A Is for Antarctica

A is for Antarctica

This is a new first for me. When I've done the A to Z Blogging Challenge in the past it usually takes me until "H" or "I" before I get behind. But this wasn't the case in the weird year of 2020. I fell behind on the first day, which was yesterday. My goal for this challenge is to complete it and to complete it in April. We do get to skip the weekends, so I plan to work one day of this weekend and get back on track with the rest of the bloggers.

We're beginning our 2020 Around the World from A to Z with a visit to Antarctica. My trip to Antarctica was literally a dream come true. For decades I believed only explorers went to Antarctica, and not always with good result. At some point -- maybe 2000  --I started to notice trips to Antarctica, but they were way out of my budget. Way out of my budget! But I put it on my "dream" list and figured it might be just that, a dream. 

Fast forward to 2014 and someone -- I'd love to remember who it was and thank that person -- mentioned that the big cruise lines also did trips to Antarctica, and the cost was significantly less. It wasn't the same as the smaller explorer ships, but I would still see Antarctica, even if I never set foot on one of the glaciers. My dream was becoming closer to reality. It got still closer when I received an email in 2015 letting me know that the trip was half the regular price. I already had plans for the winter of 2016 -- you'll see them in a post to come -- but I tucked the idea into my mind for 2017. Sure enough in December 2016 I saw the opportunity to take my dream trip. Six weeks later I was on the way to Argentina where I would board the ship for Antarctica. 

 Worth the wait 

Some places don't live up to the expectations, but not the case for my trip to Antarctica. What I saw surpassed my expectations. Every scene was a memory I didn't want to forget and a scene of extraordinary beauty. I had loved geography in elementary school and each day was a living geography lesson. 

There were so many memorable moments, but one of the high points was going around Cape Horn and through the Drake Passage, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. 

Not my best picture, but I was happy to be sharing my trip with a

 wonderful group of new friends that I met on the ship.  

It was fun to share my dream trip with all of Buttercupland. I'm not quite sure where our Around the World Blogging Adventure will take us next, but I'm leaning to somewhere about as far from Antarctica as we can go. Any guesses where "B" will take us?

I'm doing okay and keeping busy. My Zoom for today was another Weight Watchers group. I've got a bean and kale stew cooking -- lots of vegetable washing and chopping -- in the crockpot and took a nice walk this afternoon. I'm not quite sure what I did for the rest of the day, but it flew by. Is anyone else finding that the days are going quickly, too?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. Lots of love and wash your hands!

Pink Saturday Goes to Paradise Bay, Antarctica

The view from the ship's deck of Paradise Bay, Antarctica

We've crossed the Drake Passage, and left South America behind. On to Antarctica!

 

 

When I hear the words, Paradise Bay aka Paradise Harbor, I think of a tropical island with warm sand and drinks with little umbrellas. The reality is very different. If I posted a picture of myself with Paradise Bay as my background, I would be wearing a knitted wool cap, winter coat and turtleneck sweater. Hot coffee -- not a margarita -- was my beverage of choice.

I took dozens -- perhaps hundreds of pictures -- and since I've been home I've gone through them a number of times. My goal was to choose "the best" pictures of Antarctica. I've realized the best is elusive and I chose four that I liked very much that reflected the scenery I saw.

We saw many icebergs, which are abundant in Antarctica and the waters around Newfoundland. We sailed with an ice pilot to assist the navigational staff of the ship. This is someone with extensive experience in sailing in waters that are especially treacherous because of icebergs.

We had an extraordinarily clear day and were fortunate to have sunshine some of the time. 

 

This is a closer view of the ice and snow covered mountains.

 

I'm still in awe that I was able to view these sights in person. One of my friends wrote of my good fortune to do this trip in luxury, while so many who had sailed here did so with great privation. I am profoundly aware that this is a gift not available to many and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity. I am happy to be able to share it with Pink Saturday  and my Buttercupland friends.

 

We're looking at a blizzard -- at least a foot of snow -- in the next few days. It won't be Antarctica, but I'm planning to keep cozy at home for most of the week. I'm going to run a few errands tomorrow and make a quick run to the grocery, too. Then it's coffee, books and blogging, which sounds really good to me. 

 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Take good care and keep cozy.  



 

Ancient Persia in the Morning...

...and Antarctica tonight. It's not time travel, just multiple posts in the same day. 

We fly through centuries and across miles.

Stars in the Sky by Harriet Goren

This morning we're celebrating Purim, a Jewish holiday which began last night and concludes at sundown this evening. It commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from destruction and it is a happy, lively and festive holiday.

I owe the beautiful illustration above to my very talented friend, Harriet Goren of Goren Judaica. Harriet is a superbly talented graphic designer. I've had the pleasure of enjoying her lovely and thoughtful design in many publications of our congregation. She has a unique way of combining biblical verses and graphics. Looking through her website is a treat and a calm oasis.

It's also a lot of fun. Besides prints to own and give as gifts there are terrific onesies for the new baby in your life.

