Monday, January 20, 2020


January 20, 2020

Rio de Janeiro



My pictures finally all loaded and I was headed to bed when I saw lots of light outside my cabin.  There had also been a series of loud knocks previously and I found out why – we were bunkering.  2:30 am seemed like a strange time but they did not ask my opinion.  I did not fall asleep until after 3 am and I had planned on sleeping until about 11.  At 9:45 there was a crew drill and you would have to be comatose to sleep through those blasts and announcements right above your head.  Reluctantly, I got up and got ready for the day.



The only thing I had on my agenda was to spend money.  To clarify, I had Brazilian reals left over from last year and I still had not spent them.  You lose a lot if you change them again and I am not sure if the ship would even take them back – hence the need to spend them. 



There are a few stalls inside the terminal and more outside.  I looked through the inside, went to the outside, walked up and down, and then went back into the terminal.  I still did not find anything that struck my fancy so I went outside again and walked up and down twice more.  I finally found some things to buy – a necklace for me as well as a T-shirt and two gifts.



I returned to the ship around 12:15, changed to my bathing suit, and then went to lunch in the Lido.  I swam for a little over an hour and then finished my book before changing again for trivia.  It was a terribly hard trivia with the winning team having 10 out of 15.  We had 5 correct.  Mary, who I met in 2018, joined our team because Rodney was running.


1.What food item is “Allium Sativum”?

2.Which country is home to the Ashanti people?

3.What individual is notorious for saying, “I am like any other man.  All I do is supply a demand.”?

4.What did Zaire’s name become in 1977?

5.What is the national flower of Mexico?

6.What element is named after the Greek work for “green”?

7.What Canadian dessert is made with a pastry base and brown sugar and raisins?



It was sail-away time after trivia.  Glenn-Michael (the exc guide) narrated our departure from Rio.  Rio is one of those harbors where it pays to be out on deck.  The weather was much nicer than last year (we had a thunder storm) and I stayed until we had passed Sugar Loaf Mountain and the beautiful beaches (Copacabana and Ipanema).



Four of us for dinner.  I did not go to the show.  The performer for tonight (Lee Bradley) was not feeling well so they switched to Tim Abel.  I liked his show but needed to get to bed early (for me!) tonight, so I skipped it.



Two sea days coming up.



Trivia (we missed all of these and a couple more!)

1.garlic

2.Ghana

3.Al Capone

4.Democratic Republic of Congo

5.dahlia

6.chlorine

7.butter tarts



Bunkering




Lifeboats during the drill



In the terminal

the flip-flops were really popular

 lots of space in the terminal, a/c, and wi-fi

 small drug store 

lots of ATMs (I wish more terminals had these)


Around the terminal area











From the deck






what time is it????



Christ the Redeemer


Sail-Away





birds flying along with us



end of the sail-away party as we passed Sugarloaf Mountain




Smooth sailing until next time!

Sunday, January 19, 2020


January 19, 2020



Rio de Janeiro



My first excursion of the cruise was to Petropolis.  It is about 40 miles outside of Rio.  The royal family of Portugal moved its court to Brazil in the early 1800s.  In 1821, Joao VI became King and moved back to Portugal leaving his son, Pedro I, in charge in Brazil.  Pedro I, sided with the rebels and became Emperor of the Republic of Brazil in 1822.  His son, Pedro II, became the last emperor of Brazil and the Brazilian monarchy was abolished in 1889.  It was Pedro II who built the Summer Palace in Petropolis that his father had envisioned.



Our tour started at 9 am when we met outside the terminal.  The drive took a little bit over an hour and our first stop was at Palácio Quitandinha.  It was built in the early 1940s as a casino/hotel.  The interior designer, Dorothy Draper, designed the interior.  Many famous people have stayed there including Carmen Miranda, Bing Crosby, and Eva Peron.  The casino closed in the 40s and the hotel in the 60s after which it became condos and is now a major tourist attraction in Persepolis.

After our visit, we ate on the side of the man-made lake (in the shape of Brail beside Palacio Quitandinha.  It was a churrascaria (steak house) and we had numerous side dishes as well as different meats.



We then went to the Imperial Museum of Brazil housed in the Summer Palace of Emperor Pedro II.  We toured through the various rooms but photography was prohibited. 



Short stops were made at The Cathedral of Saint Peter of Alcantara and the Crystal Palace (that was neither crystal nor a palace).  Our final stop was at the Cervejeria Bohemia Brewery, which was the first one in Brazil.  We had a tour of the brewery and tasted three different beers.



We arrived in Rio at about 6:50. I had dinner in the Lido where they were having a “Gaucho Dinner”.  Music trivia was at 8:30 and I joined a team (there were only three teams).  Afterwards I spent some time out on the deck looking at the lights of Rio. 



As I have been typing up today’s blog, I have been watching/listening to the movie “Judy” playing on the TV.  What a sad story.



We have another day in Rio and I have nothing planned.



one of Rio's numerous favelas



at Palacio Quitandinha






 large empty pool in the shape of a grand piano

child's playhouse


Lago Sul Churriscaria


 Ever seen mouthwash and dental floss in the bathroom of a restaurant?

Museum

photo of the last Emperor of Brazil and his family

the former Summer Place

a royal coach

the cathedral

the Crystal Palace

 at the brewery




at one point in time almost all beer was made by monks




Street scenes in Petropolis














Smooth sailing until next time!