It’s hard to predict what else you might see other than penguins when visiting the Antarctic. Sure, there’s a chance you’ll see whales and orcas and other birds, as well as seals. But there’s very limited wildlife in-and-around the continent. The only mammals are whales and seals. After that, it’s a handful of birds andContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Whales & Orcas & Birds, Oh My”
Category Archives: Blogs & Photos
Cruising the Panama Canal and Up the Coast of Panama & Costa Rica – Jan 2014
My dad always loved the Panama Canal, even though he’d never been there. My wife and I decided that we’d like to take a cruise on a (relatively) small boat that would take us through the Canal and up the coasts of Panama and Costa Rica, which we did in January of 2014. That yearContinue reading “Cruising the Panama Canal and Up the Coast of Panama & Costa Rica – Jan 2014”
Peru – Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu – Aug 2015
I tried getting to Machu Picchu two times previously, with the hope that this – the third attempt – would be the charm. Attempt #1 was in 2013. I made it to Lima, but had left DC with my wife having a broken foot and taking care of an elderly dog. My second morning inContinue reading “Peru – Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu – Aug 2015”
Moscow & St. Petersburg – Aug 2016
My trip to Russia in August 0f 2016 was, in some ways, a way to connect back to my grandparents’ homeland. Accept that – while they were from the “Kingdom of Russia,” three of the four of them were from Ukraine – in-and-around Kyiv (the fourth was from Poland). So, while Russia was still excitingContinue reading “Moscow & St. Petersburg – Aug 2016”
Antarctica 2019 – Ice of All Sorts
We lucked out with virtually no wind the whole time we were in and around the continent, which meant we would get reflections in the water like you see in some of the photos. In the depths of winter, we wouldn’t be able to see any of the mountains – they would be entirely coveredContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Ice of All Sorts”
Antarctica 2019 – Cruising the Seas & a Few Islands
After we made landfall at Brown Bluff, we were supposed to head to into the Antarctic Sound, but the weather and ice weren’t cooperating, so we headed to the Weddell Sea instead. This is where Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, got stuck in the ice (um, that didn’t happen to us). From the Weddell weContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Cruising the Seas & a Few Islands”
Antarctica 2019 – Arriving at the Frozen Continent
Apparently there are restrictions on how many people can make landfall on an Antarctica site at any one time, and that number – I think – is 100. So, our group of 150 or so guests was divided into two groups. Each group would have two “landings” per day (assuming a landing was being madeContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Arriving at the Frozen Continent”
Antarctica 2019 – Crossing Drake Passage
In Ushuaia, on December 9, 2019 we boarded our expedition cruise ship, “Le Lyrial,” from the French Ponant line. Overall, we had about 200 passengers on-board, all traveling with A&K. The ship had 4 decks with guest rooms, and carried about 150 guests, about a dozen A&K company staff, and the crew. From Ushuaia, we’dContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Crossing Drake Passage”
Antarctica 2019 – A Few Days In and Around Buenos Aires
I spent my first day in Buenos Aires exploring on my own. The first photo shows the famous cemetery in Buenos Aires – The La Recoleta Cemetery – where Eva Peron and other either famous and/or fabulously wealthy are buried. These crypts house the dead, some above ground, some below, and it is jammed packContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – A Few Days In and Around Buenos Aires”
Antarctica 2019 – Orientation
A little orientation – and this is fun to look at on an actual globe if you own one. I flew to Buenos Aires first. I arrived a day early and spent that day by myself, then joined my tour group from Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) before spending one more day in Buenos Aires. FromContinue reading “Antarctica 2019 – Orientation”
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