Today we’re in Buenos Aires and we’ll be docked here for 3 days. We’ll spend today here but tomorrow Tom and I fly over to Iguazu Falls for an overnight excursion (booked this on our own, not a ship excursion).

Yesterday was a fantastic day!! We loved Montevideo, Uruguay! Besides being a charming city with such nice people, we hit the jackpot with a “Spa Day”. We found a place that took care of all our needs (certainly mine). I got a nail “fill”, a one hour massage ($15 USD for the hour), a facial and a shampoo and blow dry ($5 USD). The prices for everything were so good that Tom splurged and got a 2 HOUR massage for a whopping $30 total. After getting the works, we were looking great and feeling even better…. relishing in how much $ we saved. I will say that it was probably the best massage as well as the best facial I’ve ever had! It was reminiscent of our spa day in Shanghi last year.

Last night there was a complimentary Tango show which was great. We ate dinner in Compass Rose then went to the Peter Grey show with great Broadway songs. This Peter Grey cast is just great and their shows get better and better. After the show Cruise Director John Barron put on his own show in the Horizon Lounge. He is so much fun and always draws a full house. Not only does he have a fantastic voice, he could be a stand-up comedian as well. We enjoyed lots of dancing (at one time I was dancing with both Paul and Tom) , had lots of fun there with Paul, Joanna, Tony, Tom and me. From there we went to STARS lounge but it was empty. By then it was just Paul, Tom and me so we only stayed about ½ hour and (although the casino was calling) we decided to call it a night. Luckily we turned back the clocks an hour last night!!

I know I’ve mentioned this before but again; I just can’t say how much we’re enjoying the staff here on board. Captain Philippe is such a great guy! He’s so kind and genuine and easy to get to know. The entire staff from the lowest crewmembers to the highest staff members have been WONDERFUL to us! Many of them will be onboard with us on MUSH…..Yippee!

I hate the thought of Paul, Joanna and Tony getting off the ship tomorrow. :banana: Off to go explore Buenos Aires now. More later………

Marcie,

Another great report! Thanks!
What a find....that "Spa Day". It sounds just wonderful!
Have a fun last day with Paul, Joanna,& Tony. (Wishing safe journey home for them.) And have a great excursion to Iguazu Falls.

Betty

Thanks for another great report. enjoy your last day with Paul, Tony and Joanna.

Nancy

Marcie - I have been enjoying your sea mail so very much!!!!! You always make my day. I absolutely love your zest for life. Keep enjoying yourself and keep sending your FABULOUS reports!!!!!!! Hope you enjoyed your last day with Paul, Joanna & Tony. I know you'll miss them terribly.

Take care,

Wednesday 10 am -

Marcie will have to give you the name of the restaurant where we ate last night in BA - John, Lindsay, Matassas, Mondaes, Hans and Paul cabbed about 8:30 pm to an Italian place that was incredible - we all ordered appetizers and each one could have fed 4 people - then on to huge entrees- the veal chops were the size of Rhode Island and my pumpking ravioli was HUGE - plus the side dishes did not stop - creamed spinach, sweet potatoes, etc we kept saying it felt like Thanksgiving Day!!! One of the best meals any of us have had in any city - and reasonable - it was a great farewell evening - Marcie stopped by our cabin this morning - I hate good byes - we'll be getting a cab shortly - Tony already complaining that he won't be fed dinner due to LCT during the dinner hours once we return home -

John and Lindsay will be on Mush - what a treat that will be - the Captain is so very nice - this was a wonderful cruise and we look forward to Alaska - Joanna

Hi Joanna,

A safe trip home for you all!

I've so enjoyed your seamail! Thanks! Talk with you soon - on US soil!

Joanna, have a safe journey home!! The girls and I have your flight schedule that you sent me and we are ready to track your trip home. We were discussing last night how grueling your schedule is!!! I hope both of you sleep through most of it!

Joanna - hope your trip home is safe and uneventful.
See you on MUSH!

Karen: I think our trip back will be easier than trip down - BUT neither trip is fun - having to take our luggage off in Sao Paulo on way down was nightmare and lines went on forever in airport- alteast on way back we'll claim bags in Miami - it's a hard trip I think!!! Thank goodness for ambien!!! I have missed all of you - Happy Birthday to sweet Michele I know I am days late - and is cindy back? I don't think so - I am so confused about who is where??!!! Can't wait for my morning cup of tea and LCT!!!

