Our cruise started in Montreal, Quebec in October 2007. The weather was unbelievably beautiful for this time of the year with blue skies but cool.
Old and New MONTREAL is a must see. Mont Royal known as the mountain to locals towers above the city. The down town sector blends into a rich historical past with a bright future to keep Montreal in the forefront. Old Montreal offers one of North America's most remarkable architechture from the 17th-19th century buildings.
We stayed a week in Montreal, drove to Mont Tremblant and stayed at the Fairmont Hotel. We also spent a beautiful sunny day in Quebec City visiting the sites. We checked in at the Intercontinental a night before the cruise. Hotelrewards.com on lines gave us a great rate for a deluxe room on the 23rd floor.
The Veendam docked across from the Musee de la Civilizatiion and Place Royal. We sailed at 4.30pm for Quebec City.
KEBEC is an Iroquois phrase meaning "the straits" or the place where the river narrows. When the French arrived in the 17th century, they mistakenly assumed that it was called Quebec. Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City, Canada's first permanent colonial community.
Quebec province is about the same size as Alaska. It is a unique place. French speaking territory of nearly 9m people enjoy a distinct culture that sets it apart from the rest of the mostly Anglicized nation. Quebec is an incredibly picturesque city.
On 10 October 2007, we docked at the port in Quebec City. It was a cloudy morning and we could see the multi-turreted castle like facade of the Hotel Frontenac. This hotel is a part of the Canadian Pacific group and is a city landmark and a historic property. From the cliff edge, one can see the harbour and St. Lawrence river below. The streets of the old town, built 400 years ago still follow the original city plan. Quebec has always been a 2-level town. Haute Ville (upper village) is the original elevated sectiion of the city whereas Basse Ville (lower village) is the quaint area below. It looked like an ideal European setting with bistros, boutiques and sidewalk cafes. We could have been walking somewhere in France! UNESCO added the neighbourhood of the old town, upper town with its fortifications, Citadel and shopping district, to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1985. New city refers to all construction after the 18th century bastions were built.
A few historic footprints
1535 - Jacques Cartier mistakes the native word Kaanata (a group of small huts)
1608 - Samuel de Champlain establishes Quebec.
1753 - George Washington marches into Monogabela. French troops stop him.
1867 - Canada is sovereign under the British North American Act. Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are united as the Dominion of Canada.
The 250-acre national Battlefield Park was established in 1908 to commemorate Quebec's 300th birthday. Quebec City is now getting ready for the celebration of her 400th birthday in 2008.
SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA
Cruise terminal located directly across from the ship. Internet, information office, arts and crafts in the terminal. A 5 minute walk to town.
Nova Scotia is latin for New Scotland and it is evident on Cape Breton Island. interesting sites to visit are the Fortress of Louisbourg where one can relive history stepping back in time to 1744 at this fortress.
THE CABOT TRAIL
Alexander Graham Bell (Bell Canada) was inspired by this beauty that Cape Breton offered. Here one can retrace the historic route between the isolated Scottish, English and French Acadian and Mi'kmag communities with some of the most dramatic and unspoiled scenery in North America, including Spruce covered mountains, tranquil rivers and ocean beaches.
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL MUSEUM - Bell spent his last 37 years of his life in a beautiful resort village situated on an inlet of the lovely Bras d'Or lakes. The Bell museum is operated by Parks Canada which does full justice to the outstanding accomplishments of the man best known for the invention of the telephone and his contributions in the fields of medicine, genetics, electricity, sound and speech as well as aeronautics and marine engineering.
For Black Gold, one can also take a Cape Breton mine experience tour.
It was still cloudy and raining on and off so we chose to walk in old Sydney town founded by loyalists fleeing the American revolution. Sydney harbour, amongst the most strategic on the Atlantic, played a major role in both world wars.
Whitney Pier Museum devoted to 55 ethnic groups make up the population of Sydney.
Fort Petrie Battery protected the harbour from enemy attack during World War II.
Spirit of the Fiddle - Sounds of Cape Breton is a musical experience unique to Cape Breton Island influenced by the Scottish, Irish and Acadian tradition.
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax is the British heart of Atlantic Canada, a maritime metropolis and the capital of Nova Scotia. Halifax is home to 5 universities. Nova Scotia was explored by the English, but settled by the French, Irish and Scots, all except Halifax which was founded by George M. Dunk, Earl of Halifca. One of the greenest cities, it is located on a hilly peninsula surrounded by one of the world's great harbours. Fortresses crowned the hills in the early times and pasutres surrounding them. A few of the grand fortresses survive and the pastures have been turned into parks. Halifax has all the vibrant activity and cultural opportunities of a much larger city with a population of 114,000 people.
THE MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC - Displays of the explosion in 1917.
