Clinking glasses with dining companions on our first night on board the MS Ryndam, I applauded our decision to set our sights on a distant land. For Asians, few places in the world seemed farther than South America, a land of ancient culture, scenic grandeur and spirited people. For early explorers Magellan, Drake and Darwin, who set the course for today’s travellers, sailing conditions were different to say the least. Today, exploration from a cruise ship is an adventure fine-tuned for those with a zest for discovery. Holland America’s 17-day Wild Majesty Explorer cruise, from Brazil to Chile via Cape Horn, offered us a perfect introduction. South America was an eye opener from start. With touchdown – after Varig’s 13-hour flight from New York – came our first surprise. Rio de Janeiro was an unexpectedly beautiful city of rolling hills and beaches despite its sad favelas (shanty towns). Pre-cruise pampering at the stately Copacabana Palace Hotel set the mood. The grand dame’s regal, white elegance fanned by colourful flags was complemented by

immaculate, personalised service. Rio’s outstanding sights began with a look at mesmeric Copacabana Beach from our balcony. Later, between breathtaking views from Sugar Loaf Mountain and the famous statue of Christ on Corcovado Mountain, Rio had plenty to offer.

WELKOM AAN BOORD!
Smart and sophisticated, MS Ryndam embarked with 1,150 passengers and 500 staff on Valentine’s Day. Rio’s coastline faded as we started kruisen (cruising). The Dutch word meaning “to cross” referred to the zigzag sailing pattern of pirate ships on a hunt, a term adopted by boaters on pleasure voyages. Captain Eelcko Ypma informed us that the total distance of 4,798 nautical miles would be covered in 17 days at an average speed of 18 knots. En route we would learn about the gauchos of Uruguay, experience the passion of tango in Argentina, visit penguins on barren Falkland Islands, touch Cape Horn and glimpse the austere beauty of the Chilean glaciers.

Holland America is part of the World Leading Cruise Lines family, along with Carnival, Windstar, Seabourn, Cunard and Costa. The 720-foot long ship of ten decks featured spacious staterooms, most with balconies, and grand public rooms decorated with an art collection costing US $2 million. Guests in the penthouse and 28 verandah suites were welcomed with a special tea service as valets unpacked their bags.

Our cheerfully appointed stateroom, with beds converted to queen size, miraculously had space for all our belongings. Twice a day, a friendly Indonesian steward freshened up the room and replaced towels. A daily programme lured passengers to lectures, movies, library, shop and salon offers, glittering casino, nightly shows and innumerable bars and lounges. The five formal nights maintained the glamorous traditions of cruising. Dining room menus were elaborate and graciously served on Rosenthal china by courteous staff. “For us, every day is interesting,” observed the affable hotel manager Diderik van Regemorter. “Our guests get to travel the world in a protected, nurtured environment with people who speak the same language. Sometimes, we have to change plans and face situations caused by the elements. The more challenging guests are not those in the suites. Guests in our suites are well-travelled, they know what to expect, have style and for the vast majority are very pleasant and understanding. They expect a certain level of service and are not fussy. Ninety per cent of them are repeat guests,” he says. Suite services include private jacuzzis, fluffy robes, free laundry, cocktail receptions, VIP parties and a concierge dedicated to their needs. Lunch was offered at the exclusive Pinnacle Grill, a fine dining restaurant serving superb three-course meals, (open to other guests at US$20 each).

Sprightly Col. James W. Reid, a veteran of 209 lecture cruises for Holland America, made our cruise especially meaningful. The author-lecturer’s succinct presentations, supported by slides and music, offered an invaluable insight into the history and current situation at each port. An amazing man who speaks seven languages, he was military attache in Argentina and Bolivia. “South America is a continent in a flux. The military regimes are winding down. The ports are very interesting and each one is different. I am particularly fond of the South American cruises,” said Reid. Passengers who did not attend lectures played bridge, learned ballroom dancing, visited the spa and Internet C@fe, a good service between ports where cybercafes were innumerable.

THE ROUTE
Montevideo, Uruguay
Our first stop was Montevideo, Uruguay, one of the continent’s smallest countries. Long considered the most “European” of South American countries, its people are of Spanish and Italian origin. Leather specialists Casa Mario provided a shuttle service to their store in the Old Town, where the German battleship, Graf Spee, had been held during World War II. The city has spacious squares, elegant architecture and a fascinating Gaucho Museum dedicated to its rugged, revered heroes. A tour was offered to South America’s high profile seaside resort, Punta del Este, site of world-renowned film festivals, car races, tennis and golf tournaments and gambling at casinos.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Two nights in Buenos Aires revealed a city of superb architecture, magnificent parks and a friendly people poorly served by their leaders. We visited Plaza de Mayo where mothers of men who vanished in the Dirty War of the 1970s still gather weekly to protest, Casa Rosada, the Presidential Palace, and Colon Theatre, a world famous opera house. Lively La Boca, historic San Telmo where tango originated and fashionable Recoleta were interesting districts. Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Peron is buried, has magnificent mausoleums designed by famous artists. On Florid Street, where high quality leather goods were a great buy, unperturbed shoppers gave way to soldiers marching by with batons abreast. At a traditional tango show house, El Viejo Almacen, four svelte dancers and their partners with dark, greased hair thrilled us with graceful gliding and elaborate leg swinging as musicians stamped their feet to the rhythm. Despite problems, locals enjoyed a sophisticated culture and a vibrant nightlife.

Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
Uncertain weather delayed our arrival at Stanley, capital of the Falkland Islands. The windy, remote islands were the scene of many battles, the last in 1982 when Argentina lost control to Britain. Bright colours breathed life into the treeless terrain, ideal for sheep farming. Paint, first used to protect timber homes, is a much-loved form of decoration. The islands, visited by Charles Darwin in 1833, have a population of 3,000 residents and a strong military presence. We visited the quaint Victorian Christ Church Cathedral (1892) which has a tall whalebone arch monument, strolled through tranquil streets and shopped for wool sweaters and penguin toys. “There is a good sense of community here. We go to the UK to study but we come back as this is home,” said a friendly local. The remote islands are a great place to see penguins of many species.

Cape Horn, Chile
Anticipation ran high as the Captain set course for Cape Horn. At first, dark clouds threatened to be party poopers. Slowly, Isla Hornos (Horn Island) revealed itself, a dark, crouching lion with foamy suppliants at its feet. “I can’t believe I’m here!” said a traveller swathed in blankets. “Cape Horn is a revered point of the world – and to mariners an intimidating point,” announced port lecturer Graham Sunderland, noting that the Cape was 1,300 miles south of Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. Three oceans – Pacific, Atlantic and Southern – met at this treacherous point. Sophisticated gadgetry tamed the turbulence as the master navigated the huge ship through the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia.

Ushuaia, Argentina
Lights sprinkled along a hillside gave an indication of Ushuaia’s modest size. Dawn showed off the settlement’s brilliant colours. Before 1947, it was a different story. The snowy mountains had witnessed a dark era when this was a penal colony. To build their prison, convicts first had to lay a train track under formidable, wintry conditions. Our tour on the convicts’ train recreated the sad but beautiful journey through a gorgeous landscape of wildflowers and Upland geese. Ushuaia, where ‘End of the World’ certificates were offered, leads to the Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), a remote 155,000-acre parkland of unique beauty that extends into Chile. Chilean fjords

Southern Chile, the “land at the bottom of the world,” is a showpiece of natural architecture. The Beagle Channel, which cuts through an archipelago of thousands of small islands and untouched mountains, was said to be “mother nature’s last and best work”. While fjords of Alaska and Norway were legendary, the stunning Chilean fjords crept upon us with great surprise. Shivers of excitement ran through the windy deck as we passed the magical rivers of ice, glaciers Italia, Francia, Alemania and Romanche, two crystalline blue, another wrapped around a boulder and yet another sprouting a waterfall. At the Crow’s Nest, live music and cocktails added warmth to the privileged scene.

Punta Arenas, Chile
City lights studded the darkness as the ship manoeuvred into Puntas Arenas on famous Strait of Magellan. A flourishing town during the California Gold Rush and once a centre for wool exports, it now attracts Antarctic research ships and fishing fleets. Several passengers had booked a six-hour flight-tour to Antarctica for views of the world’s last wilderness. Puntas Arenas’ glorious belle ipoque period was reflected in the sumptuously decorated European-style Sarah Braun mansion and Casa Braun-Menendez we visited. Later, we sought out the famous statue of the Selk’nam Indian and touched his toe to ensure our return to Chile. Back on board, it was time for a round of ritual restoration with smoked salmon sandwiches and cinnamon ice cream at ‘templo Lido’.

Puerto Montt, Chile
Sailing up the west coast of Chile, we arrived at Puerto Montt, gateway to the Lake District and salmon region. Skipping the ship’s tour, we joined another couple on a tour with a spunky girl in a dusty red car – after checking the spare tyre! Caro, a teacher and mother of three, whirled us past sheep farms, settled by German immigrants in the 19th century, and the gorgeous holiday region around Puerto Varas on Lake Llanquihue which touches Argentina. Continuing past oxen-plowed fields and clapboard barns, we arrived at the gleaming, green rapids of Petrohue Falls against the backdrop of snowy Osorno volcano.

The region has several bungalow-style restaurants where a specialty was curanto, a Chilean stew of shell fish and vegetables, said to titillate the senses. “My husband teases me when I cook curanto,” she said, rolling her eyes. A helicopter was parked outside Bella Vista restaurant where onse or high tea, a spread of pastries, pates and sausages, was popular. For a vantage view of the lake, she took a dirt track and we were lost! Wrapped in silence, we have visions of missing the boat but soon we were back on track and there was ample time to shop at the crafts market before the MS Ryndam heaved anchor and set course for the final port Valparaiso, gateway to Santiago, capital of Chile.

Cruising today is more than luxury, lavish food, happy company and pampering. About 40 million people have taken cruises in the last ten years. Increasingly, cruising is a meeting of minds through one of life’s greatest pleasures. As the chairman and chief executive officer, A. K. Laterman of Holland America has observed, “Bringing one’s mind into contact with those of people of other nations and continents is invaluable in enhancing civilised relations. Understanding a nation’s gestalt what makes it what it is, and what distinguishes it is a vital part of this process.” We had touched unknown destinations, seen the constellations and stars in different positions, learned something new each day and imbibed the vibes of cruise addiction. But there are several missing pieces in our world puzzle and more bridges of understanding to build. There is so much world to ‘sea’.

For further information: www.hollandamerica. com