 
Wishing all of Buttercupland a happy, lively and festive day. Please stop by tonight for a trip across centuries and space to the timeless wonder of Antarctica.

 

Drowning in a Sea of Penguin Pictures

I knew I was neglecting Buttercupland when two friends mentioned that the blog was awfully quiet. They also reminded me that they were waiting for the long awaited penguin pictures. I got home on Monday and after grocery shopping, napping and doing a very basic sort of my mail, I settled in to choose penguin pictures to share with Buttercupland. You can see how far I've gotten. In an effort to capture every possible cute penguin I have taken hundreds of photographs and videos of penguins. I feel as though I am drowning in a sea of penguin pictures and iceberg photographs and hundreds of other pictures. In order to just begin to post again I chose several photographs I enjoy and will use this post to write about the cruise. I'm optimistic this will help "prime the pump" of blogging and set me back on the writing path. 

Getting ready to sail south. Buenos Aires is in the background. 

I've been thinking about going to Antarctica forever and had been studying various cruises for the last several years. I loved the idea of actually setting foot on the Antarctic continent, but both the cost and the potential for sea sickness deterred me from choosing one of the smaller expedition ships. There are only a few cruise ships that sail into Antarctica and the Celebrity Infinity does two sailings every winter, which is the Antarctic summer. At the end of 2015 I saw that the price was reduced which made the cruise very attractive, but I had already made plans to go to Peru. I decided to wait until the end of this year and if there was another "sale" I would be ready to travel. I booked my trip at the end of December and left for Argentina on February 5. It's more spontaneous than I usually am, but everything worked out well. Have passport, will travel.

Enjoyed all the nature talks on board. Every morning that we weren't in a port the theater was literally standing room only. 

I had mentioned my plans to a number of friends, but the amount of time -- two plus weeks -- the cost and/or the destination deterred them from traveling with me. I decided that if I wanted to see Antarctica, this was my opportunity. I knew it could be lonely, but I also knew that cruise ships had a lot of opportunities to meet people. I joined a group that played trivia on sea days, found some fun people to have dinner with and it seemed that with every excursion and activity there was someone to talk to.  

Whether in the dining room or in buffet, I enjoyed the meals and snacks and ice cream bar. Perhaps a little too much! I discovered that tea foods were served every day and these raisin scones quickly became my favorite afternoon treat, especially when I added whipped cream and strawberries. The only food glitch was running out of lettuce south of Cape Horn, but somehow we survived this deprivation.  

Sunrise at Ushuaia, Argentina

 

I've shared about my cruise experience and as I was thinking about how to make order out of photographic chaos for the rest of the trip, I decided to do a post about each of our four ports. As an introduction to my next post, Ushuaia, Argentina, I'm closing with a photograph of the sunrise as the ship neared Ushuaia, the most southern point in South America. We were blessed with calm seas and a perfect sunny day. 

 

I'm returning to my photographs with renewed energy. Next post will include penguins, actually lots and lots of penguins. 

 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

Antarctica

I've been remiss posting, but I promise to share both Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn. Right now we're cruising into Paradise Bay, Antarctica and there are no words to describe the scenery. I've looked at thousands of photographs over the years, but I was still unprepared for the beauty.

Happy to send my greetings from Antarctica! 

When You Wish Upon the South Star

As, I'm sure, those who know a lot more -- or even just a  little more -- about astronomy will tell you, there is no South Star.  But if there was a South Star -- equivalent to Polaris, the North Star -- next week I would be gazing at the night sky and tossing my wishes right to it.

I'm not usually one for selfies, but yesterday at the New York Times Travel Show I took a number of them. I was wishing for one that included penguins and I got my wish. I leave this Friday for Argentina and set sail on Sunday for a cruise that includes penguins and Antarctica. My dream destination for years has been Antarctica and after looking at trips for years and watching for a sale -- it was a quick three day sale -- I'm almost on my way.

I've bought my foot warmers for standing on the deck and taking pictures -- no cold feet for me! -- and have my reservations for my hotel in Buenos Aires the night before the cruise and a penguin expedition in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. I also discovered via Facebook tonight that a lovely couple I met on the cruise I took to Iceland and Norway three years ago will also be on this cruise. Foot warmers, penguins and friends -- can't ask for more.    
 

Enjoyed meeting my Panda friend. 

The travel show was a lot of fun. I shared the good time with my college roommate and we walked two miles through the Javits Center enjoying the thought of all the places we might travel. A safari was enticing, but I also found fun things in New York and Pennsylvania, which are definitely more doable.

There were exhibits from many countries, and this CoffeeGirl couldn't resist the one for coffee from Indonesia. I'm going to look for coffee from Sumatra during my coffee excursions in New York.

It's hard to believe that I will be leaving for South America in just four days. I've been dreaming of this trip for years and now it's less than a week away. I've got a number of errands yet to do, another yoga class, a medical appointment and a few more blog posts to write. I'm hoping to post while I'm away and share the scenery of Antarctica with Buttercupland.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.