The world was reminded of Halifax and its maritime heritage again with the release of the Titanic, a popular motion picture. The port was a key operations base in the recovery of the HMS Titanic. Fairview Cemetery is a local attraction where more than 100 people were burried. Rows of granite headstones inscribed with the same haunting date April 15 1912.
PIER 21 - a historic site at the cruise pavillion is the nations only remaining immigration shed. Nearly 1m people arrived at the pier between 1928-1971.
THE CITADEL is easy to find. The looming Georgian style clock tower on George Street will lead you to the Citadel. The fortress was built in 1749 and reconstructed in 1856. The thick walls collapsed regularly in spring thaws supplying builders with steady seasonable repair work.
PEGGY'S COVE- a drive along the coast will bring you to Peggy's Cove which is a rustic and charming fishing village, situated on a narrow ocan inlet with huge granite boulders. This is Canada's most photographed sites. One can visit the lighthouse and eat at the popular local restaurant offering majestic views of the craggy coastline and picture perfect lighthouse which also functions as a post office.
In the 1840's, when Charles Dickens passed through Halifax, he referred to the province House, the seat of government and Canada's oldest legislative building, as a gem of Georgian architechture.
We set sail for BAR HARBOUR, MAINE
The sun came out through the cloudy skies on arriving in Bar Harbour. All guests go through US Immigration here. Tenders then take guests to John B. Ellis Pier on Main Street.
BAR HARBOUR has its historical roots in the grand resort era of the late 19th century. Bar Harbour is on the eastern side of Mount Desert (Monde Zair) Island. Samuel Champlain named the island Ille des Mont Deserts. When Bar Harbour was established in 1796, Maine was still a Massachusettes province! 200 years later, one will still get a heated response if one asks a Maine resident about the pre-state period. Mid 19th century, painters were attracted in search of new landscape subjects. Customers began to enquire about the beautiful scenes in their work. Soon tourists were coming to Bar Harbour and rail and steamboat travel in the 1850's brought more people. New York and Boston millionaires bought properties here and for almost a century, Bar Harbour was an exclusive high society resort. In 1947, fire brought disaster and dozens of lavish homes and forested areas burned down when the blaze broke out. More than 17,000 acres had burned, more than half in Acadia National Park. The golden era of Bar Harbour as a resort was over! Today, Bar Harbour is 'quintessential Maine'! Pleasant place to stroll, the small seaside community has been a favorite summer resort for many years.
Acadia National Park is the 7th most visited national park in the U.s.
Lobsters is the highlight here. Stewmans restaurant right next to the port is good for fresh lobsters and clams and even export to clients abroad.
16 October 2007 - NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND . We entered the Rhode Island sound and the ship embarked the pilot for Newport, heading north where the ship anchored off Goat Island. Sunny skies, warm and beautiful weather. Tender to the city of Newport. Rhode Island, also known as little Rhody and the Ocean state, is the smallest and most densely populated state. One of the chief ports in Rhode Island in addition to Providence and Quonset Point, is the lovely city of Newport. It is home to 2 religious monuments, the friends meeting house (1700) and the Touro Synagogue (1763), both the oldest such buildings in the U.S.
NEWPORT was founded in 1639 by some of the same settlers who followed Roger Williams from Massachusetts. Following a devision in that settlement, William Coddington moved himself and his followers to the southern end of the island and established what is known today as Newport. By 1720, the city by the city ranked with Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charlston amongst the top five commercial centres of colonial N. America.
Newport has an excellent harbour and renowned for its beautiful beaches and in the past it was the playground of the rich and famous, the Vanderbilt family to name but one. The award winning museum of Newport history is well worth a visit. Follow the story of the 17th century English settlers who founded the community in an effort to foster on religious tolerance. There are many mansions of interest but some of the more noted properties - Wanton-Lyman-hazard House and Edward King House. Other mansions of interest: Ochre Court, Cliff Walk, Belcourt Castle.
A one hour long ferry ride will take you from Newport to Providence (across from the Marriot Hotel). Boston and New York are not far either. Summer months are full of tourist and Newport is very crowded. The best time of the year to go is autumn and it was warm and sunny even in October, so one has to be lucky with the weather too. We walked a lot and visited the wharfs and had a lovely lobster lunch at the Mooring on Sayer's wharf. Shops and bars and restaurants open around lunch time and tourists still visit Newport until Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve and then things start slowing down until spring.
Our next port of call - CHARLSTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Once we picked up anchor in Newport and disembarked the pilot, our ship headed south for three days at sea. During the night and day, we sailed past New York and Cape Fear following the eastern seaboard south to Charlston, South Carolina.
