Buenos Aires to Rio De Janeiro
We traveled to Buenos Aires and boarded the Regent of the Seven Seas Voyager March 2024. We opted for the Delta Premium seat this flight JFK to EXE.
We arrive in Buenos Aires on time on 3/8/24! Breezed through passport control and then waited for 1 1/2 hours for our baggage to be offloaded due to an impromptu strike by the baggage handlers! Kudos to our driver, Nani, who maintained contact and patiently waited before driving us to our hotel. This picture is from our hotel Concierge room. If you zoom into the photo, you will see a "shanty town" on the right where 80 thousand people reside. Nani told us to not cross the street into the park where the clock tower is located as it is unsafe.
The Clock Tower commemorating the centennial of the May revolution in 1810 for independence. A gift from its British community in 1916 is called Torre Monumental located in Plaza Fuerza Area Argentina. The clock apparently does not work. Behind you will see the Train Station called Estacion Retiro Ferrocarril Mitre.
Saturday March 9, 2024
Today we boarded the SS Voyager in cabin 911!
You know you are on a Regent of the Seven Seas ship when you arrive to port at 12:30pm and already having lunch on board by 1:15pm
and...your dinner plates are Versace!
Just FYI for the Star Trek fans... we are sailing on the Voyager with our Captain "John Luka" (Gianluca).
Sunday March 10, 2024
We arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay this morning. It is located on the Rio de la Plata River. It was founded in 1726 by Brazil and influenced by the Spanish Argentinians.
Street performers are always interesting, but this young man was going above and beyond.
Video!
We stopped at Baar Fun Fun for an amazing Tango performance. That is the entire size of the stage. The Bar was founded in 1895 by Augusto Lopez and is now managed and owned by his great-great grandson. The shop was made famous by creating two drinks called: el Pegulo and la Uvita. Of which la Uvita is still made with a secret recipe. It kind of tasted like plum port. The Bar became famous when Carlos Gardel a famous singer, who in 1933, after tasting the Uvita, dedicated an autographed photograph while singing acapella.
Jim had fun dancing with one of the dancers!
On board ship we enjoyed a performance called the Uruguay Heritage: Tango, Folklore and Candombe show. Local performers gave us the Uruguayan experience.
Jim volunteered to dance with the showgirl since she asked him to join her!
Monday March 11,2024
We had an overnight stay in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. Uruguay signed their Declaration of Independence in 1825 and their Constitution in 1830. It rained all day, but we did a walking tour of the old city anyway!
Tuesday March 12, 2024
We arrived in Punta Del Estes Uruguay and went ashore via tender. The city is only 100 years old and is primarily a resort destination. The average population is ~12,400 and during the summer season it rises to ~450,000 in season. Most of the buildings are condos for the summer invasion.
We took a walk on the beach and picked up some seashells. This is a "piece of art" titled La Mano. The hand rising from the sand dune.
This home "Museo-Taller de Casapueblo" was built by the father (Carlos Peaz Vilaro) of one of the survivors (Carlos Paez Rodriguez) of the Uruguay National Rugby team who suffered a plane crash in the Andes in 1972. They survived by eating those that perished. It is now partially a hotel and museum and was architecturally in his vision of the Andes.
We went to a private Classic Car Museum called Museo de Automovilles Classicos.
Our entertainment tonight on ship was Joshua Jay a magician. He was interesting as he fooled Penn and Teller on their show "Fool Us" with an original piece of magic. He also holds a Guinness World Record for card tricks.
Wednesday March 13, 2024
Today was a day at sea. Lots of games, food, drink, music and dancing.
Thursday March 14, 2024
Itajal, Brazil port today. We left the city and went to Camboriu. This city is made up of descendants of Germans, Italians and Azoreans.
We rode a cable car and walked through a rainforest/jungle. Only thing I really saw were common spiders. We did get some great shots from up high! Jim is standing on a glass floor. I did not walk/stand on it!
We rode down the other side of the mountain and walked along the beach and had a cold drink as it was ~31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) and 81% humidity.
Friday March 15, 2024
Santos, Brazil is a port city of Sao Paulo State in Brazil. Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822
Pele Museum: Pele played for the Santos Football Club and is an icon in Brazil.
We visited the Coffee Museum where the coffee exchange was once held. The farmers came here to haggle with the Barons over the price of the crops. Brazil is the number one exporter of coffee.
Jim pretending to be lost in the jungle but actually in the Orquidario Parque Zoobotanico.
We saw lots of these little critters running around. Real name... red rumped agouti.
Sunday March 16, 2024
Ilha Grande, Brazil is a small island located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro State. The village name is Vila do Abraao with ~1900 inhabitants. Most of the island is unspoiled and undeveloped. The island is almost entirely the Ilha State National Park.
We walked up the mountain into the Parque Estadual da Ilha Grande. This is now a state park of Ilha Grande. Previously, it was a sugarcane farm, a lazareto (isolation hospital for lepers) (1806-1913) and a federal prison (1913-1954). At the top are the ruins of the aqueduct that was built by slaves.
This rock formation is famous for appearing to look like a parrot.
Sunday March 17, 2024
Buzios, Brazil (Armacao dos Buzios) is a resort town located on an island in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It has ~35000 inhabitants and was almost unknown until Bridgett Bardot visited in 1964.
This bronze sculpture depicts 3 fishermen standing together, gazing out toward the Atlantic Ocean. Their weathered faces and sturdy postures evoke a sense of resilience and connection to the sea.
They boast a red sand beach!
Monday March 18, 2024
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is translated as January River and founded by the Portuguese in 1502. It has a population of over 6.5 million in the city.
Rio has the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema
This statue depicts the musician who wrote "Girl from Ipanema". It was written in 1962, with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes.
Family of 4 riding on a motorbike. Child in from and notice the lady holding a small child on her lap.
Christ the Redeemer statue sits atop Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. We rode the cog train up then climbed the stairs the rest of the way up to reach it. We were too hot and tired to do the steps back down, so we took the escalator then the elevator followed by the cog train to reach the street level. The statue was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet tall. It was voted as one of the 7 new Wonders of the World.
Proof we were there!
Why is it that every major city has a Ferris wheel now?
Tuesday March 18, 2024
Up at 4am today for our uneventful flights home on Delta GIG->ATL->FLL.