EPILOGUE

A journey we booked 15 months ago with Silversea, a glorious 4-weeks in South America, a first for us to ever set foot on the Continent has unceremoniously and quietly come to an end. 

'It will take some getting used to when you return home ... ' as Cruise Director Kirk Detweiler reminded us ' ... when the toilets at home only flush and do not suck ... when you wake up in the middle of the night, famish, and realized you already had breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner ... when you keep forgetting to feed the dog ...' so funny, so true, and so appropriate.

A quick recap of our take-away from this cruise.

* smallness of us humans verses the vastness of nature

* unfailing impression of the open sea, in serenity or in anger

* timeless, lasting beauty of million-year old glaciers

* spirit of adventure that drove early dwellers everywhere

* our insatiable desire to explore, to learn, regardless of age

While it was another tick in the conspicuous consumption chart (one our party of travel pals did enjoy) I for one am not sure if 3-weeks on a cruise ship is something I will do again anytime soon. How do people manage 60 days or even 120 days on a world cruise? That said, perhaps I should keep my mouth shut and reserve judgment until I am a bit older? Who knows what is installed, it could well be the only avenue available for us to see the world.

Lastly to all of you who enjoy cruising may I quote these parting words from Niki Sepsas, our Onboard Presenter Extraordinaire ...

'Hope your Seas are Smooth and your Sunsets Memorable'!           

SANTIAGO

Santiago has more or less the same feel as Buenos Aires as we entered from Valparaiso, the port city where we disembarked, a 2-hour drive from the Capital. 6 million out of the 17 million or 35% of Chile's population live in Santiago. The Grand Hyatt is an older hotel located at a prestigious neighborhood, surrounded by the usual suspects, the often boring brand names and fast food chains that one sees everywhere, thanks to globalization. Spanish influence is extremely strong here. 80% Catholics but not unlike other predominantly Catholic countries most of them are not church goers.

18 well known valleys such as Veramonte & Casablanca near the city are devoted to vineyards that boost harvests around March to yield a robust Chilean wine industry. Further out there are olive farms aplenty that cater to the export markets, primarily to Spain.

It may be the end of Summer as people seem relaxed and happy. More smiles across the board than Buenos Aires where faces are more somber. We were blessed by perfect weather and with the majestic foothills of the Andes as backdrop what is there not to like in Santiago except, perhaps, the eating department. This subject matter can well be characteristic of South American cuisine. I should not make scathing remarks as this obviously deserves a separate blog, which I shall attempt to do.

BAVARIA IN CHILE

The Lake District in Southern Chile is fascinating. One might be forgiven for temporarily thinking one has been transported to Austria instead of Southern Chile. This region, complete with snow capped volcanoes and glistening lakes in vibrant blue, is the historical homeland of Chile's indigenous Mapuche people who revolted and drove the Spanish conquistadors out in 1598. It was not until 1881, almost three centuries later, when a treaty was finally signed to end the Mapuche War. Soon afterwards Government policy was to recruit waves of German, Austrian and Swiss immigrants to settle in what was then called 'the empty territory' principally to offset indigenous domination. The typical Bavarian sheen around the Lake District is evident, even now, especially in townships around Lake Llanquihue like Puerto Montt, Frutillar and Puerto Varas. Our excursion was an eye opener, a worthwhile visit where we could witness first hand the consequences of immigration policies established 133 years ago.      

RIO SIMPSON

Dozens of rivers and waterfalls wend their way through the mountain formation as we move slowly north along the fjords on the Chilean side of Patagonia, a long strip of land thousands of miles long but less than 300 miles wide. We took an excursion to the Rio Simpson National Reserve, with a short stop at the tiny township of Puerto Aysen. To be gracious we describe the town as quaint, even though there was not much to write home about. The scenic drive along the river, however, was calming and offered many picture opportunities.

We were shown an idyllic spot where one can photograph the side profile of a lone Moai look alike ... one of the famous 887 monumental statures built by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island ... on a clear day, that is, as rain falls on this region up to 300 days annually. 'We have a brand new gym but strangely town folks only use it on sunny days, which means 2+ month in a year' ... think about that.        

