It’s All About The Birds!

Today TSH and Diva are in Pisco, Peru. The scenery is dramatic. This is the Peruvian desert, with what look like massive sand dunes lining the mostly bare and undeveloped coast. It does not rain here and there is no vegetation, yet it is part of the Paracas National Reserve. The place is for the birds – their contribution is that every seven years their guano is harvested for sale as fertiliser.

The approach to this small industrial port was interesting – small heads kept emerging from the water and then disappearing. They were probably the sealions which circled the ship throughout the day but it is possible that some were Humboldt penguins.

The Humboldt current brings cold water up from the Antarctic and along with that comes water very rich in fish, which in turn attracts huge numbers of sea birds. There are vast numbers of Peruvian boobies and pelicans plus cormorants and Inca terns.

TSH went on a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands which are the homes of thousands of birds and sealions. This involved a preliminary drive round the bay where flamingos could be seen.

The advice from Silversea before going on the excursion was that something warm should be taken as it could get cool out to sea and that there was every likelihood that passengers on the boat would get wet. So, many people took towels with them for the trip but the intrepid TSH ignored the advice but still managed to remain dry. There was no need for warmer clothes as the temperature was warm and life jackets had to be worn.

TSH was keen to see a flightless bird – Humboldt penguin – and he was not disappointed. He  also knows that he can see them at Chester Zoo. The other sea birds noted earlier were very visible, as were the noisy sea lions. Other sea birds were seen and of course photographed but are as yet not identified by name. Turkey vultures were also seen on the islands - they eat the placenta of the sea lions.

On the way to the islands, there was a good opportunity to see the Candelabrum, a shape in the rocks which is very large and can be seen for miles. Its origins and purpose are not known.

The fact that three coaches were used to take people to and from the boat was a concept which challenged some guests. One person found she was not on the same bus as her friends and wanted to transfer to another bus as the bus left the port. On the return trip there were two extra people on the bus as they had got on the wrong one!

In the afternoon, Diva and TSH spotted more sea lions.

First port in Peru – Salaverry

The scenery here is very different from earlier in the voyage, and very different from anything TSH and Diva have seen before. The coastal strip, where most of the population live, is very dry and sandy and there is little vegetation apart from where irrigation has been arranged using water flowing down from the mountains. As anyone who has bought asparagus in Britain will know, a lot of it is grown in Peru. Apparently 95% of the crop grown in Peru is exported along with a lot of artichokes. Behind the coastal strip are jagged, volcanic-looking mountains.

The bus used for this excursion was a double decker but very comfortable with seats more like armchairs and lots of leg room. TSH was amazed to see a steam engine before the bus had left the docks. It was on a raised plinth so presumably is of historic value.

Land is very expensive so people plan to build houses with many floors but many of the houses have only one or two floors with another started but never completed.

The first stop was at the Temple of the Huaca Dragon. This pyramidal temple is thought be 1,100 years old and has walls decorated with figures that resemble dragons. It is believed to be the first settlement of the Wari Culture in the Moche Valley.

The star visit was the second stopping point which was the Chan Chan ruins, which cover such an extensive area that it was only possible to visit one of the places. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the ancient capital of the Chimu Empire and is the largest clay city in pre Hispanic America. The reliefs and decorations were unlike any previously seen by Diva and TSH.   

On the way back to the ship the coach passed a Mormon Cathedral. Although the main religion is Catholic the second most common is Mormon.

The traffic lights show the count down to when they turn green resulting in all the vehicles starting to move before the green shows.

Many birds were seen at Salaverry ranging from the Black Vulture to sea birds such as Pelicans and gulls. TSH found it necessary to correct one woman who referred to the gulls as sea.gulls. That’s what having a zoologist daughter does for you. 

Heading for the equator

The Panama day was rounded off nicely with a last minute booking for La Terrazza – the first on this voyage. Diva had her usual 9 starters (all tiny).

The butler and the butler manager part-rescued the reading situation by lending TSH some reading glasses from the staff store. He still needs to buy some soon but there is a plan for that.

Early morning Tai Chi on the lifeboat deck, which seems to be the only outside space which doesn’t form part of a thoroughfare or a public area such as the pool.

The first highlight of the day at sea was the sight of a school of dolphins swimming alongside the Silver Spirit, leaping in and out of the water.

The second highlight was another lecture from a Professor of Archaeology. One of the best speakers ever experienced on a Silversea ship. Diva wants to visit all the Peruvian sites and museums he is describing but it will be possible to visit only one.

Excellent sweet and sour pork for lunch made a change from TSH and Diva’s usual choice of lots of salad with fish or cheese.

Diva and TSH have been presented with small holdalls with the Silversea Circle Voyage logo.

Not many other cruise ships spotted so far. Only Celebrity Summit and Crystal Serenity.

This photoblog hopefully gives some impression of the spectacle which is the Panama Canal.

