAby6HXyaQ99M-KZ6ZFFON1M0cm/s1600/received_636723893731751%257E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="1227" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGHSgW5QZUdIyi6wQCP5OpzSrk88wGv433vWQNIEpyxvCq_U1dIx_O1G0-shjNBe4eWjxl_r82ENJFqofo3LZGKXRJU6MVwXOuK5vgrnZHPnpNn808AAby6HXyaQ99M-KZ6ZFFON1M0cm/s640/received_636723893731751%257E2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will always remember this King Penguin</td></tr>
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I was bantering with my friend, and Seabourn Expedition team member, Jennifer Fought (Geologist and Naturalist) when a young blind woman and her mother (not knowing at the time that her sight was just lost and happened unexpectedly) asked a question of Jennifer. Jennifer explained there was a baby elephant seal behind her, fur seals and king penguins in front of her. The woman asked different questions, which Jennifer answered softly and with such kindness. You could feel the excitement in this young woman's voice. She then asked Jennifer what that sound was and was told it was a big male fur seal. Would she mind videoing it? Of course not.<br />
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And then Jennifer asked her if she wanted to make a Merry Christmas video. Jennifer guided her a bit closer to a King Penguin and the woman started to cry. She said, "I can see white!" This young blind woman somehow saw a King Penguin! Well, both Jennifer and I got emotional too. It was a truly heartwarming experience that two kind and enthusiastic women created.<br />
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I ran into this young woman the next day as we waited to get our boots for our second landing (Yes, the Seabourn Expedition Team is that good!) and I told her how much she touched me the day before. She said, "You are going to make me cry. Can I give you a hug?" Truly an experience that I had the privilege to soak in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhZ_ucuZPxCbep0h8l9crIzo2NujW5IEox2FknjE15k8aprZRFfBA_ayW4lGylfDz76kWJlKna9WoZKMaC6Z1HZ2pNFskF_Zn9tmPl6CRuKLQfA7xjQPxzCntdKIE_8eNnWe9Bb_9ucpG/s1600/IMG_6455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhZ_ucuZPxCbep0h8l9crIzo2NujW5IEox2FknjE15k8aprZRFfBA_ayW4lGylfDz76kWJlKna9WoZKMaC6Z1HZ2pNFskF_Zn9tmPl6CRuKLQfA7xjQPxzCntdKIE_8eNnWe9Bb_9ucpG/s640/IMG_6455.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fur Seal Pup</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0XFVg4C5W3sTda5ECv6PCAv0hlQcoPttR78oye_1R08iJ9tf9aspoi8mRcUG2nqUh0d8tDhhDHTLaZiwd7HyHAvmIJLT-YW94jkN5QOht2slaA3y_cy7OkbyLU2vw4aR7e5He26Ja_bX/s1600/IMG_6451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0XFVg4C5W3sTda5ECv6PCAv0hlQcoPttR78oye_1R08iJ9tf9aspoi8mRcUG2nqUh0d8tDhhDHTLaZiwd7HyHAvmIJLT-YW94jkN5QOht2slaA3y_cy7OkbyLU2vw4aR7e5He26Ja_bX/s640/IMG_6451.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant Seal "Weaner"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anyway, after seeing some old abandoned whaling ships, the huge vats and buildings as well as the post office (yes you can mail yourself a postcard) and museum,<br />
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it was time to head back to the ship. <br />
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Our day, however, wasn't done. After all of the groups returned the Seabourn Quest headed to two bays that previously were used for whaling factories. I was on the bridge while Trevor talked over the PA about these sites and while Ross Ellingwood spoke of the geology of the island Trevor chatted with me about what went on in each building and what he saw when he went into these now too dangerous to enter places. </div>
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The history, human hardships and the horrific exploitation of whales and seals is truly overwhelming...as we continue to destroy our environment placing quickly made riches over the long term health of our world.</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
I went to sleep that night knowing that the next day was Christmas Day at the Salisbury Plain and I was to receive the best present ever: The Day of 200,000+ King Penguins!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMPt07lmkJWqZmPCudXhneJdo4oa6KVLK40YU76pA-MwfSkevrifJXJUby_iJuou1MyoHcTYUDEmf96x-PYeP59VHmhUnPned_VxWqhsb8nWQC-uIFSsQ7IRFfhmbGqyBioFJM3AQYN0/s1600/King+Penguin+Colony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMPt07lmkJWqZmPCudXhneJdo4oa6KVLK40YU76pA-MwfSkevrifJXJUby_iJuou1MyoHcTYUDEmf96x-PYeP59VHmhUnPned_VxWqhsb8nWQC-uIFSsQ7IRFfhmbGqyBioFJM3AQYN0/s640/King+Penguin+Colony.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
200,000+ pairs of King Penguins on South Georgia Island</div>
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as seen from the Seabourn Quest</div>
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Well, it turned out, not exactly. First, our day would not begin until 2:00 PM as another ship had an earlier time slot. Second, the swell at the beach was just too high to make the landing there. The Ponant ship had been there earlier in the day and could not do a landing, so what were we to do?<br />
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Unfortunately, this is a close I could get to the King Penguin colony </div>
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due to high swells and surf. </div>
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Good excuse to come back!!!</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
Well, this is where having the best Expedition Team on the seas, comes into play. Chris Srigley and team did some scouting. I watched them from my balcony looking all over the coastline for a safe place to make a landing, for if they didn't find one we, too, would have been relegated to a zodiac ride...and that would have been heartbreaking.<br />
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And then the word, "Green Group we are ready for you!" The Expedition Team found a landing site, but not where we could experience the huge King Penguin colony. It was, however, absolutely amazing and, to my mind, having experienced King Penguins twice on the Falkland Islands, probably even better!<br />
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Yes there were some King Penguins (mostly all waiting to molt), but there were young elephant seals, thousands of fur seals and, among those, countless incredibly cute fur seal pups. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1du_I_5EypRHXpOsoqxIOgJrMmRKRTsxUKxam_j3F6IulHAymHH0gSrC_9Xf4dFRvdYvlGoji2UU0Wwex884nTlBq7hhNcqZxSfuCQWClzBUpOB5GQaFvfWgM1l2TCEmzsCvb0KfBQzr2/s1600/IMG_6644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1du_I_5EypRHXpOsoqxIOgJrMmRKRTsxUKxam_j3F6IulHAymHH0gSrC_9Xf4dFRvdYvlGoji2UU0Wwex884nTlBq7hhNcqZxSfuCQWClzBUpOB5GQaFvfWgM1l2TCEmzsCvb0KfBQzr2/s640/IMG_6644.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was quite the experience having to walk among some aggressive male fur seals that were not happy we were there. I was walking with Brent Houston a few steps ahead of me and as one big male came charging out of the tussock grasses Brent turned and said, "You! Get out of here. We talked about this!" and so it did. A bit later I ran into Jennifer who, with equal confidence, but not quite the bravado, waved a flag on a stick at a big male sweetly but firming saying, "Go away!" Yes we were that close among so many seals.</div>
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The fur seal pups were so much fun to watch. You could see the different personalities come out as they played. You could also get the sense of which ones were probably males as they postured and barked at you. Some would stare right at you, bark and show their tiny teeth with great bravado...and then scurry away as there was only so much courage in those tiny furry little bodies.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fur seal pups look like bear cubs to me</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
This pup tried to be really tough, giving me "that" look while barking at me with the cutest high pitched bark.</div>
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But when is courage gave out, he ran away.</div>
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I always tell people the most important thing to do is "Pull up a rock and just take it in". There was just so much to take in. From giant petrels feeding on a seal carcass to young elephant seals (called weaners since they have just been weaken) looking so forlornly at you as if they just want a cuddle ("I miss my mommy"), to King penguins wandering occasioning giving out a call, to breathtaking landscapes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1du_I_5EypRHXpOsoqxIOgJrMmRKRTsxUKxam_j3F6IulHAymHH0gSrC_9Xf4dFRvdYvlGoji2UU0Wwex884nTlBq7hhNcqZxSfuCQWClzBUpOB5GQaFvfWgM1l2TCEmzsCvb0KfBQzr2/s1600/IMG_6644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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King Penguins with Fur Seals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant Seal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkJ0XjqiBNS9PkAR-8pjeW7MvMPYK9xdAKfGt9Mco7ZT_1HAYAWv-Fux_5EWRyQ0iDQUkygsqCIX9_jUNu0a1zO4gV3GspauDEUrIGW3mcc6gP6LrosbGISQrf1pcPTwwXGUKo32Yriw/s1600/IMG_6585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkJ0XjqiBNS9PkAR-8pjeW7MvMPYK9xdAKfGt9Mco7ZT_1HAYAWv-Fux_5EWRyQ0iDQUkygsqCIX9_jUNu0a1zO4gV3GspauDEUrIGW3mcc6gP6LrosbGISQrf1pcPTwwXGUKo32Yriw/s640/IMG_6585.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Penguin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJ87wab2N26JTZ1aba22KuoL4bHUGEyDAWif1oC9zXAp0ssht-KDNXNMSqL6aYIDVYbou3pzMZ2O9R9tD6udQBExbz5cJjyfmF9qkAp_d35QDrpjF6edcN5sACzCYXn-QjpTxXbpJ-wD-/s1600/IMG_6582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJ87wab2N26JTZ1aba22KuoL4bHUGEyDAWif1oC9zXAp0ssht-KDNXNMSqL6aYIDVYbou3pzMZ2O9R9tD6udQBExbz5cJjyfmF9qkAp_d35QDrpjF6edcN5sACzCYXn-QjpTxXbpJ-wD-/s640/IMG_6582.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant Seal not looking so cute</td></tr>
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Giant Petrel guarding its meal</div>
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(The Circle of Life is real)</div>
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Skua</div>
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A scavenger in the summer months, but also preys on penguin eggs and young chicks.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gentoo Penguin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkH8-UbRpitTA7lOpNRjpZyXDZ0OiDf_dpQdizOKSgOEjtIncBQr3ShPv8fNtFDqB34p4DYEYhTKOFdzKATP8wd9ArY2MMvJgwkPh5_iaibS0heVnkrGG4dODXLkLTvySRWbeFNiaqAbR/s1600/IMG_6740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkH8-UbRpitTA7lOpNRjpZyXDZ0OiDf_dpQdizOKSgOEjtIncBQr3ShPv8fNtFDqB34p4DYEYhTKOFdzKATP8wd9ArY2MMvJgwkPh5_iaibS0heVnkrGG4dODXLkLTvySRWbeFNiaqAbR/s640/IMG_6740.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather plump King Penguin </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwFTlv8VK1hQHbM5QEw8wHQHr_ie__Bztp-tQNfxsjh5n_TlpUUNgWanwzcKkkOzlbbR3ckBsFZCz0F1C7PXWBbibdzlF1ZlgEtDNlxbPd5-CW8A-5Xo8GJTNGzU0SqWZNBA-QA8dI_9J/s1600/IMG_6746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwFTlv8VK1hQHbM5QEw8wHQHr_ie__Bztp-tQNfxsjh5n_TlpUUNgWanwzcKkkOzlbbR3ckBsFZCz0F1C7PXWBbibdzlF1ZlgEtDNlxbPd5-CW8A-5Xo8GJTNGzU0SqWZNBA-QA8dI_9J/s640/IMG_6746.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheathbill - A true scavenger</td></tr>
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I was chatting with Brent (always enlightening...and amusing) and he said, "I think I see a white giant petrel over there. Let's check it out." So off we went and there it was, a very unusual color morph, as they are usually brown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kwwRhdfhKrfresRxdFe0bugbcfeiMonGA0Gpnzwaj3NPbT_OTJY0FA_Mn6wx6WYNYBD6GVcj-CUy_9XSa4Zal5xniYcMnKr5DbcLKroQcmdGYdo4fI7eN4zWgkogD653yRoLCV1ut7N4/s1600/IMG_6710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kwwRhdfhKrfresRxdFe0bugbcfeiMonGA0Gpnzwaj3NPbT_OTJY0FA_Mn6wx6WYNYBD6GVcj-CUy_9XSa4Zal5xniYcMnKr5DbcLKroQcmdGYdo4fI7eN4zWgkogD653yRoLCV1ut7N4/s400/IMG_6710.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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"Oh look, there are some seal bones. Don't tell me that doesn't look like a human hand"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzKJ5JgoEltOR_AxvM3FYFK7HFOaURYrgFppyxSHyRbI5f_cZU04H8cVDZS5JhmkxBMJgXxXiF0vnd4xJYB8gQsmovm_tAR1qkhlKL67R8G2hUVPkGBZ8U6peV4EIpFNtGWVS0ATKYdp-/s1600/IMG_6702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzKJ5JgoEltOR_AxvM3FYFK7HFOaURYrgFppyxSHyRbI5f_cZU04H8cVDZS5JhmkxBMJgXxXiF0vnd4xJYB8gQsmovm_tAR1qkhlKL67R8G2hUVPkGBZ8U6peV4EIpFNtGWVS0ATKYdp-/s400/IMG_6702.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are all more closely related than one might think!</td></tr>
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Our third day in South Georgia on the Seabourn Quest was a zodiac tour day in Cooper Bay, South Georgia. I was excited because we would see Macaroni penguins; a new species for me. These penguins have wild yellow feathers that stick out around their heads. The have a somewhat similar look to Rockhopper penguins that I saw on the Falkland Islands last year, but are definitely different and, apparently, not nearly as death-defying as the crazy Rockhopper.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikP8tY-_PxVlr3KeQ0mr_KBfn2hNgc3kyNYqnAB816PLSVK6_6zUoybFs25SQ4lccNH_JTNmbBTJZg1wmpfZeKV7XnRRnltsuoo6X8TrA-6COhQCVWFb_LhiIGTyokKnhCMdJvIW5h1e_P/s1600/Macaroni+Penguin+1+-+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikP8tY-_PxVlr3KeQ0mr_KBfn2hNgc3kyNYqnAB816PLSVK6_6zUoybFs25SQ4lccNH_JTNmbBTJZg1wmpfZeKV7XnRRnltsuoo6X8TrA-6COhQCVWFb_LhiIGTyokKnhCMdJvIW5h1e_P/s640/Macaroni+Penguin+1+-+edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macaroni Penguin</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7ABOZFTRwcOxaofYRm1FlNH1EzhgEtemdKPoIQSXNYtIlzh95QNQNUeuDTG-WihLgbe5qY50lGsVk_byAKmwTOqKfi2RbjXHy7nGrv4u9XUwjkyUC_ykb3c2rPwraCMhuwzibvKAnz3J/s1600/Macaroni+Penguin+2+-+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7ABOZFTRwcOxaofYRm1FlNH1EzhgEtemdKPoIQSXNYtIlzh95QNQNUeuDTG-WihLgbe5qY50lGsVk_byAKmwTOqKfi2RbjXHy7nGrv4u9XUwjkyUC_ykb3c2rPwraCMhuwzibvKAnz3J/s640/Macaroni+Penguin+2+-+edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macaroni Penguin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXim89M3s3bSY0nwzJC_GizGpd4ji33vfy9vR524m2hI8JS6EWQ1XkTD3xN7gC2qJ7A-nwF9dZQ2qvFzlG6PtLJQ0386xQCVQDJkhD0Sf1-8WYEM5TZ2UWGDVwCSNN0d_fx8oALnQwXtc/s1600/IMG_6760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXim89M3s3bSY0nwzJC_GizGpd4ji33vfy9vR524m2hI8JS6EWQ1XkTD3xN7gC2qJ7A-nwF9dZQ2qvFzlG6PtLJQ0386xQCVQDJkhD0Sf1-8WYEM5TZ2UWGDVwCSNN0d_fx8oALnQwXtc/s640/IMG_6760.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
A colony of breeding Macaroni penguins.</div>
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Located high on the hillside away from predators like the Leopard seal, but within striking distance</div>
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of Giant Petrels and Skuas</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ESlYcWQ2HEXZETIIYQi80XEUZ2LgrUDrXZkeWYycLKCWv8q4iiBDpUMt51oLRii6nQjSLcL82_QJ4Tn3zXK29xO53OXGuPSPVbf_DGO6AqFXE-vGIEbuABaSmBTBZ8HKbGQQ6wB4HQbB/s1600/IMG_6816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ESlYcWQ2HEXZETIIYQi80XEUZ2LgrUDrXZkeWYycLKCWv8q4iiBDpUMt51oLRii6nQjSLcL82_QJ4Tn3zXK29xO53OXGuPSPVbf_DGO6AqFXE-vGIEbuABaSmBTBZ8HKbGQQ6wB4HQbB/s400/IMG_6816.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We continued our zodiac tour visiting a small colony of Blue-eyed Shags (of the cormorant family)<br />
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and I was able to grab a photo of a King Penguin swimming. The difference in coloration when wet is quite remarkable and almost reptilian. Cool!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-sfXZQWopDyEgAhtSAKU0kx6q62jjGSb30xC5LwFhSkyx269VHCzmVas97o6_jqrOe7HGMwEnxgpKkTBprua4Soj6WQtXQahKAqU67BCkJxNIDBIUsNnDO4noi6kxeWFFeb2IbS_1YK4/s1600/IMG_6906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-sfXZQWopDyEgAhtSAKU0kx6q62jjGSb30xC5LwFhSkyx269VHCzmVas97o6_jqrOe7HGMwEnxgpKkTBprua4Soj6WQtXQahKAqU67BCkJxNIDBIUsNnDO4noi6kxeWFFeb2IbS_1YK4/s640/IMG_6906.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was then off to a sandy beach where elephant and fur seals lazed, King penguins and a few gentoos waddled about...and then a leopard seal was spotted. These are definitely the "bad asses" of the sea world and have faces that are almost snake-like. I was quite fortunate to get a shot with its mouth wide open, showing off all of its teeth. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmwRijv7jKcPDJTfegyhPlCZpjJ4o-UpdGynPeBIUnirzqeWWfvyrl4mco-Th-AbAlLsVO7U72QvtA-LLOqZ2luuTulVQUMt1RNOQDFdkeMqEks8_t9qPOKLjSVJdy6sXARF1nLNen8Ze/s1600/leopard+seal+mouth+-+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmwRijv7jKcPDJTfegyhPlCZpjJ4o-UpdGynPeBIUnirzqeWWfvyrl4mco-Th-AbAlLsVO7U72QvtA-LLOqZ2luuTulVQUMt1RNOQDFdkeMqEks8_t9qPOKLjSVJdy6sXARF1nLNen8Ze/s640/leopard+seal+mouth+-+edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leopard Seal</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0VCJ1qYkkpD2vu1cqDOdBghJbGgIZtvSjdDP5NYN3mjK-Gv-mHDpMV23EXUUTU7vuUTonVi3yPbWp7AdlME1k3NiB3l0upaEJMENBDzNDjju_vodzbC0hbx-IDvz97IJTWyRUlvMuQN1/s1600/IMG_6873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0VCJ1qYkkpD2vu1cqDOdBghJbGgIZtvSjdDP5NYN3mjK-Gv-mHDpMV23EXUUTU7vuUTonVi3yPbWp7AdlME1k3NiB3l0upaEJMENBDzNDjju_vodzbC0hbx-IDvz97IJTWyRUlvMuQN1/s640/IMG_6873.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I do recall the first leopard seal I saw on my first journey to Antarctica where one lazed, looking very reptilian, on a small iceberg as well as the one I saw on my second journey as the Seabourn Quest sat just outside the Lemaire Channel watching the sunset. That is when I looked down at the ice and a leopard seal was looking right back up at me, unfazed, with a "This is my ice and I'm not moving for anyone" sort of power.<br />
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During my time on the zodiac as we worked our way through the kelp forests and clear blue waters, it reinforced my earlier thoughts that if there was so much life above the water with hundreds of thousands of birds and seals just right in front of me (not to mention the rest of South Georgia and it smaller outer islands were birdlife is in the millions and the seal populations are even more enormous), what is going on under the waves has to be incredible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Dv8F-D2rIpUuSJt8ZVnDKxq7lK4fTORVhTCM2swuGxvsgrcXTnH56vpQT8XC_yKAtbkl_G4YbtI6WSChx2Hm4_n8hikGXAh9B0jT5cn27xUZyJyAf6jLviknxUecdTdL09OlSbMqT0EI/s1600/IMG_6765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Dv8F-D2rIpUuSJt8ZVnDKxq7lK4fTORVhTCM2swuGxvsgrcXTnH56vpQT8XC_yKAtbkl_G4YbtI6WSChx2Hm4_n8hikGXAh9B0jT5cn27xUZyJyAf6jLviknxUecdTdL09OlSbMqT0EI/s640/IMG_6765.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It seems no matter where I visit in this region a single Chinstrap penguin shows up!</td></tr>
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So one thing is for certain: <br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">I will return on the Seabourn Venture and explore the even more diverse and productive underwater world </span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">in one of its submarines!</span></i></b></div>
<b></b><i></i><span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
It was, alas, finally time to depart South Georgia Island and head to Antarctica. Captain Joost gave us a little bit of a tease just as we set sail: Icebergs. They were small but beautiful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCJfv_eIVnoT3Md-YN4RHI0voLHDwlVf0gia03PESMlJow0iXLHEG0g8NODMYKcpYqHrulOfqQ-k42POAo9F8VSJS6bqrZAVR8b5q7WLvgldgRtk5S_Ti6tvyR7t7Sd3m0zvQ35SupjOH/s1600/IMG_20191226_163607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCJfv_eIVnoT3Md-YN4RHI0voLHDwlVf0gia03PESMlJow0iXLHEG0g8NODMYKcpYqHrulOfqQ-k42POAo9F8VSJS6bqrZAVR8b5q7WLvgldgRtk5S_Ti6tvyR7t7Sd3m0zvQ35SupjOH/s400/IMG_20191226_163607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now for two days at sea before we reach Antarctica. I can't wait! (Notice a theme?)<br />
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Interested in booking a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica or elsewhere? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-2780720141231160482019-12-23T10:54:00.000-08:002019-12-23T10:54:37.528-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part II (Anticipation)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anticipation.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiago-wJm62oDGi46kpgNFhjUmoQSFdmBZBXxE1MSaRqlv3qEg3o03xWVZy3OPgJwDJ3ml6JLT7Wlaiy7QodbWVMJABuyoKPPPL1zc0hbZ6GJvCuC4mvOwDTdNR6IGOIv58JOXJ42HtgBo5/s1600/Seabourn+Quest+-+Antarctica+2019+1415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiago-wJm62oDGi46kpgNFhjUmoQSFdmBZBXxE1MSaRqlv3qEg3o03xWVZy3OPgJwDJ3ml6JLT7Wlaiy7QodbWVMJABuyoKPPPL1zc0hbZ6GJvCuC4mvOwDTdNR6IGOIv58JOXJ42HtgBo5/s640/Seabourn+Quest+-+Antarctica+2019+1415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember the first moment I saw Antarctica. It was about
5:30 a.m. and I was in the Observation Lounge on the Seabourn Quest. It was a
grey morning with thick fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
about four other people there drinking coffee. I had no idea how close we were
to Antarctica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mentioned in passing
that fog can lift at a momentās notice and I hoped it would soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About five minutes later it did and BOOM:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Antarctica.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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It took my breath away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was bigger, more majestic, more black than white. It was powerful and
immediately humbled me. And it drew me in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I returned the following year and, now having a better (though
still cursory) understanding of the place and it drew me in further. Things
slowed down because there was familiarity. I knew the difference between a
Gentoo and Adelie penguin. I had seen an elephant seal. Powerful landscapes
were already burned into my memory. I knew the procedures as to how to gear up and participate
in a landing. I had my basic photographs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And I had walked on the White Continent. I</span> could better let Antarctica flow over me and better
appreciate the little things. I could enjoy just sitting on a rock without fear
of missing āsomethingā...and knowing that failing to sit on that rock was, to be sure, missing "something".</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet I heard what I heard the first time again, āWhat? You
havenāt been to South Georgia Island. It is an unbelievable place. You have to
go!ā<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is now my third time traveling to Antarctica. A place
where only about 60,000 people including scientists, and those who are just
sailing by, visit each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I more than
appreciate that of those 60,000 the vast majority will only sail by or step on Antarctica
once. Adding a visit to South Georgia Island makes my personal experience even
more rarified. I am blessed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But I have to first get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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After a visiting family and attending a black-tie event with Seabourn in New York
City, I was supposed to fly on United to Buenos Aires, Argentina to meet the
Seabourn Quest. However, due to a schedule change, I was required to fly from
New York to Lima, Peru, change to LATAM Airlines to continue on to Buenos Aires.
I had heard of issues with LATAM, but I really didnāt have a choice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After an uneventful flight to Lima, I boarded my LATAM
flight (after a minor ordeal correcting my previously paid for upgraded seats having
been given away for unknown reasons) and noticed that the aircraft was so old
it still had ashtrays in the seatās armrest. Yikes!<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZgSGSsMx6rGxxdn1MpS-up_u9vFDu9RmQ05VEy57ojyt5PNjDStLIFZjer7_zcQQXDScZ6htqZC-L90b_Lx8a59H5N9BFsKTOmvX4gE6U9UMleC-a05PF1Brgbwtmu8v0rjtcUTGSNPm/s1600/IMG_20191217_233914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZgSGSsMx6rGxxdn1MpS-up_u9vFDu9RmQ05VEy57ojyt5PNjDStLIFZjer7_zcQQXDScZ6htqZC-L90b_Lx8a59H5N9BFsKTOmvX4gE6U9UMleC-a05PF1Brgbwtmu8v0rjtcUTGSNPm/s320/IMG_20191217_233914.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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We arrived in Buenos Aires on time and I literally walked right through
Immigration. Amazing! (A friend of mine arrived the next day and had a 1.5 hour
wait.) Now all I needed were my bags. Well, you know me and you know my
travels, so you know my bags did not arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will not bore you with the ordeals of dealing the LATAM, but in the
end I did receive my bags with the last one arriving 30 minutes before I
boarded the ship, it was destroyed and LATAM rejected my claim for compensation
asserting it was ānormal wear and tearā.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(I canāt wait for my return flight to Lima, Peru on LATAM.)<o:p></o:p><br />
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As I previously mentioned I was going to keep it simple and just stay at the
Holiday Inn; heading to the ship in the morning, but instead chose to use Hyatt
points to stay at the Palacio Duhua; a truly extraordinary hotel with impeccable
service. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was greeted with a āWelcome
Backā, offered a complimentary breakfast while I waited for my room, received
an early check-in and was given a room with a great view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were one of the four-pronged attack with
LATAM to get me my bags before I departed the next day.</div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
A friend of mine said I had to go to Freddo for gelato, claiming it was the best, though I did note that Seabourn makes its own fresh gelato right on the ship. Though I normally
donāt take on such recommendations, this time I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked at the front desk if Freddo was
nearby it started a five-way ādiscussionā among them as to where the best ice cream/gelato
was in Buenos Aires. While the consensus was that Rapinui was better than
Freddo, between my friendās recommendation and it only being two minutes from the
hotel, Freddo it was. And, without question, when in Argentina Dulce de Leche
is the mandatory flavor. (I softened its sweetness with a bit of vanilla as
well.) It was worth the effort as it was excellent and truly a bit of local flavor.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqVmznR8qB7xmAfj4i-V9JaPsSJ6XkOSAXkCiH0DOwK4SY5y01iVTivFp603Z_3_eSJb5nCbm-EfGIH0kYkRxmzsJVs04oP5iQPnKq8CXdKBePv_eXhz7sMzlFkh_vZGPboNnRvDlpap1/s1600/IMG_20191218_102933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqVmznR8qB7xmAfj4i-V9JaPsSJ6XkOSAXkCiH0DOwK4SY5y01iVTivFp603Z_3_eSJb5nCbm-EfGIH0kYkRxmzsJVs04oP5iQPnKq8CXdKBePv_eXhz7sMzlFkh_vZGPboNnRvDlpap1/s400/IMG_20191218_102933.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1808399733"></span><span id="goog_1808399734"></span><br /></div>
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And because the front desk was so kind and helpful I brought
gelato back for all of them!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now I know how stressful lost luggage can be, but I figured there
was nothing I could do so I might as well enjoy my time in Buenos Aires as best
I could. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the morning before I boarded to buy clothes
if necessary, Seabourn would provide me with my expedition gear, I had my cameras
and regardless: I was going to Antarctica for the third time!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dinner was at Aramburu, a famous but very small molecular
gastronomy restaurant. What I didnāt know was that it was only a 15 minute walk
from the Palacio Duhua, an added bonus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
the very favorable exchange rate, my dinner with wine pairings, was going to
cost less than US$115.00; about the cost of lunch for two in New York City.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNmUucyPcGnR0w2456OzJ98dg0xG6TqTNeGFX7NMkSdarWYnAcbh1u3eB0hBfx6906z9rqPk62QNp5wDMnP3xzHrNriVcSNyJ04STk-aokFEQvg_wJkFnVv1lWe8Kq_uH6QYBCtidseww/s1600/IMG_20191218_183901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNmUucyPcGnR0w2456OzJ98dg0xG6TqTNeGFX7NMkSdarWYnAcbh1u3eB0hBfx6906z9rqPk62QNp5wDMnP3xzHrNriVcSNyJ04STk-aokFEQvg_wJkFnVv1lWe8Kq_uH6QYBCtidseww/s320/IMG_20191218_183901.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYrYk_EnzbPi2WRZVOFlMNeIvAN_tasSd2_PL1oPau_K21og5YG9s5SvbGIxSoDJoYLyEBzL58ryWlJ1WWIW0ARw8wOpZkUurzgFHu_Csivillm-n6TFbjWozdW4ro4wz4vGt7TJZM_SW/s1600/IMG_20191218_190647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYrYk_EnzbPi2WRZVOFlMNeIvAN_tasSd2_PL1oPau_K21og5YG9s5SvbGIxSoDJoYLyEBzL58ryWlJ1WWIW0ARw8wOpZkUurzgFHu_Csivillm-n6TFbjWozdW4ro4wz4vGt7TJZM_SW/s640/IMG_20191218_190647.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aramburu<br />Buenos Aires, Argentina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The articles I read about Aramburu said this open-kitchen restaurant
has a different Tasting Menu each evening varying from 10 to 12 courses. Just
as I was seated the hostess advised that this eveningās menu was 17 courses. Jackpot!!</div>
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The dishes ranged from a delicious cauliflower curry soup to organic carrot and quinoa salad to the best venison I have ever tasted. And
the wines were paired beautifully. I will let the photos do the talking.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1HByIKoLyaaHVWxS88rvYgCLfBntRg2wx05W3mx5DamWmL6Ohv1Or2xpWWNoY5LAO5kjGqVTdNXqBPGZxJWKJJFVmemI-ktrwiPfjCn-HXDWOcNvsbipscIxjX6lTYoe4tRUBYGUszyg/s1600/IMG_20191218_184612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1HByIKoLyaaHVWxS88rvYgCLfBntRg2wx05W3mx5DamWmL6Ohv1Or2xpWWNoY5LAO5kjGqVTdNXqBPGZxJWKJJFVmemI-ktrwiPfjCn-HXDWOcNvsbipscIxjX6lTYoe4tRUBYGUszyg/s320/IMG_20191218_184612.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH519lJyx6mdLT3hprQinIaKpD5DlVf0Zir9h9xjZo7vqmb_JpXRaBrNA1CitSu_M-5-syFXxaA4JKhKEbT84ZFyKd8GccuOVKJRe1cnNm8xpNLM9DcVQjoVH94nnW_lMgAG5KR4UkGe1/s1600/IMG_20191218_184605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH519lJyx6mdLT3hprQinIaKpD5DlVf0Zir9h9xjZo7vqmb_JpXRaBrNA1CitSu_M-5-syFXxaA4JKhKEbT84ZFyKd8GccuOVKJRe1cnNm8xpNLM9DcVQjoVH94nnW_lMgAG5KR4UkGe1/s320/IMG_20191218_184605.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4NKeiwYtPn2z8kb_WRezN6slGGRBghiaRo2wDJNnWOB3b_2pYYfmMwhyphenhyphenic0_Exm9Mj3DzS1tBfxmv_K8lG-F4OqV9xFdtkvhJiLQurbe6jXw-H8rF21gvg9PozqJdahzJqrQR9NC8ijK/s1600/IMG_20191218_185231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4NKeiwYtPn2z8kb_WRezN6slGGRBghiaRo2wDJNnWOB3b_2pYYfmMwhyphenhyphenic0_Exm9Mj3DzS1tBfxmv_K8lG-F4OqV9xFdtkvhJiLQurbe6jXw-H8rF21gvg9PozqJdahzJqrQR9NC8ijK/s320/IMG_20191218_185231.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<i>(If you are counting, you will see 19 courses because the amuse-bouche (watermelon) and espresso don't count!)</i></div>
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While it seemed like I was there for only five minutes, when
I looked at my watch over two hours had passed. It was an amazing dining
experience and one that I unequivocally recommend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I arrived back at the hotel I went to the Oak Room for a nightcap (whisky, of course) in order to wind down and then headed out to the Palacio Duhua's terrace.<br />
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<br />
When I got back to my room I found that one bag has arrived; of
course the least needed one, but at least I had my expedition gear.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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The morning brought news that my other bag actually had been
to Buenos Aires, but LATAM didnāt take it off the plane so it flew onto San
Paolo, Brazil and then back to Lima, so it was (hopefully) on the early morning flight
from Lima to Buenos Aires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually it
was confirmed it was in BA, but I should not expect the bag until about 4:00 p.m.