Joanna - hope you have a pleasant flight home - oops! You've probably already left the ship. So welcome home.
Marcie, hope you & Tom enjoy the Falls. Looking forward to those photos, plus one of Doug & Lynn doing the tango. Or you & Tom doing the tango.
Just send photos.

Or Tom and Doug doing the tango? Can't wait to hear about the trip to the falls.

Welcome home, J and T. We've missed you! Cheers, Anne

Thanks for all the wonderful posts, Marcie & Joanna! Can't wait to hear about your experience at the Falls, Marcie! This has been so much fun following.

Joanna, I know you're on your journey home right now. When you get back to us, I hope this finds you recovering with your morning cup of tea & a smile on your face after having such a wonderful trip!! - Michele

Wednesday 4:15 PM
Right now we are in the Tam (American codeshare)lounge waiting to board our flight in about 30 minutes - painless trip from ship to airport about 50 minutes and someone met our van and hauled all the luggage to Tam counter- nice airline hope all clicks on way back as it did coming down - I was reading a book in lounge and glanced around the room and this computer was calling me - we have 3 hr layover in SP arrive 9 pm leave at midnight so I may be back on computer there!!!! I cannot wait to hear about Marcie´s trip to the falls! Joanna

Joanna, thanks for checking in. Have a safe flight.

Nancy

Joanna & Marcie, Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed all of your sea posts! I read them all but haven’t had a chance to respond until now. Your posts/ pics were so personable that I feel as though I was on the Mariner with all of you. I look forward to reading more of your posts Joanna after you get home, shake the jet lag, and start to feel human again. Marcie, I’ll enjoy the rest of the cruise with you up the west coast of SA and would love to see some pics of the falls if you can get any. I also hope that I can finagle to join you all on MUSH…..That really sounds like a “fun time”! Thanks again,
Ralph

We just returned this afternoon from Iguazu Falls. As beautiful as it was (and it was magnificent) I’ve NEVER been so hot in my whole life! It was well over 100 degrees with about 95% humidity. We walked at least 3 miles in the heat (the only way to get to see some of the falls). By 4:00pm neither Tom or I could take it so we went back to the Sheraton. I’m so thankful that we stayed there for the night (I think we could have rented out our shower for enough to cover all expenses!). We took showers and had to literally wring our clothes out and hang them out to dry. After showering we napped for an hour or so before we could even begin to feel 1/2 human again! We had a beautiful room at the Sheraton (got upgraded to a nice balcony room with a head on view of the falls). There was construction going on at the hotel so to make up for inconvenience they were doing their best to upgrade all the Starwood members. We had a wonderful guide who spoke perfect English. He admitted that it was extremely hot….leave it to us to show up the hottest day of the year. It was more the humidity than the heat that did us in and there was so much walking involved. The ship excursion flew up and back the same day….we ran into various passengers while there and they were all wiped out too. We had a great dinner last night at the hotel and hit the sack early from exhaustion.

The night before (Tuesday) we had such a fun “farewell dinner” for Joanna, Tony and Paul. CD John and his wife Lynsey joined us and it was just a great time. We went to an Italian restaurant and the food was outstanding. We’ve eaten quite a few meals off the ship on this trip and each one has been outstanding. The South American food is just great. Last night at the Sheraton I had an Argentinean steak….best steak I’ve ever had! Ruth Chris’s pales in comparison!

We really like Buenos Aires. It’s such a large, very cosmopolitan city. Some of the major highways have 11 lanes going ONE WAY! There’s lots of skyscrapers and some beautiful parks. There’s a pedestrian street that is loaded with shops (and shoppers!). I think there are more than 600 shops on this street! We went there Tuesday with Joanna and Tony (Tony got a couple pairs of shoes at very reasonable prices). Tons of leather shops and it was all I could do to resist buying a purse or shoes. I had to remind myself….I need another purse or pair of shoes like a hole in the head!!

Doug and Lynn Burns are now on board but haven’t seen them yet. They’re such a nice, fun couple….I look forward to more good times with them to help ease the withdrawal of Joanna, Tony and Paul disembarking.

There are sooooo many new faces on the ship now. I believe there were something like 285 that got off and around 320 that got on (approximate numbers but I know this segment is a net gain). I've seen some familiar faces from '05 WC segment passengers.

I’ll download some photos and post them (maybe under a new thread).