NAPS NAPS NAPS

We were a bit bored by one of the excursions and played a joke on our guide. While there were fascinating ones like the San Valentin Glacier we also had one or two 'dogs' when we were shuttled in long bus rides to not very worth seeing spots ... like the 'viewing point' on Stubbs Road that caused traffic jams near our home. Why are we here? We thought we were funny but were told we were not, apparently we do that a lot on the road ie falling asleep everywhere. It just shows one thing, again, we can never win the age game.    

NEW ME?

This is the ship's interpretation of a Full English Breakfast ... which I love so I closed my eyes and ordered it daily, until the third morning when I surrendered. Needless to say the 3 meals a day are sacrosanct on cruises and if one is not mindful, a problem almost everyone faces on board, one can get into real trouble from over eating.

Then I did a few things which surprised myself these few weeks. I stopped drinking altogether (almost) no hard liquor, no wines except a sip or two. From the daily morning walks I managed to meet (again almost) my JawBone target of 10,000 steps per day. I decided to cut coffee as well, since a week ago. I indulged in salads galore at lunch and only ordered fish of the day, steamed, with steamed veggie and plain rice. Why do I do this while on a cruise ... I don't know, guilt perhaps?  Will this or rather can this last, I don't know either. I certainly plan to make it last.

PADDLE BOARDING SAN RAPHAEL STYLE

While we were busy oohing - aahing and clicking away, something or rather someone appeared out of nowhere that took our breath away. A solo paddle boarder in shorts (!) cut right across our bow. Could this be an illusion, or for a moment, a ghost. Well, it is all real according to the crew. There is a training camp for extreme sports nearby and these are 'solo challengers'. This very tall, lean, super athletic looking young woman was initially paddling on her exposed knees (right) as the water must be close to freezing, when she reached us she stood up to take a bow (left) with The Big One behind her. We were speechless! What does it take on the determination and stamina scales to try something like this, it was unimaginable.    

SO BLUE - SO CLOSE

A close up on what I meant by the magic Pelican Blue .... by the way we were so close to these floating beauties we could almost reach out to touch them. 

SAN VALENTIN GLACIER

150 nautical miles south of Puerto Chacabuco lies Laguna San Rafael National Park. Getting here is in itself a wonderful experience as we cruised through waterways, fjords and estuaries that offered stunning scenery. Within the Park is the tallest peak in the Southern Andes, Mount St Valentin at 13,310 feet from where 19 glaciers (!!!) were born, the Mount San Valentin Glacier being the most famous.

As we entered the Lagoon we could see large blocks of ice afloat that were calved off from the almighty giant, often with thunderous roars as they crashed into the lagoon, we were told. Our sightseeing catamaran came very close but never too close as the ferocity of the crash can create currents. The most amazing yet was what I call the 'Pelican Blue' like the ink in fountain pens we grew up with ... that beautiful hue is unmistaken. For some reason glaciers can absorb all colors except blue and voila.

If I were to nominate the best excursion on this cruise ... this will be it, without question a truly unforgettable sight.      

ROAST LAMB

There is something about roasting either a side or a whole lamb or beef that makes the meat taste so different. The boys at Estancia doubled up as Chefs and they did a marvelous job ... succulent, tasty, and beautifully seasoned. Accompanies by roast potatoes, corn on the cob and salads, the Estancia cook-out was one meal we Hong Kong belongers will not soon forget. 

ESTANCIA RIO PENITENTE

Estancia means 'Ranch' in Spanish and we were hosted by the Morrison family, one of the first immigrant families from Scotland who built Estancia Rio Penitente back in 1891. The owner is a third generation Morrison who runs the farm with his 3 handsome and not a bit Scottish looking young sons. 'The family started with 4000 heads of sheep over 8000 hectres of land' which is a mind boggling number for anyone, let alone someone from Hong Kong. While the family is still active I think their livelihood is more to do with tourism, offering a taste of daily life on a traditional Patagonia homestead.

Cameras and videos kept clicking as; 1) sheep dogs responded to different whistle commands from their masters on horse back, rounding up sheep as a perfect team 2) experienced hands shearing sheep in a matter of minutes ' we do not count how many head they shear, we just ring the bell when we are ready to stop' and 3) domesticated version of roaming Llamas or Guanacos to complete the picture - no pun intended and lastly 4) a cook-out complete with a whole lamb in a huge pit Argentine style.