CHARLSTON was formally established in 1670, although there were earlier colonial homesteads. South Carolina's oldest permanent community lines a narrow peninsula bounded by the Ashley and Cooper rivers, which join to form a natural harbour. The port has figured prominently in American history, most notably as the place where the first shot of the civil war was fired in April 1861.
Conde Nast ranked the city of Charlston amongst America's top ten visitor destinations eight years in a row. Charlston has a quaint and closely packed brick, stucco and painted wood homes accented with magnificient gardens of fragrant roses and vibrant bougainvillea line the orderly streets. In the back streets of the city, we even saw Georgian redbrick mansions and porches with tiers of stately classic white columns. Charlstonians have always exhibited a remarkable facility to regroup and rebound but the 19th century restoration efforts were interrupted by a series of destructive earthquakes. In 1886, the worst of the tremors hit Charlston and toppled many of the old buildings that had survived the war.
Fort Sumter, which is administered by the National Park Service is built on a man-made island strategically located in the middle of the Charlston. Tours from Liberty Square, a short distance from the cruise ship harbour terminal, takes you to the fort and guided tours last approximately two and a half hours.
The city market is located in a historical district. The low roofed sheds were built in 1841 to house fruits and vegetables and fish markets. Handcrafted basketry and hats are also found in this facility. A varietyof antiques are also sold here. The politically questionable Confederate Museum is housed on the main building on Market Street between Meeting and East Bay. This museum recalls a painful period in American history. Many of Charlston's stately old mansions are preserved as museums. The following short list got us started on our trip. RAINBOW ROW, 83 through 107 East Bay Street, is so named for a line of 14 houses that are painted to match colours in the rainbow. Good subjects for photograhy. A wealthy local merchant built NATHANIEL RUSSEL HOUSE on 51 Meeting Street in 1808. EDMONDSTON ALSTON HOUSE on 21 East Battery Street built in 1825 with splendid views of the harbour. HEYWARD WASHINGTON HOUSE built in 1772. George Washington stayed in the home in 1791. DRAYTON HALL, heralded as one of the finest standing examples of American colonial architechture was built in 1738. It is a perfectly preserved home and is the only Ashley River plantation house to have survived the Civil war intact.
Well worth a trip is to take a horse carriage ride to see the historical city and the stately mansions and listen to the guides tell you all about the history of Charlston.
Old southern cotton plantations, such as Boone Hall plantations was built in 1681, and re-constructed in 1935, using the ruins of the original house as building materials. Lower floors can be toured and several movies about the south have been filmed at the site.
Charlston has more than 150 churches, a truly staggering number for its size and earned its unofficial nickname "the holy city".
Charlston has many beaches near the city such as Sullivan's Island, presitine beaches and a local favorite, Isle of Palms and Folly Beach Park. Kaiwah Island, just outside Charlston offers a ten-mile expanse of pristine coastal habitat.
Southern cooking - Crab soup tops the list of local delicacies, but fried Okra, and black eyed peas also get you into the real spirit. Cornbread or grits is served with everything and 'wine of the south' is the local sweet tea.
Final port of call on this 10 day cruise - Tampa, Florida. If you are planning to spend some time in Florida, it is recommended to transfer to St. Petersburg and stay in a hotel on the beach and enjoy the beautiful sunshine! |
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| Posted by Nargis Gercke at | | | |
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Visiting South America was always a far fetched dream that I had but it actually came true when I booked a few of my clients on the Insignia, Oceania cruiselines to cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso during the beautiful month of January. I booked my husband and myself on the cruise and joined them. One couple came from Ireland, one from London, England and one from Vancouver. We all met in Buenos Aires at the Alvear Palace Hotel.
We flew Air Canada out of Vancouver to Toronto with a stop over for a couple of hours in the Executive lounge before we boarded the flight. In the lounge, there was nothing to eat but the bar was open! The flight was long and we finally arrived in Santiago, Chile. Great duty shop at the airport and we stretched our legs a little and back on the flight bound for Buenos Aires. What a relief! The sun was warm and the airport just buzzing with traffic as many flights had just arrived. Our driver was waiting for us to take us to the hotel.
Alvear Palace is right in the midst of action! A majestic palace with very lavish rooms. We rested a little, had a glass of champagne to celebrate our arrival in B.A. and met the group to take our transfer to the tango show at ESQUINA CARLOS GARDEL. We had a fantastic steak dinner with Argentinian wine and the show just blew us away. The tour was organized by Badino Tourismo SA, Alem 651 3rd Piso, (1001) Buenos Aires Tel: 54-11-5238-7750. This whole package was supplied to me through Gilda Gutierrez in Miami who was just a great person to work with and did what she promised.
19 JANUARY 2007 at 9.30am after breakfast in the sun room of the Alvear Palace, Marta came to pick us up and show us the city. BUENOS AIRES, here we come!
