Day 8 – written on day 9

Hi everyone, The days are ticking by. As I am writing this, we only have two more excursion days before we begin the two day reverse journey through the Drake Passage. I am working hard not thinking about the end…but it’s becoming a reality (as I knew it would).

The weather on Day 8 was more typical of this region, it was our final day in the Weddell Sea – and as we had heard from the prior night’s recap and briefing, the wind would pick up. Waking up on Day 8 confirmed the weather forecasting, as we were facing 30 – 45 knot winds. However, given that our destination was located in a bay, after the guides did their assessment it was safe to have the morning excursion. We were surprised but also all pleased. The typical process for an excursion is an announcement on the PA system letting us know the guides and expedition leader are heading out soon, they will survey or scout out the location and then – based on their assessment finalize the plans for us. The zodiacs are then lowered into the water, 20 of them. As they are being lowered the first group is called to gear up in the mud room. Then about every 5 minutes, one by one in our animal groups we are called to head downstairs, put on our outer layers, scan our room cards (we along with the guides are scanned every time we get off and back on to the boat) which act as out boat IDs and gather by groups of 10 at the gangways. This morning’s outing proceeded as planned. Our destination was called View Point and it’s home to an active Chilean rescue/emergency hut. The hut is also home to some very fancy weather tracking equipment. The morning’s excursion was planned to be a split landing and cruise expedition. When Obi and I boarded the zodiac the water was choppy and the winds were noticeable but it was manageable. We rode to the land, and got off to explore. Each group had about 55 minutes on land to walk around and take pictures. Many folks opted to see inside the hut, I was not that interested in this (though I learned it was equipped with about 6 beds, blankets and even had TP in the outhouse next door). I was way more interested in the seal bones scattered all along the trail. The bones were bleached white and strewn about everywhere. The contrast of the bleached bones against the dark grey slate was eye catching and I spent nearly the whole time trying to identify which part of the seal the bone was from. I saw a jaw bone with teeth, a scapula, ribs and part of a skull. These seals were caught many years ago by humans as there were bullet casings nearby. The seal blubber was used to water proof their clothes and the meat as food. I appreciated the rawness of this place. I did feel a bit constrained though, only permitted to walk in certain areas (given this was all rock going off trail is not as serious as going off trail in the snow – because when one goes off trail in the snow, you create large post holes which make it very hard for penguins to walk on). I was desperate to go off trail and bit, though the rules prohibited my exploration. When Obi and I boarded the zodiac to return to the ship, we learned that the cruise portion was cancelled due to the winds picking up and the ice sheets rolling in. The plan was to return immediately to the boat…and this is when things got interesting. As we approached the boat leaving the protection of the bay we (along with the other zodiacs) found ourselves in extremely high winds, wild waves and many large pieces of floating ice. The ice is problematic for many reasons, the main reason is that it can break the prop (motor). Also, much of this ice was very old sea ice which means it was clear – this is more challenging to spot in the water bobbing up and down in the waves. Oh, I was loving the drama of the ride. As we approached the gangway the captain radioed the expedition leader and we learned the he was concerned that with the approaching ice none of the zodiacs could load and so the boat needed to move forward. This meant we had to wait out at sea, bobbing up and down. We actually spotted a seal on an ice floe and went over to snap a few shaky pictures. There were birds diving into the water catching plankton type organisms. Then we began trying to get ahead of the moving ice sheets, and needed to drive our zodiac around a large area of ice. The waves were really high and we were getting wet from the large splashes. I could see some folks on the boat getting a bit anxious about the situation we found ourselves in. I could see though how calm and in control our guide along with the others were – that there was not a moment’s worry for me. Honestly I was having a grand time. We thought we would not get a zodiac cruise and here we were about an hour later still doing what felt like white water rafting level zodiac cruising. The boat finally found a new spot for us and they lowered the gangways. However the waves were so big that there was a risk the boat would take in water at the entrances so they kept lifting and lowering the steps. Finally after much radio chatter we were given the green light to load. A zodiac ahead of us made it’s way to the gangway and no sooner does it pull in, but I see and hear a huge pop – a mini explosion. A giant burst of air blows upwards – like the blow from a whale. One of the pontoons (air sacks in the zodiac) burst. The boat dropped below the gangway and got pinched between the water and metal edge. Now don’t worry the zodiac was not in any danger of sinking, as each zodiac has seven pontoons, and even if all seven are damaged there is still air under the floor which would hold it up. But, the guests on that boat were scared – (as we heard from a few first hand later that day). Usually each gangway has two sailors helping you get on and off. When this happened we saw the other two run over and now four people were scrambling to off load the 10 guests. With the waves so high, people seemed as if they were flung off the boat. The waves would pick up and drop the zodiacs so if you stepped on the edge of the zodiac and tried to step off you were lifted up and down aggressively. We watched all of this unfolding and knew we were next. Given one boat was broken we now needed to wait further at sea for the expedition leader to reach us from land to assess if we could get on board or not. It was determined we could move forward. But first the sailors put polls in the gangways at the ends to prevent the boats from going underneath. The polls are great but they are also tricky to use because a wave could push them hard and bend the gangway causing damage to the outside of the ship. We finally pulled in and I was so impressed with the strength and sheer control the sailors had, grabbing us with such force and helping us fly off the boat onto the gangway. Wowee – that was extreme. Later in the day Obi and I along with a crew of folks were in the bridge hanging out and happened to see our expedition leader. Obi asked him if he could answer some of our questions about the navigation screen and we spent a while as a whole group chatting with him. He told us that today’s zodiac experience was in his top five most difficult moments. We were humbled. All this is to say that our afternoon excursion was cancelled because – even at the next location the winds and water were heavy and emotional. As a result we ended up sailing out of the Weddell sea towards the western peninsula. This is a very different climate zone because of the winds which carry snow from South America. It’s much more mountainous and covered in snow – the way one might imagine Antarctica. Along the Wester Peninsula there are many whales and we would see private yachts or other cruise ships as this is called the “playground” of Antarctica. We were not getting off the boat and had hours of time – I worked out in the gym then spent about 3 hours in the bridge. Watching for whales (we only saw one in the far off distance) and talking with people. It ended up being a lot of fun.

We learned today form someone who has WiFi that the airport workers in Ushuaia are on strike and are scheduled to return working on Tuesday. Tuesday happens to be the day our boat docks and Obi and I catch our flight to Buenos Aires. Yikes. We don’t have any way to know what is going on right now – so I guess I will update you if I learn anything more.

Love,
Franziska

Day 7 – written on day 8

A, hoy mateys – I might have been hanging out in the bridge for too many hours so maybe I’m becoming part sailor? Hello everyone, another update for your leisure reading. Again, I am not reading emails right now (only super quick glances so as to not use up the time on the WiFi), signing on to cut and paste these notes is all I can really do. So thank you to those who are reading – I hope my words are helping to bring a sense of connection to a far away land.

Today we had an early start – it was another supremely beautiful day with bright sun and blue skies. Which meant…the day paddle group 1 was a go! That was the group Obi and I were assigned. This meant we, along with eight other guests would get the rare opportunity to sea kayak in Antarctica in the Weddell sea – in the coast of Croft Bay. Now this bay is known for a thick sheet of sea ice which forms directly from the beach. Typically this sea ice is thick enough to walk on. On this day it was not stable enough to stand on, so people not kayaking would do a split landing and zodiac cruise. Because we were day paddling we would instead be out on the water and not make a landing – which we were both more than fine with. I was so excited to see this continent from sea level. The start of the activity is all about gear. We met the other kayakers and headed to the gear room with a guide. This began the outfitting process. Now, even though the sun was shining it’s still cold. We kept our base and mid layers on, and even wore a light puffy jacket. This all went inside the wet suit. These are full body wetsuits with booties attached. The only parts exposed are your hands, neck and head. I had a suit with a back zipper and Obi had one with a front zipper. Putting them on, and especially getting your head through the narrow and very tricky neck is like the birthing process. Squeezing our heads through a small narrow opening – haha, but we both managed. On our feet over the suit we put on neoprene booties which zip up the side. Then our hats, life vests and gloves. I did not wear any gloves because the paddles have pogies attached which are neoprene hand coverings (very similar to the mittens people use on strollers which are attached to the stroller and you just slip your hand in. These act as wind and water protection. These are tandem kayaks, and inflatable. By the time we were fully geared up we were hot and ready for some cool air. We need to “burp” ourselves which means we pull the neck section slightly away from our body, then crouch down to be as small and tight as possible and actually squeeze out the air from our suits. This was awesome because before being burper I looked a bit like a blue snowman. Getting the air out also helps you to keep warm. After fully gearing up we ventured to the gangway to load into the zodiac. The zodiac took us about 3 minutes away from the ship and then we started transfering from the zodiac to the kayaks. A simple maneuver but one which requires form balance and coordination. Before I go on, I need to share that for Obi, this was a totally brand new and wildly unfamiliar experience. He does not know how to swim. He has never been in a kayak, let alone paddled one. As a result I put him in front so that I could control the boat more and help direct him. Well….we get into the boat and begin to paddle and I am noticing we are making sharp right and left turns. Hardly moving forward. Ha. It was a bit interesting at first, as I knew Obi was trying to figure it out and I could see other pairs cruising forward – a little bit of my competitive edge came through and Obi said I used some stern words. I suppose looking back, comments like, “Obi, turn right.” or “Obi, lift your paddle” or “Obi, stop paddling, let me do it for a moment.” with a sharp directive tone were not the most supportive…but…in all fairness I was trying to give him clear directions. I know this sounds worse than what it really was. Obi got some additional directions from our guide about posture, and how to use his full long arm and paddle positioning. So between the two of us, eventually Obi seemed to have a better understanding of movement and we made some ground. The experience was also not just about getting the boat to move though, as I wrote we were in a bay. Now, this is a bay that has a sea ice shelf and to our natural wonder grease icea. Wide vast sheets of this glass like ice which is the beginning stage of sea ice. Grease ice is the first layer and overtime, more and more thin layers build up causing larger, thicker pieces of ice. This ice was in tandem with the bay waters which were at times so calm the reflection was like a mirror. We were surrounded by mountains and a large glacier all funneling into the bay. Another picture perfect scene. Our colorful red kayaks, blue suits and white and yellow paddles were a striking contrast to the environment. We found a large ice floe with a seal and cruised by in our boats. Then we approached the grease ice – and spent about 45 minutes to an hour kayaking through ice. WOW, that was a new experience for me and tough. Ice ice cracks easily in some places given how thin or thick it was. The thinker sections required a strong forceful chopping stroke in order to get your paddle in. Then instead of pushing only water we were pushing sheets of ice. The zodiac went ahead and made a path, but the water moved so quickly that the ice sheets drifted to and from concealing the path quickly. It was a real effort, one which left us all sweaty and hot. The sound of cracking ice was loud and appetizing. Obi and I even had a few moments where our strokes were in sync – I copied his moves and we were looking pretty good by the end. He even instinctively put his oar in to steer at some points and my stroke allowed us to turn or position ourselves better. Yet again, another experience I will hold onto forever. When we got back on board we ran into one of our friends who asked how it went and if we would do it again. You can surely guess my answer – but, Obi said jokingly, “Yes, I would probably do it again, but maybe not with Fran…” We were all laughing. We returned all of our gear to the gear room and each took a shower and dried out our clothes given the sweaty mess we were. Ahh…a great morning indeed.