With a bit of effort it was delivered by noon albeit splayed open with a torn
zipper, all the pulls removed and a hole. But at least I had it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So it was then off to the Seabourn Quest. When I checked my
bags, my suite has been changed from a V6 (Suite 742) to Suite 744: The
Wintergarden!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iām not sure why Seabourn
hadnāt sold it (or a couple of other top suites), but who was I to argue?!<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once onboard it was coming home. So many familiar faces from
staff to the Expedition Team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didnāt
take long to settle in, thatās for sure. I have to say, after a hectic week in
New York City, the long flights and the luggage ordeal the Seabourn Questās
warmth and familiarity were more than appreciated.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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After the muster, and some more hellos, as is my tradition, my first dinner was at The Grill by
Thomas Keller: Chicken and a Sundae.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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After dinner I went up to the Observation Lounge and the energy among the guests was palpable...in fact, it was too much so. It was shocking how loud some of the guests were. I was literally unable to be in there and enjoy my whisky, so it was an earlier night than I expected.</div>
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I stayed on the ship for our first port, Punta del Este, Uruguay, as it really
didnāt offer anything compelling for me; having wished we had sailed to Montevideo
instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I did some work, met with Captain Joost Eldering, Hotel Manager, Ares Mantadakis and Chef Oliver (all of whom are incredibly friendly and go out of their way not only for me, but all the guests) and then - for lunch - did my usual Hamburger & Hot Dog Test.<br />
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Both were excellent, but while the hamburger was juicy and tasty it was slightly beyond my ordered medium rare and, once again, the hot dog buns are just too large. They make for a great presentation, but I find I need to remove about half of it in order to enjoy the hot dog properly.<br />
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It was then time for a nice
soak in āmy hot tubā on the bow and actually took a nice long nap as the skies
opened and it down-poured.<br />
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That storm led to some rough seas (6-8 feet) with serious gale-force winds (60 mph),
sufficient to render a good bit of the guests and crew seasick for the next
24-48 hours of our three sea days getting to South Georgia Island. That was the
bad news.</div>
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The good news is that we are going to, weather and sea dependent,
spend three days, no two as previously scheduled, at South Georgia Island!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with about 16 hours until our anticipated
arrival it looks like we are going to make it.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Over the next three days the Seabourn Expedition Team Leader, Chris Srigley, gave the introductions and began explaining how things work, Anton Wolfaardt gave his first talk on Seabirds, Lisa Baldwin her's on whales and Brent Houston (who I refer to as the Penguin Whisperer) on the penguins of South Georgia Island. And, of course, Trevor Potts gave his talk, "In the Wake of Shackleton"; an amazing adventure. There were also introductory talks on photography, but I gave those a miss...and I know the photographers are going to create an incredible video before this journey ends.<br />
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It is now time for the Bio-Check to be sure all of our gear does not have any seeds or other contaminants and then waiting...in anticipation...for tomorrow.<br />
<br />nterested in booking a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica or elsewhere? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<br /></div>
Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-85816472453096842022019-12-09T11:14:00.000-08:002019-12-09T11:17:35.519-08:00Seabourn's Antarctica and Patagonia - Goldring Travel's Third Expedition - Part IOn December 19, 2019 I board the Seabourn Quest for my third trip to Antarctica and Patagonia. Yes, I have the "ice bug"! For me it is the most personally enlightening and biologically magnificent place on earth...and I feel like I have but only begun to scratch its surface, in part because that is the absolute truth.<br />
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What makes this expedition even more exciting for me is we are calling on South Georgia Island, which is "the" place to go. I have heard so many times, "Have you been to South Georgia? No, it will blow you away!" So I am very ready to be blown away.<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> I have been waiting for this since I wrote my first article on Seabourn visiting South Georgia back in my 2013 article:</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><a data-id="5722405683106127154" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2013/04/seabourns-2013-14-antarctic-patagonia.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: rgba(51, 51, 51, 1); font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; outline: invert; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; transition: color 0.3s; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;">Se</span><span style="color: blue;">abourn's 2013-14 Antarctic-Patagonia-Chilean Fjord Cruises: Just About Everything You Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask...or Didn't Know What to Ask</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #000010; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br />
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South Georgia Island is considered to have some of the most abundant seabird habitats on earth with an estimate of over 30,000,000 breeding pairs. 7,000,000+ penguins comprised of six species (Mararoni - 3,000,000 pairs; King - 500,000; Gentoo - 105,000; Chinstrap - 6,000 plus smaller numbers of Adelie and Rockhopper), 250,000 albatross comprised of four species of albatross, numerous petrels (including burrowing), waterfowl, and more. And 400,000 southern elephant seal (50% of the world's population) as well as 2,000,000 southern fur seals (95% of the world's population). <b><i>It is, of course, one thing to see huge numbers on a page and another to see it in person and to see how these massive numbers of animals interact with each other.</i></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Fur Seal and young Elephant Seal having a bit of a fight</td></tr>
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Another exciting thing for me is that my last two expeditions to Antarctica were in January, so it will be interesting to see the difference in penguin activity, chick development, seal pups, etc., as one month in Antarctica is a very long time considering the few short months of habitable weather and temperatures. And, of course, comparing this to the more northern South Georgia Island populations will be fascinating; at least for me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Penguin</td></tr>
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Have I mentioned the scenery? </div>
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But, alas, I have to first get there! This time I am combining two trips.<br />
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First, I will travel to New York City as I am Seabourn's guest yet again for the annual <b><span style="color: blue;">Travel Weekly Awards Dinner</span></b>. This is a wonderful black-tie affair at the Conrad and, to be sure, there is nothing like New York City at the holidays. It is considered "the" travel industry event of the year and it is great to socialize with all the industry leaders in a non-sales related way. <i>(Note: For those who haven't been, the city has an excitement and beauty with all the Christmas lights and holiday shoppers. For those who, like me, grew up in or near the city, it is a nightmare of traffic and a hassle to even walk down the streets as they are filled with lost and amazed tourists. Bah Humbug...I know. LOL)</i><br />
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As an annual bonus, I use this trip to visit with my mother, daughter and sister, all of whom live in the city, for a few days; and to, hopefully, meet up with some of my dear East Coast friends. One annual amusement is that, because it is the travel industry, everyone stays at great hotels and asking where one is staying is a normal conversation warm-up. I always enjoy the look on my colleagues' faces when I say, "I'm not staying in a hotel. I'm staying with my 87 year old mother!"<br />
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After the dinner, and my fill of real bagels, real pizza and real Jewish food (things that do not even marginally exist in Truckee, California) and quality family time, I fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for one night before boarding the Seabourn Quest. I am flying on United and LATAM, so wish me and my luggage luck!<br />
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I was going to "do it on the cheap", but then realized that didn't mean I had to do it poorly. Honestly, I was going to stay at the Holiday Inn near the port where the Seabourn Quest will dock, but then realized I had a ton of Hyatt points and could stay at one of Buenos Aires premier properties, the <a href="https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/argentina/palacio-duhau-park-hyatt-buenos-aires/bueph?src=corp_lclb_gmb_seo_latam_bueph">Palacio Duhau</a>, for free. And, let's face it, free is better than a Holiday Inn and the Palacio Duhau is far better than most regardless of price. (Last time I stayed there I enjoyed a bottle of wine and some cheese while the actor Will Smith played with his children at the next lounge over.)<br />
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Since I was going "luxury" I thought I would check out the food scene; probably visiting a churrascaria (Portuguese for barbecue) for my usual Argentinian "meatfest". But then I realized that with the exchange rate being so in favor of the U.S. Dollar, something different and with a bit of a culinary flare might be more appropriate.<br />
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And that is were <a href="http://www.arambururesto.com.ar/">Aramburu</a> comes in! This restaurant is consistently named on of the best restaurants in South and Latin America. While you may not have known that, the culinary scene in this area is literally off the charts, with Lima, Peru leading the way for this amazing culinary region. (It is also, in part, why the <a href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/10/announcing-2022-goldring-travel.html">2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural <strike>Cruise</strike>/Expedition</a> will start in Lima, Peru before heading to the Seabourn Venture for its cruise up the Amazon River.) Aramburu (the chef's last name) focuses on molecular gastronomy presented in a 10-12 course (or more) tasting menu. It is a prix fixe affair for 4,800 Argentine pesos (about US$80.00) with an additional 2,000 peso optional wine pairing (about US$33.00).<br />
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So for a total of about US$150 including a luxury hotel and true gastronomic dinner I am seeing Buenos Aires "on the cheap"!<br />
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The next morning I will board the Seabourn Quest and, as our, first port is Punta del Este, Uruguay might wander off the ship in search of a churrascaria for lunch, the reality is that I will be so much more focused on getting organized for the upcoming expedition and meeting up with the officers, staff and Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team that I probably won't be leaving the ship.<br />
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Maybe not so ironically but magically, last week two of the Seabourn Ventures team, Trevor Potts and Robert Egelstaff, posted on my Facebook timeline:</div>
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<i>"Hi Eric, Trevor and Rob sitting in a sunny Ushuaia cafe. When are you coming back to join us?"</i></blockquote>
That is, to my mind, beyond a "Seabourn Moment"! It is more akin to the "Call of the Wild"!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking with the Humpback Whales</td></tr>
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I have written about Trevor and Rob in my article, <a href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/05/kayaking-while-cruising-antarctica-to.html">"Kayaking While Cruising Antarctica to Alaska - It Will Change Your Perspective</a>" stating in part:<br />
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<i>During my Seabourn Quest Antartica journey in January 2019 I was fortunate to spend a good bit of time with two kayaking legends: Trevor Potts and Robert Englstaff. They, in two very different ways, gifted me with some great kayaking perspectives.<br /> <br /> Trevor Potts is a character; a rough and ready Scotsman to be sure, but if you spend time with him, he is actually a big softy with a heart of gold. In 1993-4 Trevor successfully recreated Shackleton's 1916 epic rescue mission from Elephant Island to South Georgia in a replica of the 24 foot (7.5 meter) boat, the James Caird. In 2001 he completed Shackelton's mountain crossing from King Haakon Bay to Stromness on South Georgia Island; a 22 mile (as the crow flies) journey over glaciers, snowfields and icy slopes with a 4,500-foot rise. Trevor has also engaged in such other incredible events as kayaking from Alaska to Russia across the Bering Sea. Interestingly, in all the hours I spent with him, we spent almost no time actually talking about these feats, but on a more personal level.<br /> <br /> Robert (Bob) Egelstaff is a far more outwardly introspective (yes, that is a thing) individual, but as a 30+ year dear friend of Trevor, equally adventurous and was Trevor's companion crossing the Bering Sea and recreating Shackelton's boat journey as well as hiking the Himalayas, European Alps and the polar regions among so many other journeys. But as much as they have in common, Robert shared more than the actual experiences with me, he shared the emotions of those experiences...and that is what touched my soul. We spent some quality time together.<br /> <br /> I will always recall the three of us walking back to the ship in Punta Arenas after meeting up at Shackleton's Bar. Over the few miles, we walked I mostly listened...to two mates talking about educating youth and their various adventures creating those experiences. You would never know what lay within these two men's past. Amazing and truly awe-inspiring!</i></blockquote>
But my friendships with the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team does not end there. From the Expedition Team Leader to penguin whisperer to geologist and more, it is such a fantastic and warm, friendly and fun group of individuals I can honestly say that spending those 24 days together just might be too short!<br />
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So while I am looking forward to the Travel Weekly Awards Dinner and a wonderful hotel and culinary experience in Buenos Aires, aside from seeing my family, Antarctica is where my focus and emotional urgency is.<br />
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It has been a joy to see Seabourn guests currently on the Seabourn Quest posting their photographs and making comments on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/450627115013062/">Seabourn Sailors Facebook Page</a> as they have their first experience in Antarctica. One of my clients/friends commented on one person's posts and photographs, in part, <i>"Though I rarely envy anything in this good life, I come close when Seabourners share their Antarctica photos!!! After two cruises there on the Quest, am seriously thinking of a third journey - that part of the world is so incredible...." </i><br />
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I wonder what she will say when I report back during my third expedition? December 19th cannot get her soon enough!<br />
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Interested in booking a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica or elsewhere? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email</a> or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<br />
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Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-42145877442055716362019-12-04T12:21:00.001-08:002020-01-21T11:06:00.454-08:00Seabourn Venture Expedition Ship and Program: Everything You Want to Know! (Update I)Today, December 4, 2019, the Seabourn Venture's keel has been laid, so with this milestone bringing the first purpose-built luxury expedition ship into reality, I figured it was the best time to explain everything and anything that is known (and can be made public...hint, hint) about the Seabourn Venture and the Seabourn Ventures Expedition experience that will be provided onboard.<br />
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There is far more to luxury expedition cruising than sailing a ship into an exotic location. Seabourn has spent a decade perfecting the balance between expedition and luxury. The result is Seabourn Venture. But, alas, it is not just about the ship!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqfsL_gmM3IWBXVaMFrvnlyzya4L8O3OqT9F8P3VcUlUbWNmjyKejY0TOKXLId9-xZ_3nQxW7hMIrJVzMXPu0NGwBzRA4G25tDs68_M_VCWo7WWWqXg-QsRoIwqk6IB3mr2FxkrdRDhES/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+Photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqfsL_gmM3IWBXVaMFrvnlyzya4L8O3OqT9F8P3VcUlUbWNmjyKejY0TOKXLId9-xZ_3nQxW7hMIrJVzMXPu0NGwBzRA4G25tDs68_M_VCWo7WWWqXg-QsRoIwqk6IB3mr2FxkrdRDhES/s400/Seabourn+Venture+Photos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">More important than the ship, in my opinion, is the Expedition Team. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Without an extraordinary expedition team there is a palpable void that you cannot explain until you find it missing! A</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">nd Seabourn made sure it had the best, hiring Robin West <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> (now Seabourn's Vice President, Expedition Operations & Planning) </span>to create the Seabourn Ventures program as the first step in Seabourn's merging of the "luxury" experience with the "expedition" experience. </span>However, there must be a fine balance and sophisticated approach to create a truly exceptional luxury expedition experience.<br />
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And that is where the Seabourn Venture expedition ship comes in!<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">The Beginning</span></b></div>
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In order to fully appreciate the luxury expedition experience the Seabourn Venture will provide, we need to look into the past and some of the issues looking into the future.</div>
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In the past, prior to the modifications to the Seabourn Quest, combining luxury and an expedition experience has been only partially achieved via the conversion of older expedition ships and more or less calling them luxury experiences when they really weren't. Ships with uncomfortable old designed hulls, staterooms optimistically called "suites", public spaces that were little more than a dining hall or lounge for talks and the logistics for getting into zodiacs that were challenging at best.</div>
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Seabourn stepped thing up with the Seabourn Quest by creating what was (and remains to date) the closest iteration of true luxury expeditions to the Polar regions by retrofitting her with additional hull plating. adding cranes and zodiacs, etc. Obviously, however, due to her size and number of guests, as well as her need to be able to convert from expedition to pure cruising, the Seabourn Quest has some limitations.<br />
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Silversea has pretty much followed in Seabourn's footsteps by converting the Silver Cloud, albeit one of its oldest ships, into a luxury expedition ship, but without any real innovation...and actually quite a few steps behind. Ponant - either itself or through its chartering a ship to Abercrombie & Kent - has also become engaged in this arena though its staterooms do have serious limitations and, hence, questionably luxury and, to be sure, they are not expedition ships. Compare Lindblad Expeditions, for example, which are true expedition ships though they lack luxury; though its newest ships will focus more on upscale, but not luxury.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">The Vision</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></div>
Seabourn has always been about luxury and exceeding guests expectations. The "easier" part of the process is not designing the hull or the expedition team, but the interiors. But that, in and of itself, is not a simple process because the spaces need to integrate with the expedition experience. While I will detail a bit of the Seabourn Venture interiors below, again designed by Adam Tihany, here is a short video highlighting some of Seabourn Ventures' features:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oPkwcEx8Wno" width="560"></iframe>
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Seabourn and Robin West has not done what you are seeing with other lines today: <i>Many new-build expedition ships are designed and then the lines fill in the expedition personnel.</i> To my mind, and obviously to Seabourn and Robin West, the correct and more successful way is: <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Build the best expedition team first and then, after modifying the Seabourn Quest and learning how to merge luxury with what I call "expedition light", purpose-design and build the world's most advanced and most luxurious true expedition ship.</span></i></b></blockquote>
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Putting the plan into action, now that Seabourn has an extraordinary Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team (more on that below) and true experience with polar expeditions, Seabourn is primed to become the world leader in the true luxury, true expedition experience with its purpose-built Seabourn Venture which, by design, integrates the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team...and luxury.<br />
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This is not hyperbole! Seabourn started planning for its first Antarctic Expedition back in 2011; long before the 2015 deployment of the Seabourn Quest on her first season. I was fortunate to be on that first Seabourn Venture's cruise which "coincidentally" was also the 2015 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise:<br />
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<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 40px 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 670px;">
<a data-id="2280774208814105515" data-item-type="post" href="http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-2015-goldring-travel-culinary-and.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="color: #333333; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part V (Honningsvag) - Ventures By Seabourn</span></a></h1>
