DAY 46- PORTO BELO, BRAZIL

                                                       Porto Belo, Brazil
Historical/Background Info:
        Not much to say about this quaint fishing village with a very nice beaches featuring emerald green waters.  Brazilians, Argentines, and Europeans come here during the summer months for swimming and diving.  It is at the base of lush mountains.  There are shops on the wharf and you can walk and tour village in about 5 minutes.  Basically, this is an inexpensive place to park the ship for a day.  I would have rather spent two days at our next port, Santos, which is the port for excursions into the capital of Brazil, Sao Paulo.
What We Did Last Night:

        I had requested these jalapeno "poppers" (jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese then fried) be delivered to the suite at 5:30 last evening.  A little canape before we went to a cocktail party for Seven Seas Society members at 6:00.  Well, they did not show up before we left the suite.  They apparently were delivered right after we left as found them when we returned here at 10:30 pm.  They apologized and will deliver more this evening.

        As I mentioned yesterday, we had been invited to dine with Donald, the Food & Beverage Director.  We showed up at 7:00 pm right on time and Donald arrived shortly thereafter.  There was another couple invited so we sat there waiting for them to arrive before being served wine and ordering.  Well, at 7:30 Donald told the Restaurant Manager to go call them.  They could not be found.  I told Donald we wanted to go to the show later so at 7:40 we started dinner.  HOW RUDE OF THEM.  It was a sea day so they had plenty of time to get ready.  People like this piss me off.  It was better for us anyway as now we had a nice private conversation with Donald.  He is from Honduras and a very nice man.

                                    This is the miso sea bass as it came to the table.

Then the waiter removes the bamboo stick and the leaf opens up to reveal the sea bass.  It was outrageously scrumptious!!

This is the special wine that the head sommellier had picked for Donald to serve tonight.  It was a South African red wine and VERY good.  I hope I can get it in Dallas.
        We finished dinner in plenty of time for us to get our usual front row seats in theater for the "Dancing in the Streets" production.  Those kids are soooooo talented.  We loved the show even if it was the third time we have seen it this cruise.

Our friends, Lynn & Eddie Zito in foreground and Judy & Joe Carlson behind them at show last night

What We Did Today:
        There were only three excursions to select from here.  In 2012 we took the long bus ride to and from Blumenau, which is a German community further inland.  I was not too impressed with it and even less impressed as a bird shit on my head as I waited outside a restaurant after a nice lunch.  Funny the things we remember!  Instead of taking that 7 hour excursion again, I had planned to take the half hour bus ride up the coast to Camboriu on a 4 hour excursion.  Rebecca planned to just stay on ship with air conditioning.  Camboriu is a major beach resort destination for the South Americans with a population of nearly 80,000.  This is a tender port as there is no docks and it is a long ride to shore.  The Captain made a PA saying it was a pretty rough ride to shore due to the high winds.  Then there was big delay getting people ashore so I just cancelled and am staying on the ship also today.  By the way, the third excursion was mostly a long bus ride to the cosmopolitan city of Florianopolis.  It was once a mecca for surfers but now it attracts international jetsetters and beach lovers.  We are neither so did not do this tour.
***Click on photos to enlarge them.

                                Some guy in a gyro copter buzzing the ship this morning.

 This is the modern city of Camboriu seen from our anchorage offshore.  It is a resort city and quite a hotspot with its beautiful beaches and wide assortment of water sports available.  It is 18 miles from Porto Belo and where our tour was suppose to be to today.

                Tender on its way to Porto Belo.  The little fishing village is behind the island on right.

                                                          Tender is loading

                        Camboriu with my telephoto lens.

                               View from our balcony

Several sea-doos, motor yachts, sailboats, and other water craft messing around out our balcony.

        We worked out this morning.  Still several folks in fitness center despite the tours today.  I thought about taking the tender ashore after lunch but was watching the tender bounce around while returning to the ship will eating my burger.  It is so HOT out there now.  Temp is 90F but the humidity is real high.  Miserable out there so I decided I did not need to go see a sleepy fishing village.

        At 4:30 pm there is a special "sail-away" party for Seven Seas Society members out on forward deck that passengers are generally not allowed.  Rebecca is not going and I will go just long enough to check it out and take some photos.  We invited Susanne Peters to join us for cocktails and dinner tonight in Compass Rose.