The afternoon excursion was also a split landing which means 100 people on land, while the rest are in a zodiac cruise. IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operations) only permits 100 people on shore at any one time (which is why people are split up for landings). Obi and I began the trip on land – which was an Addelle Penguin rookery. This was neat because we had the chance to walk along the shore/beach and watch as penguins come and go between the water and their nests. This was a site with thousands of penguins and a constant hum of honking, flapping, shuffling and other bird call sounds which penguins make. At the rookery we also saw chicks still small grey and very fluffy at their parent’s feet or burrowing down in the nest or on the ground. Laying down on the ground seems to be a warmer spot for the chicks and all the adult penguins stand next to them. Typically the Addelle penguins lay their eggs by mid-late november. The eggs hatch after 5 weeks so most of these chikcs were probably about 1 months old (if that). The penguins certainly noticed the 100 blue jacketed animals marching near their homes. Some would look at us, others would stand totally still and look away, some of them ignored us and others seemed to walk closer out of curiosity. We were told to walk along the beach in clumps, not a long line so as to make sure the penguins had access to and from the sea and their nests. How much of an impact we had on them – long term is unknown, probably not much at all, but it was impossible to ignore that while it was very special to be so close, it was disruptive to their natural habitat. The next day, I overheard some people mentioning how tired they were of these same penguins (Addelle are the only ones we have seen en masse so far). I was secretly appalled by their statement – I mean, we are in Antarctica seeing penguins – how could you lose sight of that or show any sense of dissatisfaction! We had an hour on the beach and so there were moments when I stood still and just observed their behavior. I noticed two birds doing what seemed like a mating call or dance. I even saw two sets of penguin brawls. Ideally these penguins mate for life, but apparently in the penguin world there is a lot of cheating on your partner. So, on two occasions I saw one penguin very aggressively chasing another. There was pecking and squawking, and lots of awkward running. Both birds tripped and fell a lot. The fights lasted about two minutes and ended with one being chased into the water and the other ended with the accuser running faster and away. Drama in the rookery! Our zodiac cruise explored some of the sea and glacial ice in the bay. I am constantly maveling the individuality of each piece of ice. Just like every single snowflake is different, every piece of ice is different. Their shapes are one of a kind and so it’s like they each have their own personality. Some shapes evoke seriousness like the rectangles or tabular ice-bergs. Others are more playful with the ice fingers or round holes throughout the ice. Some icebergs look like large apartment buildings with units or blocks. Others are cracked and seem to be straining to hold itself together. As inviting as these all are, they are dangerous. About 10% of an ice-berg is above water, the remaining 90% is underwater So when a piece breaks off or calves, the center of gravity shifts which is why they can roll or flip. Potentially causing a huge wave or suction into the water. So being cautiously curious is a requirement.

Every night at 6:30 pm all the guests gather in the Nautilus lounge for the daily recap and tomorrow’s briefing. It’s a great opportunity to hear a few highlights from the day or answers to questions guests had about something they saw. For example we learned about ice and grease ice. Then the expedition leader or EL, comes up and shares the plans for the next day. As always the plans can change but we go to bed with some expectations of what is to come.

So…I will leave you now because tomorrow’s recap and plans will begin shortly. 

Love, 

Franziska 

ps. Right now we have 40 – 45 knot wind speeds. Yikes! 

Day 6 – written on Day 7

The WordPress site still will not load my writing…so another email version of the blog it is:) 

Hi all – What an adventure we are having. Being in Antarctica just gets better and better. Below is a post from Day 6 – January 1st, 2024!

It’s the new year – and what better way to start the new year with an ANTARTIC PLUNGE. Yes, it’s true – I, along with about 156 out of 200 participants plunged into the Weddell sea! When it was announced the night before that tomorrow would be plunge many guests were a buzz…and everyone was asking each other “Are you jumping in?” Many people tried to convince Obi but he laugher it off and decided to be my videographer instead – and he did a great job. So, the plunge, here is how it works. It began at 10 am (or shortly after). We are called again to the mud room by our assigned animal groups – two friends we met on the boat were also jumping and so the three of us ladies decided to meet when my group was called so that we could “walk the plank” together. At 10 am we suit up and down our bathrobes. I decided to keep my hat and neck gator on with sneakers and socks so that while I waited on Deck 7 with Obi who had a clear view of the gangway I would not freeze. The water temperature was 1 degree C, 33.8 degree F – yowzah – that’s cold! The air temperature was 0 degrees Celsius. When the jumpers line up we walk down to the gangway with our robes still on. I was so excited. We had a woman behind us – clearly very nervous and talking up a storm. She said her heart rate was beating so fast – which she could tell on her fit bit. I wasn’t nervous at all – I do well in the cold climate and can tolerate extremes. So I was just eager. Before I went down for my assigned group I watched about 20 minutes with Obi. It was hysterical watching the jumpers. I loved the variety in plunge styles. At each gangway (of which there are two) there is a zodiac with a driver and a professional photographer. The photographer is assigned to take your picture before you jump. As a result almost all of the plungers jump facing the photographer and do a silly pose like legs up and arms out. There were lots of yells and hoots – lot’s of “wow, that’s cold!” We could hear it all so clearly many decks above. The scenery was spectacular (yesterday and today) the sun has been shining so brightly – with blue skies. It’s a bit unreal and apparently uncharacteristic for this area. So…having the sun beaming down helped a bit with the cold water and air. Some jumpers slipped at the edge of the gangway and had funny looking entries (they got a second chance if they wanted). I decided I wanted to dive in – arms and head first – forget the silly picture – I wanted some distance from the gangway so that I could swim back (enjoying a bit of an extended time in the water). Many folks jumped right in and before they surfaced it was if they were already on the ladder being pulled up. I should say we have a belt on our waist attached to a rope which is tied to the boat and controlled by a guide. If you can’t swim they provide life vests. My two friends went first – both with a bikini so some breasts might have been exposed – lol – all in good fun and made for some hysterical stories. After you plunge you are offered a shot of Vodka. So, when it was my turn I unrobbed, belted up and walked the plank. I waved at the photographer and then turned to face Obi high above so he could capture my dive. And, in I went – I dove far and felt the rush immediately. Your body starts to notice something is different almost before your brain can process what is happening. When I surfaced I shot my arms up with glee. Given my technique, I had put some distance between myself and the boat so I took two breast strokes back to the boat dunking my head under with each one. I really wanted to be in the moment – so that I could process what was happening. Ha, by the second stroke I could feel my hands shutting down. They were immediately not as responsive as typical, my lungs were constricted, my face was tingling and my feet seemed to question me when I told them to move forward and push up on the ladder. It was SO COLD. It’s the type of cold that you can feel in every single pore of your body. Even the space between your toes feels numb. LOL. What a rush of endorphins though – I was alive – so alive. I declined the vodka as I had more than enough of an internal kick. I would do that every day if I could. I really would. I enjoy so much pushing y physical limits and seeing just how far I can go. The was a total Franimal moment.

After I found Obi on deck he showed me his video and a woman down below took a video of me diving from the gangway. I will include these videos in the phot album which I share out upon my return. Obis seemed very proud of me, and apparently some folks watching me near by Obi commented on how far I dove and you can hear Obi saying, “That’s my wife.” He and I celebrated a moment, but I could not stop shaking, my body was so cold from the inside out. I along with many like minded folks headed straight to the sauna. Ahh…warmth. Everyone was talking about their plunge and sharing stories. I sat back and listened – laughing along.

The second excursion of the day was visiting a site with mummified seals. Unusual right? Yes, we are most likely the only tourist/excursion group ever to visit this site. On the island called Seymoar Island there is a historical site with about 13 – 25 seals (official number is unknown). Mummified?… how you may ask. A combination of low temperatures and low precipitation combined with strong winds actually caused the seals to be preserved in a mummified state. A group of scientists wrote a paper explaining the discovery and cause. In short, this island was once mostly fully covered by the ocean. A group of seals found their way to one side of the island but due to shifting ice were trapped. In order to get free, the seals decided to traverse across the land – to the ocean. Unfortunately, they reached a major cliff drop. About 13 seals decided to jump down and died upon impact the others seemed to have noticed this behavior was not advantageous and decided to stay put. These less adventurous seals eventually froze to death. Without eating (their stomachs were empty according to the autopsy conducted on a few bodies from the scientist) to keep warm, their internal temperatures dropped significantly, as a result they froze. What would have been a better death, slow freezing or a death drop? I could not help but wonder.  Given the mumification effect the animals are preserved – you can go up closely and still see the fur and bones. These seals are about 300 – 500 years old so their bodies were torn open and faces broken off but the seal’s body structure like back, stomach and flippers were visible. They looked rubbery and hard at the same time. There were seals of all sizes and pups. While this is not the typical Antarctic sight you may imagine, visiting a place hardly anyone has ever seen felt important – along with learning about the history of this moment in time for this particular group of animals.

Our dinner that night was an outdoor BBQ – on the back deck with the sun beaming down. But, don’t think we were wearing shorts and tank tops – we were heavily layered and by the time I walked from the veggie curry station to my table, the food was cold! The nan bread froze, I pretended it was an Antarctica specialty, cold toast. The true highlight of the evening was the sunset. Given the beautiful temperatures we had all day – the sky was like a Monet painting. Pastel blues and yellows, mixed with soft pink and reds. All blending together with a foreground of tabular icebergs, a background of mountains and glaciers and so much glorious sea ice shapes bobbing to and from in the Weddell sea. Many folks went to bed, but I simply could not leave the upper deck – the view was mind boggling. And suddenly there is a huge buzz on deck 8, an Emperor Penguin was spotted all alone on an ice floe less than a quarter of a mile out. O.M.G. This is crazy! These penguins are not typically in this area at all – and to see one alone was unusual (slightly troubling) but non the less, it’s the wild out here and these things happen. It was walking on the ice. Given it’s distance, it was hard to see any typical orange and blue coloring on the bird, but it’s height and gait were dead giveaways. The expedition leader made an announcement on the PA system and folks who had already tucked in bed came crawling out. We were all trying to take pictures and those with mega zooms were showing others what our cameras or the naked eye could not see. I might have gone to bed dreaming about penguins at sunset:)

Now, do you see what I mean – is this place wild or what?!  All of this just in one day – and on new years day! I have a good feeling this will be a great year.

Love, Franziska

ps. I hope you are all doing well in your respective worlds and finding ways to have your own adventures.

Days 4&5 (written on Day 6)

Hi from the SOUTH! I know my last post was a bit lengthy – there is just so much to say, today’s will include some photos.

It’s been challenging for me to stay current with my writing because to be very honest when I am inside our cabin I am not outside – and all I want to do right now is BE OUTSIDE. You never know when a whale will surface or a sea bird flies by. Antarctica is really a magnificent place and in today’s morning yoga class with glaciers and the crystal clear blue Weddell sea in the window it was hard to concentrate on the yoga. But, the instructor asked us to take a moment and think about what we are grateful for. I immediately thought about Obi – for all the reasons you can imagine 🙂 – but my second thought was simply being alive in this moment and being here on the map. All the ways you can imagine this place to be – are true…

…But I know my last post left you at the end of the first day of the Drake passage. By day two Obi’s seasickness had passed along with nearly every other guest. The sea calmed down and we had the lucky opportunity to sail along the Drake “lake.” Calmer waters. The sky remained grey and wind hurled but it was a welcomed shift for many on onboard. Given we were still sailing towards Antarctica the day would not include any excursions, and instead we took part in a few more talks and mandatory meetings. My highlight meeting was taking part in a talk with a historian who is on board (with her parents) conducting research for her doctoral degree. She is capturing the sounds of Antarctica and will be creating an immersive experience for those unable to travel here. As guests on board we will (optional) take part in helping her gather data or sounds which she may use in her work. She played a few sounds for us, Adelle penguins calling out and the sounds of ice-popping under water. What I appreciated about her work was that it will be used to provide for some people an unimaginable experience. I signed up to join one of her Zodiac rides. It was a waiting list process, so I wasn’t sure if I would get a spot (but I did 🙂 more on that below). We also spent the day getting more familiar with the ship. I had many worries about how I would feel on a boat for an extended period of time, unable to bike through the park or take a long walk. To my surprise I am handling it well. It’s hard to feel restless when you are looking out at the most stunning landscapes you can imagine. I am appreciating every single minute. The second highlight of the final Drake passage day was the spotting of the first ice-berg. The crew put out a survey to see if anyone could guess the day and time the bridge would see the first one. Officially it was spotted on the radar by the bridge around 11:26 am but it was not in view until a little after 12 pm. While Obi and I guessed a bit later in the afternoon, the build up was phenomenal. When the iceberg came into view of the ship, more and more people started to gather on deck. Despite moving quickly it took about an hour for the boat to actually pass it. This iceberg was round on one side and cut off by sharp edges on the other. As we approached we started to get a real sense of the sheer size of the ice and there were many jokes (a few folks actually seemed scared) about Titanic. The coloring of the ice was unlike any blue I have ever seen. At the base near the water the blue radiated out (the light creates this glacial blue coloring) and towards the top it was white. We could eventually see chunks of ice which had calved off on the other side and I noticed small black dots – I yelled out “Penguins!” and everyone started to clap. There were little Adelle penguins who had ventured so far from any nearby land and were resting on the ice. This experience was the perfect first ice-berg experience, the trifecta – ice, blue coloring and penguins! We were all so blown away.

So at the start of day 5, our expedition leader announced on the boat’s PA system that we would have our first Zodiac expedition! Yahoo – this meant we would get to get off the ship onto small rubber boats with a motor and explore the surrounding areas. Obi and I were excited – and I happened to look at the announcement board and noticed I was selected for the first acoustic soundscape Zodiac ride! OMG. This meant Obi and I would NOT be together and he was naturally a bit nervous about the first ride and doing it without his boo at his side. We rushed to the room and geared up. Being our first time on the Zodiac we weren’t exactly sure about the gear yet so we did our best to layer up. Starting with a base layer – wool leggings and silk top (thanks Mom) and next a very thick pair of socks (thanks Debbie) – I actually started to double up on socks as well. Our mid layer would be a pair of pants for me and Ski pants for Obi (his are waterproof). On top a wool shirt each. Then a puff jacket with a hood, neck gaiter, ear buff, and wool hat. Light gloves for me, mittens for Obi. Our outer layer is the think gortex jacket on loan from the company and for me gortex rain pants. We top it off with a life vest. The gar easily weighs about 10-12 lbs. It’s all necessary though and takes about 10 minutes to assemble. I am teaching Obi how to properly layer and how to use the right layers to seal the cracks and seams where cold air can drift in. I gave him a kiss and ran off. I could tell he was nervous…but I knew he would be okay! On my Zodiac I met the other “researcher helpers” and we loaded up with the researcher, Simone. Getting on and off the Zodiac we use the sailors grip (my hand to his forearm and his hand to my forearm) to allow the guides and sailors to help us. The boat bounces up and down in the water so when you walk down the gangway there is movement and you need to be mindful of your balance. We step on the zodiac and off we go. The motor is loud, and the wind is strong but just as we pull away from the boat…humpback whales blow and surface for us. Maybe 50 feet away, they lumber on, with such grace and confidence through the water. WHALES. My absolute favorite marine animal. They were there to welcome us into their home. As researchers we were outfitted with mics and small tripods with a recorder to capture sounds. Honestly between looking around at the water, the whales, the penguin colony on the island behind us, icebergs everywhere, and the sounds – it was a true sensory overload moment. My brian was trying to process so much at once. But it was such a special opportunity to use the sound equipment to listen as the Adelle penguins porpoise through the water or the lapping waves on the rocks, the bird calls and so much melting and shifting ice. We used special mics that went under water and could hear air bubbles popping in the thick ice chunks. At one point a leopard seal brushed past (Obi was on the Zodiac that actually saw a Leopard seal KILL a penguin – can you imagine!). The seal caught the bird and thrashed it from side to side aggressively before swallowing it. Penguins have evolved over time and one of their evolutionary traits is that, out of ALL the birds they have the most dense bones and many of their joints are fused together (hence the awkward walking). So when caught – the seal can’t swallow it whole, they will choke, it needs to literally be broken down in order to be bitten and swallowed. So when the Leopard seal swam past us we needed to quickly pull in the water mics should the seal try to bite it. On the soundscape tour I really listened, a lot. Closing my eyes at times to hear everything that was happening and not just to see everything. It was supremely special.

The afternoon excursion meant Obi and I could be together – all of the guests are randomly assigned to animal groups so that when we transition to the mud room – we don’t all go at once. We are in the Crabeater Seal group. So when we have excursions we listen for when our group is called and hustle down. The groups rotate for each excursion and everyone goes out for the same amount of time. The afternoon excursion did not allow us to land on the island for two reasons. Sea ice was densely packed at the shore and even if we could reach land safely the penguins were clearly everywhere. Unless you have seen a penguin colony of this size you wouldn’t believe how many penguins are in one area. Thousands upon thousands of birds – nestled together on land. Laying down, standing up and walking along a penguin highway (this is a real thing they do, by making paths which they all follow) from one point to another, gathering at the shore line gearing up to jump, collecting oil from their uropygial gland to preen and clean their feathers with or simply just standing around and looking. The smell is intense – and from about 30 minutes out on the boat the wind carried the guano odor far and wide. (When we got back into the room, I could still smell it on my clothes.) Often the penguins have dirty stomachs from laying in the guano – swimming in the water cleans them as well. Seeing the birds all together was so special – and while we drifted along the edge of the island through the sea icebergs (very different than glacial icebergs – sea icebergs are made from ocean water and are generally much smaller and can be clear, glacial icebergs are formed from a combination of ocean water and snow – as a result they are huge, white and can have other forms of coloring like light brown or pink from snow algae or dirt and dust that lands/grows on the ice) – we spotted three different seals. We saw a young male elephant seal, a Weddell seal (named after James Weddell a scientist and explorer but actually he was a sealer – hunting for seals – he is the first person to come within two days of sailing inorder to reach Antarctica mainland . He initially named the Weddell sea after a different explorer but it was changed to his name, and he discovered a new seal and so it was named the Weddell seal) and a Crabeater Seal (our mascot). Each one was asleep on the shore line. When the seals eat a lot of food they are tired, while they can sleep in the water – they prefer to sleep on land or on a floating piece of ice to be protected from Orcas, their predators. It was hard to resist taking what felt like hundreds of photos of these animals – just a few feet away. The birds are majestic in their black and white feathers and the seals blubbery and soft. One of the best parts of the penguin life is the moments before they jump into the water. It’s characteristic that they will start to gather at the shore line, first a few of them, then more and more join. They will begin making a honking sound, over and over – repeated by many birds. Then flapping their wings – but not jumping in. They are scared. No one wants to be the first to jump for fear of a seal so they stand there sometimes for minutes or sometimes for hours until one brave penguin goes for it and everyone else follows. They would rather have their friend die. I started thinking that this is the same behavior as the Wildebeest on their great migration in Africa. Before crossing a large river they (along with other animals like Zebras for example) will stand waiting. The timeline can vary – but again, they are afraid of predators lurking in the water. I found the parallels between these two animals so interesting to think about such different animals on such different continents displaying the same natural tendencies.

The day ended with a very festive New Year’s Eve dinner buffet and a boat party. Obi and I stayed up with some friends we met – and toasted with a glass of champagne at midnight all together. This is a New Year’s Eve that will be impossible to top – with a glacial sunset behind us (yes the sun set around 12:20 pm and rose at 2:35am) – and icebergs practically at our feet. It’s like anything in the world feels possible. Again and again, I am humbled to be here and appreciating every single moment.

I will try to write more tomorrow – and the entry may or may not include a story about a polar plunge – on New Year’s Day!

Happy new year to you all.

Love, Franziska 

ps. I tried a few times to attach a picture – it’s not possible. They won’t load on the WiFi. SORRY. 

pps. While I have not been able to read any responses to my first posts, I can imagine some of you are wondering how Obi is feeling. In terms of Obi’s prostatitis he is doing okay but not great. It’s a bit of a physical and emotional hurdle for him – but he is challenging his best self and trying to find his inner Antarctic explorer. 

The below post was written on Day 4.

Antarctica, Days 2&3

Right now, our ship is half way through the Drake passage, I find myself sitting at the foot of the bed, cross-legged, facing the window which orients to the bow (front) of the ship. Directly above our room is the bridge, the control center of the ship. It’s nearly 9pm, still light out, Obi is laying in the bed next to me suffering through motion sickness. The past two days have been wild. Technically we are ending day 3 of the trip – and we haven’t even gotten to Antarctica yet! Yesterday our ship had been scheduled to depart Ushuaia at 3pm – we did not disembark until 1:00 am. As mentioned in my first entry the Ocean Endeavor, retuning from it’s previous trip was unable to port due to high wind speeds. At the time of my earlier entry no one knew just how long the delay would be or what it would mean. Wind gusts above 30 knots per hour prevents a boat of this size to safely maneuver turning and essentially “parallel park” at the peer. As a result the passengers from the previous trip could see the port all day long and could watch all their plans taking off from the local airport on which they should have been boarded – because of wind. Weather is king here in Antarctica, weather is king. For those of us who were scheduled to start our tour, we could see the boat at sea and were left with much anticipation as we watched it come close then turn around again. Intrepid, the tour company told us to come later to the meeting point, but after witnessing another failed attempt from the boat our disembarkation was delayed even further. A group of us decided instead of waiting on the bus or in the cold for a few hours, hitched a table at a local bar and some folks ordered drinks. We could see the boat at sea and kept close watch. The suspense was intense, for the last two days we’ve been sharing stories and hearing tales from the guides about how amazing Antarctica is which felt like such a tease – given we couldn’t even get on the boat. Therefore, when the boat attempted once again to park – and it was successful – we cheered and ran to the port. As you would expect though, the previous passengers needed to get off and the boat needed to be cleaned and re-stocked for us. In addition to tons of supplies like food, etc. to be loaded. So…again, more waiting and anticipation building. Shortly before 11 pm our buses we driven down the peer and we were permitted to get on board! Our passports were handed in and we were shuttled into a lounge area for a very quick safety briefing. We needed to understand what we should do if the alarms rang. We learned that if we hear seven short alarms and one long – it means get dressed as warm as possible, take medication and go to our assigned “muster” station. This is the meet up point at which we would be likely getting life vests and possibly boarding lifeboats. If the alarm rings and never stops – this means “abandon ship.” It felt so real (and yet impossible) to imagine an actual scenario in which we would needed to abandon ship. However, until we woke up to the turbulence of the Drake passage this morning my thoughts were only thoughts – suddenly I had crystal clear picture of why those drills were essential!

I understand this entry may feel like I am bouncing around…but like I said, these past few days have been wild so capturing it all is difficult. I do want to rewind a moment though and share that yesterday (before boarding the boat), given we had the whole day to use Obi and I joined with two other expedition travelers, and decided to hike to the base of a glacier located directly behind the hotel. This Franimal was not about to lazy around for hours, playing the waiting game. Obi and I bundled up and needed to plan carefully because our luggage was already turned in by 9 am to be loaded and delivered to our ship-rooms. Despite the weather factors, high winds (yes), snow (yes) and possible rain we ventured onward. The four of us stuck together for about 30 minutes until one of our new friends needed a rest. Given how cold Obi was, we kept onward so that he would not freeze more. His abundant sweat makes him cold fast. So we carried on – and got closer and closer. However, the closer we got, the higher we climbed so the wind carried snow flurries from the top and left large deep piles of snow along the trails which covered up the underneath ice. We both looked at each other at one point, and commented on how insignificant we felt in the presence of such grandeur and rugged land. It felt easy to feel meek and helpless. The brown rock looming overhead capped with snow peered down upon our soft bodies. We (I) was not ready to give up and even though the trail was steep at points with weather factors one could not ignore, onward we pressed. I was totally surprised by Obi’s willingness to follow me as I made comments like, “okay, let’s just see what’s behind that turn,” or “one more section then we can stop.” You see, I did not know when the trail would end, therefore it was hard to accept turning around sooner because would if the end was just around the next bend. HAHAHA – and sure enough – at one point, there it was, a metal broken sing which said, “end of trail.” We did it! We hiked into the glacier and reached the end. Feeling accomplished (our friends turned back a while ago as we met up with them again at the hotel). We snapped a few pictures and made our way back. At the hotel a fire was lit which allowed us to display our wet clothes and shoes nearby to dry out (I kept feeding the fire to keep is strong). After about 3 hours of sitting and relaxing our gear was dry again! At this point in the day we called for a car service (used Uber) and made our way into town for some window shopping, a snack and to meet the rest of the tour group.