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where everything was checked out (and some modifications were made) before the Seabourn Quest headed to Antarctica for, now, its Seventh (7th) Season in Antarctica with its history of thirty (30) sailings! <br />
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This has provided Seabourn's captains, staff, crew, expedition team, home office operations management and more to have <b><i><span style="color: red;">world-class <u>first-hand</u> operational and nautical experience integrated with world-class biological, geological, glaciological, and historical experts. </span></i><span style="color: blue;">(Think about that when you consider some of the new entries into the Expedition market who have none of that experience and are trying - some with significant failures - just to build their new ships!) </span></b><i>[I must note that SeaDream Yacht Club has just abandoned its efforts and <a href="https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21993-silversea-s-training-academy-welcomes-experts-from-galapagos.html">Silversea</a> is actually promoting that it is training its naturalists that are "new to (the) expedition cruising industry". This is concerning to me because naturalists, biologists, etc. that have no experience is not what I want hired to take me on expeditions. <u><b>Learn your trade, become the best and then lead me on an expedition!</b></u>]</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">The Execution: Seabourn Venture</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b></b>Now for some basics. The Seabourn Venture is a truly modern, state of the art, purpose-built luxury expedition ship. It is unlike any ship in existence. Even it's hull is unique (having recently undergone model ice hull testing; rather than using a hull that already existed).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing a model of the Seabourn Venture's hull in ice conditions</td></tr>
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Seabourn Venture, which is three years in the making (four by the time she is launched) will have the following primary "expedition" features:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b><i>PC6 Ice-Strengthened Hull</i></b> </span>which will allow the Seabourn Venture to operate in medium summer/autumn first-year ice rather than just thin first-year ice.</li>
<li>Ability to cruise further north and south as well as warm and tropical locations</li>
<li>Highly maneuverable with <b><i><span style="color: blue;">twin Azipods and three bowthrusters</span></i></b></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Dynamic positioning</i></b> </span>- Ship maintains location without the use of anchors (great for the environment)</li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Landing Zones and Shell Doors (Port and Starboard)</span></i></b> - Easy storage of your personal gear and direct access to zodiacs for fast and easier boarding </li>
<li>26 member Expedition Team</li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Two six guest submarines</span></i></b></li>
<li>A number of other accessories, the use of which is dependent on the location of the expedition, including:</li>
</ul>
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- <b><i><span style="color: blue;">24 Zodiacs</span></i></b><br />
- Kayaks<br />
- Mountain bicycles<br />
- e-Bicycles<br />
- SCUBA diving<br />
- Snorkeling</blockquote>
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Before discussing these features (and, of course, the suites and public areas) let's focus on what these features allow for:</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Multiple landings or explorations per day </span></i></b>- Presently Seabourn Quest offers one landing or experience per day plus kayaking, if conditions permit and you book space in advance. With Seabourn Venture you will be able to have at least two experiences per day, subject to conditions and location. </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Multiple, simultaneous, expedition activities per day</span></i></b> - Having port and starboard landing zones and shell doors allow, when conditions permit, for rapid deployment of guests. And with twenty-four zodiacs, coupled with a large multidisciplinary Expedition Team, Seabourn Venture will be able have its guests off to diverse expedition experiences with the best expedition team members and the appropriate equipment. So, for example, if some guests want to make a landing while others prefer to kayak and yet others (already certified) want to scuba dive and a fourth group want to explore via zodiac it will all be possible at the same time. Even better is that when opportunities arise you may engage in two (or more?) options in a day.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Exploiting smaller windows of opportunity</span></i></b> - Responsible expedition cruising requires time frames for safe operation when weather or sea conditions are expected to change. Seabourn Venture's ability to rapidly deploy equipment and guests permits not only more options, but the ability to work within smaller timeframes so every possible opportunity is safely taken advantage of. </div>
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(You will note from these that Seabourn Venture has primarily been built for the harsher and more demanding polar regions, but is also outfitted for expedition journeys into warmer and tropical climates as well. In fact, the<a href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/10/announcing-2022-goldring-travel.html"> 2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise</a> is going to be on Seabourn Venture as she sails the Peruvian Amazon!)<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">The Seabourn Submarine</span></i></b><br />
<b></b><i></i><span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
One thing that has been missing from most ship-based expedition experiences is personal exploration of the world that is far larger, far more biologically diverse, and far less understood: The waters beneath the waves. And with over 80% of the underwater world unmapped, the experience can be both extraordinary and exciting.<br />
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With Seabourn Venture there will be the opportunity to (at extra cost) dive beneath the ocean's surface in two (2) purpose-built six guest/one mariner submarines. (Scenic has a similar one and Crystal as a small submarine that is not designed for polar extremes.)<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EtjXKm1H-Ik" width="560"></iframe>
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The Seabourn Submarines - subject to weather and water clarity have the ability to operate up to 18 hours per day. Thus a typical day could be six to eight 40 minute dives per day. In other words with 96 possible guest experiences per day, the entire ship-full of guests could enjoy a submarine experience in only two and one half days...and each Seabourn Venture sailing is far longer than that.<br />
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However, don't worry that 40 minutes seems too short of a dive. Seabourn anticipates also conducting longer dives focused on such things as:<br />
<ul>
<li>Historical sites</li>
<li>Wrecks</li>
<li>Deep Wall Dives</li>
<li>Wildlife</li>
</ul>
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Again, it is important not only to have a submarine, but to be able to operate it safely and properly...and have a well-trained member of the expedition team to not only drive the submarine, but to know where to take it and to explain what you are seeing and how it relates to not only the underwater environs, but those above the surface and on the land. Think about it akin to having a fancy camera: There are those that can really utilize it and others that just take snapshots because it is not the camera that has the knowledge and vision, it is the person behind it.</div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
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Just imagine not only having things explained to you as you dive, but to have true experts sitting down with you over cocktails engaging in a real discussion of the back story of that wreck or the excitement over seeing a wildlife behavior that was totally unexpected!</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><i>No Helicopter</i></b></span><b></b><i></i><span style="color: blue;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
The Seabourn Venture experience intentionally does not include helicopters. The reasons are many (and you can read my full article about it: <a data-id="248174372180956042" data-item-type="post" href="https://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2019/11/expeditions-nature-and-helicopters.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: rgba(51, 51, 51, 1); font-family: &quot; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.3s; transition-property: color; transition-timing-function: ease; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Expeditions, Nature and Helicopters</a>), but briefly they have a significant negative impact on the wildlife and your own experience when not flying in one. In fact, while there are already significant constraints on operating them in the Antarctic, there is a serious push to ban tourist helicopter flights altogether.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: blue;">The Public Expedition Spaces</span></b></i><br />
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On an expedition ship the public spaces need to be different than on a cruise ship. Older expedition ships do not have the space or technology to provide these necessary enhancements, but the newest ships do. Seabourn Venture takes it to the highest level, leveraging the rapid sophistication and improvements in the guest-technology interface.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">The Expedition Lounge</span></i></b> is where Seabourn guests will gather before and after their expedition. It will have two touchscreen stations where you will be able to pull up navigation and weather charts, and more along with a bar and lounge area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Expedition Lounge</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>The Bow Lounge</i></b></span><span style="color: black;"> is located on Deck 6 right off the bow where guests will have great views and direct access to the deck overlooking the bow for even better views and wildlife spotting. The Bow Lounge will have touchscreens with access to scientific information, live maps, information on the Seabourn Venture's plotted location and planned next location. Large screens will provide live footage from cameras mounted outside the ship and, when conditions permit, from a drone flying overhead. Of course the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team will be present throughout the day to answer questions and make this venue come alive. (As noted below, there will be a Pantry in the Bow Lounge for light fare and snacks.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Bow Lounge</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">The Discovery Center</span> </i></b>with its 32 foot wide and 8 foot high hi-definition video display is where the Seabourn Ventures team will hold its briefings and lectures and special guests will hold their Seabourn Conversations. One very cool feature is that the daily submarine voyages will be shown so that those who were not submariners that day can truly appreciate the underwater world that surrounds them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Discovery Center</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">The Landing Zone </span></i></b>is, essentially, the locker room. It is where guests will "gear up" with their stored personal items (rubber boots to snorkels and fins, etc.) and then be able to clean them so they are ready for the next adventure later that day or the next. Once geared up the guests are, in small groups, escorted down one deck to the Deck 2 Shell Doors and directly onto the zodiacs waiting for them.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Landing Zone</td></tr>
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<b><i>The Dining Venues</i></b></div>
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With all the expedition activities and, of course, this being a luxury experience Seabourn Venture will have dining venues:<br />
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<b><i>The Restaurant:</i></b> As with all of Seabourn's ships, The Restaurant is the main restaurant. While it will be more formal in style, it is not a "formal" experience; except on limited occasions. While it is more intimate than on her sister ships, you will note similarities as Adam Tihany works to blend familiar with the more yacht-like experience you will have on the Seabourn Venture.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Restaurant</td></tr>
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<b><i>The Colonnade</i></b>: A more casual alternative for buffet or table service breakfast and lunch, and themed dinner served tableside, including family-style menus by Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller. The Colonnade will extend to the aft deck into <b><i>The Patio</i></b>, with guests welcomed to dine outside amid the fresh sea air, featuring its own menu offering extended hours for lunch. The same aft deck will also be home to the infinity-inspired pool and two Jacuzzis, as well as two elegant sculptural showers, all with clear views off the back of the ship to the stunning vistas beyond.<span style="background-color: white; color: #606060; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 1rem; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.01rem; line-height: 1.875; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Colonnade - Casual Dining Venue</td></tr>
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<b><i>Sushi in The Club</i></b>: A variety of sushi bites are freshly made to order here every evening. Sushi on the Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation are very popular. This will not try to mimic that, but offer just a casual taste.<br />
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<b><i>Seabourn Square</i></b>: A sociable oasis serving delectable specialty coffees, pastries, sandwiches and homemade gelati throughout the day and into the evening.<br />
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<b><i>Pantry in the Bow Lounge</i></b>: Help yourself to freshly prepared light fare and refreshments as you scan the horizon.<br />
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<b><i>Constellation Lounge</i></b>: A nod to the heritage of Seabourn, the Constellation Lounge is the spot for early-risersā pastries and beverages, elegant afternoon Tea Time and cocktail-time tapas. This is akin to the Observation Lounge on the standard Seabourn ships, but harkens back to the original triplets' Constellation Lounge.<br />
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<b><i>24-Hour In-Suite Dining</i></b>: Choose from a varied menu anytime, or have dinner from The Restaurant menu served course-by-course in your suite or on your veranda.</div>
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<b><i>The Suites:</i></b></div>
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There are eight types, with the standard veranda suites divided into four categories, dependent on location: </div>
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<li>Veranda </li>
<li>Veranda Spa </li>
<li>Panoramic Veranda </li>
<li>Penthouse </li>
<li>Penthouse Spa </li>
<li>Owner's </li>
<li>Signature </li>
<li>Wintergarden </li>
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #000010; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><b><i> Veranda Suite</i></b>: This suite includes a separate seating area with a coffee/dining table for two, which is ideal for in-suite dining at any time of day. A queen-sized or two twin beds, spacious walk-in closet and sliding glass door leading to a private furnished veranda. Total space: 355 sq. ft. (33 sq. m.) including veranda of 78 sq. ft. (7 sq. m.)*</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture Veranda Suite</td></tr>
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Seabourn Venture Veranda Suite Bathroom</div>
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(Separate Shower not shown)</div>
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<b><i>Veranda Spa Suite</i></b>: There are only two of these suites, located on Deck 7, feature the same amenities as the Veranda Suite and include additional in-suite spa amenities and spa concierge service available in conjunction with <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013mT-Sdr10Gg4BupmJOMcfUFLW0t5X6nZXemAebv95DMKCeWaQLl_3z5HczSVnZGsWTHVLTzlZnUG0xjQaUg52SUqUmcPgvz7-0YEBGwNUsOZ5WrBy9OCBmVg_5S5cfrr1k1zxGqawe6mrDwA6iyQP1k9iyc-1jHEVULi0CTpkJaFLhI-M2CxIR1N3pulTMT_gqFPfrCrkvxi12KdgtQjQtRAV5iZK1CmTMWrfH5SajgpNHOqei22pIKllODBTFFdR09aT1VXKQM=&c=tTbtJsxS9CnV8ON2gMCNETJyazZaztIzUDCvjg96-LeLS-ibxlymFg==&ch=6eTf0RjPTKlBSnZV3MZUi4X_LCE5XQHTzyMQ30Sm0REHK5kOgnxALw==">Spa & Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil</a>, including a selection of blossoming teas and fresh juices. Total space: 355 sq. ft. (33 sq. m.) including veranda of 78 sq. ft. (7 sq. m.) <br />
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<b><i>Panoramic Veranda Suite</i></b>: These 16 suites (a favorite of mine!) feature a semi-circular expansive floor-to-ceiling windows providing a spectacular perspective of the world outside. A queen-sized bed or twin beds are also oriented to face the windows, allowing guests to enjoy views of beautiful scenery and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. The bathroom features a separate shower and large soaking tub placed next to a window, providing relaxing views to the private furnished veranda and scenic outdoor landscapes. Total space: 417 sq. ft. (39 sq. m.) including veranda of 85 sq. ft. (8 sq. m.) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMtRxylOrLvPfgN3K8sytOgNC2UTob8mQ83MhkHiy0tjhyphenhyphen1hxKc56r4QRiUdjrTbzxanjogQdyMFyP09nLIyNGoNHH_w_iCYcbxsRSte83qaESbNvsTxoHl_3wjWz4iw-8ifhHNWmtbUe/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+Panoramic+Veranda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: rgba(0, 158, 184, 1); display: inline; font-family: &quot; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: medium; text-decoration: none; transition-delay: 0s; transition-duration: 0.3s; transition-property: color; transition-timing-function: ease;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMtRxylOrLvPfgN3K8sytOgNC2UTob8mQ83MhkHiy0tjhyphenhyphen1hxKc56r4QRiUdjrTbzxanjogQdyMFyP09nLIyNGoNHH_w_iCYcbxsRSte83qaESbNvsTxoHl_3wjWz4iw-8ifhHNWmtbUe/s400/Seabourn+Venture+Panoramic+Veranda.jpg" style="border-image: url("&quot; border: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; data: image/png; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture Panoramic Veranda Suite</td></tr>
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<b><i>Penthouse Suite</i></b>: Located on Deck 8, include a living area with dining table for two. A separate bedroom that can be closed off from the rest of the suite and adjacent to a marble-lined bathroom with separate shower and bathtub. Penthouse Suites also come with a NespressoĀ® machine with a variety of coffee choices. Total space: 529 (49 sq. m.) including veranda of 96. (9 sq. m.) <br />
Penthouse Spa Suite: The one Penthouse Spa suite, located on Deck 7. This suite features the same amenities as the Penthouse Suite coupled with the amenities of the Veranda Spa Suites. Total space: 637 sq. ft. (59 sq. m.) including veranda of 205 sq. ft. (19 sq. m.) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture Penthouse Suite</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw6IeztMQBhdKt6fh_4SXA243yz3Bu_ki_A7iFt8CQjuFtxILeC0Gm7VyFBTBJPvyXV7C3uQyqVWLMTzjK7V6nYLEIWv6T9B5BgC-vDmSJVluttWg6lWHO40H39VH0-lZ3rGm9CC2Wp6w/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+Penthouse+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="520" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw6IeztMQBhdKt6fh_4SXA243yz3Bu_ki_A7iFt8CQjuFtxILeC0Gm7VyFBTBJPvyXV7C3uQyqVWLMTzjK7V6nYLEIWv6T9B5BgC-vDmSJVluttWg6lWHO40H39VH0-lZ3rGm9CC2Wp6w/s320/Seabourn+Venture+Penthouse+2.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Owner's Suite</i></b>: The two Owner's Suites, located on Deck 7 (Suites 700, 701) overlooking the bow have a total space 1,023 sq. ft. (95 sq. m.) including a spacious veranda of 484 sq. ft. (45 sq. m.). With its private bedroom and extra-large walk-in closets, these suites the amenities of the Penthouses.</div>
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Signature Suite: The two Signature Suites, unlike on the classic fleet, overlook the stern of the Seabourn Venture, on Deck 8 (Suites 832, 833) have a total space: 1,377 sq. ft. (128 sq. m.) including an very large veranda of 592 sq. ft. (55 sq. m.) that is perfect for birdwatching and taking in magnificent views.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Signature Suite Living Area</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5MycBLFnQZPAIGJ6r3YJIKpEjP8c9SCjariERg3PWHrwVh9jS7cT0NGCovRPqu4OTbJH5CdxmGtvrJ-HYKsAy84bfme8dWgji1ld4qWYK-KG_QjuTADJ0hZgnk4ZdzYcwKJHGBB7mylI/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+Signature+Suite+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="520" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5MycBLFnQZPAIGJ6r3YJIKpEjP8c9SCjariERg3PWHrwVh9jS7cT0NGCovRPqu4OTbJH5CdxmGtvrJ-HYKsAy84bfme8dWgji1ld4qWYK-KG_QjuTADJ0hZgnk4ZdzYcwKJHGBB7mylI/s400/Seabourn+Venture+Signature+Suite+2.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture Signature Suite Bedroom</td></tr>
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<b><i>Wintergarden Suite:</i></b> These two suites bi-level suites are located midship on Deck 7 (Suites 735, 736) with space totaling 1,044 sq. ft. (97 sq. m.) including a large veranda of 129 sq. ft. (12 sq. m.). These suites are clearly designed for a more inside experience than say the Signature Suites. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpj5ityXqh5mA8077OvnAtS3y4ZxKbrSamznr4SJN-7Yokld9wAbmbJ9jMBZ5_WAtxYYdixtEm5OSdGl-JH2QXoZAQxYXIEX86N7oR_VKEYq7MJOf0tt5BFH-O64TjOz2e133MrQRXNI1/s1600/Seabourn+Venture+Wintergarden+Suite+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="520" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpj5ityXqh5mA8077OvnAtS3y4ZxKbrSamznr4SJN-7Yokld9wAbmbJ9jMBZ5_WAtxYYdixtEm5OSdGl-JH2QXoZAQxYXIEX86N7oR_VKEYq7MJOf0tt5BFH-O64TjOz2e133MrQRXNI1/s400/Seabourn+Venture+Wintergarden+Suite+1.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Wintergarden Suite Living Area</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seabourn Venture's Wintergarden Bedroom</td></tr>
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<b><i>Accessible Suites</i></b>: <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Guests with disabilities will find four handicapped-accessible suites available; two in V4 Veranda Suites and two in Penthouse Suites.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Seabourn Venture Expedition Team</span></i></b></div>
<b></b><i></i><span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
At the beginning of this article I mentioned that the Seabourn Venture without the Seabourn Venture Expedition Team would not be the incredible luxury expedition experience it will be. I have, since 2015, been fortunate to personally observe and be enriched by a wide variety of experienced and personable expedition professionals that make up the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team.<br />