Our group opted for some down time aka naps in the well appointed family room. We could smell history as we flipped the pages of coffee table books on the family, with a background of Scottish tunes. Why here, of all places? It is because of the landscape, which reminded Great Grand Dad Morrison of home, when he took that courageous step of building a new life in Argentina. Looking out on the horizon and the openness I tried to imagine what went through his mind as he made that decision, but I could not do it.  I just do not have the resolve.                       

AMAZING NIKI

Niki Sepsas' name card reads Tour Guide - Writer - Guest Speaker and to his last role it says 'A Speaker for All Seasons' and indeed he is.

Niki started life at West Point and the University of Alabama, served in the Army, before embarking on a 30-year travel career.With a stellar track record of having visited 160+ countries across the 7 Continents, his fascination with South America began in 1983 which has led him to Venezuela's Angel Falls, to Cape Horn and the tip of Tierra del Fuego, to paddling canoes through the emerald rainforest of Amazonia, to the fjords of Chile, to hiking the Peruvian Andes, to Machu Picchu ... and we wonder why Niki was our Destination Speaker. 'When he realized he enjoyed discovering what lay just beyond, he began to work as a free lance writer and tour guide'. With 900 articles published Niki is a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

We found his lectures informative and captivating. Not only do they whet one's appetite on our onshore excursions, they heighten awareness as to how little we know about the world around us, and arouse our desire to learn just that little bit more. Niki is extremely knowledgeable, humorous, eloquent, personable but to top it all he obviously feels every heartbeat and pulse of his audience ... quintessential attributes of a Presenter-Speaker Extraordinaire.

Are you ready to be impressed, if so, check out his website at www.nikiwrites.com

ROYALTIES AT SEA

The albatross is arguably the most beautiful sea bird across the oceans. There are different species, and plenty of them, in both the Atlantic and Pacific waters south of Latitude 45 degree.

The albatross is the sea version of its counterpart on land, the eagle. Royalties is the most fitting description of these birds, whether they are soaring in flight or perched on tall trees surveying their domain. They convey power and even a tinge of fear on the one hand, only to be balanced by elegance and even charm on the other.

A mascot to seafarers, their presence is associated with luck and good riddance. As quoted in an old sea log ' ... instead of the cross, the neck of an albatross my neck will be hung ....'

FERDINAND aka MARCOS

The word 'decadence' is often associated with cruises. A dear Filipino friend once said 'we learn to perfect the art of doing nothing on a cruise ship, literally nothing'. One gets spoiled easily, which I believe is central to the very idea of cruising anyway. The 24-7 service staff responds to every beckon call with big smiles and as an old advertisement used to say 'I can get used to this very easily'.

At the buffet restaurant one simply points to what one wants on one's plate and a waiter will take over, just in case you cannot navigate your way back to the table over the 'swells' when the ship is at sea. This, of course, becomes habit even when the ship is docked. I refuse to do that, at the risk of slipping my lunch over other's shoulders.

These folks work 10-12 hour shifts, with breaks in between but they seem to be on perennial duty during their 8-month contracts, away from homes and families. The service is genuine, their smiles even more so ... just an amazing bunch of professionals who carry their workload with incredible pride.

We, a party of nine, count our blessing to have Ferdinand (whom we called Fernando the first few days and Marcos afterwards) from Manila at our dinner table from day one. He is truly the most likable professional we have come across. Ferdinand has this innate ability to read your mind when you deliberate on the extensive, somewhat complicated menu. To me, he is the dietitian I want. Without the blink of an eye, he can recommend a 3-course meal (5-course if he senses you are hungry) that will satisfy your intake while shaving off your greed. How about Fish of the Day since you had Lamb and Steak the last two evenings? Oil and Vinegar, Mr Tang, you may not need Blue Cheese Dressing? Just a Double Expresso, no dessert, right? You might wish to indulge in a single scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, your favorite, with a splash of caramel though since you did 30 Funnel Laps, right? You earned it today, do not forget you are on vacation.

Why can't dietitians be human, like Ferdinand?