        I am attaching the link to my 2012 photos of the tour we did back then.  It was an interesting tour to the German community of Blumenau.  I think you will really enjoy them.

Click to view:

https://goo.gl/photos/vFXpwSitshV4oKzP7

At 4:00 pm it started raining cats and dogs with lots of thunder and lightning.  The ship had scheduled a sail-away cocktail party for the Seven Seas Society outside to begin at 4:30.  Well it is still monsooning and 4:30.  Guess I will wear my swimming trunks.  Problem is there are passengers just returning from their afternoon tours via the tenders.  Not real safe with the lightning plus they will certainly be drowned rats.  We are suppose to sail at 5:00 pm for the port in Santos.  Not going to happen on time!

DAY 45-AT SEA

Our position at noon today as we continue to sail to our next port, Porto Belo, Brazil.  At noon it was sunny and 84F.  More humidity today however.  Our Captain says there many be some afternoon showers today and tomorrow.
What We Did Last Night:

        OMG!  This was soooo good.  It's the "surf & turf" (6 oz lobster tail and 6 oz filet).  We dined in Prime 7, the steakhouse specialty restaurant, with the Carlson's & Zito's.  Everyone had a great time and was there eating and talking from 7 to 10 pm.  Missed the show but no one cared to see the flute player anyway.

What We Did Today:

        We are blessed with another lovely day.  As you see here, we are enjoying a smooth ride in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil.  Normal routine this morning for us.  Now 5 of the 11 pieces of aerobics equipment in the fitness center is inoperative.  Could not work out until 11:30 because of equipment availability.
        This delayed our lunch until 1:00 pm.  We decided to dine down in Compass Rose today.  Rebecca had a nice grilled shrimp Caesar salad and I had a small salad with some pasta.  After lunch we went to the reception desk to check on Rebecca's jacket.  We got jackets as part of this grand cruise amenity package.  Rebecca's was too big so took it back.  Now they say they do not have any smaller ones.  NOT HAPPY!  I asked if they could mail one to us so they are checking.  Of course now corporate in Miami will be gone for weekend.
        At 6:00 pm this evening is the Seven Seas Society (frequent cruiser program of Regent) cocktail party.  I guess we will go.  At 7:00 pm we have been invited to join the Food & Beverage Director, Donald, for dinner in Compass Rose.  Miso sea bass is on tonight's menu so really looking forward to it.  You may recall an earlier photo of this sea bass.
        We definitely plan on going to the show tonight.  It is another production show, "Dancing in the Streets" featuring the Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers.  I should also mention the great Mariner orchestra too.  Lauren, one of the dancers (and a friend) has had tonsillitis and missed the last show and will also miss tonight's show.
        Short post for today.

DAY 44-RIO GRANDE, BRAZIL

 Remember yellow arrow in red circle is our location.  Want to give you big view of where we are.

Historical/Background Info:
        Rio Grande means “large river” in English.  This is a port city in the very southern part of Brazil in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.  It is one of the oldest cities in the state and was the former capital.  It is the second busiest ports in Brazil.  That and the petroleum refinery here make it a very prosperous city.  The city was founded by the Portuquese in 1737 and a fort was built to defend Portugal’s territory in the south.
        Rio Grande is said to have the longest beach in the world.  It is approximately 160 miles long with sand dunes up and down the coastline.  The inland is very low with a maximum altitude of 33 feet above sea level.  As a result, it is savanna like in that it is made up of fields of low vegetation.  The average high temperature during summer (Jan, Feb, & Mar) is 80F.  During winter months it averages low 60’s.  There is a lot of agriculture here in southern Brazil which includes: corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cattle, and sheep for wool.  In 2012 there were a lot of new John Deere combines lined up on the dock.  None this year.  The city actually has a population of nearly 200,000 but where I was today in the old part you would never know it.  I actually liked this port!
What We Did Last Night:        

Last night's "block party"??  No one at our end of hallway showed up except for us.  We live with "anti-socials"!  We went to other side of our deck's hallway and socialized with them.  They were party animals!

