A view from last year's Grand Voyage aboard the Prisendam

I came across a video that a blogger had posted on YouTube from last year's South America/Antarctica Grand Voyage aboard the Prisendam.  It includes footage of the first half of the journey, and the scenes from Antarctica are amazing.  I’m getting excited with less than 30 days until the trip begins.  

South America Checklist

With just 68 days until the trip, I’m reviewing my trip "to do" list this morning:

Brazilian Visa ✔

Yellow Fever Immunization Shot ✔

Luggage shipping arranged ✔

Excursions organized ✔

I have a few more things to arrange before this next adventure.  I’m really looking forward to discovering South America and the outer reaches of Antarctica. 

My next trip is...

Final night on the cruise...

I had a nice time on the final day of the cruise.  The weather is much colder outside as we travel north to Boston.

I'm packing up for the disembarkation tomorrow. The final cruise log just arrived and I'm recording it for my blog.

It's been a great trip!

Final day in Bermuda…

I took a 4.5 hour tour of the 21 square mile archipelago of Bermuda.  We went north, south, east and west.  The tour ended with the Royal Navy barracks and warehouses which has been transformed into retail shops.  The Royal Naval area is the site of the teams for the America’s cup.  Here are a few of my photos.

The first stop this morning was in St. George on the north end of the island.  The final stop on the tour was the Royal Navy Dockyard.  So we went all over the island before setting sail from Hamilton.

As we set sail, the weather is fine.  However, the captain just made a general address in which he says we will be entering a storm center later this evening.  He’s warned us of rough seas and strong winds.  This may be my last posting about this trip since satellite internet is usually the first thing to go in bad weather.  Plus, I'm almost out of internet minutes on the system.

Today's tour started in the scenic streets of St. George.

A replica of a ship that arrived in Bermuda in the 1600s.

This is in one of the botanical gardens.  Many wedding photos are shot here.

Bermuda is rocky, which makes it easy to understand why there were so many shipwrecks.

The beaches of Bermuda are said to have a pink tint.  It is said to come from particles in the reefs off the coast.  I didn't really see it.

Queen Elizabeth stopped here in 1953 to admire the view.  

A better view of the "Queen's View."

Brides love having photos shot of their entry into the church along the shore.

Many of the sailors who are buried at the Royal Navy Dockyard Cemetery died of Yellow Fever.

The Clock Tower Building at the Royal Navy Dockyard has been turned into shops.

Team France's boat is being put into the water for some practice before the big race on Friday.

The ms Veendam is making its way from Bermuda.  One of those lovely million dollar homes.

It's a tight squeeze for our ship exiting the harbor.  Larger ships must dock at the Naval Dockyards.

Exiting the harbor and into the Atlantic Ocean.

These racers can do twice the wind speed.  It's actually "flying" above the water.

Team USA and its ship.

Bermuda Day Parade...

A little dancing in the streets before the parade begins.

Note the reporter and camera man in bottom right of the picture.  In the center you can see the police arresting a gentleman who may have been celebrating too much.  We're still waiting on the parade to begin.

A few refreshments as everyone waits.  The grand marshall came, but then no one for about 30 minutes.

Motorcycle riders appear.  Maybe the parade is beginning?

Finally a band makes its way down the street.

Bicycle riders are next.

Young girls demonstrating some acrobatics.

Looks like a middle school band.  Those drum sets are as big as the kids.

A tribute to the America's Cup contest that begins Friday.

After about two hours, I decide to review the remainder of the parade from my cabin out of the sun.  

Bermuda Day begins…

The folks had already lined the streets at 9AM when I started my morning walk.  So, I took a few shots.  I discovered they were waiting on the competing bicycle riders.  They were soon followed by runners in a half-marathon. 

As I completed by morning exercise, the bouncy houses were expanded and the food vendors were beginning to cook.  The parade is to be around 1 PM.  I’ll venture out to see these festivities and take a few photos.  

People claimed their spots along Front Street very early for the Bermuda Day activities.

I soon learned there was a reason for early arrival.

The police were blowing sirens, and by the time I got our my camera I was able to take a photo of the second group of bicycle racers.

Not far behind were the half-marathoners.

It seems the passengers on the ship have the best view of activities.  The smells of food prep is a nice aroma.

The bouncy activities can now begin for the kids!

Today is Bermuda Day...

The memo passengers received to let us know about the national holiday.

A catamaran ride to a beautiful cove…

The afternoon was spent riding on a catamaran.  We saw much of the same sites as yesterday, but it was sunny and warm.

 

Once the catamaran arrived at the secluded cove, the group went swimming, paddle boarding, and snorkeling for about two hours.  Once out of the water, the captain and his two assistants (all three were very young) served their traditional fresh baked cookies with lots of rum swizzles. 

Everyone who knows me knows that I’m clumsy.  My getting off the catamaran was eventful in that I fell in the netting and scraped my knee.  It was bad, but my skin is so thin that I bleed quite a bit.  They bandaged me up, and I was back on the ship. 

I was doing another beach trip tomorrow, but I canceled my excursion because of the scraped knee and my redness.  It will be nice to take it easy and observe the Bermuda Day activities tomorrow.  

The captain and his two lovely assistants are getting ready for the group's boarding.

I navigated that netting fine while boarding, but my attempt to exit at the end of the day wasn't so  graceful.

Beautiful homes were all along the route.  In addition to Michael Douglas, Ross Perot and Michael Bloomberg maintaiin residences here.

When the sails went up, we were sailing.  Don't get too close to those rocks!

Our captain said he was related to Michael Douglas.  Michael's actress mom was from Bermuda, and he has the same last name as Douglas' mom's maiden name.

We arrive at the cove for some water recreation.

Lots of caves can be found in Bermuda.

More multi-million dollar homes as the catamaran heads back to the ship for the day.

We didn't get a citation for going too fast from the local police.

Despite the cookie and rum swizzles, I'm happy to get back to the ship and get ready for dinner.  It was a good day despite my ungraceful exit from the catamaran.

A beautiful Tuesday in Bermuda…

It’s a beautiful day today.  It’s the typical weather for Bermuda in May:  hot and a little humid.  I took my morning walk through the downtown.  Tomorrow is a national holiday.  I’ll share more about “Bermuda Day” tomorrow.

I am taking a ride on a catamaran with a beach break after lunch.  I hope the weather continues to be good for this outing.

A view of the area I explored for my walk this morning.  My four mile trek took in many of the sites of Bermuda's capital.

The countdown to the Americaq's Cup.  It begins this Friday.

A view of the pulpit of the Anglican Cathedral of Bermuda.

An exterior shot of the large stone cathedral.

Here's a shot of the Bermuda Assembly House.

A statue of Sarah "Sally" Bassett on the assembly grounds.  I need to Google her to find out more.  It doesn't look so good for her based on this rendering.

Another shot of the Assembly House.

This is the memorial to Bermudians who died in World War I and II.  The orb is actually spinning from running water.

The Cabinet building is under remodeling.  It looks like the outside is complete.

The biggest industry in Bermuda is "reinsurance."  Reinsurance is the insurance that insurance companies get to cover themselves.  This is the headquarters of the Chubb Group.