Meet my soul mate on Silver Spirit. I wish you could be there to witness his acrobatic act of dinner plate balancing on 3-metre waves.

SUN RISE

We are way down south in latitude terms, from 45S at the Falklands to 55S by the time we reached Ushuaia. Our days become longer with the sun rising shortly after 6am, and she works tirelessly until almost 10pm every day. Chilly temperature in the evenings is not conducive to outdoor activities but the morning sun, even against a backdrop of 8-10C, is most welcome by a bunch of us early risers at the Funnel Walk. 10 laps equals 1 mile ... after almost 2 weeks on board 30 laps is like 'a walk in the park' except we are talking about some of the most beautiful national parks here.

These pictures were taken right before Silver Spirit's docking approach at Ushuaia around 630am. Sheer magic!

MEET HELEN CLARKE

We noticed this silver haired, tanned, amicable, always smiling lady who never once used the lifts on board. She may walk with the aide of a cane, the cane-cum-chair kind, and her back may bend a little but she possesses every sign of an elderly person who is in complete control of her physique and faculties. Dora and I have this immediate inkling that we ought to meet her. We are certain we can, and will, learn something from her. The long and short is we introduced ourselves and asked for the pleasure of her company at lunch today. It was a real joy.

Helen is Irish and her work life was incredibly similar to what Dora and I did, from an allied health professional to sales and marketing in the healthcare industry ... in her case from being a Maternity Nursing Sister in Charge to a top pharmaceutical Sales Representative in the UK. Her life after retirement is all about leisure travels, notably on cruises. She is a walking dictionary of the top echelon cruise world like Silversea, Crystal or Seabourn ... she has been on them all, many times over globally. Known affectionately by the crew as Miss Clarke (not Ms God forbids) she is obviously a darling regular on board.

We asked her how she manages her almost hectic travel schedules her reply is a single word ... determination, the same resounding word that led her to stellar careers. Our 2-hour lunch was a lesson with multiple themes on careers, self reliance, personal well being, human interaction, grace, curiosity and of course the art of making things happen, making life worth living via determination.

Helen will visit Hong Kong in December, it will be our honor to see her again and to show our hospitality. Helen Clarke is such a joy to know, and even better, someone to emulate.               

GLACIER AVENUE

About 12 millions years ago, lava flows pushed through the thick sedimentary crust that covered the southwestern coast of South America, then cooled off to form a huge granite mass. Next came the glaciers which swept through the region, grinding away all but the twisted ash-gray spires, creating the 'towers' that formed one of the most beautiful natural phenomena. In the middle of this is the Beagle Channel on which one can see a succession of breathtaking peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife, birds in flocks with pristine water all round, of course ... the cruise world has a most suitable name for this ... 'Glacier Avenue' a unique ritual which can only be found in this neighborhood of South America.

The choice spot for this baptism of glacier gazing is a rail side table for lunch, at the stern, under the mid day sun ... when she is willing to show her face, that is. We have been most lucky, apparently, because a sunny day is a rarity the fact that she only works 30-40 days a year.

Salad a la Glaciers, anyone? 

GALLEY TOUR

Chef Ramon de Bernard who took us on a galley tour, is Executive Chef on the Silver Spirit. He heads a team of 69 chefs at different levels, plus the kitchen support team. The ship can hold up to 600, and there are 450 of us on this cruise. There are 6 outlets on board plus round the clock in-suite dining to cover breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The Le Terrazza prides itself as the flag carrier of Silversea's Italian culinary traditions, 'the first and only Slow Food restaurant in the cruise world', the brochure claims.

The Chef is definitive that safety comes before quality. 'We are surrounded by water and we must ensure that whatever we serve is safe, first and foremost, even before quality'. I think what he means is 'safety of food stuff is his primary concern when he assesses quality' as the food quality on board has been good. Other considerations such as nationalities, diet preferences, restrictions, purchase of ingredients at ports of call, managing wastage ... just to name a few, are his daily priorities.