So back to where I started – on the boat. As I said, when we left Ushuaia it was just after 1 am. Before hitting the Drake passage you travel through what is called the Beagle Channel. This is a four hour journey on smooth water then the open sea. We woke up at 6 am – to the motion of the ocean. Heavy dips and plunges, a strong back and forth rock and the sounds of crashing waves at the bow. Clearly we slept through the calm waters of the Beagle Channel and upon reaching the open moody sea we were alert. Drifting in and out sleep felt like a chore – needless to say we were disoriented having only slept about 4 hours and now needing to contend with motion sickness. For those of you who have seen the movie Triangle of Sadness (highly recommended) the scene on our boat was not as terrible as the food poisoning horrors in the movie – but as I looked around during the first two hours of the trip I saw many people curled up in corners vomiting in small bags, heads down with their eyes closed, or simply green. Obi sadly got hit hard with motion sickness. He woke up with his body shaking, and began sweating – this lasted about two about two hours. He had the worst of these symptoms in the morning when we had to practice our “abandon ship” drill. Outside we went to the lifeboats and waited until role call was complete. Obi (along with many other passengers yesterday) felt nauseous all day and simply wanted to curl up in bed to sleep it off. I on the other hand – really felt fine. Both Obi and I took the same medication, Bonine and I guess it did the trick for me. It took me a moment to adjust to the movement of the boat and the 3 meter swells (these are small) which rock the ship from side to side. You know that feeling you have in an elevator – feeling heavy just after “lift off” and then feeling weightless, like you can levitate, just before you “land” (or reach your floor) – those sensations are what the ups and downs of the ocean swells feel like. So walking in a straight line is impossible even for a person with strong sea legs. Everyone looks drunk.

Apparently when the Drake passage is calm, it’s called the “Drake Lake.” While our first day on the Drake was no lake – by the second day, it smoothed out. I have yet to write about today, the second day of the passage – but when I do, I am hoping to possibly share some pictures in my next post – crossing my fingers I can load them (if not the album will be shared when I return home).  

Before I close out the posts most of the first day on the Drake was heavily scheduled. We had many mandatory meetings to attend which included a full safety briefing, the IAATO declaration and explication and gear bio-cleaning. There were also talks about sea birds and citizen science which we will be taking part in. I am learning a lot, though some of the information I was most interested in was the bio-cleaning – first we heard from a scientist on the trip collecting data about the unfortunate and highly dangerous spread of Avian Flu H5N1. This is a high pathogen virus which has recently been recorded in Antarctica. As a result, every single thing we bring off the boat (that will touch the ground or be exposed like outer layers) needed to be inspected and “cleaned.” Some of the included brushing the velcro at the bottom of rain pants or vacuuming out camera bags. Other clearing methods were dipping walking sticks or tri – pods which touch the ground in a specialized disinfectant. This liquid will also be something we step through before getting onto the zodiacs. This adventure is not a cruise – it’s formally called an Expedition which as I have learned means we can be flexible about what we see, where we go (within reason) and are expected to really learn and get to know the land we are visiting.

Between meetings I ventured outside (and dragged Obi, even though he was not so keen). The air is cold and crisp – it slices into every little crevice in your clothes. When the sun is shinning down, the difference is highly noticeable. The air tastes cold. The waves are emotional. It almost appears as if they are fighting against each other or working collectively to keep us out. The boat has huge engines which turn up the water in the back, creating a light blue icy effect but when this water settles the dark grey color sets back in. At times the waves crest up and white bubbles form which disappear immediately. These bubbles can trick you as they almost appear from the corner of your eye like a whale in the water. However one of the best parts of today was seeing my firs humpback whale – from the window in my room! As I chatted with Obi I saw a spray come up and a moment later a second spray and the crest of the whales back just surfaced enough for me to see the dorsal fin. This is one of the first ways you can ID the whale. I compared it with the chart on Deck 6 and – matched it with the humpback – WOW – my first Antarctica whale spotting. Whales are common here during this time of the year as they are on their migratory journey and specifically here, hunting and eating tons of krill. Knowing that just under the surface of these waters are whales makes being here feel like a dream. I know we will see many more.  

The journey thus far has felt surreal – with only the sea to see (and the whale I spotted) thus far – I know this experience has yet to blow me away.

To come, second day of the Drake and our first Zodiac outing. And hopefully some photos. 

Okay – so maybe titling my first entry “Antarctica, Day 1” is misleading…because we are not technically in or on Antarctica, yet – but by this time tomorrow we will be on our way! Oh, I am really excited – as this is a destination and trip I have been eager to experience for many years. My curiosity began yeas ago when discovering the children’s book, Ice Wreck by Lucille Recht Penner and using the book to teach reading comprehension skills to my students at the time. I can still remember sharing the same level of wonder with my students learning about this epic adventure of people exploring an inhospitable world of snow and ice, getting ship wrecked and living together on an ice floe for months before eventually reaching people who could help. The captain Ernest Shackleton kept his crew alive and well with games, team work and sense of purpose and hope. My students and I were fascinated by the ups and downs of this story and it left a sense of longing in me ever since. While I am not roughing it the way Ernest did, I am off on an adventure! Obi and I left NYC from JFK on Christmas day – an evening flight departing at 9 pm. I’ve never traveled on Christmas day before – and couldn’t help but notice so many people – adults and kids (mostly adults) in PJ sets. Yes – even full body onesies adorned with reindeer, mickey mouse, Santa or candy canes. I laughed, a lot – sorry but it was funny and I guess a Christmas holiday travel fad? Our flight was smooth – no issues along the way, just long. Obi and I were eager to get some sleep – with an Advil PM we each slept a few hours (Obi was in major discomfort due to a medical issues described below). We landed in Buenos Aires about 11.5 hours later and had seven hours to travel from one major airport to another. Thankfully our luggage was on the belt and we hoped in a taxi to the next airport for our second flight. We needed to expend some time so we ate a bit and wandered outside along the water (watching locals fish) for a bit before checking in our luggage. Being so tired my eyes stung as they adjusted to the sun – yes, warm sun. We should have been wearing shorts and sandals it was so warm. The second flight was to Ushuaia, the southern most city in South America. Much to our surprise we were seated in first class! We had seats 1D and 1F – when I made the booking I selected these seats (and remember thinking, “oh, how cool the front row seats are open!”) though given the website was in Spanish with some English translation – clearly I missed any notifications about the price of the seat and accidentally booked first class! Funny enough the price was reasonable which is also why I never was suspicious. We were secretly very happy with this accident. This flight was just under 4 hours – and so after being up all night, a little extra leg room and cozy seat action felt great. Though the best part was flying over the mountains surrounding the city of Ushuaia, capped with snow on the side where the sun sets. There was a ruggedness to these mountains, the tree line dramatically stops with brown rocks and dirt then snow. No trials just unchartered terrain begging to be explored. It made for a dramatic landing with some turbulence from the wind jumping off the mountains tips. Once again, our luggage arrived safely and we hoped in a cab to the hotel. It was just about 9:30 pm and the sun was reflecting off the water like a mid-day summer at the beach. It was so bright outside I hardly felt the urge to sleep. Though once settled in we were clearly very tired and fell asleep (mostly through the night). We’ve learned that the weather here can change in a heartbeat – and today we experienced warm sun, heavy fog, high winds, rain and snow. The winds are so strong that at today’s tour ‘meet and greet’ with the tour company’s crew we learned that our boat returning from Antarctica will be delayed so instead of a 3pm launch, we are now scheduled to depart at 7:30 pm. So, let me back up a bit, Obi and I are taking our official honeymoon – to Antarctica a 14 day excursion with a company called Intrepid. This is a company with a boat small enough that it can allow people to get off the boat and onto the land (other cruises here do a “drive by” approach and people can’t get off the boat). It will take us two days to cross the Drake passage then we spend about 10 days traveling to various points for excursions in the morning and afternoon (hiking, penguins, glacial walks – who knows what is to come). I also signed up for kayaking so I will get to this multiple times on the trip as well. Obi and will also do a day paddle boat ride together. So today, after walking through Ushuaia for the day we made out way to the Wyndham Garden Hotel which was booked for us through the tour. There was a scheduled meet and greet with some of the trip guides and guests. We met a few folks on the tour and had some entertaining conversations with one of the kayaking guides, Little Rich. He’s a very tall, very robust man (nothing little about his physical appearance) who nearly got Obi to agree to the Antarctic plunge – yes, this Franimal needs no convincing to jump into freezing water with a rope tied around her waist! But that will be a story for a future entry. Obi and I invited a lone traveler who we met to join us for dinner. She is from Canada and works in data entry so her and Obi share similar professional interests. We met about five people – who were all very lovely and just as eager as we are to get on board. We did learn from the sales rep joining our trip that folks on the current boat trying to get to Ushuaia, will most likely miss their flights tomorrow given the delay from weather. Ack – it’s something we need to be prepared for. Weather here is unpredictable and so – to my MMFS friend’s reading this, sorry in advance if our return through the Drake passage is delayed.

I will end with two more anecdotes about today’s adventure. Obi and I went to the most southern museum in town, an old prison turned into a combination of four deferent museums. The prison cells have been turned into various rooms – one prison wing holding art work, another as a gift shop. They kept one wing in it’s original state so you really got a sense of the experience being inside a prison. A portion of another wing was dedicated to learning about the history of the first indigenous people who lived in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of Ushuaia the Yamana people. They were nomads mostly traveling in canoes made from tree bark. Their homes were temporary and often left for other people to live in or for when they returned. Like many indigenous groups, the Yamana eventually encountered explorers from Great Britain who tried to evangelize them or bring them back to London. Some of the Yamana were taken and given clothes (European clothes) and basic wood homes – but over time, disease and competition for their natural resources seals, whales and trees eventually killed them all. It was not until 2021 when Argentina eventually registered the legal status of the Yamana people of Ushuaia.

