FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Amazon River – Alter Do Chao & Boca de Valeria, Brazil

March 11, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Amazon River – Alter Do Chao & Boca de Valeria, Brazil 

Day 30 – Sunday, March 4 – Amazon River – Alter Do Chao, Brazil – Sunrise 6:48 – Sunset 6:55 – mostly blue skies w/some high clouds, 90’s, hot & humid

Alter Do Chao

Another Really Good Day!

  • 7:30 – wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in room courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 – down to deck 6 for more cappuccino
  • 9:55 – breakfast of fresh fruit on Veranda
  • 12 noon – lunch – thank god for the pizzeria!
  • Excursion 3:00 pm – tenders are slow – finally  leave 3:30
  • Small island w/white sand beaches on the Rio Tapajos – locals weekend retreat – nice walk to town square
  • Return 5:00
  • Happy Hour – favorite bar on 6
  • Dinner – La Veranda is getting a bit boring since every night is Portofino night
  • Good News – get an extra hour of sleep!

FF (FUN-fact) – The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world (the Nile River in Africa is the longest) and is about 4,000 miles long.

Day 31 – Monday, March 5 – Amazon River – Boca de Valeria, Brazil – Sunrise 6:54 – Sunset 7:00 – light rain in morning – sun mixed w/clouds – cooler 80’s

Really, Really Good Day!

  • 7:30 – wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in room courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 – down to deck 6 for more cappuccino
  • 9:55 – breakfast of fresh fruit on Veranda

Pet Caiman

  • Excursion – tiny Indian fishing village – locals dressed in bright costumes & children w/their pets line the main path on the bank of the river – see sloths, iguana, pair of keets, parrots, & baby caiman!
  • 1st stop – local home
  • 2nd stop – 30 min canoe ride – $5 per person – up river see lots of birds & just enjoy the view
  • Good News – this was the best excursion!
  • Lunch – Bavarian BBQ – all kinds of sausages
  • 2:30 – Nap
  • 6:30 –  Happy Hour – favorite bar on 6
  • Dinner – Compass Rose

FF – Streams that begin in the Andes Mountains are the starting sources for the Amazon River.

FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – At Sea to Amazon River, Brazil

March 10, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – At Sea to Amazon River, Brazil 

Day 28 – Friday, March 2 – Day at Sea – Sunrise 6:07 – Sunset 6:12 – lots of big, thick, white billowy clouds mixed w/light gray – high 80’s, really warm

More Carnaval Decorations

Another Really Good Day!

  • 7:30 – wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in room courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 – down to deck 6 for more cappuccino
  • 9:55 – breakfast of fresh fruit on Veranda
  • 10:30 – enrichment lecture on the Amazon river
  • Good News – Amazon anthropologist for 37 yrs has never taken Malaria pills – me either! (twice on trips have taken them & never even saw a mosquito)
  • 11:00 – walk around wine tasting  –  4 areas in dining room featuring wines from Chile, Argentina, Italy & US w/appetizers – VG!
  • 11:45 – King Neptune’s Equator Crossing Ceremony on pool deck
  • Bad News – missed most of it because of the wine tasting – looked like FUN
  • 12 noon – lunch – Asian BBQ & sushi – thank god for the pizzeria!

House on the Amazon

  • 2:30 back to room for A/C & siesta
  • Happy Hour – 6:30 – my favorite place – deck 6 (drinks stay cold)
  • Dinner – Compass Rose
  • 9:30 – entertainment – David DiMuzio – comedian & world champion juggler – pretty good!
  • Good News – rain @ night

    Along the Amazon

FF (FUN-fact) – Shellbacks are people who have crossed the equator and Pollywogs are those who have not.

Day 29 – Saturday, March 3 – Day on Amazon – Sunrise 6:34 – Sunset 6:38 – big thick clouds w/some blue skies, hot & humid

Another Really Good Day!

  • 7:30 – wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in room courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 – down to deck 6 for more cappuccino
  • 9:55 – breakfast of fresh fruit on Veranda
  • 12 noon – lunch – Burger Heaven BBQ w/every kind of extra you can think of
  • 2:30 back to room for A/C & siesta
  • Happy Hour – 6:30 – favorite place – deck 6 lounge
  • Dinner – Prime 7 Steakhouse – upscale, reservation only – lobster tail & perfectly cooked strip steak VG!
  • Entertainment – Le Cirque Mariner – fabulous show staring Stephan & Cindy from Paris! (just like a mini Cirque de Soleil w/acrobatics & wires)

FF – The Amazon River carries more water than any other river in the world and is responsible for about one-fifth (twenty percent) of the fresh water that flows into the world’s oceans.

FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Fortaleza to Amazon River, Brazil

March 9, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Fortaleza to Amazon River, Brazil 

Day 26 – Wednesday, February 29 – Day at Sea to Fortaleza, Brazil – Sunrise 5:42 – Sunset 5:50 – humid, blue skies w/light clouds

Carnaval Decorations

Another Really Good Day!

  • 7:30 wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in bed courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 down to deck 6 for more cappuccino – best on the ship
  • 9:55 breakfast of fresh fruit @ La Veranda
  • Lunch Break – Chili BBQ on pool deck
  • 3:00 – Nap
  • Happy Hour – 6:30 – like Horizon bar deck 6
  • 7:00 pm – arrive Fortaleza
  • 7:30 – Dinner – Compass Rose (main dining room)

FF (FUN-fact) -Fortaleza is called “the city of light” because the sun shines 2800 hours per year.