Trivial statistics of interests : 128 dishes as basis to develop menus from, 20 cheeses on menu but 35 in storage, 1400 eggs / 128 pounds of oranges / 250 pound of potatoes used daily for 450 guests, aim to stock organic and hormone free meats but cannot reach 100% consistency due to supply logistics along the way, by the way sous-vide cooking is not allowed on board as long as the question of safety of plastic bags for vacuum is not resolved. One last thing ... chefs on cruises almost never become seasick, except at the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand where no soul is spared. Presumably the smell of food, which tends to aggravate those who succumb to motion sickness, does not affect them.

I always have nothing but the highest respect for these unsung heroes behind restaurants, in fact any restaurant, whether it is successful or not. Working on a cruise ship is at least one of not mote notches up in terms of challenges. All power to them! 

GUILTY AS CHARGED

I read this on Silversea's circulation of daily international news.

FRENCH CHEFS REBEL

From Paris : The next time you try to take a picture of your dinner in a posh French restaurant, do not be surprised if an angry chef comes storming out of his kitchen. Fed up with patrons snapping photographs with their smart phones to post on social networks, several Michelin-starred French establishments are trying to crack down on the so-called 'Food Porn'.              

Food bloogers, and even some chefs, defend the pictures as free publicity but for many the sharing has just gone too far. 'There is a time and a place for everything' said Alexander Gauthier, Chef at La Grenouillere in the northern town of La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil. 'We are trying to give our clients a break in their lives, and for that, you need to turn off your mobile' he said.

I am guilty as hell, I should be ashamed. I am totally obsessed with taking food pictures, not just the plate in front of me but others around the same table as well. It must be so disruptive if not down right annoying for everyone. What do I do with them afterwards, aside from posting a few on my blog? Nothing! They just consume MB storage space. It is time to change, and to cut the habit.     

You must agree with me that it is very hard to not want to capture simple food being creatively and beautifully presented though, right?

LAND & SEA

Silversea organized a full day excursion of breathtaking sightseeing at the world renowned Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. We started by bus to the terminus of Tren del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Train) which was built to move prisoners from the coast to the hinterland to harvest building materials. These mini choo-choo trains are churned by steam engines (made in South Africa) but they failed to 'wow' us older folks of the cruise ship variety. The indigenous vegetation on this wind-whipped land is mainly 'Lenga', mostly covered by 'Chinese Lanterns' or parasites that hang from the branches. Sitting on the border with Chile almost all the mountain ranges we saw from the park were on Chilean soil.

What followed, a 2-hour cruise on a catamaran to return us to the city via Lapataia Bay, Beagle Channel and Sea Wolves which more than made up for the monotonous land segment. Against an epitome backdrop of blue-on-blue ie blue waters against blue sky we visited the natural habitats of sea birds, mostly Comarants, and sea lions. Regrettably we did not see penguins but it was still an amazing eye opener. We literally saw masses of them at close range, making it one of those reflective moments when the question of how our Creator creates begs an answer.        

KING CRABS

I was never a big fan of Alaskan King Crabs, for good reasons. I do not know where to get them, I do not know what is quality, and lastly I do not know what is the best way to cook them. Most of what is served at home are either as a cold entree, where the sweetness is gone probably from being frozen for too long, or grilled, which is even worse as the delicate flesh is burned to death.

Our lunch at Villaggio on main street Ushuaia opened a new perspective to my otherwise stubborn, less than educated culinary mind. These babies are displayed in an open tank, at 2 prices ... 1) Pesos 330 per kilo if you pick your own and 2) Pesos 280 if the restaurant picks ... the equivalent of US$33 & US$28 per kilo. For our party of 9 we selected 2 at roughly 3 kilos each or about US$100 per crab. Villaggio is frequented by locals, our kind of place and per our waiter, there is only one way to go ... boil them and serve with wedges of lemon. As an aside vegetarians and devout Buddhists will frown on the process of selecting and sending perfectly vibrant crabs to its destiny, as lunch for a bunch of gourmands from half way around the world. Why? To us heartless and salivating foodies, the reply is, why not? Hey, it is not my place to preach morality here, I am merely a wannabe home cook.     

Glorious! The flesh is hugely sweet, and juicy with built-in seasoning from sea water. Earlier exposure to New England Lobster & Clam Bakes as a young man taught me to use drawn butter with a sprinkle of salt (chopped parsley is absolutely NOT on) as a dip. I still think it would add to the recipe here but it works just as well with freshly squeezed lemon juice, which we did. Surprisingly there was no roe, or crab fat, not the breeding season, perhaps? We also ordered Picada de Moriscoes - seafood rice local style - plus soup, calamari and garlic prawns. All lack lustre, even superfluous, as the Oscar clearly belonged to the King Crabs a la Ushuaia!