I will end with a final story. Yesterday, after landing in Ushuaia, Obi and I were on line to get a taxi and the person ahead of us had missed their connecting bus and needed a way to get to their next destination. He and his wife were trying to coordinate a day long taxi drive which sounded complicated and unlikely to work given the weather issues (predicted for today). We did not hear the end of their conversation because our taxi came. Then today, at the cafe where we ate breakfast there they were – the stranded couple. On our way out I walked over to say hello and ask if they had sorted out a plan. The four of us got into a conversation – they are also visiting Antarctica on their honeymoon but had planned to volunteer as doctors on another land based trip before their cruise. The reason why they missed their bus was because on their flight (the one right before ours) to Ushuaia (also from Buenos Aires) a man had a seizure and as doctors onboard, they helped – and given his medical state demanded the plan turn around and land back in Ushuaia! It was a wild story! On their plane, they also met a doctor who will be on our trip – not as the official trip doctor, as a traveler. Obi is currently experiencing some uncomfortable medical challenges with an over active bladder (mostly like a result of prostatitis) which has been an issue since September. So we explained to our new friends that we will be talking to the doctor on board. The two of them jumped into gear and basically Obi had a medical appointment with these two doctors right there in the cafe! Aside from a physical exam – they concluded that his diagnosed prostatitis was never properly treated. In the UK which is where they work (they also work in Australia) when a man has prostatitis it’s standard to prescribe six weeks of antibiotics because it’s hard for the antibiotics to reach the prostate and prostatitis a strong bacterial infection. So when they learned that Obi only did two weeks of antibiotics they were pretty confident this is why his symptoms have never fully stopped and are now back again stronger. They looked up the various antibiotics he should take and were willing to write us a prescription if needed. They told us the local pharmacies here don’t require a prescription and gave is the names of the first choice antibiotics for Obi. We walked to the pharmacy across the street and using Google translate on their computer communicated our needs. Much to our relief and surprise, they had what the doctors had recommended! Without a proper urine analysis we don’t fully know what is happening with Obi but given their help Obi is going to try this plan and see what happens. It’s funny – you never know you will meet and when. Obi had a very difficult flight given his physical symptoms and so this felt like a small miracle to meet these two doctors and get some help.

For now, so long – tomorrow, fingers crossed I will be writing to you from the Ocean Endeavor heading out to sea.

Today started with a bit of an interesting incident…after a restful night in Como, we decided to take the Funicular cable car from the village of Como up the mountain to Brunate – another village of the same province. I assumed the only way up was the cable car, though much to my surprise as we arrived at the station and were viewing the intro board we noticed on the display, there was information that one could walk up as another means to reach the top and that it took 25 minutes. Of course the Franimal in me perked up and Obi knew right away that I would prefer this route to the top. We waited in line to confirm with the sales rep that one could in fact walk and where the trail started. He confirmed it was next to the ticket both (there was signage with a person walking) so it all seemed okay. Obi bought a one way ticket because he planned to ride up, but walk back down with me. My bag was very heavy so he took it with him in the cable car and off I went. I nearly ran off with nothing, but then in a snap decision did take my phone though it serves little to no purpose because I don’t have international data. I also had no money because my phone is not set up with G-pay or any credit card apps. Can you guess where this is going? A kiss goodbye and off I went. Powering up the path – no sooner do I take 15 strides does the marking on the ground with the “walking person” disappear. I took notice but carried on. Behind me were two women who were also headed up by foot. I passed them immediately and got to the end of the path which intersected with a main road. Already I could tell something was not right. There were no paths upward – only homes and stone walls which clearly were not meant to be jumped nor did any trails appear to be on the other side. By now the two women caught up with me and the three of us were puzzled. I noticed an older man on his balcony over head and using hand gestures indicated we wanted to walk to the top and – tried to get a sense of where we should go. He smiled and pointed in one direction which did not look promising (I don’t think he understood me). Never the less – we checked out the way he indicated and had no luck. We start walking up and down the street – and still no luck. One women goes ahead to ask a passerby who reports that the trail to the top is about 20 minutes away and that the total climbing time is about 2 hours – AND, the rail splits off into two paths (one easier than the other). Now, I should say that before I left Obi we made a backup plan which was that if Obi got to the top and I wasn’t there in 30 minutes he would start down the trail and we’d meet. Sounds good right? With this new information – our backup plan was a sure fire failure! So in the moment when I realized there is NO way I can reach him in time (the supposed 25 minutes) I started to panic. Worrying that he won’t find me – he’s now carrying two backpacks and if he were start down and me up – it could be over an hour before we met and we might not even have picked the same trail to walk. I had no way of contacting him – so one of the women allowed me to use her cell phone and I managed to call him. He did not answer – so I sent some texts hoping he would get them. Then, I sprinted back to the cable car station thinking I could catch him before he rode up on the 11am car (I left him knowing he would be taking the 11am car, little did I know he caught the 10:45 car!). A woman let me pass through without a ticket to look inside the fully loaded cable car- it was 10:59 am, sadly he was gone. Now I rush outside to see if I can find WIFI. A lovely many at a restaurant logged me in, on my phone and using WhatsApp I called him – by some stroke of luck the connection worked and he answered the phone. Thank goodness I thought! He had gotten the messages from the woman’s cell and was scouting out a way to get down. Because he only bought a one way ticket he couldn’t pass through the gate to get on the return car. I find out later when we are reunited that he went through his own state of panic to buy a ticket -which he could only pay for using cash and he had no cash. He goes all about at the top to find an ATM and withdraw cash. When he gets to the ticket station he sees a child scurry under the turnstile and thinks “I could have just done that!” Eventually he makes it down, and we recount the events from both of our experiences – laugh a lot, but in the moment all I could think about was Obi making his way down the long trail with way too much weight and wondering where in the world I was. AT least he had the water with him. In the end, because Obi was worried about getting down, he hardly enjoyed or saw the view. He did catch one quick glimpse and snapped a slightly awkward picture – and I never even made it up! It truly was a relief to be united again and not lost on the mountain side on two different trails. Obi texted the woman I met an updated saying that he was reunited with his wife. I also vowed to never travel internationally without a cellular data plan or to separate from Obi with so many unknowns. Like I said, an interesting morning indeed.

The rest of the way was much smoother – we bought some yummy treats from a bakery for breakfast/lunch which we ate on the train back to Milan. We dropped off our bags and headed out for our 3 pm tour of Duomo Di Milano. We had reserved tickets to visit the tower (via steps), the church and museum. We began with the view from the top and trekked up the old marble steps to reach one of the terraces open for the public. Oh it was a glorious sight to behold looking out at the roof tops of Milan with the intricate carvings of the church in our foreground. We felt close-er to the sun – and it was hot. The sun seemed to reflect off the marble and bake you. I liked the feeling – Obi scuttled around for the shade of which there was plenty. On the top we had space to roam around and look through various openings at the spires and hundreds of sculpted figures. The terrace path also led visitors to the actual roof of the main building which was designed to be walked around on. Here we had an even grander view of the sites. Like many of these elaborate churches part of the building was hidden behind scaffolding. Either for repairs or cleaning it was hard to tell. Despite the metal braces – it was possible to really take in the skills of the craftsmanship and vision of the architects to build this impressive place of worship. We made our way down into the church – but given that I had shorts on – I needed to buy a paper “gown” type poncho to cover my knees. The gown ended just above my knees but it’s what they required so myself, along with many other women adored such a garment as we strolled through the inside.

When Obi and I visited the Gallerie d’Italia yesterday we took photographs of two paintings (of the same view) from inside the church. With the explicit goal of re-creating the photo when we were inside the church. So, after appreciating the largest stained glass windows I have ever seen(!) and reading about Saint Agatha we started identify exactly where the artist stood hundreds of years ago for his painting. Before I go on, Saint Agatha has a very interesting story, she is is a woman best known for her refusal to marry a Roman prefect and unbounding faith in Jesus Christ. As a result, she was ultimately imprisoned (by the man she refused to marry) and tortured. Her breasts were cut off or pulled of by tongs – variations in the versions of her story exist. She is often depicted holding a plate with her breasts. Today she is well know as the patron saint for breast cancer patients. Back to the art work…looking so closely at the painting and then trying to identify the exact location and features in the church was a fulfilling way to examine the space with a close eye. We eventually noticed the fine details of the large columns and matched them with the columns down the center aisle. And, what appeared to us in the painting as a tapestry slung over a post or cross was in fact the main alter at the time of the paintings. We matched the light from the right, and the circular stained glass window deep in the far-ground of the painting. We had our spot! It was hard to get the same angle – and it’s clear the artists interpretation of the space is different than our picture – but the main features, directionality and positioning match. See below for the results.

