I hope you didn’t think that I’d forgotten about you – after all, it’s been almost 2 weeks since my last blog entry. The truth is: after being away for 3 weeks, it took me awhile to return to normal (whatever that is) life.

So I hope you didn’t miss me too much (actually, I hope you missed me and my posts a lot), but now it’s time for TheCulturedTraveler to get off his – ahem – backside and get to work.

Therefore, I thought that today’s post should be a “highlights” replay. After all, I’d have to say that we had an amazing time on this latest adventure. If you were following me throughout Buenos Aires and aboard Crystal Symphony, you’ll most likely be familiar with what you’re about to see. But what the heck, right? 

Enjoy!!

It took this much baggage to get us from “here” to “there”.

The fabulous Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Hotel

2nd favorite meal in Buenos Aires, and a 5-minute walk from the hotel

Quiz: What song did Evita sing from this balcony?

Favorite and most elegant meal in Buenos Aires

Seeing Buenos Aires with Pedro, one of the best tour guides ever

Visiting La Boca (in the rain)

Teatro Colon: one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses

Crystal Symphony in port as seen from the Park Hyatt Hotel 

Repacked and ready to embark Symphony

AAC CPA on deck for the 1st sunset

Gorgeous sky 1st evening at sea

Breakfast al fresco 1st full day at sea

Family Negronis on the 1st formal night

Formal Shoes

The Virginia Gentlemen – Bar none, best entertainment on the voyage

Invited to have a cocktail with the Captain in his quarters

The beauty of Tierra del Fuego National Park

AAC CPA at the end of Route 3 – 11,090 miles from Canada – the lowest piece of land in the world

More yummy food on Crystal Symphony

First look at Antarctica from our balcony

AAC CPA appreciates the view

Penguins and sea lions (photo courtesy of Nancy Shafran)

A delegation from Palmer Station arrives for a visit

More sea lions just hanging around

Cruising around Antarctica at about 8:30 PM

And about 3 hours later! It’s still light out!!

AAC CPA welcomes you to the Falkland Islands (and its lovely weather)

But we enjoyed another amazing sunset at sea

And AAC CPA conjured up a full moon for your viewing pleasure

Back by popular demand: The Virginia Gentlemen entertain in the Crystal Cove

Welcome to Puerto Madryn

This product is sold in the local market

Late night at sea: full moon on a deserted Promenade Deck

And another gorgeous day at sea as seen from our balcony

Approaching Montevideo, Uruguay

A private field trip to Juanicó

Enjoying a private lunch at the vineyard

The wines we tasted at lunch

Disembarking Symphony for the last time (those smiles are FAKE)

AAC CPA back at the Park Hyatt for 9 hours before the flight home

AAC CPA hunkers down for the 10+ hour flight home

Postlude:

All-in-all, we had a fabulous trip. Visiting Buenos Aires for the first time was a total delight. As a dear friend of ours’ puts it: “BA is beautiful – a bit shabby but, like some aging countess, still elegant”. So true. We learned that Argentina is a country that, in all things, is in a perpetual pendulum swing. We had the benefit of an outstanding tour guide, enjoyed several memorable meals, accompanied by some amazing Argentine wines (let’s hear it for the Malbec!), and just marveled as we walked through the city.

Then we had the great pleasure of returning to Crystal Symphony for 2 weeks. Having sailed on Crystal many times, it’s like returning home. The Crystal fleet is elegant, beautiful and has a crew that has but one goal in mind: to insure that you have the best time imaginable. 

The days we spent in Antarctica were so memorable for the things we saw and which are hard to capture on camera. You’ll just have to take my word for it: you must see it for yourself.

Finally – and I know I’ve said it before – we live to travel and we travel to live. It’s a truism that we must get outside of our shells (and, sometimes, our comfort zones) and go exploring. Whether it’s on land, sea or air, there is so much to see out there and we diminish ourselves if we don’t take the opportunity to visit new places, whether it’s the town next door, the state across the border, the other coast, or another continent. 

Give in to your own personal wanderlust and go a-traveling!

PS. Here’s how we know we’re back in NYC and the vacation is over: