South America & Antarctica Cruise, Days 1 & 2
Welcome to my blog about travel by cruises and tours! My husband Brian and I have taken several cruises and tours since retiring. Here I will share details about our experiences, what we enjoyed, as well as things we learned along the way. I will also provide recommendations, tips, and tricks. I hope that our experiences will help inspire your own travel adventures.
As you can see by the map, this cruise was taken on Holland America Line's ship the Oosterdam. This cruise line and itinerary came highly recommended. We looked at a few others, but they did not spend as much time along the Antarctica peninsula, which we very much wanted to see. Also, we had cruised before on this ship in Alaska, so we felt confident that we would be comfortable.
Day 1 - We departed home in Arizona to catch a mid-afternoon flight to Dallas-Fort Worth where we had a one-hour layover. Just enough time to hop on the airport's Skylink light rail to our next gate, stop at the restrooms, and refill our water bottles. The ten-hour flight to Buenos Aires went smoothly. Once we disembarked, passport control was slow (good thing we stopped at the restrooms first), but customs went quickly.
Holland America staff were easy to find for our transfer to the ship. We paid extra for this when we booked the cruise, and it was well worth it to be greeted and transported by bus after such a long flight. We did have to go through security and passport control again when we got to the port. Another short bus ride and we boarded the Oosterdam.
Top Tip: When we plan to eat breakfast in the buffet-style dining area, my husband leaves our cabin before me (I take longer to get ready) to find us a table. He usually texts me the location of the table so that I can find him. This works well because he doesn't have to wait for me, he can start with his required cup of coffee, and I don't feel rushed.
Day 2 - After spending our first night in port, we had most of the next day to explore Buenos Aires. We had pre-booked a Holland America excursion to see a show featuring different kinds of Tango dancing. Dance is such a wonderful way to get a feel for a country's culture.
On the way to the show, because the traffic was slow, our guide gave us an impromptu tour of downtown Buenos Aires, pointing out several monuments and important buildings. What a bonus! Above is the Engineering Faculty building.
Street views of Buenos Aires, a mix of modern skyscrapers, historic buildings, shops, and green spots.
At the Tango show venue, we were seated and offered a glass of Argentine wine and mini empanadas, which are traditional pastries filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. Both were delicious. The show included vocalists, and a variety of traditional Tango dancing. I scooted up to the balcony where only a few people were seated to get these photos.
After the show, when we walked through the cruise ship terminal, we had time to browse the vendors' stalls. I purchased a pendant of Argentina's national stone, Rhodochrosite. My son had given me a pair of earrings made of the same stone several years ago. I was thrilled to find a matching pendant to go with them. What a lovely way to end a great day!
Bonus Tip: Over many years of travel, I have learned to not hesitate to purchase when it is a unique find and not too costly. After all, I may never find the item again. I like jewelry, especially earrings, and scarves for souvenirs because they take little space when packing for the journey home.