Day 27 – Thursday, March 1 – Fortaleza to the Amazon River, Brazil – Sunrise 5:42 – Sunset 5:50 – clear blue skies mixed w/white cottony clouds

  • Bad News – 7 am wake up
  • Good News – really hot cappuccino in bed courtesy of my love
  • Excursion – 8:50 am board bus for city highlight tour
  • 1st stop – tourism center – bldg w/over priced shops

  • 2nd stop – cathedral – white stucco & features multitude of stained glass windows
  • 3rd stop – Theatro Jose de Alencar – built in 1910 – cast iron work imported from Scotland
  • 4th  stoop – iron sculpture along shore (falling apart)
  • Really Bad News – this was a total waste of a tour – town is old, dirty, in need of great repairs & filled w/graffiti  – should have taken the Cumbuco Beach Dune Buggy tour!
  • Good News – 12:30 back on ship
  • Lunch on Deck – Tex Mex
  • Bad News – not that good & dying for really hot salsa & real guacamole!
  • Good News – 1:30 sail away – music on deck
  • 3:00 – nap
  • 6:30 – happy hour
  • 7:30 dinner – La Veranda
  • Bad News – they have had the same “Portofino Night” menu since we got on ship

FF – The white sand dunes are so high people actually ski down them.

FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Salvador de Bahia to Fortaleza, Brazil

March 8, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Salvador de Bahia to Fortaleza, Brazil 

Day 24 – Monday, February 27 – Salvador de Bahia, Brazil – Sunrise 5:37 – Sunset 5:57 – lots of sun w/clouds in distant – low 80’s

Cathedral of Salvador

  • 7:30 wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in bed courtesy of my love

Church of St. Francis

  • 8:00 down to deck 6 for more cappuccino – best on the ship
  • 9:55 breakfast of fresh fruit @ La Veranda
  • Lunch Break – BBQ on pool deck – variety of ribs
  • Excursion – 1:30 – Walking tour of Salvador de Bahia – UNESCO site features blend of European & African cultures – narrow cobblestone streets & colorful colonial buildings
  • 1st stop – historic center & Castro Alves Square – Cathedral of Salvador
  • 2nd stop – Church of St. Francis – very ornate cedar & rosewood w/images of mermaids & fanciful creatures bathed in gold leaf, silver & precious stones
  • 3rd stop – walk through old city still decorated from Carnaval
  • 4th stop – 6:00 – back to ship for happy hour
  • Dinner – dining under the stars on pool deck – great music, ice carvings, lots of food

FF (FUN-fact) – Salvador de Bahia was founded in 1549 and was the first capital of Brazil until 1763 when the honor was given to Rio. Brasilia is the current capital.

Day 25 – Tuesday, February 28 –  Day at Sea – Sunrise 5:24 – Sunset 5:38 – humid, clouds mixed w/sun,  80’s

  • Really Good Day consists of:
  • 7:30 wake up to cup of really, really hot cappuccino in bed courtesy of my love
  • 8:00 down to deck 6 for more cappuccino – best on the ship
  • 9:55 breakfast of fresh fruit @ La Veranda

  • Lunch Break – Churrasco – Brazilian BBQ on pool deck
  • 2:30 – Wine & Chocolate Pairing – very  interesting tasting – 3 red wines & a tawny port w/70% cocoa, 50% cocoa, milk & white chocolates
  • 4:00 – Nap
  • Happy Hour – 6:30
  • Dinner – 7:30

FF – Salvador de Bahia has over 30 miles of white sand beachfront and features some of the best beaches in Brazil.

FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Rio de Janeiro to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

March 7, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South America: Regent 7 Seas Cruise – 22 Days – Rio de Janeiro to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil 

Day 22 – Saturday, February 25 – Rio de Janeiro to Regent 7 Seas Cruise – sunny, warm, 90’s

Copacabana Beach From Sugar Loaf

  • Bad News – wake up @ 6 am!

Sugar Loaf

  • Good News – fall back to sleep
  • Good News – 7:30 I’m spoiled! my love brings me coffee (he does that most every day) & it is really hot & strong
  • Breakfast Break – 9:30 (standard buffet fare)
  • Good News – 10 am shopping stroll – find post office & get stamps w/no English & sign language
  • More Good News – stores all have sale signs
  • Bad News – most stores very expensive (even for half price)
  • Good News – Chris finds cute black sleeveless jumpsuit (another birthday present!) – feels like pajamas & goes w/my baby alpaca sweater
  • Check out noon – hang out in lobby
  • 1:30 pm taxi pickup – 40 minute drive to ship
  • Good News – first Regents 7 Seas Cruise – 22 days – Champagne Welcome
  • Bad News – computer glitch takes an hour to check in
  • Good News – very nice room & wonderful crew – upgraded to deck 10 & free internet (very smart on their part – reach silver level after 21 cruise days – they give it to us up front!)
  • Good News – get 5 pm manicure
  • Happy Hour on pool deck 11
  • Dinner – La Veranda Restaurant – deck 11 outside seating

FF (FUN-facts) – Regent’s has a Canyon Ranch Spa on board.

More Rio Views

Day 23 – Sunday, February 26 – Day at Sea – Sunrise 5:32 – Sunset 5:59 – sunny, light puffy clouds, high 80’s

Rio Pyramid Cathedral

  • Good News – gained an hour & slept really well & had wonderful Cappuccino’s
  • Really Good News – they have a Pizzeria! & really, really good thin crust pizza!
  • Really Good Day consists of:
  • 1:00 – Massage
  • 2:00 – Nap
  • 5:30 – Captains Welcome Reception & Viva La Vida Show – features Latin music in Havana, Cuba
  • 7:30 – Dinner – Compass Rose – deck 5
  • Really Good News – Academy Awards showing in main theatre
  • Bad News – we’re 5 hours ahead – starts @ 10 pm – stay up until 2 am

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