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The Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team which is onboard for Seabourn's current Antarctica journeys include, without limitation:<br />
<ul>
<li>A world-renowned Penguin Whisperer</li>
<li>Two men who re-enacted the Shackleton Journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island</li>
<li>Cetacean (whales and dolphin) experts</li>
<li>Marine Biologists</li>
<li>Ornithologists (birds)</li>
<li>Glaciologists </li>
<li>Geologists</li>
<li>Historians</li>
<li>Photographic experts</li>
</ul>
These are not general naturalists that are trained after being hired to be "experts". The breadth and depth of the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team provides each guest a truly multilevel, integrated, enriching experience while being guided safely by experienced and friendly engaged experts.<br />
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To be honest, until you have experienced the difference between being guided by general naturalists and such a team of experts, it is hard to fully appreciate same. But as certain as you can be that Seabourn will be delivering a true luxury expedition experience, you can be certain of the benefits of the Seabourn Ventures Expedition Team.<br />
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Now, your next question may well be, "What Seabourn Venture expedition should I take? The first thing to do is give me a call, drop me an email or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-29217896691775521622019-11-23T11:05:00.001-08:002019-11-23T11:05:16.469-08:00Goldring Travel's Pondering of a Pop Over to Poland - Part IVMy final days in Poland have been a bit trying, but alas well worth it in what is now hindsight. Alas, travel is not about being comfortable and everything going as you would expect or finding your new travel companions to be just like you. No, travel is about learning and understanding perspectives. It is, to my mind, really about how different people and cultures make you a better, more informed, and hopefully nicer, person.<br />
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Having witnessed prejudice, a bit of whitewashing of history, sincere efforts to revive struggling cities, disturbing effects of the Soviet occupation, a bit of Polish humor/sarcasm and Polish cuisine bringing back some childhood memories, I was ready for something of a more modern Polish cultural experience. While there were touches of it, I have to say that most of what impacted me was Poland's focus on its past rather than its future. <br />
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So with that...<br />
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Soviet Built Palace of Culture & Science looms over </div>
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Warsaw, Poland</div>
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The last city I visited was Warsaw, Poland. Arriving after a stressful bus ride in the rain from Lodz, Poland and about two hours late Warsaw shocked me as being far more cosmopolitan than I had naively expected. And, to be sure, after spending two frustrating days in Lodz, it was, well and truly, a relief.<br />
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Because we were so late we all feared we were going to miss the Chopin Concert I had been so looking forward to. But when we were met at the Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel by the local tourist board representative she immediately put everyone at ease that the information we were given was not accurate and we had time to comfortably drop our bags in our room and still timely arrive at our concert. Whew!<br />
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I was given my room key (It's great when you are the guest of the tourist board so you never actually check-in) and I was off to the 33rd floor and my slice of hotel heaven: Normalcy. And, of course, I wondered why we had just spent two days in Lodz and would effectively have one night and one day in Warsaw, which has so much more to offer.<br />
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After a quick change of clothes, it was off to the Fryderyk Concert Hall for a one hour piano recital of Fryderyk Chopin music. It was a private concert for our group performed by a very talented pianist. A truly lovely hour and a great way to re-center oneself after the last few days. (I would have loved to have posted a short video or even photographs of the concert, but its not permitted...though I did see one travel agent doing it anyway. Ugh.)<br />
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Feeling much better...and a bit inspired...it was off to the Warsaw Marriott for a brief site inspection followed by a cocktail party with heavy hors d'oeuvres held in the VIP area of its Panoramic Sky Bar; a truly upscale venue which had a line of some of Warsaw's upscale youth waiting to party on a Friday night. <br />
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Afterward, I had a bit of a wander around the city, but alas it was then time for a good night's sleep while anticipating a very full and interesting day to come.<br />
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My morning started with a quick site inspection of the Intercontinental Warsaw. During it, the sales director asked me where we had been. When I mentioned Lodz for the past two days she was shocked stating, "<i><u>Two day? You should have spent only two hours!</u></i>" As you know, I obviously agreed.<br />
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She then asked me about my impression of Lodz. I asked her if she had ever been to Newark, New Jersey as she had previously mentioned she had been to the United States with Intercontinental. When she said yes, I said, "<i>Lodz, Poland is like Newark, New Jersey: At one point it was vital, then it fell into ruin and now money is being pumped into it trying to revitalize the city, but in the end, it is still Newark</i>." She laughed in agreement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warsaw, Poland</td></tr>
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It was then, finally, time for a four-hour walking tour of Warsaw. We had an excellent guide that gave us very candid and informative information and perspective about Poland and its troubled relationships with the Soviet Union and Germany, its prejudices against Jews (which pre-dated the Nazi occupation) and explained with much pride the failed Polish uprising against the Nazis in World War II.<br />
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It was difficult, but also refreshing, to hear our guide's explanation of the Jewish ghetto and the incomprehensible conditions and eventually the number of human beings that were murdered. We walked through Warsaw's main park (there are many in this very green city) and were carefully eased into the traumas that this city and its people have endured. <br />
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The easiest part of the day was the explanation of the large building that, to me, is a cross between the Empire State Building and the building in Ghostbusters: The <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Palace of Culture & Science. (See photo at the beginning of this article.) It looms over the city, just as the Soviets that had it built intended. You can neither miss it nor ignore its message of power. However, the building is controversial because many want it destroyed because of the same, but others want it preserved and continue to be utilized as throughout its history many positive cultural and entertainment have been hosted there. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A monument recognizing the 6,000,000 Poles that died in World World II; 800,000 of them being from Warsaw.</td></tr>
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Our guide then focused on the fact that 6,000,000 Poles died in World War II and that 800,000 of them were from Warsaw...and that half of those were Jews. He then noted that well over 90% of Warsaw was destroyed, so what we see and will see is, with very limited exception, new or "new-made to look like original". One thing I did appreciate is that unlike what I have seen in Germany, the Poles have tried to salvage any parts of buildings they could and if there were bullet holes they remain untouched...<b><span style="color: red;">because remembering the past matters.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzm5-SKA1maM5PzVJaDNQEbo9Kig-22jA3L6XGuwJvaR4569wc0SExgMEnH05lFs-jn9XisLrPrUvDbqWAzR-FnBi6HAP0SjtqUCHo80kvVJwD4z3ESqpo3sTo1Qd216UGEG4ukSlSBkW/s1600/IMG_20191116_102829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzm5-SKA1maM5PzVJaDNQEbo9Kig-22jA3L6XGuwJvaR4569wc0SExgMEnH05lFs-jn9XisLrPrUvDbqWAzR-FnBi6HAP0SjtqUCHo80kvVJwD4z3ESqpo3sTo1Qd216UGEG4ukSlSBkW/s400/IMG_20191116_102829.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are plaques throughout Warsaw pointing out<br />
where streets used to be. This plaque says, "There was Mansion Street"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaubCbA_cTBvcgXzxRhdaR_hHWjg3zrEqbrkpZzf-aXqE-JRby20CH7T6KTnd8jphaPj_4kafL1bbxIl_ThWaDxH3R6ah3zfs6b0fxOIf2sXhsKqBx-lvkCjDOMqK86wWnmAEJu8kVeMXj/s1600/IMG_20191116_112814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaubCbA_cTBvcgXzxRhdaR_hHWjg3zrEqbrkpZzf-aXqE-JRby20CH7T6KTnd8jphaPj_4kafL1bbxIl_ThWaDxH3R6ah3zfs6b0fxOIf2sXhsKqBx-lvkCjDOMqK86wWnmAEJu8kVeMXj/s400/IMG_20191116_112814.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in located centrally in Warsaw's main park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGCy_2PeSju3ajjAmFb0vlOZ62tv8IjjFu0bJyX3bxAnThbieMniHT8KO_xm1yshWwEeA4xa2i3m-hm6FLgeEZg8s0yBaBv_9QxVj0fOc9wpiE-tOR98-HMeNYrMXjXeEn_K6AFFWcJ0q/s1600/IMG_20191116_130614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGCy_2PeSju3ajjAmFb0vlOZ62tv8IjjFu0bJyX3bxAnThbieMniHT8KO_xm1yshWwEeA4xa2i3m-hm6FLgeEZg8s0yBaBv_9QxVj0fOc9wpiE-tOR98-HMeNYrMXjXeEn_K6AFFWcJ0q/s640/IMG_20191116_130614.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are plaques around Warsaw noting where the Nazi's gunned down people en masse.<br />
This sign reads:<br />
"<b>A place sanctified by the blood of Poles who died for the freedom of their homeland.<br />Here on January 24, 1944 in a street, the Nazi's shot 50 Poles"</b></td></tr>
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And then the tour became more difficult for me because it became far more personal. At one point the Nazis forced 400,000 Jews to live in the Warsaw ghetto of only 1.3 square miles. To put that into perspective, that was an average of 9.2 people living in every available room...not apartment. During and after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that slowed (but did not stop) the Nazi extermination it is estimated that 92,000 Jews died from starvation or related diseases and over 300,000 were murdered; at least 250,000 sent to the Treblinka extermination camp (under the guise of them being "resettled") and over 50,000 by bullets, etc. Take a moment and do the math. This was again a time to <b><span style="color: red;">Breathe...and Never Forget. </span></b><br />
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It was then time to lighten things up a bit with a walk through the "Old Town". As I mentioned the Old Town, with very little exception is rebuilt from the rubble.<br />
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I do have to note that there was more to see on our tour, but there were some travel agents that needed a bathroom break that they turned into a coffee break that they turned into a snack break. I found their conduct to be disrespectful to those of us in the group that wanted to take in as much as possible, the guide and, of course, our hosts including the Polish Tourism Board. Oh, and they weren't done!<br />
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Anyway, it was then time to change gears entirely and enjoy a modern Polish Culinary Experience. But before our bus took as there we had one last stop...and one where some of the travel agents said they were just too tired to get out of the bus for. Huh?<br />
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It was a truly spectacular Lazienki Palace (also known as the Palace on the Water or Isle). It was one of the few buildings that were totally untouched by the ravages of the War.<br />
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After a walk around this beautiful park with a bit of a New York Central Park feel, as well as the exterior of the palace, it was time for lunch at Brasserie Warszawska; an upscale restaurant with lovely decor.<br />
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A fantastic mushroom soup followed by gourmet pierogis.<br />
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After lunch our next adventure was waiting outside: Adventure Warsaw! which gives city tours in old Nysa, Polish mini-vans. They make my WV Westphalia Vanagon seem like a Rolls Royce!<br />
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We headed out bumping around in the tiny seats along the sides of each van and I was thinking, "Well this will be interesting!" only for five minutes later the three vans parked in front of a large shopping mall; where we were advised that some of the travel agents wanted to go shopping so our tour was being cut off. What?! I said to myself, <i>"So again we aren't doing what we were supposed to do so that some marginal travel agents can buy souvenirs from Warsaw which they have done everything they could to NOT see Warsaw?"</i><br />
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Well, that is when my Jersey came out and one guide said, "Hop in. Let me show you some things!" And off just a few of us went...and I am glad we did because we saw areas of Warsaw and got some perspectives we probably never would have.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vistula River, Warsaw, Poland</td></tr>
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Eventually, we wound up down by the Vistula River where the beautiful and creative Biblioteca (Library) for the public and University of Warsaw was located...which, as he explained...began a rebirth of the area with trendy housing and a real upscale residential vibe.<br />
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He also explained how the area on the other side of the river was where they had relocated all the problems of Warsaw (criminals, drug addicts, etc.) in a failed attempt to rehabilitate them; making it the most dangerous area of Warsaw. However, it is now becoming a very trendy area where artists and artisans are moving to...and after we picked up our shoppers (ironically upset because they had to wait for us to return)...our next destination: Museum of Life Under Communism.<br />
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It was a curious small museum just above a KFC restaurant. My first thought was "both of those will kill you!" I understand its purpose, but for the most part it was a place where you can see cheaply built Soviet household items and such along with some brief discussions of communism in wall posters.<br />
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Then it was time for something I had been waiting for all week: The Museum of Polish Vodka!<br />
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It was a very interesting experience; especially because it is located inside a former Polish Vodka distillery which went bankrupt a few years ago after cheap Ukranian and Russian vodka flooded the Polish market.<br />
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After the tour we partook in a vodka tasting: Wheat, Rye and Potato vodkas. Apparently, the potato vodka is supposed to be the best. However, I had just come down with a cold and, honestly, they all tasted the same to me. So with the aggravating travel agents and my cold, I was just happy to have three shots of vodka!<br />
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I did notice in the tasting room, a poster for Slivovitz; a plum brandy that I remember being given a taste of at Grandma's apartment. She was the prototypical Austrian Jewish grandmother who made fantastic Jewish culinary adventures that probably was the start to my eating everything "weird" from flaken (cheap meat akin to short ribs cut the long way with tendon and fat and where you sucked the marrow out of the bone) to beef tongue.<br />
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My time in Poland was coming to an end, but there was one last stop: Another hotel site inspection and a delicious duck dinner before having to get up early for my flights home.<br />
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Before I give my final thoughts, and surprising as it may seem, my flights went without a hitch and my luggage arrived with me. I do have to note, however, that my flight on a Lufthansa A380 (the double-decker aircraft) was a bit disappointing. I had a great seat on the upper deck behind the business class where just a few rows of economy seating exist, so you have a sort of private (and quiet) cabin, but the seat was uncomfortable and the tv monitor was an old low-resolution sort which only occasionally reacted to the touchscreen. I never would have thought that a Lufthansa 747 would be a far superior experience, but it was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tons of legroom, only one person next to me...and a lousy seat and monitor<br />
on this Lufthansa A380</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Reflections on Popover to Poland</span></i></b></div>
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Clearly this was not the most enjoyable trip for me for a number of reasons, but I am glad I took it. Would I do it if I had to pay for it myself? Nope. Would I visit the same cities? Nope. (Warsaw, yes.)<br />
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Poland is a country that is trying to live in the present and look towards the future, but is seriously impacted by the past and is struggling with how to deal with that. From centuries of prejudice towards Jews, to the Nazi destruction of much of the country and its people, to the Soviet occupation there is a whole lot going on. Thus, I truly wish I had more time really seeing Poland so that I could better understand it all.<br />
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Poland is trying to develop its tourism industry. It is going to take time and it needs to be honest. It took until the last day in Poland for an open and honest discussion of its past to be had. It drew me in and made things personal - as you want - for the first time in the entire trip. In hindsight, it significantly impacted my impressions up until that time because I was offended and, as a Jew, felt disrespected.<br />
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That said, they need to be honest about what Poland has to offer and realize that if you present something well in 2 hours it has a far better impact than dragging it out over four hours...or even two days. Alas, it is a process and I hope they get the right balance because imperfections and all, there is enough to see and learn in Poland to make it a desirable destination. But, as with Prague and Vienna, their respective countries focus tourism on the highlight cities, Poland needs to focus on that first. That will, in time, cause tourists to venture out into the secondary cities and countryside.<br />
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I must note that it was trying to be with a group of travel agents that I had little to nothing in common with or what I do on the luxury end of the business. Thankfully I did meet one person I really got along with (and I am sure we will remain in contact) and another that it was enjoyable hanging with a bit. Not every one of the agents was difficult, but there just wasn't much for me to connect with...while a few of them really drove me nuts and, in fact, angered me with their arrogance and selfishness. (I sure hope they enjoyed their coffees, souvenirs, and long bathroom breaks because they all came at a cost to others...not that they considered same.)<br />
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Those agents reminded me why I am a successful travel agent (advisor, consultant, professional) but I am always trying to improve. I love to travel because I love to learn, connect, engage and reflect. It is never a matter of simply wanting to go "somewhere", but of heading on a journey. What kind of journey is personal to each and every client...and making that happen is what makes my job so rewarding.<br />
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Where is your next journey going to take you?<br />
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Interested in traveling to Poland or another journey? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-18749764772480149052019-11-15T23:57:00.000-08:002019-11-23T11:05:33.228-08:00Goldring Travel's Pondering of a Pop Over to Poland - Part IIIAs I previously noted, I am visiting Poland and participating in the European Travel Agent Forum as a guest and speaker on a Culinary Panel. Alas, there is always a price to be paid for agreeing to participate in a travel agent forum and even more so for a FAM (or familiarization trip), but at the same time one cannot lose sight of the appreciation for being given the opportunity to travel and to meet potential suppliers that might be of value to your clients. It is with this appreciation and the price I must pay for this opportunity that I write this article.<br />
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My third and fourth days in Poland were truly focused on my having seven-minute meetings with 50+ suppliers...and seeking out the two or three gems that I may use once or even for years to come. It is a painful process, not only because of the time, noise and barrage of irrelevant suppliers that I have to engage, but because it is exhausting. </div>
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Eric Goldring, of Goldring Travel,</div>
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was a Panel Member at the European Travel Agent Forum</div>
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But in addition to these one-on-one meetings, there are two lengthy presentations per day...and one lunch where I participated in the Expanding Your Business with Culinary Travel panel along with four other folks. Two were those suppliers I had truly hoped to meet and two were exactly why I do not like or endorse "food and wine" tours, but rather "culinary & cultural" ones. </div>
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It started out as a frustrating - if not painful - experience until one of those two gems said, "I have to disagree...just a little" and that gave me the opening to agree with him...and explain the difference: In order to be enriching the experience really needs to be a cultural wrapped around culinary...and that helps you inspire clients and that, in turn, expands your business rather than narrowly focus it on "food and wine". The warm comments afterward were much appreciated. </div>
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Unfortunately for me, I was unable to leave the hotel the entire day and evening, but we were provided a nice dinner and an open bar for the evening, so I was able to meet some very nice people.</div>