What We Did Today:
        OOPS!  I said yesterday that we would be having a sea day today.  Well, I was half right as we did not arrive here until 1:00 pm.  Did our usual morning routine:  up at 8:00, room service breakfast at 8:30, online for couple hours, tried to workout but fitness center was full, and then it was time for lunch.  Featured at pool buffet today is "South American BBQ".  I usually get the pool buffet food and take it into the air conditioned La Veranda restaurant.  They have another buffet in there too which Rebecca usually frequents.  Rebecca was NOT happy because now only 2 of the normal 4 treadmills are operational.
        Ok, we are now in Brazil and will be visiting its ports for the next three weeks.  The places we will be visiting are, with a few exceptions, very small with limited services and things to see.  For example today there is only one excursion available, "Sights of Rio Grande".  We turned our tour tickets in as Rebecca does not want to go outside in the heat.  Besides, we did this tour back in 2012. Took our Captain forever to get this thing docked.  You can tell she is a brand new Captain-very cautious.
        I took the first shuttle bus into town at 1:30.  The old part of town is not that far but bus had to drive slowly on rough streets.  It was actually not that hot in town today.  Forecast was to be in high 90's but is only in low 80's.  I walked around for over an hour snapping some photos which I will attach the link to at the end of this.  I stopped in a little shop to get a Fanta soda (I love them).  The Brazilian currency is the "real" and 4 is equal to $1.  The two ladies did not speak English but I managed to get them to accept $1 US for a Fanta.  Then all I had was $5 bills.  I really did not want "Real" in change so said "No abrigada" (no thank you in English) and started to walk out.  They called me back and were going to give the Fanta to me for free.  I gave them a $5 and now I have some Real.  How nice was that of them!!!  It made my day and now I can tell this great story tonight at dinner.  Besides I will be in Brazil for 3 weeks so can certainly use the Real later.
        I got back to ship around 3:00 pm and Rebecca was still working out.  She also did a load of laundry since the laundrettes are open again.  She does not like the ship to do her "stuff".  We get free laundry so I let them do mine!!  Good News!  The gastro-intestinal problem is officially gone so now the ship is back to normal.  I can have canapes with my cocktails again in the lounges.  We can serve ourselves at the buffets.  Yea!      
        This evening we will again be joining the Carlson's and Zito's at 7:00 for dinner in Prime 7.  Tonight's show features a flute player, Suzaane Godfrey (that's the way she spells her first name). This does not sound like our kind of show!  Tomorrow is a sea day.

Here is link to today's photos:

https://goo.gl/photos/go82qmwfDPfdXAjA9

As a special bonus, here is link to photos I took here 4 years ago:

https://goo.gl/photos/PteHeuvzuLuHU5S67

DAY 43-MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

 Arrived back here at 7:00 am.  Was here last Friday too.  Another fantastic day weather wise.  Sunny, blue skies and 85 now at 1:30 pm.

What We Did Today:
        First, I must say that we REALLY enjoyed dinner last night with the General Manager, Davor Josipovic.  He's a Croatian.  We sailed with him on a transatlantic cruise back in November 2011.  Also at the table were George and Dorothy (she said to call her Duffy) Frikas from Washington DC area.  What a delightful couple!  We had a great evening of lively conversation and great food.  Rebecca and I enjoyed Dover sole rather than a lobster tail or prime rib.  I'm kicking myself today for not getting a photo of the table.  I had my camera in pocket.  After dinner we did go to the theater to see the comedian/pianist.  He mostly told jokes so we enjoyed him.
        Ok, finally on to today!!  Neither of us went on our scheduled tour which was a city highlights tour.  Been there done that back in 2012.  We worked out (first time I have worked out in several days) this morning.  I am doing much better with hardly any coughing now and Rebecca is also much, much better.
        After working out I did not bother showering as knew it was going to be hot in town today.  I put some shorts on and headed off the ship.  I wanted to take some photos for you and get some fresh air.  The old part of Montevideo is literally, just across the street from our pier.  I walked around for an hour or so.  I love the old architecture of the buildings.  Unfortunately, it is not all being very well maintained now.  Businesses have moved to the new part of the city.  This is basically a tourist area since several cruise ship call on this port during the summer months in SA.
        As I backtracked to return to the ship, I stopped and got the antibiotic that my doctor recommended.  I don't think I need it now but will keep it for the future.  As I said, drug costs are good here.  Then I stopped at a Mercado to get some lunch for us.  As you will see in the photos, it was full of parrillas, grilled meat restaurants.  You can get every cut of meat imagined:  many beef cuts, lamb, pork, sausages, chicken, and they even grill entrails (guts).  Double YUK!  I think blood sausages are the grossest looking (and probably tasting).  I swear every crew member from the ship will be over there eating at some point today.  I saw many there when I was there.  They will be happy tonight.
        I may sit out on balcony this afternoon or may take a siesta.  Not sure.  Better call my parents as looks like they are getting snow up there today.  At 6:00 pm we will be having another "block party". If you remember, this is where you go out in hallway with wine and meet your neighbors.  The Captain, General Manager, and Cruise Director race up and down every hall greeting the passengers, It is unique to Regent and a great idea.  Tonight's menu in Compass Rose is not one of our favorites so we will go up to Sette Mari, Italian Restaurant, for dinner.  There is another JAR production show tonight, "Film Flashback", so we will be on the front row again for it.
        We sail at 5:00pm and will have a day at sea tomorrow.  Here is the link to today's photos:

