Spring Moon of the Southern Cross
South of Sao Paulo 26 degrees 29 minutes S 45 degrees 47 minutes W Course 038 nne
Since we left the Rio de la Plata estuary after Montevideo, the seas have been high with winds ranging from 51 mph to 39 mph, Beaufort 11 to Beaufort 8. My episode of sea-sickness vanished over night and I once again have my sea-ears. The pitch requires sea legs, too, and those sometimes find me rolling when I should stand and standing when I should roll, but that’s fun. Sea-sick, not so much so.
The bags stand stuffed with clothes we brought, gifts and clothes we’ve purchased. We’re ready, almost, for debarking. Toiletries and tomorrow’s clothes, our Kindles, the computer, passports and all they await final packing in the morning.
We see Brazilian customs and immigration aboard ship before leave. Brazil is one of the BRIC countries, the rising future hegemons and now has some swagger. I’m glad the world stage has begun to fill with other countries vying for prominence and power. It will be interesting to see how Brazil handles its new role from the inside.
Speaking of the BRIC nations. Did the Confucian Peace Prize surprise anyone else? I haven’t googled it because internet minutes here are expensive, so I don’t know how official it was, but Vladimir Putin? A peace prize? Like awarding one to GW or a neo-con.
He got it, according to the news piece I read, for his 1999 stand against Chechnya, showing Russians he would defend them. Is this the new world order? Dictators and strongmen get the nod from others of their ilk? God, I hope not.
The final meal aboard tonight. In days gone by we used to get the parade of a flaming baked Alaska, the finishing flourish to many, if not most cruises. Now we get dancing and singing waters, waving napkins and introducing dishes with a song. Very odd.
Why not baked alaska? A fire hazard, apparently. Wonder who figured that one out?
