Tears of Passion

I am on information overload since I have been here. It is truly impossible to properly digest the colossal amounts of facts, figures, and names that have been hurled our way since we arrived. It almost makes me wish that I had paid a bit closer attention to geography, chemistry, and biology in high school.

So, instead of bogging us all down with useless data, I thought that maybe we could play a game.

Outside of your family and friends, (they are a given in this exercise) name something about which you are so passionate that it brings you to tears. It can be anything. A song or music that triggers memories. A beautifully prepared meal. A piece of art that is so magnificent that you simply cannot comprehend its depth and breadth. What out there in the world moves you to tears?

There is much that does it for me. Years ago, I saw the original cast of Wicked on Broadway and the first time I heard Idina Menzel sing Defying Gravity I was a puddle. There's this one note that she hits toward the end..."So, if you care to find me, LOOK to the western sky." It gets me every single time I hear her do it and I sob. No explanation, just copious tears.

I've had many experiences like that on this trip and yesterday our two stops in Isabela Island brought tears on several occasions. I welled up when I caught sight of the Galápagos sea turtles fishing in Isabella bay. I felt the tears coming when the Galápagos penguins posed naturally for us on the rocks. It happened again when I saw the two brown pelican chicks in a nest off the cliffs of the island being tended to by their mother. There were the three young seal lion pups that determinedly played a game of chicken with our zodiac and were barking happily as we laughed at their games. We caught our first glimpses of the famous blue-footed Boobys and I was so excited I nearly collapsed in giggles.

My point in asking about passionate crying is not to suggest that some people are less than emotional, but rather to explain how excited I am to simply be here. The Husband, the gifted photographer that he is, mentioned that he keeps reminding himself to put down the camera and watch what is happening through his eyes and not his lens.

Sometimes, a good cry is cathartic and magical.

*Please share your passionate tears in the comments.*

A few tidbits.

1. The head waiter on this boat is determined to feed me. Krassimir (we are tight now and on a first-name basis) has been concerned about our vegetarian diet and has offered to prepare special meals for us whenever we want. There is simply no need. There is plenty to keep us fed but he is insistent every time he sees me and tells me he and the chef made a dish with us in mind. He's a keeper.

2. I love how different this trip is from other cruises. It isn't a potential eat-a-thon and there isn't 24/7 food at hand. As much as my new buddy wants to ply me with food, it isn't a constant theme.

3. The naturalists here are simply incredible. We take tours in groups of no more than ten people and each of the guides is brilliant, knowledgeable, and PASSIONATE about what they do. They are ready with answers to all of our questions and are concerned that we leave here with a better understanding of this fascinating ecosystem they call home. There is even an ecological lab aboard the ship where we have viewed various rocks, sand formations, and crystals that are native to the individual islands.

4. This trip might be a bucket list for many (it certainly was for us) but even though many of the tours are scaled for different abilities, there are some things that require a modicum of fitness level. Many of the paths are uneven and climbs to the tops of rocks or ridges require some rigorous walking. This is simply an FYI.

5. We crossed the Equator twice yesterday. They held a ceremony and gave us a goofy certificate but it was weird. Still, it was a far sight better than when Darwin did it. Check this out.

I'm A Bird Watcher

Have you ever heard of a "thing" called the "Big Year"?

Apparently, amateur birdwatchers venture out into the wilds of the planet in order to see how many different species of our avian friends they can spot in a single calendar year. They are absolutely on the honour system, they spend a shitload of money traversing the globe, and the only thing that they are permitted to shoot is a camera. Sometimes the contest is done within a single geographic area and sometimes the entire world is in play. The current record for a Big Year in North America is 839 species while the world big year record of 6,852 species was set in 2016 by Arjan Dwarshuis of the Netherlands.

The first time I was made aware of the Big Year was in a movie of the same title starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. Frankly, I thought the entire escapade was ridiculous and boring as hell but guess what...

I've become one of those people.