https://goo.gl/photos/XcwQbXhRrqFnpVQXA

DAY 42-PUNTA DEL ESTE, URUGUAY

 We are in Punta del Este today.  Actually sailed past Montevideo last night as you can see in 3rd photo.  It was 177 mile trip.  Will backtrack to Montevideo tonight.

 This 12 day cruise segment will end in Rio.

Punta del Este is on right edge of this photo.  We were her last Thursday too.

What We Did Today:

        My Dallas doctor and good friend, Rick Waldo, and his wife, Kindra, are skiing in Colorado.  I emailed them yesterday asking what drugs we need to be taking for our upper respiratory, bronchitis, or whatever it is we have. I got email back this morning with his advice.  This is not the first time we have imposed on them.  Thanks, Rick & Kindra.

        Health update:  I only had one short coughing spell last night.  Took a shot of my Robitussin and went back to sleep.  No coughing so far today but just hoarse.  Rebecca still has her perpetual occasional cough by better every day now.

After buying a flower arrangement yesterday in BA (in background), last night this lovely arrangement showed up.  Triyono, our suite steward, gave them to us.  He knows we like flowers.

        While Rebecca worked out this morning I took the tender ashore.  My mission today was to go get some medicine at a pharmacy.  We are anchored quite a way from town so the tender ride took 20 minutes.  It seemed hot walking in town but when you are in the shade it is nice and cool.  I found a nice little pharmacy with two very nice pharmacists who could speak more English than I could Spanish.  I got one of the drugs I wanted but he explained the other one I would have to get in Montevideo tomorrow.  Drugs are so inexpensive in SA.  Why they rip us off so badly in States when buying the same drugs is criminal.

        Back on ship by noon and went up to have some lunch.  Salmon in pastry today and one of our favorites.  We have a beautiful view of Punta del Este from our balcony so enjoying that while writing this.  You will see it in today's photos which I will attach on the link at the end of this.  I would go out and sit on balcony but may take a nap (siesta) to help my illness.  Rebecca has an appointment to get her hair cut at 3:00 pm.  $96 for woman's wash, cut, and blow dry.  YIKES!  $38 for men's cut.  Prices include tip.  I won't need a cut for a while yet.

        We got an invitation this morning to dine with Davor, the new General Manager on board.  Andreas left us in Montevideo a few days ago to go on his vacation and Davor has replaced him.  We have cruised with Davor and he knows us well.  We didn't know whether we should accept or decline the invitation because of our coughing.  Decided to accept as I am not coughing so far today.  "Knock on wood!!"  Rebecca still coughs occasionally but should not be contagious now.

        The entertainer tonight is some comic piano player named Dale Gonyea.  Never heard of him.  May or may not go.  The production show last night was fantastic as usual.

        We don't sail tonight until midnight (same as last time we stopped here).  Very short trip tonight back over to Montevideo where we will be docking at 8:00 am.  I have a tour at 8:45.

Here is the link to today's photos:

https://goo.gl/photos/rUitnxhTyWAiwaq17

DAY 41-BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

What We Did Last Night:

 Black Mussles with white wine, tomato, and onion.  These were sooooooo gooooood!