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Speaking of people, the Polish people I have - in my short time in Poland (or should I say, Poznan, Poland because I have more places to visit) - met have generally been of two types; one disquieting and one quite enjoyable. Huh? </div>
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The enjoyable Poles - and there are many - have a dry, sarcastic, sense of humor that find amusement in much of the world around them. (Ya think I might get along well with them??). The other Poles have a solemn manner, never smiling and avoiding interaction, but doing their jobs efficiently. As it was described by a couple of the Poles I met the latter sort is a carry-over from the "Soviet times" when many Poles kept their heads down, did their jobs and made sure they stayed out of trouble. The former were the irreverent ones who pride themselves on having thumbed their noses a the Soviets living with the philosophy of "So what could they really do to us?!" Alas this is multi-generational, so my guess...and it is a guess...may have to do with familial history and/or where in Poland they are from. (Let's see if I have the same observations later in this journey.)</div>
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After the second day of supplier meetings, it was time to head out on the town with my friend for a good local dinner. One of the suppliers I will use in the future, Eat Polska, suggested a restaurant that does not serve Polish cuisine. Interesting. And his creativity and has earned my respect and loyalty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAKRcDm_lDL-CRHF86UZxKwRmtxiyIIPAwQcBHb54oDKfBhIS8PGkF3DFzUobIZA5g3RgNMSer3HoxtklhsscyUy1JAiH10nT5O84-FfbhyCZRLZ4QVtR2pcNDnwV3d_w1vSWGF2HD8Ys/s1600/IMG_20191113_220810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Not far from our hotel was Cafe La Ruina i Raj; a truly enjoyable sort of hipster funky restaurant that was totally unexpected. Colors, unique signs, flags from many nations and the LGBTQ "nation" along with 1970's classic rock music coupled with friendly service, an eclectic menu and young Polish patrons made us both say, "This could easily be in New York City."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAKRcDm_lDL-CRHF86UZxKwRmtxiyIIPAwQcBHb54oDKfBhIS8PGkF3DFzUobIZA5g3RgNMSer3HoxtklhsscyUy1JAiH10nT5O84-FfbhyCZRLZ4QVtR2pcNDnwV3d_w1vSWGF2HD8Ys/s1600/IMG_20191113_220810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAKRcDm_lDL-CRHF86UZxKwRmtxiyIIPAwQcBHb54oDKfBhIS8PGkF3DFzUobIZA5g3RgNMSer3HoxtklhsscyUy1JAiH10nT5O84-FfbhyCZRLZ4QVtR2pcNDnwV3d_w1vSWGF2HD8Ys/s400/IMG_20191113_220810.jpg" width="400" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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First up: Caipirinhas! I mean, "When in Poland...". (Ironically, it was six years ago to the day that I had my first one; while on a Seabourn cruise Bar Sao Paolo in Ilhabela, Brazil.) It was then a very tasty pho and then Banh mi followed by a somewhat Turkish dish, but this night made with goose rather than beef (probably left over from Saint Martin Day). Everything was delicious. It was an unlikely, but rejuvenating, end to my Poznan, Poland experience.<br />
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And then the morning came with our group of 19 on a post-forum FAM to Lodz (pronounced "Woodg") and then Warsaw. I would have preferred to FAM to Krakow, but it was sold out. It started with chaos, frustration and, "Oh, this is what a FAM is like and why I had never done one before and probably would not do one again!" <br />
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There were, from what I can tell, three major factors that made the next two days so frustrating:<br />
<ul>
<li>Traveling with agents that really do not "travel", but rather use FAMs to get cheap vacations;</li>
<li>Traveling to a city that really has not enough to warrant two days there, no less drive hours to get there; and,</li>
<li>Traveling with a guide that, while a fairly nice guy, really wasn't very good.</li>
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Let me explain...and begrudgingly relive it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdz3aYUr74fq6L06D9UGc3kcOUuyMCpoH2FtYHze5mQrCG2po5d8Y3gqQfLcCBVtZTBW1FqtxKMqs-TNAFUGpA_1jKJMJ1RXve62Evq81xJy8gSh819IN4I7j4sNCzEALMO7ucLDua-hnH/s1600/IMG_20191113_201303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>After our guide stopped insisting our tour left at 9:00 a.m., because we were all told it started at 10:00 a.m. we were greeted by a very small mini-bus that could hardly hold us, no less our luggage. After the driver and guide engaged in a totally futile attempt to fit in the luggage, it was decided that they would hire a trailer to pull behind our mini-bus...but that ordeal took 1.5 hours to sort out. Then it was a three-hour drive to Lodz (pronounced "Woodg"); a place a friend of mine had visited and said there wasn't much there. He was right. But let me not get ahead of myself...because a very important cultural experience would hit me in the head at the two-hour forty-five-minute mark.</div>
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As we drove down the main road, our guide said that we were now traveling over the old Jewish cemetery and - without mentioning the word Nazi - said that the road was originally built utilizing the tombstones from the cemetery (not using the word Jew) and that the buildings on either side were built over the cemetery. He stated nobody knew this was the case until the road was being renovated a few years ago. I knew there was no way this was the case and bit my tongue hard...waiting to explain the truth to the agents later. <b><span style="color: red;">Breathe...and Never Forget!</span></b></div>
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We arrived at the Nuro Hotel and, needing a bit of space, headed to my room for the few minutes we had...as were were still 1.5 hours behind our schedule. All I can say is "Ahhhh". This new property is small, but extremely modern, high tech and comfortable with an Android tablet for room controls and encrypted wi-fi in each room. I won't go into this wonderful hotel any more because I am fairly confident no one reading this article will be traveling to Lodz, Poland.<br />
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The hotel is located across the street from a "palace" (mansion) and former textile factory built in the mid-1800's now known as Manufaktura; a truly beautiful and huge facility that has been turned into an enormous and striking indoor/outdoor shopping mall with over 300 shops and restaurants. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT7lkonLB_6pzPkyLkaLLnSjMMMF8c4V6ZcCz-us7-cim9UTI_N1qI-bJoAwk2qu7R3gKEcBCkEl_40xa_u0wHeFQBXdgpQAAxPPkQ0J3U_eAK9iNYYtGFHGrFPvpAbAyLy0loCF4MLQf/s1600/IMG_20191114_162041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT7lkonLB_6pzPkyLkaLLnSjMMMF8c4V6ZcCz-us7-cim9UTI_N1qI-bJoAwk2qu7R3gKEcBCkEl_40xa_u0wHeFQBXdgpQAAxPPkQ0J3U_eAK9iNYYtGFHGrFPvpAbAyLy0loCF4MLQf/s640/IMG_20191114_162041.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manufaktura - Lodz, Poland</td></tr>
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Our first stop was for a very late lunch at Galaicja, a very nice Polish-cuisine restaurant quite near the entrance to Maufakatura. After some local Polish cheese (nice, but not noteworthy) and beetroot pickled herring on a dark bread (delicious!) I tried both a Sour Soup and a thick Beetroot Soup (again delicious and though different in texture brought back memories of my childhood having borscht on a Sunday evening). This was followed by a very good pork sirloin with a variety of pickled salads coupled with a local dark beer (the first beer of note since I arrived).<br />
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We then toured a very small area of Manufaktura, including a small, but interesting, textile factory museum. The guide had early on mentioned the former creator and owner's name; which I picked upon on "Israel PoznaÅski", but said nothing more. Eventually, as we were about to leave the facility that he said he "obviously" was Jewish...but never mentioned what happened to him, his family or all the Jewish workers that kept the 80 thousand spindles over twelve building operating. <b><span style="color: red;">Breathe...and Never Forget!</span></b></div>
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(I subsequently did some research - though there is more to do - and challenged the guide about the history of this important Jewish family. Later on he would discuss another textile magnate and he, again, didn't mention that he was also Jewish until I asked. As for how the families lost their huge facilities and mansions it was asserted that it was due to a downturn in the cotton textile market in between World War I and II. I'm not so sure that is the whole...or much of...the real story.)<br />
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We were then taken to the "famous" Piotrkowska Street; two miles of stores and restaurants; supposedly the longest shopping street in Poland. Along the way the more normal Lodz was seen and, honestly, it reminded me of Newark, New Jersey: It had its time, it fell into disrepair, some efforts have been made to resurrect the area, but it still is Newark. (We do have another morning and early afternoon here, so we shall see.)</div>
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Why would I be so harsh? Well, when you are walked down an alley that used to be a movie theatre (Lodz is also known as Holly-Lodz...said like "Holly-woodg") and you are shown a Mexican restaurant - complete with tacky fountain and a story: If you order the cheesecake, they dim the lights and Zorro comes out and serves it to you." Ugh...and I am losing patience. Unfortunately, it was too early for that.</div>
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As we strolled down Piotrkowska Street in the cold and wind, with silly, irrelevant and repeated stories from our guide bombarded me, my wondering "What the hell are we doing?" got stronger and stronger. Again, unfortunately, I found out "What the hell we were doing?"...killing time until we were expected for two hotel inspections. </div>
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Yes, I had to spend over two hours inspecting a Doubletree and Holiday Inn hotel; not exactly my market, but I was a good sport. That was until...</div>
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we were taken to the restaurant in the Holiday Inn for dinner. That's right, Mr. Culinary & Cultural was about to "dine" in a Holiday Inn. My Polish dinner could not start or end quick enough. Our settings were already with a chunk of tasteless cheese and garnish that I could not eat. Next up a soup that was akin to dishwater with mushrooms, that was followed by (two-day old???) dry and tasteless duck and ending with a bad apple pie...though the accompanying scoop of ice cream did give me some pleasure. </div>
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It was finally time to get back to my sanctuary: The Puro Hotel. I had (because I had to) a Highland Park 18 year old whisky, had a nice chat with a few of my fellow FAM people and then headed to bed. Sliding into a comfortable bed with crisp white sheets, great pillows and USB charging ports bedside gave me a bit of relief...and some hope that tomorrow will be better.<br />
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Well, as I am sure you could surmise, the next day wasn't better. After a very nice breakfast at the Puro Hotel, our day started at 10:00 a.m. (or really 10:20 a.m. because certain members of our group just don't show up on time...ever). We had a bit of drive around town and then were taken to a new, and very empty, train station. I'm talking no trains and no people. And I am asking, "Why???"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lodz, Poland's new - very empty - train station</td></tr>
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It was then off to the Centre of Science and Technology and planetarium. Now, you might think this would be a quick walk-around, but nope. This was over two hours of wasted time walking around a brand new children's museum established in an abandoned powerplant. My bonus: We had to sit through a 30 minute "3D" video meant for children that wasn't very good, was a few years old...and was British? Huh?<br />
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It was at this point I really started to get angry...and it clearly was showing on my face as the guide kept asking me if I was all right.<br />
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We then drove to the other abandoned textile factory that is slowly being repurposed into small craft shops, galleries and offices. Our tour was not of any businesses (other than the small tourist office souvenir shop...because certain travel agents were upset there were no shopping opportunities), but rather a literal "walk around the block". Believe it or not, we were running over 45 minutes late for our lunch (and our much anticipated escape from Lodz a/k/a 1.5 hour drive to Warsaw), but due to travel agent demand we stopped at the downtown tourist office so they could do some more shopping. <br />
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Worth a mention is the attempts at street art that Lodz is pushing as a cultural development. Basically, some not very good art has been painted on the walls of abandoned, collapsed or otherwise rundown buildings. I do appreciate they are trying to create Lodz to be more of an artist's colony - an homage to its history as Poland's film industry past (also Jewish, but again never mentioned...until pressed that the Jews owned almost every movie theatre and movie set) - but it really came across to me as more akin to lipstick on a pig.<br />
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One of the best examples of Lodz, Poland's street art.</div>
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I believe the girl's sad face pretty much says it all.</div>
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Finally something good: Lunch! We were taken to a small, family owned, restaurant named Restauracja Gargoly. The family and staff were wonderful and the food...and there was a huge amount of it...really, really, good. From beef tartar and pate to a super-fresh salad to excellent chicken soup with freshly made noodles to huge pierogis (the best I have had!) and pork sirloin, I was quite happy.<br />
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Unfortunately, because we were running so late, the ability to really sit and enjoy this true Polish cuisine was rushed...and made worse when - though knowing we were very late and had appointments in Warsaw - a couple of the travel agents insisted on having a coffee. I would say, "What the hell were they thinking?" but at this point I knew they were not thinking of anything other than their selfish immediate wants.<br />
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We were finally off to Warsaw, Poland...almost two hours late and now in rush hour traffic in the rain. Will we make our planned Chopin concert? Only time will tell.<br />
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A closing thought: I did take the opportunity at lunch to nicely challenge our guide as to why our time in Lodz, Poland was so sanitized of anything Jewish. The short answer is that his instructions were not to focus on the past, but on the rebirth of Lodz. While we did have a bit of a discussion as to why it is impossible to properly look to the future without remembering and understanding the importance of the past, it was clear that it was time to yet again: <b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: red;">Breathe...and Never Forget!</span></b><br />
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Interested in traveling to Poland? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br />
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US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<br />
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Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-812487719542499602019-11-12T03:29:00.001-08:002019-11-23T11:05:52.194-08:00Goldring Travel's Pondering of a Pop Over to Poland - Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On November 9, 2019 I headed to Poznan, Poland for the European Travel Agent Forum (where I will be on a Culinary Tourism Panel) and a post-forum extension to Lodz and Warsaw, Poland. It is not the sort of thing I normally would do, but - full disclosure - this a pretty much fully paid weeklong endeavor to promote Poland and vendors and suppliers that service Poland and other parts of Europe. Honestly, never having been to Poland, I thought it was a great opportunity that was worth taking advantage of.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poznan, Poland's Old Market Square at night</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poznan, Poland's Old Market Squire by day</td></tr>
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Flying consisted of three flights; all of which went quite well. The longest flight (Denver, Colorado to Frankfurt, Germany) was on a Lufthansa 747 jumbo jet. With 747s being retired by most airlines, I was a bit concerned about the condition of the aircraft. However, as Lufthansa has made a decision to stick with the 747 and retire its A380 double-decker jumbo jets, my concern turned more towards my return flight on an A380 (Frankfurt to Los Angeles)!<br />
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Upon boarding, I found a surprisingly updated and comfortable interior. As you may recall, I am not a fan of paying a premium for business-class seats as I can sleep pretty much anywhere and paying a high price for what is really a marginal meal is just not my thing. Instead, I always look for the best seats and with my Star Alliance Gold status it is generally pretty easy.<br />
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With that I selected Seat 29C, the first row behind Lufthansa's sorry excuse for Premium Economy (basically it is a slightly wider economy seat with pretty much the same meals and service). This seat has no seat in front of it so it is quite spacious. SeatGuru.com cautioned that the legroom could be restricted due to a bulkhead, but as you can see: No bulkhead and more legroom than I could possibly use.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lufthansa 747 Seat 29C</td></tr>
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I also was thrilled that there was nobody sitting in the middle seat on this almost full flight (thank you SeatGuru.com!). Unfortunately I had a "crazy lady" sitting behind me that started to play videos without headphones, consistently kneed the back of my seat and even with the extra space shoved my seatback forward when I reclined it about two inches...until the Lufthansa flight crew told her she either behaved or they would move her to a seat by the lavatories at the rear of the plane. Whew!<br />
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With Lufthansa's included alcohol even in economy policy, I had my standard two Scotch whiskies and settled in. Dinner was served promptly and, with my always ordering a special meal so that I get served a bit of a healthier meal and dine earlier (so I can get to relax and sleep sooner), a Hindi Non-Vegetarian meal with more chickpeas than anyone could imagine was a far better selection than the standard fare.<br />
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I was also impressed with the video system with good selections, nice resolution and a pretty cool flight information system.<br />
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When I arrived in Frankfurt and walking for miles (as is usual) I had a bit of layover and used the Lufthansa Senator's Lounge for a refreshing shower and then a beer (I was wearing my beer-themed socks) and a snack before my final flight.<br />
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When I arrived in Poznan, Poland I was greeted with smiles and then waited a short while for about a dozen travel agents to get their bags...and then finish a totally unnecessary coffee...and eventually was taken to the Novatel Centrum Poznan. It is a new hotel, promoted as a four-star property, but in reality is a clean, modern, fairly well-designed three-star hotel. Check-in was cheerful and quick.<br />
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And then I met everyone's nemesis: The Elevators! There are two banks of two elevators; each of which operates independently. So rather than their use being balanced by computer management, "elevator chaos" - and thus very long waits - kept me from getting to my room. This would be a constant irritant. (The hotel is aware of the problem and even has signs directing those that read signs to the service elevators as a good alternative.)<br />
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My room is basic, but functional and clean. Upgrade from my recent stay at the brand new Hyatt Regency in Seattle: The closet has a door on it and there are plenty of shelves provided, also with a door. (Amazing how such a little thing makes a difference.) The bathroom is a model of Soviet grey decor and has a deep steel and slippery tub with no non-slip mat that I pray I will not injure myself getting into or out of.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Novatel Centrum Poznan Hotel Room</td></tr>
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It was finally time to meet the organizers and my fellow forum participants. The organizers are charming and on top of everything. The travel agents range from interesting to please don't make up stories and be so annoying. Pretty much what I expected.<br />
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I did meet one man that most certainly brightened my outlook and after the welcome reception and buffet dinner the two of us headed to the Old Market Square; a short walk from the hotel. It is a charming area...right up until less than five minutes in when we were approached to "have a free look" at one of the strip clubs that are right on the Square. We passed.<br />
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Wandering to find a place for a cocktail we came across Whiskey in the Jar. Well, you know where we went! It was actually a great little bar with what appears to be excellent food. Apparently, it is required that you have a seat before you can order a drink, so we had a bit of a wait but it was worth it. While we did not have whiskey in a jar I did have a beer and a couple of whiskys.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNJdyE9J6pg8aN93XZ5PTgELWSoYc34hSUGvOkF358Ode-zTcI4SbFfRN-8Tv3O7LTAJZ_ub8fCxNMz5srZJgG_UD3cqWAwCqoUFNWQd0k_ooqQkmOqny92U7RX4YbNDpmuqQlU1dm-MM/s1600/IMG_20191111_193123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNJdyE9J6pg8aN93XZ5PTgELWSoYc34hSUGvOkF358Ode-zTcI4SbFfRN-8Tv3O7LTAJZ_ub8fCxNMz5srZJgG_UD3cqWAwCqoUFNWQd0k_ooqQkmOqny92U7RX4YbNDpmuqQlU1dm-MM/s640/IMG_20191111_193123.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whiskey in the Jar, Poznan, Poland</td></tr>
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As the first evidence of how inexpensive Poland is, our bill came out to less than $25 in total. Amazing. (One travel tip: My research said that tipping on drinks and food is expected, but no one ever expected a tip and there is no option to provide one on any credit card transactions.)<br />