First we visited the Recoleta Cemetery: Inside this exclusive cemetery, the remains of Argentina's most famous people, and the most famous Argentinian woman is found: EVA PERON " EVITA" died in 1954. She was only in her 30's and she died of cancer. Then we drive on to Teatro Colon, Museum des Beaux Arts and Eva Peron museum. Lunch was organized at "Spettus" in Puerto Madero. This is the old port of B.A. renewed and improved is now one of the selected and visited areas by the tourists. There are elegant restaurants all of them with a river view and there is a huge movie complex in the area. Nodoubt, there are beautiful leather shoe and bag stores. The restaurant serves all different cuts of steaks, lamb, chicken, a cold buffet with lots of fish and great South American wines again. We spent some time in May Square and the Metropolitan Cathedral and on the next day before boarding the ship, we visited the Museum of Beaux Arts which was just 5 mins walk fromt he hotel. Buenos Aires was just as I had pictured it in my mind, classy shops, well dressed and chic people and a lot of excitement in the city. Architechture is a mixture of French and Spanish and in some avenues, you could be in Paris, Lisbon or Madrid! The driver was at the hotel entrance punctual as ever and took us to the port to board the ship. In minutes we were on board and settled in our staterooms. For informatiion on the ship, the staterooms and all the amenities on board, email me at nargisg@shaw.ca
Our first port of call, MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - January 21 2007
One of South America's most interesting cities. Just as we debarked the ship, we found a van for 6 people. He charged us $150 for 6 hours. He drove us to the city and we visited the Theatre which is a gorgeous building for Opera/Operetta. Montevideo lies on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata, almost directly opposite Buenos Aires on the west bank. The most intriguing area is the Ciudad Vieja, the colonial grid on a small peninsula near the port and harbour that was once surrounded by protective walls. Avenida 18 of July (Avenida 18 de Julio) is the capital's main commercial and entertainment zone. Mercado del Puerto - A walking distance from the ship and the port is a market with reasonably priced "Parillas" Choose your cut off the grill restaurants and also some up market places where they serve sea food. Vendors selling silver and other ornaments in this market.
23 JANUARY 2007 -PUERTO MADRYN - Old towns Trelew and Gaiman with red brick cottages. Way back, the Welsh settled here. I arranged for the group to see the Maguellan Penguins in Punta Tomba. The Valdez Peninsula is a privileged bird and sea fauna reservation, and the peak attraction is the southern whale that comes to these coasts to breed every year between May and December. Valdez Peninsula is a geographical accident resembling an island and attached to the continent by a narrow part which is only 35 km wide named Isthmus. Once you are in the peninsula, you can tour its coasts populated by sea lions and sea elephants and many birds. Puerto Piramides is the peak tourist attraction. A cozy little town with lodging facilities and restaurants.
We drove 180km south of P. Madryn and visted the penguins in PUNTA TOMBA. This is a natural protected area. Here lies the most important conony of Magallanic penguins. We drove through the Pantagonia dessert, the third largest in the world after the Sahara dessert and the Gobi in Mongolia. The penguins were named after Ferdinand Magellan who spotted them during his expedition. GAIMAN is the Welsh town but there was no time to visit the tea houses that are found here. The architechture, the traditions and even the Welsh language of the first settlers is still to be found. Welsh tea is served by the descendants of the first settlers.
25 JANUARY 2007 - PORT STANLEY FALKLAND ISLAND - We took a tender to get to the port. The highlights are Sparrow Cove penguins. The battlefield of the Falklands, Fitzroy Farm Hall - Battle of 1982 Mountain bases where the battle took place. There are jeeps that take you around the island for $50 per person. We hiked to Gypsey Cove, 5 miles from the dainty town of Port Stanley. 2 hours of solid walking, we arrived at the cove which is a beautiful park with mummy penguins in the holes with their babies. There was a colony of penguins on the beach with the king penguins standing out amongst the little ones. Back in town, The Globe is the place to have a drink and eat fish and chips. The War Memorial, the Government House and the museum are all very interesting to walk to as you pass the Jubillee houses. I felt I was in England. The weather made this port of call very very interesting because one does hear, there is NOTHING In Falkland Island, but we enjoyed it and have good memories!