I am officially a bird-watching fanatic. Sign me up for a membership in the Audubon Society. Take me to the wilds of the continents to discover the mating habits of the Great Blue Heron or perhaps the Baltimore Oriole. My fascination is real and deep. Today, I put an app on my phone that will help identify various species by a simple photograph and attended a lecture on the endemic and indigenous fowl of the Galápagos Islands. I am in it up to my armpits.

And nothing helps to stoke a fascination and a burgeoning hobby like an eco-vacation. I find myself looking up into the sky as often as I do onto the ground or into the water. I was truly amazed by the diving and feeding habits of the Galápagos brown pelicans that we saw today at dusk of the beaches at Rabida Island. I loved that the Galápagos flycatcher that landed on The Husband's camera lens this morning on Santiago, was so fearless that he was almost posing for the shot. The flamingos that came to feed in a tidal pool in the red sands of Rabida were so at peace with us idiot tourists that they didn't even seem to mind us photographing their evening meal. The American oystercatcher was almost proud and puffing to show off her two eggs in her nest on the black volcanic rocks of Santiago. And me...I just lapped it all up like a thirsty puppy.

The sea lions (we saw a mom nursing her pup. Bestill my heart.), fur seals, various varieties of crab, and...yes...those weird-assed iguanas and lizards are truly something to see but for me, it was the birds. Sorry, Mom. I know that you have a fascination with the reptiles but I will stick with the marine mammals and the brilliantly feathered.

A few tidbits.

1. We haven't snorkelled yet and that is my doing. The Husband is unable to breathe out of a tube and I simply didn't want to go without him. There will be other opportunities still to come, so stop nagging me, Twin Son's Better Half. 😉

2. We are incredibly impressed with Celebrity and this tour. If anybody wants to ask me questions for a future trip, private message me. My only mistake so far was not bringing water shoes. Those wet landings in bare feet are making for some interesting markings on my soles.

3. My vegetarian food choice has been very much validated and not for the reasons you might think. I am watching the food chain and natural selection happen in real-time while here and I have no illusions about eating meat, but the ecosystem is so very fragile that one alteration to even the smallest of lichen or plankton can have catastrophic consequences on the whole. I feel very strongly that the planet is in crisis and doing my small part to keep it in balance is important. We all have choices to make, and I am certainly not advocating that anyone choose to become vegetarian or vegan, but practicing some conscientious eating is something that we all should strive for.

4. If you aren't following The Husband on either Instagram or Facebook, you are missing out on the best photography on this tour. If you are reading this and don't know him, ask a friend to send you his info. A few of his masterpieces can be seen below.

There Are Stars Up Above

This is not a trip for those who tend toward the lazy. We have not stopped moving since we got on the plane in Miami. Every minute has been choreographed right down to the last minute. Sleep has been a luxury and has been grabbed in small snatches on planes, buses, and a few precious hotel hours.

We were on the move today from Quito to the Galápagos Islands. A two-hour plane ride saw us land on Baltra Island just before noon. As we disembarked onto the tarmac, the high heat was a stark change from the cool temperatures and breezes of Quito. While Ecuador's capital remains at moderate temperatures of between 10°C-20°C all year round because of its high altitude, the Galápagos are in the low to mid-30s in what they still insist is the rainy season. We shall see but honestly, I have my doubts about any cooling trend.

I am so impressed by the care taken by the Ecuadorian government with visitors to these islands. There was more cleaning for foreign organisms on luggage, shoes, and other items coming in than most of us probably do in our own homes. They even made us stay in our seats on the plane while the flight attendants sprayed something in an aerosol can on our carry-ons. This government is so worried about invasive species that no food from the outside is allowed on the islands and the transfer of seeds and pollen is taken very seriously.

The Celebrity Flora is unlike any cruise ship we have ever sailed on before. It is small, only one-hundred passengers, and yet it feels very roomy. There is no jostling for position from passengers and everybody is quite content. We were all fitted for our snorkelling gear today, complete with wetsuits and while I am still not certain how much of this activity I may partake in, the experience of the fitting is one to behold. You really haven't lived until you've seen a mid-western MAGA blowhard with a few too many cheeseburgers in his history, try to squeeze into a shorty wetsuit. There was way too much there that wasn't left to the imagination. I will say that my trying to find fins that fit my size 4 1/2s was exciting. They finally gifted me with the kids' pair.