VILLAGGIO - 326 San Martin Ushuaia TDF : 30-71204236-9      

USHUAIA

Ushuaia, pronounced oosh-shre-ya is the capital and tourism base for Tierra del Fuego - Land of Fire - a huge island at the southern tip of Argentina. It is closer to the South Pole at 2,480 miles than to the country's northern border with Bolivia. The last mountains of the Andean Cordillera rise above the city, with snow capped peaks well into Summer. Even though people say that Ushuaia today 'feels a bit like a frontier boom town with the heart of a rugged fishing village' the landscape and the sheer beauty of nature around the area is hard to match. Founded as a penal colony until Juan Peron dismantled it the city attracted Italian immigrants initially before capitalizing on ecologically sumptuous resources to develop a thriving tourism industry. Population has jumped from 7,000 to 70,000 the past decade in part due to the Government offer of tax benefits across the board such as no VAT to attract inhabitants. While taxes may be low it is expensive to live here as almost everything has to be shipped in from somewhere else. Ushuaia is the preferred gateway for expeditions due to her proximity to the South Pole. When we docked at the break of dawn there was a handful of trim looking, no nonsense Antarctica bound cruise boats along side, ready to row.

Even though shopping is never on my agenda it was fun to saunter down Avenida San Martin, Ushuaia's answer to Causeway Bay and what did we get, a mid afternoon traffic jam. We bought Ushuaia themed T-shirts for the twins at US$12 or HK$100 each, thank you very much. These margins will make Hong Kong retailers weep, one wonders how much goes to rent and staff wages?

The information sheet on board says ' ... a chaotic and contradictory urban landscape with luxury hotels next to housing projects, the weather worn pastel colors remind one that it was just a tiny fishing village snuggled at the end of the earth ...' which I disagree. It is unkind as the charm of a small town, fishing village or not, is all over town. I must declare, however, my dissent is made after a beautiful, sunny-blue-sky day of sightseeing, and a beautiful lunch of locally caught King Crabs.    

FALKLANDS

Just 300 miles northeast of Tierra del Fuego, right on Latitude 45 degrees south which is half way between the Equator and the South Pole are the Falkland Islands aka Islas Malvinas ... an archipelago of two main islands, East & West Falklands, and 778 smaller islets and rocks. The total land area is 4,700 square miles which is roughly 12 times the size of Hong Kong but mostly uninhabitable. Port Stanley is the home for 1,900 or 75% of the population and the territory is best described as ' ... a wild and unique destination, a sweep of islands where sheep graze peacefully next to penguins'.    

Britain first claimed this land in 1592 but since then this not-so-hot potato in the South Atlantic has changed hands between the Brits, Spaniards and Argentines. The last contest of will was, of course, the Falklands War in 1982, an unthinkable 32 years ago when I was half my age today. The revered Iron Lady, the late Dame Margaret Thatcher thrashed the Argentine military, and definitively replanted the Union Jack which was firmly supported by 99% of the population up to this day.

Everyone on board was eager to go on shore, to get a feel for the islander life style, to see the Magellanic penguins in their natural habitat, to relive the 1982 conflict in-vitro on battle sites but .... it was not meant to be. The sun was out, the sky was blue, we could see the shoreline but we could not disembark. Wind was gusting at 40 knots and our ship could not be stabilized so tenders can come along side for the transfer. We waited patiently but what we prayed for did not happen. The weather did not let up as excitement and anticipation turned into major disappointment. We came so far, we were so close but we could do nothing ... one more lesson learned about life.       

RISOTTO MILANESE

Italian Chef Andrea Sorrentino's recipe, who demonstrated his craft on board. To him, this is a fool-proof approach. I have been to a few of these and can well appreciate the reference to 'fools' but am not sure about the 'proof' bit. Why don't you try it, let me know if it is fool-proof?

