Nov. 27, 2011 - Windsor, Ontario, Canada

After a very nice 10 hour overnight flight from Rio de Janeiro to Atlanta and a 4 hour layover in Atlanta and finally a 1 1/2 flight for Atlanta to Detroit, we were met at the Detroit Airport by a Windsor limo service and finally arrived home at about 12 noon. We left our hotel in Rio de Janeiro at 6.30 PM on Friday, November 25 and entered our home about 12 noon on Saturday, November 26. We went out to do a little shopping and laid down for a short rest as we we so dead beat. We woke up 7 1/2 hours later at 10.30 PM. Dorothy elected to go back to bed but I had enough sleep so I opened up the computer, and decided to write my last update on my blog.

Dorothy and I have enjoyed our South American cruise but are quite happy to be home again. We have seen so much and have learnt a lot about the various countries in South America that we have visited. We are very happy that we decided to make this trip to South America.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my daily updates of our trip on this blog as much as I have in telling you each day of what we were seeing and doing on our journey to South America

Nov. 25, 2011 - Rio de Janeiro

Today we scheduled for our last day a tour of historic Rio and Santa Teresa. We were surprised this tour was in a open small truck which gave us a fantastic view of the scenery in downtown Rio and Santa Teresa. We started our tour with a visit to the old Assembly Building that is now used for the meeting of the local provincial government. The local government was in session so we were fortunate to listen and see how the proceedings were carried out. We also saw the former buildings that housed the Royal Portugese family when they were still in Rio. We visited several old churches that were in the area of the parliament building. They were were well decorated in painted gold.
We then took a drive to Santa Teresa which is on a very high hill overlooking downtown Rio. There were many older large homes that once housed the well to do people of Rio that now look as if they are in need of extensive repair. However the views of Rio from the hill of Santa Teresa was just fantastic.
Tonight we are catching our plane to Atlanta and after a 4 hour layover we will be flying back to Detroit.
We have had a great time on our cruise and our 4 day visit to Rio. We are looking forward to seeing you again and sharing our pictures and our stories of our time.

Former Assembly Building for the Government of Brazil and now used by the Regional Government

Dorothy and Con on the marble staircase leading to the second floor in the Assembly Building

The regional government in session in the main assembly room.

Old Catholic church that was used by the Portuguese’s Royal Family

The Cathedral in old Rio

An aqueduct that had a major accident when it was used for an electric commuter train

The main road to the top of Santa Teresa Hill

View of the Favela from the top of Santa Teresa Hill

Another view of the Favela built on Santa Teresa Hill

Nov. 24, 2011 - Petropolis, Brasil

Today we were scheduled to go on bus tour of Petropolis. However as we were the only one booked for the tour, we got a private tour in a car with a guide and a driver. Petropolis is the place where the Portuguse Royal family had a summer palace when they fled Portugal when Napolion had conquered Portugal. Petropolis is in the hills above Rio and is quite pleasant and cool in the summer.
The drive up to the hills was over very curvy roads - the scenery was just beautiful. Petropolis has a population of 400,00 that is involved mostly in textile manufacturing. We visited the famous Petropolis palace that has many of the original pieces from the time of the Royal Family. We also saw the lovely gardens in front of the palace. Also we saw many of the beautiful summer homes of the well to do people of Rio. It was an interestin day and we were pleased that we made the trip

Imperial Museum that was previously the summer palace of the Emperor Petro 11 of Portugal.

Dorothy and Con admire the statue of Emperor Petro 11

Assembly Building for the Regional Government

Dorothy and Con on the steps to the Petropolis Cathedral

Mansion across the street from the Imperial Museum was formally occupied by the sister to the Emperor

Plane built by the famous Brazilian inventor, Albert Santos Dumont

Dorothy and Con on the balcony of Albert Dumont’s house with the Petropolis University behind them.

Dorothy and Con in front of the former Casino and now a hotel.

A lavish mansion near the cathedral.

The beautiful Sierra Fluminese Mountains on the highway to Petropolis.

Nov. 22, 2011 - Rio de Janeiro

We disembarked from our cruise ship, the Veendam and got cleared by Brasilian customs and immigration early in the morning. It was a clear day and we were scheduled to go on a bus tour of the Corcovado and Rio Highlights. First we went to the Corcovado where we caught a tram for a 15 minute ride to the top of the Corcovado Mountain to see the 125 foot concrete and soapstone statue of Christ the Redeemer. The top of the Corcovado is at an elevation of of 2400 feet and has a simply unsurpassed view of the city beaches, buildings, bridges and of course the harbour. We took lots of pictures to show you when we get back. On the tour of downtown Rio, we saw Falmengo park, the Municipal Theatre, the Natural Library, and Rio´s moderncathedral that can hold 25,000 people. From downtown we followed the beach road to our hotel passing the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon to our hotel, the Royal Tulip.
We have a great room on the 12 floor overlooking the beach and hills in the background. We just love it here.