We did a quick circumnavigation around Daphne Major and Daphne Minor this afternoon. The volcanic islands were teeming with so many species of native birds that I lost count. The mouth of the volcano on Major was gorgeous in the afternoon sun and the sea lions frolicked at its shoreline.

My favourite part of today though was our first glimpse at the stars down here. It is a startling sight, to say the least. When we were at the Equator Museum yesterday, our guide told us about the ability to see constellations from both hemispheres in perfect alignment. And so it is, that this evening we were able to view the Big Dipper, Orion, and the Southern Cross all next to each other. The Milky Way was in full view and the night sky was positively mesmerizing. We will try and get a few photos tomorrow.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam, oseh ma-aseh beresheit.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who makes the Work of Creation.

Two Canadian Jews in Search of Landsmen

Jewish brethren, I have a question for you.

When travelling, how many of you roll the country you are visiting around in your mind and ask, “Could I live here if forced to leave my home?”

It isn’t as far-fetched a notion as many might seem to think. Our ancestors have been exiled from places and regions just as or even more enlightened than those in which we now reside. Most of our grandparents or great-grandparents came from countries that either wouldn’t provide religious, economic, and social equality for them or tried to ethnically cleanse them out of existence. So, I ask again. If forced to leave your home, where could you see yourself living?

Israel? Perhaps, but the constant war-footing and the lack of equality for progressive Jews and in many places, women, makes the country somewhat suspect for me.

Nope. I found my haven today and it is happily situated on the South American Atlantic. I absolutely could see myself living and thriving in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Now, I should explain that I knew very little about this country before we arrived. Most of what I recall about Uruguay and Jews came from newsreels about Israeli partition or the movie Exodus. Uruguay was the first Latin American country to vote for a free and independent Israel and they were the country that put the partition plan over the top during that historic UN vote. They were also the first Latin American country to open an embassy in the state and to welcome the Israeli ambassador to its capital. The Zionist roots here run deep but their Jewish history is long and proud.

We took a private tour today of Jewish Montevideo. I found a wonderful guide on Trip Advisor who has been lovingly ferrying Jewish tourists around the city for years. Fanny Margolis is a former teacher and a very involved member of the Jewish community here. She was thrilled to give us the history of the Jews in this area. The first Jewish settlers were refugees from the expulsions of both Spain and Portugal. These Sephardic Jews made their way to the territories of the Americas to find peace and prosperity. Uruguay has fluctuated for generations between the kingdoms of both with the Portuguese of Brazil battling for territorial rights with the Spaniards of Argentina. The Uruguyans finally achieved their independence in 1830 and the next wave of Jewish immigration took place at the beginning of the twentieth century. Jews escaping the pogroms and degradation of Eastern Europe found their way to these shores mostly due to quotas in immigration in North America. In Uruguay, they found a country that values secularism, (there is a strict separation between church and state) public education, state-administered health care, and a fully democratic governance. With the exception of a dozen or so dark years in the 1970s and early 80s when the country was run by a dictatorship, Uruguay has been faithful to these principles throughout its history. It’s a great place for Jews to thrive.

The last wave of Jewish immigration came after the Holocaust. Many German and Hungarian Jews tried to make their way here before the war but were rebuffed by treaties. After the war, more than three-thousand Jewish refugees came to Montevideo to try and pick up the pieces. At its height, there were 50,000 Jews living in the city and surrounding areas. There are still remnants of the Jewish shops, (it felt like wandering through Kensington Market or along Spadina Avenue in Toronto) old synagogues of both the Sephardim and Ashkenazim, a communal centre that runs day schools and childcare, as well one of the most beautiful Holocaust memorials I have ever seen outside of Yad Vashem. This is a place that is very proud of its Jewish heritage and at how easily Jews have integrated and assimilated into Uruguayan society.

The Jewish population is dwindling here. Fanny estimates that no more than 10,000-15,000 still live in the country. The Zionist foundations have taken many through Aliyah to Israel and many of the younger generations have scattered across the globe. They are facing many of the same problems that are the Jews of North America. Assimilation, inter-marriage, or simply a move away from religious practices is plaguing this community but there is still a dedicated group who are involved and trying to maintain Jewish customs and heritage.