After being art detectives we ventures across the square towards the museum and picked up the free audio guide. This was helpful as it finally gave us some context and information about the many aspects of the church – one was the discussion we had as to what material was used to build the church. Obi said marble but I was less sure given how soft marble can be. Sure enough – everything is in fact made from pink-hued white marble! We explored six-winged angles and learned about the many competitions artists took part in to compete for the honor of making and crafting some of the main features of the church like the wooden doors or the entrance angles with Mary to guard and protect the church. The museum actually houses many of the original pieces from the church and what you see on the church are actually replicas – this is done to protect and preserve their history.

Given we had gotten recommendations for meals the past few nights we felt like we needed to speak with a local to get a sense of a good pizzeria to enjoy our last supper. We were in the Lacoste store looking for something for Obi and decided to ask the sales person. He recommended a spot not on the main tourist strip but close by. We decided to give it a try – while the atmosphere was very pleasant we were not impressed with the slightly undercooked and way too greasy cheesy pizza. Hahaha – we laughed about it – and of course, ended the night with one more cone (for me) and cup (for Obi) of gelato. We also tried to guess how many tons of gelato are sold in one day in Italy during the summer. My rough estimate were five tons – what would you say?

This was, yet another lovely trip – with my now husband:) Our first trip as a married couple.

I will end my blogging with a final short story.

On May 23rd, my sister Alexandria had brain surgery – a Deep Brian Stimulator was implanted in her brain to help prevent her seizures. What we thought would be a few weeks recovery ended up being a two month harrowing experience of seeing her health is such a fragile place for a very long time. I was so full of worry and pain seeing her suffering. But, as we have always said about my sister – she is the most strongest and bravest in our family. With her family at her side every step of the way – she has made a most miraculous recovery. Today she is stronger, healthier and more vibrant, alert and engaged than I have seen her in the past three to four years. I can hardly believe my eyes. My heart is singing. I am still shaken from the experience but feel so grateful for her and her strength. When we were younger and my father would take us to the Greek Orthodox church he would pay a few dollars so that we could each light a candle. I never knew who I was lighting a candle for, but I remember enjoying the act and feeling a sense of calm knowing I left a piece of light in my absence. So today, before leaving the church – I paid a few Euro and lit a candle, for my sister.

Thank you for reading. With love. Till our next adventure…our honeymoon to Antarctica.

The past two days have been busy with trains, boats and lots of walking and exploring. We began Wednesday morning with a breakfast at the Milan Google office – and had a good laugh because I took a whole mango to eat, only upon realizing that when I tried to cut it open – it was hard as a rock. We were both convinced I took a display fruit – however, I investigated further and redeemed myself. This was in fact a fruit to be eaten, just utterly unripe. Golly! Google Milan was nice to see – an office located in what seems to be a newly renovated area it felt similar to the Hudson Yards in NYC for me. Many new business offices open – and nice shops to peruse for lunch or shopping. I had scouted out some chocolatiers to visit so after the Google stop we made our way to two old time Italian chocolate shops and I might have stocked up on some goods:) The highlight of Wednesday was yet to come though – we visited two very different galleries. The first was a recommendation by my brother’s girlfriend, and let me just state this here, Chloë made a few recommendations for us, and we did nearly every one! If anyone needs a new travel agent – she might have some tips for you! Thank you Chloë!

Fondazione Prada our first galley was unlike any gallery I have ever experienced. Just as much thought went into the architecture and how one moved through the space, as the art occupying the space. The gallery houses five different buildings each with their own qualities – to name a few, one is called the Haunted House and another called the Gold building. The Haunted house was home to a few of their permanent installations which made me feel more uneasy then in what I would descried as a traditional haunted house. This was not about blood, guts and gore, but about cold anxiety, the weight of our flesh, bondage, loss, love and abandonment. On one floor there was an arm coming from the wall, positioned in a way that you could brush up against if it were a person standing beside you, and on another floor a small child’s leg coming from the wall wearing a sock and sandals. The motion of the leg appeared to be kicking or stepping long with a boat anchor hanging from it’s ankle. Behind this piece was a room with a sewer drain you had a birds eye view of with running water and a plastic pink heart glowing with red lights. I imagined somehow bound within the concrete of the building was a person, trapped and trying to get out leaving parts of it’s self for others to find. In a different budling, an artist guided it’s visitors through a totally pitch black and dark room – absolutely no light was available. We had to walk through a maze of sorts keeping our right hand on a skinny railing to guide us through – when we made it through the dark maze we entered a room with giant red and white (though realistic) mushrooms attached to the ceiling, spinning. What an experience – entering darkness and having absolutely no idea what is on the other side and to find dancing mushrooms! It was a bit like how I would imagine Alice felt in Alice and Wonderland – or maybe what it’s like taking a hallucinogenic. However the art piece I will never forget was an extremely large piece maybe 20ft x 30ft- and from a distance it simply looks like a giant piece of wood panted black. Solid black. As you near the work, the first thing I noticed was a subtle smell and leaned in to have the truth revealed – the work was covered in flies – once alive flies, now dead, all painted black! I stood at this piece a while, looking so closely at the details of the flies. I could almost hear the buzzing they once made. This grotesque display of thousands of flies made me shudder. I was almost half expecting them to fly off the wall, or for a maggot to be trapped and incubating in the art.

From this surreal experience we made our way to a more traditional gallery in Milan, called Gallerie d’Italia. Here we saw stone carved and marble reliefs of Socrates (Obi’s favorite) for example, and other European painters who left their mark in this world by depicting scenes of life hundreds of years ago. Young children farming in the country side, a tired mother repairing a piece of clothing, soldiers returning from war, a family sitting around one candle sharing food, old wooden tables and chairs, portraits of sisters and brothers or men on boats bringing in their daily catch. This galley also housed on the first floor art – re-imagined – a whole floor dedicated to modern art and newer works. Having visited these two galleries in one day – the experience made the metamorphosis of art visceral. I thought about how the flies painted to the wall were descendants in some way from the flies that must surely once occupied the barns and farms painted in the works from the turn of the century. I chucked at the thought.

We ended the day eating at a restaurant, another of Chloë’s recommendations, the one which declared on their website sneakers were not permitted but, alas – there were plenty of folks with sneakers on, ha! We really enjoyed this meal and it was a FAR cry from our “vega” burger just a few short nights ago. We rolled home and made plans for Thursday.

I had a lot of trouble sleeping – this is not new as of recently, and so after four and half hours of sleep I was up and unable to settle down again. I decided to creep outside at 6 am and run. Yes, I think I needed to move my body in a different way that walking, standing or sitting. I had seen some runners the day prior jogging around a park which houses a castle and decided to join them this morning. There were plenty of folks out at this hour – and the air was a perfect running temperature. It felt good to run. We left the apartment around 8 am for Lake Como. When we got off the train shortly after 9 am – we had boat tickets already purchased but no idea where to go (the ticket did not include a pick up spot). Luckily we melted in with the mass of tourists and assumed they were all headed to the piers – which they were – and thankfully led us to the exact spot:) The lines for the boats to Bellagio are packed, every blog and travel tip I read – and from talking with Chloë and Rachel, Obi’s sister-in-law they all warned us about the crowds. All correct – the crowds were fierce – we had bought tickets in advance which helped so we only needed to wait on one line. When the boat pulled up I underestimated how many people it could hold – but thankfully we got on and even got two seats in the bow (one was covered in bird poop so no one wanted to sit in it, I just cleaned it off and voila!). The ride was just about 2.5 hours – cruising along a perfectly picturesque lake, with Italian villas scatted along the shores and valleys of the mountains. A scene I could spend days looking at. We had a few hours in Bellagio which included a lunch stop, a stunning walk in the historical gardens (Chloë’s final recommendation) called I Giardini di Villa Melzi and of course – three scoops of gelato! I knew the line for our return boat ride would get long- early so when I made one final dash to the bathroom and a quick stop in a store Obi was tasked with getting on line and holding a space. Upon my return – I saw the line was already VERY long and Obi was no where in the front, hahaha. He got confused about it’s starting place so we were closer to the end. The boat we needed arrived about 30 minutes late and as the passengers boarded we anxiously awaited our fate to see if there would be space enough for us (and those behind us). If we couldn’t fit, we would have to take our chances with the next one arriving an hour or so later. At one point the captain stopped allowing folks on – yikes…but then he waved his hand and on we went. I weaseled my way to the stern of the boat and actually found a chair for Obi (he likes to sit, I like to stand)- right in the front row with an unobstructed view. Within a few moments another chair opened up and we settled in for the ride home. We sat in silence for large portions of the ride – each looking out at the passing landscape. Making jokes about which villa Obi would buy for me – and pretending to imagine what out lives would be like living in such a magical place.

Rachel – provided us with a dinner recommendation which knocked my socks off – and happened to be, by luck only 300 m from the apartment we are staying in for the night. Thankfully it was so close, because we were well satisfied.

Tomorrow is our trip back to Milan for a final day – and a grand tour of Duomo Di Milano. We return home on Saturday.

We left Hungary, and we left hungry.