Continental divide

Early morning

Flight of pelicans

Going In

Leaving Panama

The lake

Ocean to ocean

At 5:50 in the morning, when TSH and Diva switched on to look at the ship’s webcam, they expected to see the usual darkness ahead. Instead, there was an exciting cluster of extremely bright lights. By the time they were washed, dressed, shaved and made up, dawn was arriving and they were on deck to see Silver Spirit enter the first lock of the Panama canal.

A series of locks raised the ship up to the level of the middle section, after which the ship sailed through the extensive artificial lake whose water is used to operate the locks. Millions of gallons of this water enters the oceans every day. The lake has many small islands and is very picturesque. There is no sign of human habitation or of local boats because the land around the canal is private property.

After the lake comes a (relatively) narrow cutting over which is a modern bridge which links North and South America. Towards the Pacific there is an older one – Bridge of the Americas. The area is wooded and has more and more rolling hills as the approach to the Pacific is made.

A train runs parallel to the canal and one (with 52 wagons) was spotted and photographed. At each set of locks, a visitor centre provides an opportunity for hundreds of local people to watch the fun.

New locks are under construction to provide wider and deeper access for ever larger ships. They also recirculate water so that there is less waste. Some of these are in operation and it was weird to see a large ship nearby apparently crossing the fields at the side of the older Canal.

Silversea joined in the party throughout the day by producing a range of breakfast nibbles, hot and cold drinks and compulsory rum punch. There was commentary over the intercom at all the significant points.

It was after 15:00 before Silver Spirit left the last lock, passed Panama City and entered the open water of the Pacific Ocean. There had been flights of pelicans and frigate birds throughout the day, with the occasional glimpse of flying fish.

Cost of Silver Spirit’s transit: $175, 000.

Key West

Key West

This port surpassed expectations. It has a pleasant shopping area, an attractive church and an appealing harbour walk. Nothing challenging, just a straight-forward seaside resort with many brown pelicans in the water and perching on the plentiful luxury yachts. TSH and Diva were able to take reasonable exercise walking round all of this. There was live entertainment in several bars and cannabis was on sale in shops. TSH and Diva neither partook nor inhaled (nor sucked – there were lollipops). Hens wandered everywhere - not sure why.

An amusing episode took place in the Post Office. A customer wanted to ‘post’ a suitcase. A pretty large one with wheels (and an interesting pop art design). Unwrapped. So it all came down to what type of tape and label they attached to it with varying levels of cost. The customer wanted advice but the assistant said it all came down to ‘customer choice’. The deadlock went on for ages and the queue got longer but most people were watching and wanting to know what happened. The customer was so clueless and the assistant was so politely unhelpful. TSH and Diva left before it was resolved but wondered if such an unpackaged item would even be accepted by the Royal Mail.

There was a small panic on return to the Silver Spirit. TSH and Diva had failed to read the instruction to take photo id and the Cruise Director had forgotten to include the instruction in her morning broadcast. The guard at the port was very polite about it and said he would sort something out but just in time Diva remembered that she carried a photocopy of the passports and this was accepted. Apparently many guests were in the same position and the Cruise Director later apologised.

TSH managed to fall asleep on the sofa in the suite whilst holding a glass of red wine. All over the sofa and Diva’s dress. No lasting damage.

A better pic of the Ft Lauderdale suite

Pelican

Looking after Pence’s rooms

One of the perks of the vice-presidential suite at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott is that a flight of pelicans appear as soon as the curtains are opened in the morning. Followed by other pelicans and black vultures at regular intervals.

Oh, did I not mention that when TSH and Diva arrived, the hotel was over-booked, people were being ‘walked’ to other hotels and that they were given the last available ‘room’? The receptionist said normally $2000 per night. This upgrade is the stuff of dreams. Massive living area with sofas and chaise longue. En suite bathroom (with toilet in a separate bit which is as big as many UK en-suite bathrooms) and separate toilet next to the utility room off the kitchen. Two very large flat screen TVs. Six double sets of doors onto four balconies on two sides of the hotel. View of the sea (as if they won’t see enough sea over the next two months) and of the cruise terminal. Enough towels to cater for a small spa. The pics below do not really do it justice.

TSH and Diva have now entered full holiday mode and are already forgetting the rigours of the 24-hour journey. Diva dozed off before take-off, woke when serious taxiing started and for one glorious moment thought she was landing in Florida.

Note: Is that upbeat enough for bird lady?

Food notes: Just hot drinks at Manchester, Pret sandwiches at Heathrow, over-spicy but otherwise superior curry and inedible (except they were both very hungry) bread on the BA flight. Pleasant late afternoon snack of sandwiches and mediocre scone before landing. Diva tipped whole glass of water over herself but dry air in the plane dried out clothes before arrival. TSH had removed contact lenses, thought the chilli on top of the curry was a green bean, and ate it. Not wise.

                                                                   Living area 

                                                                   TSH at the VP desk.