Montevideo is also one of the most architecturally distinct cities we have visited. The diverse range of art deco and colonial styles reflects on its multi-cultural history. It is a city brimming with culture, nightlife, museums, and theatres. They love their city squares and parks and are extraordinarily proud of the greenery and green space. It is also really hot here in the summer (It is 40℃ today. I hate writing that knowing that my dear ones at home are suffering from snow and cold. Today has been the hottest day of our trip.) and very moderate in the winter, just perfect for a Jew who hates the Canadian winters.

So, I ask again Members of the Tribe. Where could you live if forced to flee your home?

Check out Montevideo, Uruguay. A Jewish haven in South America.

The Sephardic Centre

Part of the Holocaust Memorial

Old Jewish signage in the Old City

I Love a Good Immigrant Story

I really like immigrant stories. There is something very compelling about the narratives told by those leaving their homelands and venturing out into the world unknown. Sometimes those tales are harrowing and sometimes they are heroic. In my mind, it takes great courage to pull up stakes and to start over but it really boggles my brain to think that people journeyed to places that were so foreign to them that even climate or industry was beyond their ken.

We have seen that time and again on this trip. There are the pockets of German peoples that still populate parts of Chile and here in the Argentinian Patagonia, there is a deep Welsh tradition. These immigrants from Wales came without knowing anything about agriculture, language, or climate. They were mostly miners from the southern part of the UK who decided that a better life was waiting for them here in this rocky and often desolate area. They weren’t fleeing persecution but rather saw advancement awaiting them in a place so different from the one in which they were raised. I think that that takes tremendous gumption and fortitude and it should serve as a reminder that all of us either are or come from a place of immigration. We should never get so far ahead of ourselves that we pretend others don’t deserve the right to the same opportunities that were afforded our grandparents.

The annual migration of the Magellanic penguins is kind of like these Welsh immigrants. Every year, they return in the spring to the shores of Punta Tomba and dig out their rookeries in order to breed. Thousands of them come back to this area to lay their eggs and tend their young. It was a sight to behold as we trekked through the barrenness of this area, only to finally come to the beaches and see these birds swimming, waddling, playing, and feeding. They were oblivious to all of us bipeds as they blissfully went about their business. We northerners are conditioned to think of penguins as cold-weather birds but these beauties were frolicking around in the surf or just hanging in their sand caves in 25℃ weather. These waddlers are a resilient lot who come here every year just to lay their two eggs. Both parents tend the chicks but often can’t move back and forth between ocean and nest fast enough to keep both babies alive. They are sometimes faced with Sophie’s Choice as to which baby earns the prize. We saw several dead chicks outside of the rookeries and it literally broke my heart. Those who do manage to make it, are now getting close to moulting their baby feathers as they begin to learn self-survival. By April, these birds will leave for sea, only to begin the migration process all over again in August.

These Magellanic penguins have gumption and fortitude. They do what they do because it is in the best interest of their species. They travel thousands of kilometres each and every year to this place because it offers them the best chances of survival and opportunity. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to commune with them for a few hours today.

I really do love a great immigrant story.

Today Was All About Penguins. Indeed.

The Husband has a nasty habit of saying that this trip is all about Dawn seeing penguins.

I beg to differ. 

This trip is somewhat about Dawn seeing penguins.

Ok.

It’s a lot about Dawn seeing penguins.

We tried several times in Australia and New Zealand but the penguin gods weren’t smiling down on us during that trip. I was only slightly devastated to learn that in order to take a trip across the Magellan Strait to view the breeding grounds of the Magellanic penguins, I would have to suffer five hours on a small boat designed as a device of torture for anybody who suffers from chronic motion sickness or vertigo. That was definitely out of my range. (As it turned out, that was the port that was closed during this trip so all of those people felt the angry wrath of the penguin gods that day.)

But today…today was the day. This day was many years in the making, hoping, wishing, praying, and just flat out begging for. 