JANUARY 27 2007 - USHUAIA - the southern most city in the in the world. We have been so lucky with the weather, the sea has been calm and it is unusually comfortable temperatures. Tierra del Fuego - Land of Fire is where we are heading. Very little English spoken by taxi drivers. $25 for the cab ride and $7 for entrance fees but ONLY LOCAL MONEY ACCEPTED. This park belongs to Argentina and Chile. It was created in 1960. Limited variety of fauna, 20 species of mammals and 90 species of birds. There are no amphibians on the island. Many lakes in the park. Lago Roca, Bahia Lapatia. The scenery just blows one away! The town gets quite busy with tourists at this time of the year, mostly cruise ships when they can dock because rough weather can divert the ships to the next port. TANTA NINA is a good restaurant near the port (We saw one of the chef's from the ship having lunch here so it must be good!). Prices are very reasonable and the food and wine are both premium class. Internet cafes, lots of cute little and big souvenir shops, Onyx and T-shirts and much more. Bought a little t-shirt for my grandson here.
INSIGNIA - OCEANIA is a delightful ship, very elegant and the crew is amazing. The Polo Grill, The Toscana and the Grand Dining Room are exclusive! The Tapas Bar is very relaxed and just the place when you do not need any entertaining! Not all clientele is 'high end' but many who just have the money to spend and want to be on a smaller ship! I am a good judge of people and from the bridge sessions I attended every afternoon, I made my impressions on the gentle people and arrogant ones!
We have one day at sea and the next morning the vessel enters the BEAGLE CHANNEL. Fantastic view from the starboard side of the ship and then at 5pm, we start sailing through the CHILEAN FJORDS AND GLACIERS with many waterfalls due to the melting snow. The glaciers have receded dramatically due toglobal warming.
29 JANUARY 2007 - PUNTA ARENAS
Rainy Morning but cleared up to a comfortable warm day. PUNTA ARENAS is a small town and if you want to take a day off and relax on the ship, this is the time to do it. OTWAY SOUND is the highlight here and there are more penguins to see.
CHILEAN FJORDS - Sailing through fjords in the early morning is just magical! Everyone gathers on the top deck to watch the captain manouevering through a very narrow channel. The weather is disappointing, misty and grey, 45 mile wind and raining but the INSIGNIA sails away smoothly towards LAGUNA SAN RAFAEL. There are two more nights at sea. Lots of bridge and Trivia but NO CASINO as Chilean laws forbid gambling while on their waters. The captain has promised the guests that on 31 January when he sails away from the inside passage, he might make the 28km distance from Chile and on international waters requirement when we would be able to go to the Casino. ARRIVAL IN LAGUNA SAN RAFAEL - the ship anchors here and they offerCatamaran tours to the glaciers. Laguna San Rafael National Park is located on the Pacific coast of Southern Chile. The park is named for the lagoon formed by the retreat of the San Rafael glacier. It was created in 1959 and covers an area of 1,742,000 hectares and includes the northern Patagonian ice field. A fjord more than 10 miles long is one of the parks principle attractions. This park is designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979.
2 FEBRUARY 2007 - CHACABUCO - this is a little shanty town where there is nothing to do except if you take a tour organized by the ship to Simpson Valley for nature walks and admiring waterfalls. I have saved my money for the Iguazu Falls in Brazil! We walked to the internet and the little supermarket. A local bus will take you to AISEN which is 18 km and the next bigger town!
3 FEBRUARY 2007 - PUERTO MONTT
Sailing through fjords and islands, we arrive at Puerto Montt where we anchor and go on land to the small town of P. Montt. Gateway to the southern lakes, it is 634 miles south of Santiago. P. Montt is a very modern city. The German presence is very significant with signs for Juchen, Blumenhaus etc. There is an interesting fish market in Angelmo and many sea food restaurants. 16 miles north is VARAS. It is the largest town on the lake Llanquinhue. Along the way, you pass the town of Fruitillar which is tidy little town west of the lake.We took a car and went to Petrohue Falls, which are azure blue rapids.