P.S. to above....
We hooked up with Doug and Lynn and had dinner last night with them and 2 very nice friends of theirs, Warren and Judy. Warren is a retired Delta pilot and tells jokes non-stop! He picked the right tablemates!Very fun dinner!

Last night the Radisson fairy sneaked in our cabin and left us 2 VERY nice heavy weight parkas for the cold weather coming up. They appear to be very well made and high end quality. Both of ours are size M and I'm trying to see if I can return mine for a size S. The only mistkake is they have embroidered "2005 South America Circle Cruise"....?

This is a very nice gift for all the full SA passengers!! I've heard the 2005 was a mistake, not that they were left over from last year....oh well, whatever.

Today is a sea day....tomorrow we're in West Point, Chile (a tiny family owned private island with only 30 inhabitants!)the following day we're in Port Stanley. I'm so looking forward to seeing Penguins!!

Anne, Terry and Ann Speed returned from their 11 day trip to Antarctica and had the best time ever. We ate dinner with them last night and they said they loved The Explorer and it was probably the best cruise of their lives (and they each have over 400 nights on Radisson). They had whales come right up to their Zodiac. POP cruisers are in for a real treat!

Marcie, Sounds like you are having a great time. Tell the "guys" that I have almost recovered my blackjack losses playing golf since I got back to Fl. At this rate I should be even in March 07. Looking into Mush, Ask Marvin to give Linda and I a call when they get back to FL. Have fun, I'm jealous. Steve

Will do Steve!! You are missed at the afternoon poker games by all. Yesterday I came in 2nd...head to head with Frank to the bitter end.
Sure hope you can come on MUSH with us! hugs to you and Linda!

Hi Marcie,

The street in BA that you talk about has to be Calle Florida. I could have been there forever, so much to see.You have awakened my interest in going back to BA!

Thank you for your posts. It comes through them what a great time you're having and what a great itinerary this is.

Good luck in seeing lots of penguins!

Marcie,

Nice gifts...the parkas, to keep you cuddly warm!

I'm so glad that Ann & Terry loved their Antarctica trip!

Keep having fun and keep sending Sea Mail. You know how we love it!

Betty

Marcie - thanks for passing along Terry & Ann's advice. Tell them "welcome back" for us! Hopefully they will be in the UK when we show up this summer. It's been too long since we've seen each other.

Enjoy the penguins in Port Stanley! Keep up the great seamails.

Cheers, Anne

Maria: Yes Calle Florida - shopping shopping shopping - I think we walked for 4 1/2 hrs - Joanna

Joanna,

Oh yes, you can be there for that long and more!! How were the prices? I was there in the early 80's when the Argentinian peso was worth almost nothing( vs. the US$) and things were a steal!

Let's see - Beautiful leather purses for $17 on up - and Tony got some great leather shoes (drivers) for $35 - he gets them at Orvis usually and they are $100 so he was happy - tons of leather shops but living in Fl I wasn't in market for jacket - but saw girl one night in CR with dressy white leather jacket it just tied in the front and it was beautiful!! -

Oh gosh! Sounds like a shopper's paradise!

I want to go to BA!

Olivia I loved BA!!!!!!! I was so sorry we did not spend time there post cruise - exciting city, great shopping, nice people - Joanna

Quick check in before Trivia starts. I was mistaken about the population of West Point Island (Falkland Islands) where we are today. The population is NOT 30 as previously reported but now I was told it is 4. That's right....FOUR people live on this island. A couple and their two farm hands. Nice they invited everyone to their home for cookies and hot chocolate. We (and many onboard) decided not to get off the ship today for the 25 minute tender ride to this desolate island. Instead we had fun here onboard. Just finished Texas Hold'em....another 2nd place today so I won $150.

Tomorrow we get to go to the penguin colony. YEA!!! I'm so excited. :banana: :banana: :banana:

Terry and Ann Speed gave an hour presentation today including photos taken of their Antarctica trip. It was amazing! They really did love the staff and service on the Explorer too. Tonight is Penguin night at STARS and everyone is wearing black and white.

Got my beautiful jacket exchanged for a size small. It's cold here so glad I have it. It really is a great, heavy parka. Perfect gift for the current climate.

Off to trivia......

And if you like to eat meat it doesn't get any better that in Argentina! Great restaurants and their wines are not too bad.

Editing to say that actually some of their wines are pretty good. Such as Malbec(red).