And it wasn’t really all that easy to do. We had to leave our tendered ship in the bay just off of the coast of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. As an aside…I am going to require a history lesson from both my British and Argentinian friends as to why this little piece of rock is so very important to both sides. There are still signs up all over the islands warning Argentinians to respect the sovereignty of the place and to renounce their claim to the land. We were told that up until a few years ago, Argentinians weren’t allowed to even visit the island but that has now been relaxed. I was also stunned to learn that the minefields that were laid down by the Argentinians during the 1982 conflict are just now starting to be removed. The Islanders, or Kelpers as they call themselves, merely fenced them off until help arrived in the form of Zimbabwe explosive experts just two years ago.

But old grudges aside, today was all about penguins. After the tender docked in Port Stanley, we boarded a small van that shepherded us to Bluff’s Cove about thirty minutes away. From there we met our 4x4 driver Ron, a fifth-generation kelper, who traversed the very uneven fields to the cove.

We were mesmerized at first glance. Hundreds of Gentoo penguins were there in the rookeries nesting with the newly hatched chicks. Unfazed by the human gazes, the birds were very happy to preen, call out, and nestle with their families. At times it felt as though they were posing just for us. In the middle of the Gentoo colony was a small group of King or Emperor penguins. (Think March of the Penguins.) These tall and majestic creatures were having a ball with us idiots and we were able to witness them sitting on eggs and passing off the eggs to their mates. The Husband and I stood in the blustering winds for over an hour just snapping photos and getting right down on the ground with these beautiful creatures.

This area is one of the last on earth that has been left untouched by human invaders. The birds are happy to frolic back and forth between their rookeries to the shores of the Atlantic and don’t care one whit about the prying camera lenses or a few bipods. The locals have taken great care to ensure the penguins' safety and well-being and are extraordinarily protective of their winged neighbours. It is truly a symbiotic relationship that has developed here.

The Kelpers are a lovely bunch. They are excited to greet the tourists and sell them all that they can but they are just as excited to talk about their home. Ron told us that he wouldn’t live anywhere else and as long as this place is under a British flag, he will remain.

We have one other opportunity to view penguins in Puerto Madryn in a couple of days but I am not sure how anything can top the feeling of pure exhilaration of today. Today was most definitely ALL ABOUT PENGUINS.

Chile's Natural Wonders

The more places I visit in the world and the more I get to view the natural wonders available in each country, the sadder and angrier I become at how badly we are abusing a planet that was bequeathed to our care. How can we as a species still pretend that the earth is not being slowly poisoned due to our greed, our incompetence, our apathy, or our blind ambivalence? It stuns me to think that anybody who is privileged enough to have seen some of nature’s miracles up close and personal could still not be on the right side of this issue. I felt all of that and more today when we toured the Lake Region in the south of Chile.

After tendering in Puerto Montt, we immediately headed over to Esmeralda Lake to take in its unbelievably clear turquoise waters and to view its three surrounding active volcanoes, Osorno, Tronador, and Puntiagudo. The Osorno is particularly stunning with its glacial peak rising over 8,700ft into the sky. Often called the Fujiyama of South America, it is one of the best known active volcanoes in the Chilean Andes. Even though it hasn’t blown since the mid-1850s, Osorno is still considered active and Charles Darwin wrote about watching an eruption while on one of his expeditions. The glacier at the peak is eroding and melting by leaps and bounds and our guide told us that experts are very concerned about the future of the lake and the adjoining Petrohue River and waterfalls. The bright blue waters and falls are home to quite a bit of local wildlife but their habitats are being invaded by encroaching human homes and there is a deep concern for the pristine ecosystems. As we hiked through the park, I wondered if any of this would be the same in twenty years.

The small lakeside town of Puerto Montt is charming and lovely in the summer. Families might take in a day at the beach or simply stroll into some of the many cafes or shops. We decided to just take in some more breathtaking views of the volcanoes. It is a vista that I won’t soon forget.

A few notes.

