After leaving Peru we are heading down the west coast of Chile, headed for Coquimbo and then Santiago. On the way we  stopped off in the relatively minor port cities of Iquiqui and Antofagasta in Chile. 

Nevertheless, these port cities were kind of interesting. Iquiqui had some fairly gritty sections as well as parts that were well developed. No surprise there. But who knew that we would bump into a Croation Social Club? It turns out—at least according to the guide—that Croatia turned out a lot of mercenaries who also fought alongside the Chilean Army. So they decided to form a social club, where they could hang out with their buddies. 

The club is still thriving club. When we visited it we were greeted with the quasi-mandatory pisco sours, which are like whiskey sours. Outside the club is the main square where tourists roam around and where cops ride around on bicycles. 

The next day we visited Antofagasta, Chile which used to be a mining town where nitrates were extracted from the mines. The agenda included a trip a mine site, a museum and a (modern) outdoor theatre in the desert, where the guide shared his thoughts on how the mine workers were treated.

Then we were off to view La Portada, an arch in the Pacific ocean that is a big local attraction. Finally we stopped at a monument to the Tropic of Capricorn where we were offered (what else?) Pisco sours. 

Today is a Sea Day; tomorrow we dock at Coquimbo for a tour, and then we are off to Valparaiso, the port city that is near Santiago. Until then, Buenas Noches…

JFB

It is hard to believe that we have been on our voyage for 3 weeks already – the time is flying by.  We have had excellent presentations about the history, economics, politics and prospects of the places we have visited – in addition to specialized discussions concerning the Aztec civilization in Mexico, the Mayans in Central America and the Incas in Peru in Chile.   

We just spent several days in Peru, viewing the old colonial- era squares and the modern neighborhoods (you can find the ruins of over 300 Incan pyramids in Lima, some of which are right in the middle of these busy neighborhoods). 

Yesterday we visited the peninsula of Paracus, just outside Peru.  We saw some of the thousands of acres which comprise the Paracus Natural Reserve – an ancient desert that was part of the floor of the Pacific Ocean before the rise of the Andes mountains.  This desert sits between the Ocean and the Andes – and the ocean mist that rolls across the land is blocked by the Andes Mountains, so Peru gets virtually no rain.  Hence, a desert and lots of well-preserved pyramids.  In the Paracas Natural Reserve you can see red sand (high iron content) and fossils of snails and other shellfish that lived in the Pacific Ocean ages ago.  

Peruvian cuisine has received global recognition in recent years, for good reason.  The Chinese and Japanese who arrived as workers in Peru and Chile in prior years have greatly influenced the food in this part of the world, especially with respect to fish recipes.  Delicious!  

We will be in Chile tomorrow, where we have several days of exploring planned.   Stay tuned.  

Joe and Mary Anne 

It has been a busy few days. We visited two cities in Ecuador: Manta and Guayaquil. We had been to these cities before, but there was a notable difference. There were police officers everywhere. We actually had a police escort on one of the tours we took. Apparently crime has surged in Guayaquil over the last few years and the government’s response was to put cops on every block—at least where the tourists went. 

While we were in Manta we visited a Panama Hat factory. Panama hats are actually a native Ecuadorian invention. The story goes that when the US took over construction of the Panama Canal from France, Teddy Roosevelt paid a visit to Panama. And he donned a hat he bought from an Ecuadorian street vendor. So the hats, invented in Ecuador, became known as Panama hats. Needless to say, when we visited an Ecuadorian hat factory, we bought a couple. 

Then we made our way to a chocolate farm (where they grow cacao beans) and a chocolate factory where they made the finished products. One of the workers was wearing a Nestle branded apron though. 

After that it was off to the port city Guayaquil. There we took a stroll down the Malecón, a boardwalk of sorts that runs parallel to the Guayas River. According to legend, the city is named after a local leader Guayas and his wife Quil who were symbols of the resistance to the Spanish Conquistadors. 

We finished up with a visit to the Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral and then Iguana Park which is full of Iguanas–in the middle of the city. And now we are on our way to Peru. 

JFB

It is already January 17, and it has been 10 days since we boarded the Crystal Cruise Serenity cruise ship. Not only is it better than ever, we have been pretty busy.  

One thing I have to mention is that Crystal put a show onstage with 3 famous songwriters: Allan Dennis Rich, Shelley Peiken and Gary Burr. You may not have heard of them, but you have definitely heard some of their songs. 

Allan, for instance is a two time Grammy nominee and has written for Whitney Houston. Shelly has had a number of hits including “What a Girl Wants”. She has written for Miley Cyrus and Christine Aguilera. Gary Burr has had 14 songs that went to #1 on Billboard and was inducted into the songwriters hall of fame. His credits include songs written for Shania Twain, Ringo Starr and Garth Brooks to name a few.  It was great to meet them and talk with them. 

We also went to an elaborate dinner party, Crystal sponsored for World Cruisers at a 16^th century colonial mansion in Cartagena named Casa 1537.

While in the city proper we saw the historicSan Felipe de Barajas fort the Spanish built to fight off an unsuccessful British attempt to take over Cartagena. Then we went to the Convent de Santa Cruz de la Popa where we visited the monastery and had a view overlooking the city. 

We went through an aviary on the way back to the ship where there was a tremendous collection of birds—something that Colombia is known for. Now we are on Gatun Lake on our way through the Panama Canal. 

So far we have been kept pretty busy with lectures about geopolitics, destinations and Spanish and French lessons. Next stop Panama City.

JFB 

Well, we have been on Crystal Serenity for about a week now. Not surprisingly we have bumped into friends an acquaintances from past cruises—some from as far back as 2016. 

Already we have gone on excursions in the Grand Caymans, Mexico, Belize and Honduras. Nothing especially interesting in the Caymans unless you like looking at brass plate banks, shopping centers and high-end resorts.

But we did get to see Mayan ruins in Mexico and Belize. And we went on a glass bottom (partially submersible) craft in Honduras to see some coral reefs. Anyway, here are some photos taken thus far. There will be plenty more coming down the pike.

JFB