My tour to Antarctica with Hurtigruten started early Monday morning, with a quick breakfast at 0500. We loaded up the buses for the short trip to the airport by 0630. Keeping our shades drawn so as not to incite any protesters we might encounter, we arrived in plenty of time for our 0900 flight to Punta Arenas.

Upon arrival we were loaded into buses again. We were taken on a tour of the highlights of Punta Arenas before joining our ship.

Since Punta Arenas was also having some problems with protestors, our guide tried to route us around to places they were not expected to be.

First we stopped at a viewpoint high on a hill. We could see our ship from there. It looked tiny.

There were some locals selling trinkets and beautiful soft woven and knitted items. Hats, scarves, sweaters came in all colors and sizes. They did alright with our group.

Next stop was the municipal cemetery- or Sara Braun cemetery. Our guide told us it is famous for the beautiful columns of trees that line the avenues of family monuments. I liked seeing all the colorful flowers blooming on the family plots and the details of the decorations on the monuments. I was thinking about how different our graveyards look in the US. Ours are not usually nearly as interesting.

Next we were treated to the museum. For a fairly small place, it had a lot of interesting exhibits. Everything from the local flora and fauna to the history of the native peoples up to and after the arrival of the Europeans.

There was quite a bit of information on Antarctica and the explorers who spent time there and in Chile. Darwin, Scott, Amundsen, Magellan, and others. I would’ve liked to have spent more time there, but we still had to get through the port security to join our ship.

The ‘Roald Admunsen’ (named for the Norwegian explorer) looked bright and shiny. She should, since she’s almost brand new, this is only her second cruise. She was only just christened last week (Nov 7), the first ship to be named in Antarctica.

After a little confusion getting checked in onboard, I found my cabin and settled in. This is my first real cruise- tho maybe not- they refer to this as an ‘expedition’ not a cruise. My cabin is very spacious and comfortable.

There’s plenty of space, I even have a separate sitting area with a full size couch and a coffee table in front of a large flat screen TV (where I can see the daily schedule and watch the lectures in comfort). The bed is very comfortable, with thick padding on the mattress and fluffy comforters and wool blankets on top if you want to use them. The temperature is adjustable and you can even control the heated floor in the bathroom. There’s a small fridge and I can make hot tea in the mornings before breakfast.

We had a buffet dinner soon after our mandatory safety briefing. This was my first time I’ve seen it done like this- on a movie screen with a crew member demonstrating. Usually we all have to put on the lifejackets and gumby suits (the suits here are much lighter than the ones I’m used to). I guess this is more practical for a cruise ship with so many people. I did appreciate the way it was done here.

I was very impressed with the food and the service at dinner. There was soup and a selection of breads, a salad bar, a seafood section, a variety of meats and cheeses, 3-4 choices of entrees (plus a vegetarian), pasta to order and roast beef carved by the chef. He likes to wander around and see how we’re enjoying his food. The wait staff (mostly Filipino) was very friendly and helpful, they’re really on the ball.

Then, dessert of course. Three to choose from there too: vanilla creme brûlée, chocolate brownies and mixed berry compote. I sampled all three. 🙂

After a last look at Punta Arenas, I headed to bed. Sorry to see the flames scattered around the city, the protesters were still at it. At least we were able to get our bunkers loaded finally when the port workers finished their protest for the day.