Executive Chef Michael stopped by our table to say he personally was making our veal parmesean.  As you can see it was HUGE!!  Rebecca ate about half of hers and I did a little better.  It was fantastic!  Next time one will be enough for both of us.

What We Did Today:
        I woke up coughing at 2:00 am and had coughing spells rest of the night.  So I kept Rebecca awake and probably our neighbors too.  I did not get up until 9:30.  Breakfast came at 8:30 but there is a curtain that separates bed area from living area.  I did not eat when I did get up.  When Alberto, a waiter, came to pick up our tray later he told me he would bring me some hot tea with lemon and honey.  He did.  I told you they spoil us and are super nice.
        Rebecca is working out now.  We took the shuttle into town and have lunch there.  I still had some pesos to use before leaving here this evening.  Just vegged out this afternoon and I called my parents.  Glad to hear they are fine. We have another life boat drill at 4:15 before sailing at 5:00.  Tomorrow we will be back in Punta del Este, Uruguay, for the day.
        Looking forward to dinner in Compass Rose tonight.  Escargot is one of the appetizers and veal osso buco, an entree.  Yummy!  Tonight's show is the production show featuring Jean Ann Ryan cast in "Backstage Pass".  This will be the third time we have seen the shows but really enjoy them.

        Street artist doing a sculpture out of sand.  This was on the pedestrian street called Lavelle.

                              We bought some flowers for our suite today.  Cost me $3.
That's it for today.  Short blog posting today.

DAY40-BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

What We Did Last Night:
        We had a cocktail before departing the ship at 6:15 for the cruise terminal then on to a typical Argentine parrilla style restaurant, "Chiquilin".  When we arrived the front door was locked but the maitre d came and let us right in.  It stayed locked until about 8:00 pm (they do this for security). When we got there at 7:00 pm only a couple tables were occupied.  By 7:30 we were the only two customers there.  Argentines dine very late by our standards and did not start showing up until we left at 8:30.  There was only one waiter until 8:00 pm when more showed up.  Tigre was our water's name.  Initially, he did not let on like he spoke any English.  Later when he saw I knew some (very little) Spanish and tried to speak it, he started speaking some English.
        We started with two of my very favorite foods: a chorizo (grilled sausage) and grilled proveleta cheese.  Of course we had a bottle of Argentina's most famous wine, Malbec.  I knew the servings in BA's parrillas were huge so we ordered half orders of filets and a half order of fries.  The filets were still huge and so tender you could cut them with a fork.  We really enjoyed our dinner.
        When we got back to the ship, Joe & Judy were at the Mariner Lounge bar so we had a night cap with them before retiring.  I had a hard time sleeping as was coughing a lot.  Guess I now have what Rebecca has.  She continues to improve slowly however.

What We Did Today:
        We decided to go on tour this morning as they were going to do a "deep" cleaning of the ship.  Joe and Judy were doing same tour as us which was "Highlights of BA".  We had seen all these places back in 2012 but good way to kill time and get some photos for you.  I think you will find today's photos interesting.  Will attach the link at end.
        It is very warm today--86F, but sunny.  We usually sit on back row of the buses but it was soooo cold at back of the bus that we moved up to where the guide had her stuff on the front row.  I told her I was already half sick and did not want pneumonia. Our guide, Gala, was best we have had so far on the entire cruise.  She said they had to go to school for 3 years before being certified to be a tourist guide.
        We arrived back at the ship around 2:00 pm.  The new passengers were already boarding.  We went up to have some lunch at La Veranda then to our suite.  As en transient passengers we were allowed to go to our suites.  It is now 4:30 and the new passengers still have not been allowed to go to their suites.  Crew is running very late due to the ship cleaning earlier.  I'm sure there are some very pissed passengers.  I hope this group is a good one!  Approximately 550 new passengers of the 700 of us.
        There is no entertainment except for a lounge pianist on the ship tonight.  This morning I sent a request to the chef for either veal parmesan or Dover sole for tonight.  We were not impressed with other entrees on tonight's menu.  Not sure what we will end up with.  Ok, about time to start getting cleaned up for cocktails and dinner.  We will be here again tomorrow until 5:00 pm.
Here is the link for today's photos.

https://goo.gl/photos/ZL3XYxEuAiNp8Fjt9