5 FEBRUARY 2007 - SANTIAGO, CHILE - So sad the cruise is over! There is a big lineup to disembark as a bus takes you to the actual port where you pick your luggage up. The private van and driver are waiting for us and he shows us the city of Valparaiso. I found the information very interesting. Valparaíso is Chile’s most important seaport and an increasingly vital cultural center. The city is located in central Chile, where it is capital of the Region of Valparaíso. Valparaiso is also home of the National Congress. Built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso boasts a labyrinth of streets and cobblestone alleyways, embodying a rich architectural and cultural legacy. Valparaíso is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often considered to be one of Latin America’s most intriguing urban areas. Valparaiso like most of Chile is vulnerable to earthquakes. The last major earthquake to strike the city directly was in 1906 which devastated the city and killed nearly 20,000. Then we drive to Vina del Mar and have lunch at Vina Indomita. We spend two nights at the Ritz Carlton in Santiago. During the early 19th century, Santiago remained a small town with few buildings excepting Palacio de La Moneda, the building used as the Chilean mint during the Spanish period, and a few churches and other civic buildings. The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús caught fire during an 1863 church service, and 2000 people died, one of the worst modern fires.In the 1880s extraction of nitrate fertilizer in Northern Chile brought prosperity to the country, and promoted the capital city's development. Important landmarks were built in 1910 during the Centennial celebrations for independence from Spain.Santiago began its transformation into a modern city in the 1930s, with the building of the Barrio Cívico, surrounding El Palacio de La Moneda. The city also grew in population, due to migration from the north and south of Chile. In 1985 an earthquake destroyed some historically significant buildings in the downtown area. The evenings were always organized with dinner and a show and this time, we saw a Flklore show at the Balihai Restaurant in Santiago. Amazing dancers and very athletic! The next day, we took a half day tour to CONHA Y TORO winery. All Chilean wines are delicious and the walk through the vineyards and the surroundings is breathtaking. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant before we left three of our clients at the airport as they had an early evening flight and we went back to the Ritz in the Concierge lounge to have cocktails and light buffet before we headed out for the airport to catch our late flight back to Toronto. Memories are still very vivid in our minds of this very educational trip to South America. Our next dream is to fly to Punta Arenas and pick up a small ship to discover Antartica. |
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| Posted by Nargis Gercke at | | | |
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We have recently come back from having spent two months in Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia......At the end of our trip, and after having watched the Tennis Masters tournament in Melbourne late January, we returned to Vancouver, BC. We were so sad to leave downunder!
To start the trip in December, we flew from Vancouver to LAX and on to Papeete. It was pouring with rain in Papeete on arrival but we could smell the flowers and the warmth in the air. These rainstorms do not last long and before we knew it, it was too hot!
We cruised with Radisson's Paul Gauguin from Papeete for seven days visiting all the gorgeous islands........Moorea, Bora Bora, Taha'a, Raiatea.....it was a dream and the memories just linger on! The beauty of all these South Pacific islands is that they have kept their Tahitian heritage. Mostly French, American and cruise ship guests wandering the streets and the beaches and also a lot of international package tour guests. Amongst international visitors, we found many local families with children at expensive resorts on the islands.
On board the Paul , Marine Biologist Dr Michael Poole enlightened us all about the dolphin and the whale population of the South Pacific. Lecturers gave us interesting information on the Polynesian Legends and the life of Paul Gauguin. We felt like a 'one big family' on board the ship and everyone knew each other.
We arrive at Radisson's private island 'Motu Mahana' where a delicious feast awaits. This is an exclusive private white sandy beach featuring an open bar area, shaded palm trees and clear turquoise waters. It The tender brought us to the beach in the morning and everyone was excited about snorkling in these coral gardens!
In Bora Bora, the climax of the trip is the view of Fa'anui Bay from a traditional plantation high up in the mountains. We rented a car with another couple and drove around for the whole day visiting small villages and driving through steep terrain admiring the trees, the plants and the lifestyle of the local people.
All good things come to an end. We are at the airport waiting for our flight to Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland is an awesome place! The people are just so warm and friendly. We stayed 4 days at the President Plaza suites at a very reasonable price of CAD100 which gave us an apartment with all the amenities within the unit. Our unit overlooked the water and we watched our next ship that we were going to join, coming into the port. We walked to the port and checked in for the Statendam (Holland America) which took us to all the major cities in New Zealand.
NAPIER is a very attractive touristic Art Deco, Spanish Mission style city.
On December 27, we arrive in Wellington. We walked a lot in Wellington. Right opposite Grey Street, we picked up a cable car and went all the way to the top. Stunning views of the harbour from above. Then we walked the trail to the Observatory and enjoyed the rose gardens and more amazing flowers.
PICTON was the next port of call. Quaint little town with lovely homes on the water. Active in the summer as it is also a ferry port and families visit other cities during school holidays.
CHRISTCHURT The port is called Lyttleton and a free shuttle from the port takes you to the town of Lyttleton. It is a very small place and nothing much to see or do. You can take a local bus number 28 which takes you to the city of Christchurch. A very beautiful city with nee-gothic style buildings. The English presence is vividly felt everywhere with pubs and red telephone booths like in England, the Museum, the Botanical gardens past Montreal Street is worth visiting. A french flare around Montreal Street!
DUNEDIN is the last port in New Zealand on this cruise before the ship heads for the scenic Fjordland National Park and Milford Sound. Dunedin (Edinburg) is a beautiful city with Victorian and Edwardian architechture. The port of Otago is 11 miles from Dunedin. Scottish immigrants came here in the mid 19 century. They also found gold in 1860 here. There are also yellow eyed penguins and with yellow bands on their heads.