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We decided to explore the Old Market Square a bit more so we wandered out; only to be approached by two other strip clubs offering us various deals. One club offered us: 50 PLZ (zloty) per person for unlimited drinks. At about $13 per person, and knowing what we just paid, we figured "Why not?"...and this is where the "When it is too good to be true..." came into play. We went to pay and they showed the correct amount on the credit card machine (we did not have local currency), but it had nothing to do with the amount they actually charged...so a $2,862.36 charge...and then two more large charges were attempted. But we didn't know this until after leaving the place, so we had a few drinks (Polish vodka) before heading back to the hotel. (Fortunately, the charges were quickly flagged and removed for obvious fraud.)<br />
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It is troubling that this sort of activity is allowed in this tourist and local center, but let's face it we decided to "dance with the devil", had a good time and after the hassle of dealing with the fraudulent charge actually drank for free and had a truly local experience. (We were the only Americans in the place.)<br />
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Our first morning was a long tour of Poznan which started with a sort of culinary experience on how to make Poznan's special Saint Martin croissants at Rogalowe Muzeum Pozania. Located in one of the few buildings not destroyed during World Wars I or II, it was very touristic, but actually quite charming. Unlike French croissants, the St. Martinās croissant is folded into 81 layers and is filled with poppy seeds, nuts, raisins, almonds, sugar, and butter. It is then glazed and coated with nuts. According to the European Union, they must weigh between 150 and 250 grams. They are quite tasty and very similar, not surprisingly, to Jewish rugalach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint Martin Croissant waiting to be baked</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint Martin Croissant - Delicious...and very heavy</td></tr>
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The cultural side of things was, however, missing for me. Yes, they explained the legend of how a baker felt obligated to feed the poor so he gave away half of all of his croissants to feed them. And he shaped them to be akin to a horseshoe. This baker would become Saint Martin and, just by happenstance, this day is the day celebrating his life (and, secondarily in Poznan, Polish Independence Day).<br />
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But I was curious as to how the croissant came to Poland in the first instance and, of course, why it is crescent, or horseshoe, shaped and wished they had explained it. Researching it, the croissant's origin is actually not French, but seemingly Viennese (though there are other assertions) and that the shape is that of the crescent moon of the Ottoman flag...or Islam...created to celebrate the defeat of the Ottomans by the Polish army with the shape being a reminder. Regardless of the truth, it would have been an interesting addition to a kitschy presentation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pozan, Poland from a new "castle" on a hill</td></tr>
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Our walking tour of Poznan continued on a rather gray and cold morning. While it was interesting I felt it could have been completed much quicker than it took. After we visited the basic sights and it seemed like we would be killing time until the Saint Martin Parade, I and my new friend decided to "go local" on our own.<br />
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Just as we decided that, one of the suppliers who specializes in culinary tours told us that there was a great restaurant she discovered that she would definitely suggest to her clients. I mentioned this to our guide and she sort of made a face and then suggested that we try this other restaurant that was small, old and authentic. (Our guide told us the name of the place and, fortunately, where it was located. Why fortunate? We cannot read Polish no less speak it, so how would be able to read the signs? I mean what sound does that letter or letter combination make? Not a clue!)<br />
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We decided to check out both. We walked into the local restaurant, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Restauracja-Wiejskie-Jad%C5%82o-100345586687725/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARB7QA4ZO6sBdj7UWFLKHuf9j6S7jA600sjpfWQ7NLch9X8i1R90UbhH7o8yasa6TvNhHWdYcfpW_zOl&hc_ref=ARSeT_LVJPmUZl26p2wirMeJilhP8RJ6RniSRxS7GdY7epMIxZ9d6sC4TaNHeg2uOGU&fref=tag&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC80ZV1-vRuk-64IrJ_x2Ywm1VuBQ9ZsDxQK3eBI3Jk4JbdFm38KQWEJzFsUI6HyzlACc660qcqEYLVdqTEXd8t-KvwXVWzP1dbWUJ9866CRXUdrGVyR3PdqjrFhuzi0LIKPpQiewJwEpdX5VPJYxMiFIumBCyt0uzB2zvDchhoN5rm7jKRGYJ5Vu6yB2k4fSwDVWadGfdBBFYdQEFEc6aMqmHivusz6XnzWqfM1_E9J3fh92hNfGDnLSxYcnd6aL9hakfrvF3SH4eeMmxZ8ouTD_A">Restauracja Wiejskie JadÅo</a>. What I didn't know at the time is that this translates to "Rural Food Restaurant"! It is a small, quaint, rustic, restaurant that was definitely local and offered a pretty wide-ranging Polish menu. But it wouldn't open for about 20 minutes. So we decided to check out the culinary specialist's suggestion I was instantly: "That's a NO!" The place had no soul and what I did see was not inspired. So we went back to the authentic place...and we were very glad we did!<br />
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We were "accommodated" as this is clearly a very popular and fully booked local's restaurant, so we were told we could have lunch, but had to be finished in one hour. OK. Settling into an old wooden table and benches, I ordered my second type of Polish beer (none make me go WOW, but are all drinkable) and reviewed the menu. In celebration of Saint Martin's Day roast goose is offered throughout Poznan, so I knew I would be having that and started with a bowl of borscht with dumplings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borscht (beet soup) with dumplings</td></tr>
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It was a truly outstanding goose leg with red cabbage and dumplings. I cannot imagine how anyone could eat all those tasty, but incredibly heavy dumplings!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious Roast Goose Leg with Red Cabbage and Dumplings</td></tr>
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After our meal we were offered a cherry nalewki, a local fruit-based liqueur. Honestly, it tasted exactly like Robitussin, but at least I tried it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polish Nalewki</td></tr>
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It was then back to the hotel for a rest before the lunch presentation. But, as I do, I saw a road that was barricaded off and wondered "Is the Saint Martin Parade up the road"? Well it was! So, while we missed our guide taking us "to" the parade, we found ourselves "in" the parade...or shall I say...the staging area of the parade; a much better and more local experience!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A corp of "chefs" parading the traditional roast goose</td></tr>
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After a bit of a nap, it was time for our evening, billed as "Dine Around Poznan"; something I was really looking forward to and it seemed to be really well organized. Essentially we were given a map with coupons for dishes or drinks around Old Market Square and we were sent off on our own. Being the first off the bus (it would have been faster to walk!) we headed to...you guessed it...Whiskey in the Jar! Unfortunately, the "no seat, no service" rule existed and there were no seats. I did want to buy a t-shirt and, amazingly, after buying a t-shirt they were able to find us two seats...and we had our free Passionfruit Whiskey in the Jar. It reminded me of those drinks you have on the beach and, for that, it was tasty.<br />
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And then we had a second one; this time I ordered the Killer which is a combination of Jack Daniels, Jack Daniels Honey, Havana Club Anejo rum and fruit juices. It was quite creative and good.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">A nice touch is that they use metal straws showing a touch of environmental sensitivity.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">We then headed off to use our coupons and found that the next place was out of what was offered and another place was closed. As we wandered I asked, "Do you want a pierogi?" and another little bit of local culinary magic was found...and our coupons found their way, unused, into our pockets. </span></span></div>
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The street level of Pierożek i Kompocik wasn't inspiring, but when, as instructed, we went upstairs, a beautiful creative setting appeared, unlike anything we had seen so far! </div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I ordered my third type of Polish beer (again, unremarkable but very drinkable) and a variety of really delicious pierogis with a bacon and onion dipping sauce. Outstanding!</span></span></h5>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">It was then time to call it a night.</span></h5>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am glad I have, so far, been able to balance the packaged product and independent travel; finding ways to have a bit of a culinary and cultural experience. I say this knowing that the majority of those participating in this forum have "stuck to the program" and are missing out on what has been a really enjoyable and interesting exploration of Poznan.</span></span></div>
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Interested in traveling to Poland? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br />
<br />
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />
UK: 020 8133 3450<br />
AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />
Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-2481743721809560422019-11-02T14:16:00.001-07:002019-11-02T14:16:13.159-07:00Expeditions, Nature and HelicoptersLet's talk about helicopters and expedition cruises. Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">With Scenic Cruises having its new ship, Scenic Eclipse, and Crystal Cruises having its new ship, Crystal Endeavor, being delivered shortly, and they both have incorporated helicopters as part of their expedition experiences, this is an issue that really needs to be addressed. (Noting that Lindblad, Silversea Expeditions, Seabourn Venture and many others do not employ helicopters.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBY5IizlDDgCa9k8bySrlkUbWsQP-M6aNSNNJF2_YoCuTE5R32YxOhkVXQCQ_KQpgB1AaFhuXFnweFF8HY-2sk02ZQ4U_u8Ni8yX4mnJ14VVYK6h8xY40nlsBVRYXcLqkESisuQVIZ-pe/s1600/Scenic+Eclipse+-+Helicopter+Heli+Deck+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBY5IizlDDgCa9k8bySrlkUbWsQP-M6aNSNNJF2_YoCuTE5R32YxOhkVXQCQ_KQpgB1AaFhuXFnweFF8HY-2sk02ZQ4U_u8Ni8yX4mnJ14VVYK6h8xY40nlsBVRYXcLqkESisuQVIZ-pe/s640/Scenic+Eclipse+-+Helicopter+Heli+Deck+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic Eclipse Helicopter</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Hence, t<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">he question to me is: </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><span style="display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>While helicopters flying over exotic places sounds cool, is it really? </i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><span style="color: blue;"></span><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For me the answer is a resounding <b><span style="color: red;">NO</span><span style="color: red;">!</span></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">I have a number of concerns including, but not limited to:</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Safety</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Environmental Impact</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Guest Experience</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><b>Safety</b></span><span style="background-color: white;"> is a huge concern for a number of reasons. Having been involved in the superyacht industry for many years, I am well aware of serious concerns over taking off and landing a small flying object with furiously rotating metal blades onto a small platform near the superstructure of a ship that is moving in many directions at once (rocking, rolling and yawing) with wind from possibly more than one direction. Quite a few years have been spent balancing safety and operational concerns against the desires usually more so than needs of the yacht/ship owner and its guests. So remember it is, well and truly, a balancing act...no pun intended.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Check out the care needed in landing an EC135, which is very similar to Scenic's Airbus H130, on a superyacht:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nwJxucsZbTE" width="560"></iframe>
<br /><br />
There are also great concerns about Antarctica's infamous quickly changing weather. Clear skies and calm water can change to hurricane-force winds, significant swells, and dangerous ice literally in a matter of minutes. I have borne personal witness to issues with just trying to retrieve guests from zodiacs when calms seas became six-foot swells with bitter winds almost instantly. And while it might be uncomfortable bobbing in a zodiac or an hour or so, what exactly is a helicopter supposed to do? It is not like one can just land anywhere and wait for better conditions.<br />
<br />
Another issue: Not all helicopter pilots are equally experienced or talented. I have no idea who the helicopter pilot(s) are and what their relationship is with either the cruise line or the helicopters. As we have seen with certain cruise ship captains and airline pilots there are some incredible talents and some who have issues. More important to me: What are the pilots' experience flying in the thinner, colder and usually dryer air of Antarctica; where depth-perception is yet another concern.<br />
<br />
As for Scenic's helicopter, an Airbus H130, is a quality aircraft that have been used from Africa to Iceland for sightseeing to heliskiing. And while they are designed to be low maintenance I do have concerns over their maintenance and the lack of available parts and skilled workers; especially while the ship is in remote areas. This, obviously, is the least of my concerns, but well worth noting.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br />
<br /><span style="color: red;"><b>Environmental Impact</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> is a hugely important issue. I am not talking about the possibility of aviation fuel spilling or exhaust fumes, but rather the impact on wildlife. Noise from a helicopter (or pretty much anything else) is heard by animals differently. An elephant seal may hear one thing and a gentoo penguin another. And, to be sure, it is not only the perceived noise that can affect wildlife, but the changes in air pressure (that is how sound is transmitted, by the way) that can trigger unexpected responses.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">In 2017 the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Authority released a <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ENVIRONMENT/noise/noise_effect_on_wildlife/effects/wild04.cfm">report</a> on the impact of noise on wildlife. Without getting to technical, the report found that aircraft noise did not appear to have a significant impact on domesticated animals for economic purposes (ex. cow milk production, chicken egg production) </span>"ranging from alert reactions to physiological indicators of stress (e.g. changes in hormonal levels, organ function, etc.)" and that low frequencies (not heard by humans) may have a significant effect on invertebrates such as insects, including reduced numbers of aquatic insects near roadways. Even fish have been found to have adverse reactions to aircraft noise with even limited exposure.<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">As for birds, background noise can make their hearing calls from others harder, if not impossible. (Ever wonder why a baby penguin can recognize its parents by a call that you think is identical to the other ones around it?)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
Because of this, there are strict guidelines that have been established by the <a href="https://documents.ats.aq/recatt/Att224_e.pdf">Antarctic Treaty </a>so that breeding colonies of birds are to be avoided and non-breeding colonies are to be overflown as little as possible and at no lower than 2,000 feet. For example:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- During the planning of aircraft operations near to concentrations of birds, consideration should be given to undertaking flying activities outside of the main breeding and/or moulting periods.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Penguin, albatross and other bird colonies are not to be over flown below 2000ft (~ 610 m) Above Ground Level, except when operationally necessary for scientific purposes.<br />
<br />
- Landings within 1/2 nautical mile (~ 930 m) of penguin, albatross or other bird colonies should be avoided wherever possible.<br />
<br />
- Never hover or make repeated passes over wildlife concentrations or fly lower than necessary.<br />
<br />
- Maintain a vertical separation distance of 2000 ft (~ 610 m) AGL and a horizontal separation of 1/4 nautical mile (~ 460 m) from the coastline where possible.<br />
<br />
- Cross the coastline at right angles and above 2000ft (~610 m) AGL where possible. </blockquote>
Yes, there are impacts from ships and humans, but the sound levels and much slower movements - as well as familiarity with them - have a much lower impact.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Guest Experience</span></b> is really what this topic is all about, isn't it? Leaving aside the potential impact on wildlife and the safety issues, there is no question that the use of helicopters will have a definite and potentially significantly degrading impact on the guests not flying in that very moment.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No helicopter needed!<br />Observe how close the Seabourn Quest is to the penguin colony</td></tr>
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I also have to ask: Other than the thrill of a few guests wanting to go up in a helicopter, <i>"<b>What is it that they expect to see in a few minutes in the air that you cannot similarly or better appreciate from the ground or on the ship?</b>"</i> I mean if the concept is to be above something, rather than be embraced by it, so that someone can take "that photograph" or have bragging rights of some sort, does the impact upon others matter?<br />
<br />
You may recall I noted above that in order to take off or land the ship must be a significant distance from the shore; especially if wildlife is present. That means every guest that wants to view from the ship may well be too far away to have any meaningful view. And those that want to make a landing by way of zodiac are going to be forced to ride extended distances and, possible, not be able to visit the better areas for viewing wildlife because of the restrictions in place due to helicopter operations.<br />
<br />
And then there are these questions:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Do you want to be <span style="background-color: white;">walking among penguins, enjoying the calls, listening to the wind or the crunching of the snow and have it interrupted with the "whoop, whoop, whoop" of a helicopter?</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">- Do you want to be watching petrels flying about, skuas on the hunt and albatross soaring only to be disrupted and scattered by a helicopter?</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">- Do you want to be taking a nap or reading a book in your stateroom or suite and be awoken by the noise of a takeoff or landing?</span></blockquote>
I have lived in some pretty remarkable areas and, to be sure, this is a sort point. I live in a pretty much bucolic area of the world: Lake Tahoe, California. I love to hike or just take in the natural beauty. But, especially during Tourist Season, rather than just hearing the birds, the wind in the trees and the rushing of the Truckee River, I constantly have my tranquility and time with nature interrupted by planes taking off and landing at the local airport or dragging gliders into the sky (which, ironically, I cannot hear when I am inside Goldring Travel's offices; literally a stone's through from the runway). When I lived on the Jersey Shore I would watch the Shrewsbury River with its salt marsh across the way...interrupted by jet skis and speed boats. And, oh those times sitting in marshes, the Everglades, etc. birdwatching...and then the loud noises of human machines scaring off the wildlife.<br />
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It grew out of those experiences that I see things like helicopter rides in pristine areas as, well, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">selfish</span></i></b>. I see it being about <span style="color: blue;">"<b><i>Just because you want to and just because you can afford to, it doesn't mean you should improvidently impact upon nature, wildlife and the experiences of people trying to appreciate both</i></b>"</span><br />
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Yes, there are places where helicopter rides may be more appropriate and where the wildlife has become somewhat acclimated such as Hawaii, Alaska, Iceland. But there are already ways to readily enjoy this flightseeing without the safety issues and negative impact upon others' guest experiences.<br />
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It is hoped that the idea of having helicopters on expedition ships will become something akin to what Royal Caribbean did with its ubiquitous rock-climbing walls, etc. it be recognized as the marketing gimmick it truly is, rather than an essential part of an expedition journey.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">A Final <u>Uncomfortable </u>Thought</span></b>: There is going to be an accident at some point. And any such accident is a horrible thing, but when it happens in a remote area what are the options available to recover and treat the injured (no less any who have died)? Who will be present that is qualified to treat these victims? How will they be able to be transported to a proper care facility?<br />
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Having the ability to experience nature in all its glory is an extraordinary privilege. But as technology expands our abilities the phrases, "<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but photographs and memories"</span></i></b> and <b><i><span style="color: blue;">"Pack it in. Pack it out. Leave no trace"</span></i></b> take on new meanings.<br />
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Tourist helicopters have impacts and while you probably won't be able to see much their negative impacts while you are present, they will, unfortunately, leave more than footprints and traces of environmental impacts. And they will degrade the overall expedition guest experience both present and future; not to mention a potential serious impact on such places as Antarctica.<br />
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So now I ask one question of you: <b><i><span style="color: red;">Are helicopters on expedition ships worth it?</span></i></b><br />