The cog electric tram that climbs to the top of Corcovado Mountain.

The 125 foot statue of Christ the Redeemer on top of Corcovado Mountain

View of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the harbor entrance from the top of Corcovado Mountain

View of downtown Rio from Corcovado Mountain.

View of Lagoa Lake and the race track from Corcovado Mountain.

Dorothy and Con in front of statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Rio’s modern 25,000 seat Cathedral with a church monument in front.

The cross at the ceiling of Rio’s modern cathedral.

Rio’s Copacabana Beach

View from our Royal Tulip balcony at Sao Conrado Beach and the golf course.

Nov. 21, 2011 - Sea day between Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro

This is our second day at sea. Tomorrow we will be docking in Rio at about 7 AM and will be disembarking at about 8 AM and catching a bus for a tour of Rio and going up to the famous Coroyado Mountain to see the 125 foot statute of Christ the Redeemer. After the tour we will be taken to Intercontinental Rio Hotel. We will be staying there for 3 nights before catching our flight back to Detroit.
The 37 day cruise has passed so quickly. Dorothy and I have had such a great time that we have not noticed the time passing so quickly. I hope to be able to continue this blog to you at the hotel in Rio as they say they have internet facilities at the hotel. We are looking forward to the 4 days in Rio and I would like to share what we have done and seen with you.

Nov. 19, 2011 - Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevedeo is the capital of one of the smallest countries of South America with a population of only about 3 million people. We docked at about 9 AM and started with a bus trip to an old railway station where we boarded a refurbished steam train for a 45 minute ride through the industrial section of Montevideo. The steam engine was in immaculate condition and was made in England. It pulled 2 passenger railways cars that were made in Poland, air-conditioned and very comfortable to travel in. After the train ride we returned to our bus and continued through Montevideo on a panoramic drive. We saw the Legislative Palace with its beautiful marble structure. We stopped in Prado Park that had historical monuments and beautiful roses. We passed by beautiful beaches and saw the well preserved Town Hall, the Montevideo Cathedral and Independence Plaza that was surrounded by Government House and the historic Solis Theater. We saw the anchor of the Graf Spee in a park near our dock and when leaving Montevideo, we saw the place where the Graf Spee was scuttled after it was cornered be 3 British warship in the early part of World War Two.
We are heading for Rio De Janeiro where we will be getting off the Veendam and staying for 4 days before flying back home.

The English built steam engine at the terminal station.

Dorothy in front of the Legislative Palace.

The sculpture of the earlier settlers in Prada Park

The preacher, Moon’s mansion in Montevideo.

Dorothy in front of the unusually shaped Telecommunications Skyscraper.

Home stadium of the Uruguay’s soccer team.

One of the many beautiful beaches in Montevideo.

The Town Hall of Montevideo adjoining the city square.

Hotel adjoining the city square that was once the tallest building in South America

The entrance gate through the remains of the old walls that once protected Montevideo

The anchor of the Graf Spee at park near the docks in Montevideo

Nov. 18, 2011 - Iguazu Falls

This morning I got up at 4.30 AM to go to the famous Iguazu Falls that is one of the natural wonders of our world. Dorothy was not going as she did not want to travel on the small Metro Fairchild aircraft that were to take us form the general aviation San Fernando airport to the falls. The aircraft were old ones that only held 18 passengers and had no toilets for the 2 1/2 hour flight. We arrived at the Iguazu air port and were taken by bus to the National Park. There we caught a narrow gauge train to the Devils Throat station and walked quite a distance across the cataratas to the Devils Throat. Here we had just a spectacular view of the Devils Throat part of the falls. We returned by train to the Cataratas Station and walked to the restaurant, El Fortin where a luncheon was served to the group that I was with. I did not have lunch but elected to take a walk to the Sheraton Hotel that had a magnificent view of the falls. The hotel was kind enough to let me take pictures from the bar at the hotel. After the scheduled luncheon, we walked on the Upper Circuit trail and had unbelivable views of the cataratas and the falls. Everyone on our tour group, took many pictures of the great views of the water plunging down 260 feet into the gorge below. I will share these pictures with you later when I get home.
Tomorrow we will be going to Montevideo and joining a tour to see the Highlights of Montevideo by Steam train and bus.

Con disembarks from the Metro-Fairchild plane that flew them to Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires

Inside the 18 passenger Metro Fairchild plane that had no toilets

The Iguazu River and the Iguazu Falls.

The Throat of the Devil part of the falls

Iguazu Falls and the downstream part of the Iguazu River.

Iguazu River, the falls and the downstream part of the Iguazu River

The “Throat of the Devil” part of the Iguazu Falls

Con admiring the falls from an observation point on the upper trail above the falls.

Magnificent view of the Iguazu Falls from the luxury Sheraton Hotel.

Rainbow made from the spray of the falls.