MILFORD SOUND - We then arrive in the National Park. Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. Fjords carved by the tremendous pressure and power of glaciers during successive ice ages, then later flooded by the sea, the ice melts and sea levels rise. This is a world heritage area and it is awe inspiring. The captain of the ship goes around again so we can enjoy this beautiful day and the magic scenery! James Cook called this doubtful sound because of the rough seas and we experienced two days of it crossing over to Burnie, the largest port in Tasmania. Burnie is small and quiet and windy!
MELBOURNE here we come! Friends met us at the port and we drove to St Kilda for coffee. He took us around the city, Toorak, Kew, Cantebury, South Yarra, where we had an Italian lunch.
Ms Statendam enters the harbour passage (Gap Bluff) and docks at Circular Quai in awesome Sydney with her Opera House and Harbour bridge in sight. We take a quick $15 ride to the Holiday Inn in Djarling Harbour where we stayed at the Holiday Inn which is a practical location. We walked to Market City, China town and interesting Djarling Harbour where you find the most wonderful restaurants one after the other. We took a ferry to Manly Beach and enjoyed a sunny day and walked the bustly town for hours. An aquaintance we made on the ship, drove us to Watson Bay for a fish meal at Doyles restaurant on the water. We walked across the street from the restaurant to a lookout point and had a magnificient view of gap bluff. This is where we sailed in before docking in Sydney. Then he took us on a scenic drive to BONDI BEACH.
Another acquaintance we made on the ship was Astrid and she drove us to visit the Kuala Park and Newport Beach. We had lunch at the Newport Beach Hotel with a view of the marina. We drove around Mount Colah and St Ives which are beautiful residential areas in the suburbs of Sydney.....email us at nargisg@shaw.ca
You can also get in touch with us through our website http://www.travelwithexperience.com
Australia is amazing! From Sydney we flew to the gateway of the Barrier Reef - Cairns! The Australians are amazingly friendly and Qantas is just great to travel with. Another couple of days at the Holiday Inn and our first tour we booked through the hotel with Trek North to see Daintree Forest. This is winter time in Cairns and it is not exactly warm there. The coach takes us to Palm Cove where the beach is beautiful and there are very expensive shore properties in between rainforests. Honeymooners like to come here and in fact we had one on board the tour! Then on to Daintree forest and we got an awesome guided walk through the forest and river. Another short drive to the Daintree river cruise where we went searching for crocodiles. The best time of the year for this is July/August. The tour includes a scrumptious lunch at Daintree restaurant. Here, Richard the owner of the restaurant serves us Burramundi and chips and many different tropical fruits. He explains in detail their origin. It is pouring rain in January, their winter and long awaited rain for the forests to survive. After lunch we drive to the Sanctuary where we enjoy an hour of walking in the rain through the rain forest. Fresh air and the fragrance of the forest just takes your breath away! It just doesn't seem real. We took pictures of amazing birds, crocos, Kualas and kangaroos (joey).
Port Douglas is a beautiful town and we drive to the lookout point where you see miles and miles of white sandy beach. Here we see the 'Lipstick' properties that are so expensive and owned by many hollywood stars. Lipstic is a flower which many smear on their lips and it does not come off very quickly. In Port Douglas, there are many beautiful shops, bars, restaurants and we had an hour to walk around. On our way back to Cairns, we stopped at a sugar mill and a pineapple field. Back in Cairns, we took a walk to the city market and the very appealing downtown with lots of places where one can eat.
A tour to the Barrier Reef is next on the list. We picked up a catamaran served by Great Adventures to Green Island and the reef. It took an hour to Green Island and another hour to the reef. Here we enjoyed snorkling, and semi sub tour of the Coral Reef with marine biologist Juri who gave us so much interesting information ! Unimaginable what you see at this reef! Rotbarsch, sharks, Queensland fish and more fish in unbelievable colours.
We fly from Cairns to Townsville. Not a city to visit unless one has to. The town was dead during the day on a Saturday, possibly because the tourists were visiting Magnetic Island which is a famous attraction for snorkling and diving. The town quickly came alive in the evening with old and young packed in restaurants and pubs. We rented a car and drove to Airlie Beach which is approximately 250 km. A good three hour ride and we arrive at the Airlie Beach Hotel. CAD115 for a town view room and $159 for an ocean view. A lot of young people, many Europeans and back packers. We took a Blue Star ferry to Day Dream Island and Hamilton Island. A couple of hours at Day Dream gives you enough time to take a tour of the property and a nature walk. A family oriented island with birds, iguanas and harmless snakes have also been spotted in the rain forest.
The very popular Hamilton Island is interesting. You can rent a buggy and drive around the island but we took the free shuttle that took us around and we got off at the Reef Hotel. Right next to it is a private Sports Club with a magnificient view of the water. 'Members only' at this club. |
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| Posted by Nargis Gercke at | | | |
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According to a recent Market Profile study, over the next three years, 29,728,000 Americans have indicated that they intend to cruise. Can you imagine how many people globally are thinking of taking their first cruise? Why not be one of them? At present, there are so many specials for the caribbean cruises and you have to take advantage of these amazing prices for the best cabins! email me at nargisg@shaw.ca
Also visit my website at http://www.travelwithexperience.com
I just love those specials that Cruise Lines have and I was lucky to have checked at the right time. I got myself a group together and booked a cruise to the Caribbean on a majestic vista ship out of Miami in December of 2006. If you hold a booking way in advance with a refundable deposit, you get the best deals ever! I found a balcony stateroom on the best deck at CAD779.......can you beat that? I cannot wait to get to the sun this winter! Join us, email us and we will find the right cruise and the right price for you!
DECEMBER 17-DECEMBER 24 2007
RCI - EXPLORER OF THE SEAS. We boarded the ship on December 17 in Miami. Pre-cruise stay at the Intercontinental Hotel at Bay side was just a perfect place to meet the group and get into that mood of cruising! Weather was just perfect. We did not stop in Belize and Costa Maya due to a medical emergency on board, however, we enjoyed Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay!
COZUMEL: It is raining as we get to the town area. A cab ride to Paradise beach is US$15 per person and a van took 6 adults and a baby. The tourists all end up at Paradise beach. Nothing to write home about! The water is clear once you pass the rocky and rough patch in the beginning. Tables and waiter service available for drinks (bucket and ice costs $2 extra). Deck chairs also available but very hot in the open! Too touristic!
GRAND CAYMENT - Georgetown
The most civilized, clean and expensive island but refreshing after Mexico. Walking distance, approx 2 miles to the first public beach and it is beautiful. White sandy beach, the water is crystal clear. It is a sin not to go in the water. Fish can be seen everywhere in the water while you swim. Restaurant service available. You can walk the beach and there are beautiful properties and accommodations for toursts. This is the SEVEN MILE BEACH and well worth a bisit. Shopping area is very interesting. Diamonds and jewellery is reasonably priced. Perfumes about the same as prices in duty free shops in Canada. Hard Rock baby shirt US$12.50. Packed with tourists everywhere and many ships arrive at the same time with thousands of guests waiting for different ships to board for departure! Very commercialized!
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica
US$4 per person to take a shuttle from the port to the city. You can walk to the market area but it is a nightmare getting through the local traffic and lots of pan handlers in the city. A good walk to the Margaretaville (Jimmy Buffett) restaurant/bar and then another ten minutes to Doctor's Cave Beach. Admission $5 per person. Good restaurant and local beer $2, Corona $4. Beach is beautiful and the water is crystal clear. Would definitely recommend a week package for a family who wants to enjoy the beach and the town with its little shops and bars. Good atmosphere!
MIAMI - Well worth a visit after a long time. Most cruises we took were out of Fort Lauderdale so it was a change sailing from Miami. US$25 from the airport to the Intercontinental Hotel and $10 from the Intercontinental to the port. Lots of shops and restaurants at Bayside Park area.
SOUTH BEACH is interesting with its palm trees, accacias and beautiful flowers ornate the beach area. Art deco style, great atmosphere, good restaurants but expensive wines, the cheapest bottle for $40.
A nightmare to get from Miami airport to any destination. We took Alaskan Airlines from Miami to Seattle early departure at 8am. Badly organized and long line ups for security. Check on new rules for baggage allowance. |
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| Posted by Nargis Gercke at | | | |
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Welcome to my site! You will find everything you need for your cruise vacations and much much more.....
But cruising to Alaska is another story! Discover Alaska with us, explore the unique art and culture of the people who call this place home. Expand your imagination and take a cruise out of Vancouver, B.C. in Canada!
We live in Vancouver, B.C. in Canada and we look after all our guests from the moment they arrive at the airport till the day they depart. Hotel bookings, local tours of this magnificient city called Vancouver! You have to see the city to believe how God has worked overtime here...the water, the mountains and a jewel of a city all in one! Personally, we are from Switzerland and we have lived in 16 countries in the last 40 some years but when it came to choosing where we wanted to reside permanently, we chose Vancouver and there is a reason for it! Let us be your guides and show you why we chose Vancouver! Driving to Whistler, the 2010 location of the Winter Olympics is a breeze away from the city, the capital city of Victoria on the Island is only a couple of hours, all accessible from Vancouver and you do not have to worry about a thing because we will arrange all this for you! All you have to do is show up! You will be amazed at the service we offer and make your dream a reality!
Email us at nargisg@shaw.ca
or visit our website at http://www.travelwithexperience.com
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| Posted by Nargis Gercke at | | | |
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