<br />Interested in an expedition journey by sea or land? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-61693563169326617902019-10-29T13:12:00.002-07:002019-10-29T13:12:47.671-07:00Goldring Travel's Pondering of a Pop Over to Poland<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a respected travel agent/advisor/counselor/professional (Just call me a travel agent. Geez!) I receive many offers to participate in FAM (or Familiarization) trips offered at a deep discount. I never...that is never...take up any of those offers; mostly because I don't feel these trips give me an opportunity to really see what the ship, hotel or tour product really is...and why should I spent $1,000 or more for a "discounted" trip I really have no interest in.</div>
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However, I do, from time to time, receive offers to participate in sponsored and fully paid "Forums" where I am provided with complimentary airfare, hotel, tours and meals in exchange for which I am pretty much trapped in a room with dozens of suppliers that want to meet with me to pitch their products. These can be, for me, a painful experience because most of what is being pitched to me are products my clients would never be interested in. However, once in a while I will find a hidden gem of a supplier and that, to be sure, can make the entire experience worthwhile.<br />
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And, to be honest, I "suck it up" because this forum is being held in a place I have never been...and, ya never know, I just might learn something. And speaking of learning something, I find it is always better to learn a bit before I arrive, so come and take this virtual journey with me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiRhWr7IawOuqAtt8qATMhzcENPAeuB2UYuc4s94Fjbw0b58loJ7fL3YBZrXpZ5xRKUK1nIsmBtiYZ0Q5-hTv7omXBhqyLNHChz2PKeQbeSjmO-FZ0I2LR9_Gx4YJzOrvx23IizJXQnpG/s1600/Poznan+Poland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiRhWr7IawOuqAtt8qATMhzcENPAeuB2UYuc4s94Fjbw0b58loJ7fL3YBZrXpZ5xRKUK1nIsmBtiYZ0Q5-hTv7omXBhqyLNHChz2PKeQbeSjmO-FZ0I2LR9_Gx4YJzOrvx23IizJXQnpG/s640/Poznan+Poland.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poznan, Poland</td></tr>
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In mid-November, I will be traveling to Poznan, Poland for such an event: The European Travel Agent Forum. I mean I have never been to Poland, I have an Eastern European Jewish heritage and I was able to add a three-day post-forum tour of Lodz and Warsaw, Poland.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pv07pDSwGDhyZzszkMLl5uyKla6njchvtkjPOHn9gLZLf8QCgW8EkcfcF-2HhkMUrDemJrmNp41DU-cwrdBNAZzYLTVCfeQjjk57dZQokwJL8tLMcXnK9EO_WbJ0-aBPTLcWaXw_uLIF/s1600/European+Travel+Agent+Forum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pv07pDSwGDhyZzszkMLl5uyKla6njchvtkjPOHn9gLZLf8QCgW8EkcfcF-2HhkMUrDemJrmNp41DU-cwrdBNAZzYLTVCfeQjjk57dZQokwJL8tLMcXnK9EO_WbJ0-aBPTLcWaXw_uLIF/s320/European+Travel+Agent+Forum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Interestingly (at least for me) the Forum has requested I participate in a panel discussion on Culinary Travel. Imagine that?! Of course, I will and hopefully it will be an opportunity to not only share some of my knowledge but to gain some new relevant contacts...because it is important for me to "know a guy" wherever my clients may want to travel. There are going to be presentations not only about Poland, but Russia and suppliers from Eastern Europe that I otherwise probably would never encounter and might well be of interest to my clients who like to travel off the beaten paths.<br />
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Speaking of travel...I know! I know! Where the heck is Poznan, Poland, how do you get there, and what is there? </div>
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Flying from the West Coast of the United States (well actually in between the West Coast and the desert) to Poland is not the shortest of my travels. However, working with the Forum (and my kicking in just a little for the best flights) I find that on my longest legs I will be flying on Lufthansa (and I am Star Alliance Gold so I get those perks) in a 747 on the way and an A380 on the return. Pretty cool flying on the first and most recent (last?) jumbo jets on the same trip! I discovered that Lufthansa may well keep its 747 fleet longer than its newer A380 fleet. (At least as a travel geek I think this experience is interesting.)<br />
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Poznan is located in north-central Poland, on the Warta River, about three hours from Gdansk/the Baltic Sea and an equal distance from Warsaw and not much further from Berlin, Germany. It is known for its old town with Renaissance-style buildings around Old Market Square and an apparently famous town hall clock that has two rams butting heads at noon. There are also a number of universities and churches. So far, so ho-hum. But Poznan was also the location of some pretty horrific Nazi atrocities including running experiments with gas chambers on the mentally ill. (Apparently one can visit a gas chamber; something this Jewish guy isn't exactly excited about.)<br />
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On the brighter side, and as I have said oftentimes, cuisine is a doorway to understanding local cultures. There appear to be some pretty awesome culinary opportunities that I can try out before the forum begins. Knowing cabbage, pig's knuckles, kasha, and pierogis are most definitely old-school Polish cuisine (and who doesn't love a pierogi?!), it harkens back to a relatively poor farming life...which is why soup (one of the great extenders of proteins and vegetables) has deep roots in Poland. Fortunately, Poznan appears to have elevated its culinary opportunities with a number of small, high quality and creative restaurants which play off of its heritage. And, of course, I will have to try one of the many local fruit-based liquors including many varieties of nalewki (fruit, sugar, honey or herb-based), vodka and beer.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Haaretz<br /></td></tr>
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While I am in Poznan I will be staying at the Novotel Poznan Centrum, which is, fortunately, located near the old town. It is called a four-star hotel, and appears to be quite modern, but I am not so convinced. That is part of the adventure and, most certainly, not my main reason for this trip.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lodz, Poland</td></tr>
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After my four days in Poznan, I will be heading to Lodz (pronounced "Woodg") for one night. A friend of mine has been there and said it was a bit depressing as it has never really recovered from the Nazi occupation (and murdering of not only 300,000 Jews, but most of the non-Jewish population as well). There is a significant revitalization program that has been ongoing over the past few years, so I am interested to see if it has progressed further than say, Constanza, Romania. I am interested in what the tour emphasizes, hopefully including at least some of the Holocaust memorials, to be sure!</div>
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I will be staying at the Hotel Puro, a modern four-star(ish) hotel conveniently located next to the Manufaktura; Lodz's largest shopping and entertainment complex created out of an abandoned textile mill (which was the main industry in Lodz). I hope to have time to find a culinary adventure there.<br />
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After my one night in Lodz, it off to Warsaw for two nights, staying at either the Intercontinental or Double Tree. Hopefully, it is the Intercontinental (bet you never thought I would say I wanted to stay at one!) as the Double Tree is a bit out of town. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warsaw, Poland</td></tr>
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Like much of Poland, Warsaw - the former "Paris of the North" - was mostly destroyed during World War II. with much being rebuilt in the stark and utilitarian Soviet-era construction techniques. But the Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and since joining the European Union its economy had been on a steady rise. But...and it is a big BUT...there has been a rise in Ultra-Conservative politics with troubling nationalism being at the fore. I am very interested to see and feel this disquieting movement.<br />
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Regardless, a Chopin concert in the Old Town on the first evening should be an nice experience. On my second day I will be given a guided tour of Warsaw's highlights including the Old Town, Palace of Culture and Science, the Jewish Ghetto, Copernicus Science Center, Lazienki Royal Park, the Museum of Life under Communism and the Museum of Warsaw Uprising. (The treatment of the latter two based upon the recent ultra-conservative movement should be most interesting.)<br />
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With an early morning flight my time in Poland will come to an end, but hopefully I will be just that much more enriched from a culinary, cultural and supplier perspective. <br />
<br />Interested in traveling to Poland? Please give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-84116062113775682072019-10-20T15:16:00.001-07:002019-10-20T15:16:49.629-07:00Windstar's Star Breeze - Major Extension and Modifications Underway!It is exciting times at Windstar Cruises as the Star Breeze (formerly Seabourn Spirit) has just been cut in half and a new 50 suite/added public space section is being inserted as part of her four-month stem to stern renovation and revitalization. <br />
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It has been almost a year since this was announced, as described in <a href="http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2018/11/windstar-cruises-announces-lengthening.html?q=windstar+breeze">my November 2018 article</a>. And as the Star Breeze is going to be hosting the 2020 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise, I thought it appropriate to both review and look at some pretty cool photos and video.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5h9zYEBeoaErDf6pG_WnAk2IRg5E0gKP7RoHUQLCo9nnc_EI01PEqFpjOSIc99knL46vthG3cZhdg8CTPCPfN-r5apx1zNmoRIz9UstlMLoNEOumf6U1XW7T2eMZadulREMLbnoZKL9C/s1600/Windstar+Breeze+Cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5h9zYEBeoaErDf6pG_WnAk2IRg5E0gKP7RoHUQLCo9nnc_EI01PEqFpjOSIc99knL46vthG3cZhdg8CTPCPfN-r5apx1zNmoRIz9UstlMLoNEOumf6U1XW7T2eMZadulREMLbnoZKL9C/s640/Windstar+Breeze+Cut.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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From the perspective of a ship geek (I am a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers -SNAME and a - pretty much former - superyacht lawyer) I want to first share this short video. Very cool!<br />
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This is part of Windstar's $250 Million Star Initiative which will take the former Seabourn triplets from quaint and nostalgic circa 1988 "yachts" to 2020 modern intimate cruise ships. Alas, this extension of the ships is not all that is being done. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new midship Pool and Hottub </td></tr>
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Briefly...and, believe it or not:</div>
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<li><b style="color: blue; font-style: italic;">New more environmentally appropriate engines (main and generator) </b>that will increase top speed by 4 knots</li>
<li>Replace numerous pipes and cables</li>
<li>Sandblast and repaint many areas of the ship</li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Increase ship size by 30%, but guest capacity by only 24%</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Maintaining the 1.5:1 Guest to Crew Ratio</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">50 new suites </span></i></b>featuring new suite categories and open floor plan configurations.</li>
<li>Creation of <b><i><span style="color: blue;">two brand new, larger Ownerās Suites</span></i></b>, that combines existing suites to create up to a three-bedroom, two-balcony suite ā the first of its kind in the cruise industry. </li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Two brand new dining experience</span>s</i></b> (detailed below) </li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Expanded Veranda Restaurant </span></i></b>to offer significantly more ocean-view seating and upgraded dining area. </li>
<li>For existing suites, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">all-new bathrooms and installation of new sliding doors for the Balcony Suites</span></i></b>. </li>
<li><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Larger pool and hot tub</span></i></b> that will be reconfigured and elevated offering outstanding views, along with more and enhanced outdoor deck area for relaxing and sun-bathing. </li>
<li>A completely<b><i><span style="color: blue;"> re-imagined and enlarged spa and fitness center </span></i></b>to invigorate active guests. </li>
<li>A <b><i><span style="color: blue;">new elevator mid-ship</span></i></b>, making access to all decks easy from anywhere on board. </li>
<li>A comfortable, new tender loading area located mid-ship and <b><i><span style="color: blue;">two new 90-passenger tenders</span></i></b> that will ferry guests to port when ships are at anchor.</li>
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Now some details!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new Star Balcony Suites</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: red;">The Suites:</span></i></b></div>
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All of the suites will be renovated...not just refurbished...including all new bathrooms. There will actually be two different suite layouts now: The new suites (referred to as Star Suites) will have the beds near the balcony doors, picture windows, or (in a limited number of new suites) portholes. The idea is to open up the suite's space and allow those that like to lay in bed and watch the sea the opportunity. It also allows for those who find it difficult to maneuver with the bed nearer to the entry door a viable alternative. </div>
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All of the bathrooms will be replaced with most receiving a modern large shower (though some bathtub suites will exist) and, of course, the plumbing systems will be upgraded and modernized.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSxqpeQo1ap9a4xjsR91EdDNfEkFtMArHs1Cz52BwpkyGxPgG9zWq-AFnmn26INFJWPzYNuLRq4HrOrwUZPN6SZbNC71d8Tt3oPJZ9p9Tp1BC7L6THllrCVObFrB9xJ6TDKlcd8-eKR54/s1600/Windstar_Suite_Bathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1600" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSxqpeQo1ap9a4xjsR91EdDNfEkFtMArHs1Cz52BwpkyGxPgG9zWq-AFnmn26INFJWPzYNuLRq4HrOrwUZPN6SZbNC71d8Tt3oPJZ9p9Tp1BC7L6THllrCVObFrB9xJ6TDKlcd8-eKR54/s400/Windstar_Suite_Bathroom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new Suite Bathrooms</td></tr>
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The Owner's Suite will be totally renovated and will be expandable into multi-bedroom affairs. There will also be Deluxe Suites located midship that are essentially 1.75 standard suites in size with a bedroom and living room area along with double French balconies or windows.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdDyPp2l27gAwoQ2ICibHbkEJLuKU4ewkpjjaEo5maKP8Z365GZHjBxMYH49hFSwwr18ofXx79NqKutSdCQLsuwaXZW3gLpomrmAswsTU-U-Ly6n8ubgulpCCK2C3786FdVr34nox1RDU/s1600/Windstar_Owner%2527s_Suite_Midship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdDyPp2l27gAwoQ2ICibHbkEJLuKU4ewkpjjaEo5maKP8Z365GZHjBxMYH49hFSwwr18ofXx79NqKutSdCQLsuwaXZW3gLpomrmAswsTU-U-Ly6n8ubgulpCCK2C3786FdVr34nox1RDU/s640/Windstar_Owner%2527s_Suite_Midship.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new Mid-Ship Owner's Suite</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: red;">Two New Restaurants: </span></i></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new Cuadro 44</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Cuadro 44 </span></i></b>is a Spanish tapas-style restaurant in partnership with Steven Sasso, a young well-recognized chef (by both Michelin and James Beard House) who has spent his lifetime studying Spanish food and culture, with a particular focus on Catalan cuisine. Cuadro 44 will feature such culinary treats as jamon iberico (Spanish ham from black pigs raised on acorns that has been aged for 24 months; a favorite of mine), Catalon lamb chops, Galician-style octopus, churros and more.The restaurant is to have a more rustic and comfortable feel for its intimate 38 guests with warm Spanish-inspired colors, tiled floors, a Chef's Counter and a communal table for tapas and family-style dining along with private seating. <i>(A bit of trivia: The name in English is "Frame 44" which refers to the restaurant's location: The 44th frame of the ship!)</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windstar Cruises' new Star Grill</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Star Grill by Steven Raichlen</span></i></b> is an al fresco dining experience on the top deck near the Star Bar which will be open for lunch and dinners, as well as having a limited menu for late-morning treats on sea days. Chef Raichlen is considered by some to have reinvented modern barbeque and has authored 31 books and been on numerous television shows, winning both James Beard and IACP Julia Child awards. The menu will, obviously, include seafood, lamb, beef from the grill, smoker, and rotisserie coupled with innovative sauces such as Danish smoked shrimp, lemongrass port skewers and Hill Country brisket. </div>
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Technically not new, <b><i><span style="color: blue;">The Veranda</span></i></b> is being totally revamped to the point you may not recognize it, with a modern flair, more oceanview seating and outdoor furniture and a coffee bar. And, of course, a revamped menu. <b><i><span style="color: blue;">Amphora, </span></i></b>the main restaurant, already a wonderful dining space and I do not believe it will be the subject of any major modifications.</div>
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While the Star Breeze is now undergoing its four-month Star Plus renovation, the Star Legend will be the second of the triplets to undergo same, with the Star Pride being the last. The entire project is expected to be completed by November 2020.</div>
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Interested in booking a Windstar cruise? Pleave give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484482765033532067.post-52853381336845415122019-10-04T13:26:00.004-07:002019-10-04T13:26:55.869-07:00Announcing the 2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise on the Seabourn Venture!<br />
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OK, this one I am super-excited about! </div>
<br />On April 8, 2022, Goldring Travel's Culinary & Cultural <strike>Cruise </strike><span style="color: red;"><b>Expedition </b></span>is heading to the Peruvian Amazon on the Seabourn Venture for a truly unique combination of incredible wildlife and natural beauty, coupled with some of the finest cuisine in the world (Lima, Peru is a world-renowned culinary hotspot), and fascinating cultures.<br />
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We will be sailing on April 8, 2022 for a 10 Night Heart of the Amazon cruise on the most luxurious, high tech, and well-designed, expedition ship that will be first sailing as of July 2021. <br />
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I will soon be releasing an article on everything you want to know about the Seabourn Venture, so look out for it. It is an incredible vessel!<br />
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Our Culinary & Cultural Expedition will start in Lima, Peru for at least one night for a special culinary experience. My last time in Lima I dined at a beautiful unique restaurant that only used ingredients from the Amazon and Andes mountains, presenting them in wonderful, nature-inspired, dishes. There are so many options and high-quality restaurants this alone will be a great experience.<br />
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The next morning we will fly from Lima over the Andes mountains to Iquitos, Peru. It is a small but busy port town at the effective terminus of the Amazon River. There is not much to see in Iquitos other than remnants of its heyday when rubber was king, so we will promptly board the Seabourn Venture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iquitos, Peru</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The next ten days will amaze you...and you will truly get to experience an expedition, as tides, water levels, rain, sun and movement of wildlife will determine where exactly we will stop. There are very few ports and even less that can handle a ship such as the Seabourn Venture. What you will be able to experience along the way are amazing animals and wonderful people as well as exposure to truly different cultures. And, I am certain, that when the ship docks in Manaus, Brazil you will not want this expedition to end.</span><br />
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As they say, "A Picture Paints A Thousand Words", so here are some of my photographs from the Peruvian Amazon. From sloths, to different dolphin species, piranha, macaws and other birds, sunsets, sunrises, thunderstorms, beautiful people and interesting cultures, if this doesn't inspire you to join Goldring Travel...<br />
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<b>Note</b>: I am also considering a pre-journey either to the <b><span style="color: blue;">Galapagos </span></b>or <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Machu Picchu</span></b>. I, personally, believe a journey to the Galapagos is more aligned with an Amazon expedition, but I know many think that since they are in Peru, Machu Picchu is the thing to do. I am more than happy to take everyone's options into consideration and create that experience...or I can arrange independent journeys to either in advance of this 2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise. (And, of course, you can also continue on the Seabourn Venture through the mouth of the Amazon ending in Cape Verde.)<br />
<br />
<b>Another Note: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The 2020 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise visiting Greece and Turkey is sold out, but we are taking waitlists. </li>
<li>The 2021 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise or Expedition has not yet been determined. Suggestions are welcome!</li>
</ul>
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Prices for the 2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Expedion start at $9,999.00 + taxes for a Veranda Suite. Please book this as early as possible! Remember that if you wait you may not secure the suite you want or even the category. As you know, if you see Seabourn has lowered the price Goldring Travel will get you that lower price right up until the final payment is due. So don't delay as<b><span style="color: red;"> the 2022 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Expedition will most certainly sell out early!</span></b><br />
<br />Interested in booking this Experience, or any other journey, give me a call, drop me an <a href="mailto:eric@goldringtravel.com">email </a>or send me a Facebook message!<br /><br />US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)<br />UK: 020 8133 3450<br />AUS: (07) 3102 4685<br />Everywhere Else: +1 530 562 9232Goldring Travelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11718750839732757035noreply@blogger.com