Given the dinner mishap during the previous night – we woke up hungry – and it was time to leave Hungary 🙂 The morning was a series of comical events – which oddly enough began during the night. When we came home yesterday from the daily adventure there was a notice on our bed saying the water would be turned off as of 9:00 AM. This meant all of our bathroom needs had a morning timeline – in addition to that as we settled into bed we noticed a loud ticking sound in our bathroom, and with further investigation we came to learn that there was a significant leak from the bathroom above us – and water was dripping down into the celling panel. A large water stain was apparent and growing – ack. I called the front desk and reported this – also suggesting that maybe when the water is turned off they could repair it. Also, when we woke up this morning (aside from our stomachs grumbling) I received notification that the hot air balloon ride I booked in Milan was cancelled due to weather concerns. Sigh. We decided to eat at the airport and made our way to the bus stop – at which point Obi realized his right sock was not cooperating and the minimalist look was not great for the sneakers he had because the sock slunk towards his toes every few steps – haha, so we had to keep stopping so that he could readjust, at which point we saw the bus we needed come and go. Another bus cam shortly after – but it was all a series of comical events. Looming over us were also rain clouds and so at any moment it was about to pour – luckily as soon as the bus was in motion drizzling commenced. We remained dry until it was time to transition from our gate to the plane – waiting outside in line at the steps of the plain and taking a mini shower. At the airport Obi spotted a yoghurt bar which was perfect for our nutritional needs – I ended up striking a conversation with a couple next to us who were experiencing some flight delays. As we were chatting Obi noticed the time – we were late and needed to do that airport run you see people do – with their backpacks flopping from side to side as we jogged along to our gate. The departure board said “last call” but upon seeing the gate it was clear we did not need to run. Well I guess it was a brief stint of exercise – we are eating ice-cream every day!

It was an uneventful flight – and pretty easy transition from the airport to the city center with a pre-booked bus and a few stops on the Metro M3 train. We stepped from the underground station to the magnificent view of Duomo di Milano – literally – towering overhead and hundreds of tourists in the court-square taking selfies, group pics and finding all the unique and fun ways to pose in front of the church. My favorite was a young woman who held a pizza box with the image of a man dressed in a chefs outfit giving a thumbs up and she replicated the pose while holding the box with Duomo behind her – too funny to watch! We are staying in a self-check in apartment type hotel – its a lovey living space and getting in was easy. We settled into the space and began research for dinner. I was determined to redeem ourselves. I landed on a restaurant called Propaganda Alimentare – a mostly vegetarian menu with a sustainable and farm to table approach. The only hiccup was that it was an hour and four minute walk. I naturally wanted to walk while Obi was less eager – we decided to meet there – however, given that I have no WiFi on my phone just as I was leaving Obi sneakily joined me and off we went. It was a long walk and timing was tight so the pace was quick. I think based on the state of Obi’s t-shirt (sweaty) and mood upon getting to the restaurant he regretted his decision – but he did not like the idea of me being out and about without any means of contacting him.

Needless to say I absolutely LOVED the restaurant (Obi less so)- the first thing they gave us was a paper bag with four slices of fresh homemade dense and chewy bread – I dug in. I won’t go into the details of what we ordered but I will say – we each dug into a bowl of gazpacho soup and it was – to use my father’s highest form of a compliment “Out of this world.” This Obi loved – having never tried gazpacho before – he was utterly moved by it’s flavor. It really was sublime. Our bowls were scrapped clean. So yes, this dinner was much better than the “vega” burger! Tomorrow we have reservations at a traditional Italian restaurant recommended by my brother’s girlfriend, but we noticed the dress code (arg) which says no sneakers and Obi only has sneakers. Hmm…I guess we will see what happens.

Today was not a day full of too many adventures given all the traveling we did – but we find ourselves in Italy and will surely make the best of these few days. I think we might start our day at the Mian, Google office for breakfast:)

Many of you who read the post from yesterday seemed to enjoy the “vega” burger story – so I decided to attach the photo so you could really get a sense of what I was talking about. And – one more observation which really had me laughing this morning – the more I thought about the goat cheese slab – I realized that while the menu said goat cheese – it actually looked more like a slab of camembert – or something similar!

For dinner tonight, Obi ordered a “vega” burger from a restaurant – when it arrived we assumed the veggie patty was wrapped in goat cheese because we could only see the white lines of a goat cheese log – upon biting into the “burger” we came to realize the entire patty was a solid inch think slab of pure goat cheese – it might have even been thicker than an inch – oh man, was I laughing hard. I should mention that Obi doesn’t even really enjoy goat cheese but will tolerate it as an addition to a burger. It was especially comical because I had spent over an hour trying to find a good vegetarian restaurant within walking distance and eventually found what I thought would be a decent place. Though when we arrived at the said address – it was the back end of a Lidle supermarket – only the ghost of a once was restaurant remained. Sadly as we roamed onward we decided a place with outdoor seating and a veggie burger on the menu would do – we learned our lesson! He picked at the mountain of fries as I ate the pieces of salmon from my Caesar salad. We both left hungry and decided we had enough attempts at eating for the day. As I am writing this, Obi is taking a shower – and all I hear are, half hearted sighs because the shower is so small that at various points if you move an inch you end up hitting something – often the water nozzle so the temperature changes quickly and unexpectedly. The water drains very slowly and given the small footprint of the base the water pools quickly – so when the small hotel soap is dropped into the milky water down below one has to go fishing for the bar if you want to finish lathering up. During my shower I dropped the shower head and the plastic part which divides the water into small streams popped half way off – so after some failed attempts to pop it on while the water was running I needed to pause mid shower, turn off the water and fix the head. Luckily with a slight powerful jiggle and push – it popped back on. I appreciate that we both take all of these moments in stride – and laugh through it all.

Today was a robust day of walking – lots and lots of walking in high temps – but our destinations were all spectacular. We started the day with a return trip to the Matthias church, having missed the opportunity a few day ago to see the inside we found ourselves spell bound by the painted interior – from the floor to the ornate ceiling everything was painted with small patterns, designs and imagery. The interior colors reflected the wood like tones of the browns, deep reds and yellows on the tiled roof. From here to ventured to Margaret Island – a skinny oval like shaped park with a zoo, small track and soccer field, a beautiful flower garden, castle ruins and much more. We spontaneously decided to rent a two seated quadracycle. I took on the driving which Obi at first was excited by – but might have something different to say by the end. We enjoyed pedaling around the park and found the flower garden with well manicured plants in long curved shaped rows. Bumble bees were busy – I could understand why. I did get us lost in a parking lot at the other end of the island – and then needed to go off roading down a steep dirt hill ending with a sharp turn in which the wheel just managed to hop over the metal curb. Oh – thrilling indeed. We returned the quadracycle with two minutes to spare and not a scratch of evidence.

From the park we walked to the Hungarian Parliament for our pre-booked tour. We got ear pieces and a small device to hang around our necks and joined a group of about 30 people and two guides. This building was impressive with the focal point of the tour being the royal crown, scepter, sword and orb which resides in a presumably bullet proof glass-like case and two official crown guards. The crown guards rotate every hour within three sets of paired guards a day – walking in circles and standing in place when tour groups come to see the jewels and learn about the historical significance of the items. The parliament is a feet of architecture – having been completed in just 19 years with four floors. It is said that every day there were 1,000 laborers and masons working at a time which is why for the late 1800s – having started construction in 1885 and completed in 1904 this was a feat of exceptional craftsmanship and construction. There are many areas of the parliament with gold covering every inch of the celling, and figures throughout the building representing original artisanal crafts like stone and metal work or weaving. We stood on one of the largest knotted carpets in Europe and saw one of he first combined heating and cooling units built into a building. The House of Parliament boasts small vents for each member which push out hot or cool air from a cooling system housed in another building (just like the original design). When the building was first developed the cold air was pushed over ice. Above the crown stood significant figures in Hungarian history one being King Matthias who the church we saw earlier is named after – and the other being Maria Theresa who ruled for 40 years and had 16 children! She was the only woman represented above the crown. Apparently King Matthias was the most beloved king of Hungary – because of his strong sense of justice and, fun fact – he started the second largest library in Hungary. My final parliament fact to share with you was that during WWII all of the stained glass windows were removed from the building and placed in a walled room underground with layers of sand between each one. As a result – not a single original window has ever been broken. Clearly this building for the Hungarian people represents more than just a beautiful space but a building meant to symbolize the unity of the country after much turmoil and division.

From government and royalty we ventured to our final major destination of the day, St. St. Stephen’s Basilica. Another magnificent feat of architecture and engineering. Inside this church I found myself lost in all of the details and features of the internal space. The murals, stained glass windows and alters were bountiful. However the most interesting artifact was the slightly older than 1,000 year old preserved right hand of St. Stephens – Hungary’s first king. From the information we gathered – “The Saint Stephen was canonized in 1083, and as part of the process of saint-ing, his corpse was exhumed from his crypt. It is said that his right arm (though not the rest of him apparently) was found to be as fresh as the day he was buried. The supple arm was promptly lopped off to be preserved and venerated.” And sure enough right there in the church is a dried out – hand preserved in a glass and gold case – within a larger highly decorated chest. On St. Stephens day the people of Hungary take the hand out for a walk!

We ended the visit of St. Stephens Basilica with a long steep stair climb to the panoramic view at the top of the tower.

Tomorrow Obi and I are flying to Milan, Italy – till then- peace!