300gm Riso delle Abbadesse or regular Risotto

1 Onion finely chopped

1 Clove of Garlic finely chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Glass of Dry White Wine

1.5 litre of Vegetable Stock

50gm Butter

50gm Parmesan cheese

40gm Saffron

Salt & Pepper to taste

Gently heat the olive oil, add onion & garlic, cook till soft. Add saffron and rice, toast for a few minutes till rice is translucent, deglaze with white wine, cook dry. Add stock little by little, ladle by ladle, bring rice to cooking point to al dente. Remove from heat, add butter & Parmesan, stir for a further minute. Let it rest before serving.

PUERTO MADRYN

We disembarked at Puerto Madryn, our first port of call. Though Argentine through and through, it was first settled by Welsh immigrants in 1886, hence the Welsh traditions and customs. Most prominent was Gaiman Town where the group was treated to mid morning tea complete with scones, cream cakes, heavily buttered finger sandwiches in all their glory. There was even a small mixed voice Welsh choir with a repertoire of unmistaken Anglican anthems. BTW the Paleontology Museum carried an impressive collection on the origins of prehistoric Patagonia.

Puerto Madryn has experienced rapid growth thanks to Argentina's first aluminum plant established here. She has since attracted tourists from Argentina and other South American countries for diving and water sports.   

PATAGONIA

Mention the word Patagonia invariably the first images are high quality fleece, layer thermal wear, hiking shoes and related gadgets et al ... a brand marketing success story for the trendy, keep up with the Jones younger set and older wannabes who can afford the price tags. As to why Patagonia, or the even more basic question, where is Patagonia one might not expect informed answers.

Patagonia is a huge land mass in Chubut Province, 500K square miles in fact, that stretches from Buenos Aires all the way down to Cape Horn, the southern most end of the continent, which is under the flag of Chile. It covers one-third of Argentina but only 4% of the population live here. Route #3 is the main north-south 'highway' that runs through this plateau like terrain ... dry, dusty, barren, extreme temperatures ... all the way to Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego. We even saw wild animals along the highway as shown, highly unusual, we were told.

How did the name come about? On Magellan's crew there was a scribe, an Italian who could read and write. He brought with him a fiction that described a giant named Patagon. When the crew, mostly shorter men from Europe, ventured on shore they encountered much taller natives ... 6 feet plus ... amazed but un-phased they were at a lost as to what to call them. Well, the scribe had the perfect solution. How about Patagon, the Giant, and it stuck. A shorter version of more or less the same story is ... when the crew saw the natives for the first time they were amazed not only by how tall they were, but the size of their feet, hence 'Patagon' as in 'big feet'.  

There you have it. I did not make it up, I just shared the story as I heard it.    

CRUISE EATS

Despite huge efforts food on cruise ships can never be rated like we normally do with restaurants at home.

It is institutional catering whichever way one looks at it. Feeding 450 hungry mouths on board, 3 times a day, commands a modus operandi that is vastly different from fine dining. Credit must be given to the 100+ kitchen staff who produced delicious plates like the Salad of King Crab Tian with Mango Garnish, and Boston Lobster Tail on an Asparagus Mousse, almost flawlessly. It seems concept restaurants are the in-thing on recent cruises, but not much of a success in my book. Trying too hard, for example fusion Japanese cuisine, will almost always backfire. It is something F&B chiefs have yet to learn.

One stark observation on this cruise is the army of seasoned service staff, mostly Asians from the ASEAN, who are at the top of their trade. Whatever lacks from the kitchen is more than made up for on the floor. At Seabourn we experienced younger crews, predominantly from Eastern Europe and the difference is noticeable. Do not get me wrong, the service level is neck-to-neck but the 'feel' cannot be farther apart. It has been truly wonderful to be able to sit at the same table, and served by the same team every evening. We are so terribly spoiled, we know it, but we love it.    

FUNNEL LAP

An early morning walk on deck when the ship is at sea is without question my 'magic' moment on board, when I feel cleansed and totally unshackled from stress and trials. On most ships there is the 'Funnel Lap' which is a track prepared for jogging and walking. On Silver Spirit 10 laps around the funnel equal 1 mile ... our normal practice is 20-30 laps before breakfast. It heals the body but even more so the soul. The sun at dawn is alluring, as shown.