*My Spanish isn’t really all that bad. (My high school Spanish teacher Sra. Lee would have been proud) But this story is one for the books. I told our guide in ENGLISH that we were vegetarian and that the salmon they were serving for lunch would be better off on somebody else’s plate. I then told our waitress “Somos vegetarianos. Por favor, no pescado.” (Google it!) The head waiter then proceeded to bring us each a huge plate of mashed potatoes. Ok. Can’t really fault him but then…he apologized for the fish and instead brought us a plate of….CHICKEN. Chicken is the new veggie meal here in Chile. I have been a vegetarian for decades and have never once thought to substitute chicken. We couldn’t stop laughing. I guess something was lost in translation because he came back to inquire. We explained again and he apologized profusely and brought us a veggie pasta. We really didn’t care but it is one for the vegetarian handbook.

*We cannot complain at all about the weather. When we left the ship this morning it looked to be cloudy and socked in. By the time we came to the lake, it was sunny and stunning.

Chi Chi Chi...Le Le Le

What week that was!

After a breathtakingly mystical time in Peru, we departed our new favourite country for Santiago, Chile. Our travel day was long, complicated, and exhausting but we made it safe and sound. We are two hours ahead of EST here in the southern part of the continent so even though our tour guides “allowed” us to sleep until about 7:00am this morning, we really still had to get up at 5. I have never seen 72 more tired individuals as were all of us when we finally boarded the ship this afternoon.

Before that momentous occasion, though, there was a quick city tour of Chile’s capital city and a jaunt through its renowned wine country in order to get to the port.

It is lovely and warm here at the beginning of the summer. Santiago is a very cosmopolitan city that boasts about eight-million of Chile’s eighteen-million citizens. Situated between two distinct mountain ranges, The Coastal and The Andes, Santiago is busy and very western in nature. Driving through the downtown, one could imagine being in Manhattan or downtown Toronto. Unlike Lima, the history of the city isn’t visible on every street but rather is melded deep into the neighbourhoods and cornerstones. It is very amusing to me that while in Peru, we heard of all of the victories over the Chileans while here in Chile we hear the opposite.

As we left the downtown core for the countryside, it was easy to see why this country is well-regarded for its agricultural exports and more recently its dominance on the world wine market.

We will have two more days to see more of this lovely southern country as we sail toward Cape Horn and undoubtedly I will have much more to share. Stay tuned to this space.

Bon Voyage!

(A few of you have asked for a picture of the two of us. Here you go!)

From Machu Picchu

We Be Off Again

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” ~Gustav Flaubert

And so...

We are off once again.

In an ongoing attempt to expand our horizons and quench our wanderlust, The Husband and I are embarking on another adventure to places and sights previously unseen...by us at least. Heading south to the land below ours will afford me a privileged opportunity to put my feet on the soil of a fifth continent with a chance to cast a longing glance at a sixth. (Antartica will remain out of my desirous reach for the immediate future.) Once again, if you choose to follow our adventures, I will be providing a travelogue in this space. There will be some stories of places seen, people met, and hopefully, few travel mishaps. A few of The Husband's remarkable photographs might also grace these posts.

We have learned a lot about travel over the years so our bags are markedly lighter as we have taken far fewer clothing options, packed using smarter choices, and have avoided the bulk. We are also getting older, so while there may be fewer t-shirts there are also more drugs for any possible minor ailment one can imagine. God forbid I should need a GasEx in Cusco and not have one at the ready. I have more anti-puke medication then is probably necessary for our entire tour group to Machu Picchu but I have come to realize that half the battle in keeping the vomit at bay is my disturbed psyche simply knowing that I have enough to medicate the entire Canadian Navy, so cut me some slack. Stripping the shelves of Bonine at my local CVS  isn't at all weird.

The world is a big place being made to seem smaller every day. We think we understand all that is out there but until we get out of the protective bubbles we have built for ourselves, we run the risk of living very small and parochial lives. Travel, even travel that might seem different and a bit off the beaten path, is necessary to remind us that we are not alone here and that all of the world's inhabitants deserve a say in how we coexist.

I hope that I don't bore you all and that you find some measure of entertainment in seeing some of what we hope to see. See you soon from Lima.

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” ~Dalai Lama