FIRST LEGS 

On Dec. 22 we flew to Ottawa to spend Christmas with Matthew and his family.  This was a very pleasant visit highlighted by an extended family dinner for 12 on Christmas Day, and then another dinner for 10 (with good friends of Matthew) on Boxing Day.  My role in these festivities was to select wines and open the bottles.  I think I was successful as Matthew’s cellar is now in need of considerable re-stocking.  As you can see from the picture Santa Claus was able to find Matthew’s house. 

We flew to Toronto on the 27th for an overnight stay at an airport hotel (strangely not near the airport) and had an Air Emerates flight to Dubai the next day.  This was our first time flying with Emerates; and what an experience that was.  Firstly, they sent a very large black Cadillac to collet us at the hotel.  Once on board we were given glasses of Veuve-Clicquot. 

I then discovered that the bar/lounge at the back of our cabin had a great 18-year old Scotch.  With our main meal we were served 2011 Chateau Larriver Haut-Brion.  Service was astounding.  Whenever Betty decided to use the facilities someone instantly appeared to take her arm. 

Navigating the world’s second largest airport (Dubai) took a long time but we eventually got to our bus, which was then delayed because of a mechanical barrier failing to open.  Friday prayers delayed maintenance workers from helping.  However, we eventually got to Abu Dahbi tired and hungry.  I managed to score a reservation for comfort food at Polo Grill, but by the time our luggage arrived we scrambled to make the designated time.  Nonetheless the Champagne paired perfectly with my lobster bisque.  However, during the main course I seemed to get into a competition with the Sommelier who wanted my cabernet glass  always full, while I tried desperately to lower the level.  Perhaps this had something to do with Betty’s kicking me awake when dessert arrived. 

On our first full day on board we docked in Doha, Qatar.  As Betty’s legs are not functioning well she skipped the tour.  Qatar is a very wealthy country of 3 million people who earn lots of money, but pay no taxes.  Only 15% of the population ( Bedoins) are eligible for citizenship, and the rest are mostly from India.  Anyone can move to Qatar semi-permanently provided they either get a job or buy an apartment.  The downside is that during Aug/Sept the temperatures reach 60 degrees C with high humidity. 

The architecture in Doha is quite spectacular. The above picture shows the national theatre, made entirely of marble imported from Greece.

People in Doha do not own cats or dogs as pets.  Rather everyone has falcons (there is even a falcon hospital) and lots own camels (which they race).  It is interesting to see a camel lot near a Rolls Royce dealer. 

In the evening we joined a couple at the Captain’s cocktail party.  The elderly gentleman immediately diagnosed Betty’s walking issue (I’m guessing he used to be a doctor) and gave some medication advice.  Interesting to see if her doctors back home agree.  We ate dinner at the French restaurant and sat with a lovely German couple.  He rose from being a street cop to head of all the police in Saxony. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

                                                 Buenos Aires

At dinner the last night of our cruise, we noted that the main dining room had run out of several wines.  Guess us old folks got the empties to a very respectable number

On Sunday morning we disembarked and had a nice bus tour of the city prior to checking in at our hotel.  We visited La Boca, an immigrant slum where a section is made into a "street museum". 

We had the compulsory walk through Recoleta Cemetery to visit the tomb of Eva Duarte Peron (Evita).

After an afternoon nap we were ready for dinner.  Most restaurants turned out to be a little beyond Betty's walking limit from the hotel, but we found a very nice place under a highway overpass.  We were the only diners eating outside, as the locals chose to sit where there was air conditioning.  After empanadas and salad we each had what the waiter called his "smallest steak".  Despite having skipped lunch, and despite the steak being vastly superior in tenderness and flavor to anything available in Canada we couldn't finish.

Monday was one of the most pleasant days of our entire trip.  We left the hotel at 8:40 a.m. for a 120 km bus ride to the Estancia el Rosario de Areco.  Leaving the city on a 12-lane highway we noted a 20-km traffic jam coming into the city.

The ranch breeds horses for polo players, and is owned by a couple, their 9 children and 13 grandchildren.  There is one architect, at least two lawyers, and three professional polo players in the family, but they all work whenever available on the ranch.  In addition to horse ranching they have been entertaining tourists for 25 years.

Upon arrival we were escorted by gauchos to a park-like setting where we were served incredible empanadas and a glass (or three) of wine.  

After the leisurely reception we walked (Betty was driven by a grandson) to a covered set of bleachers to watch the gaucho show.  The six gauchos who work on the ranch did a series of difficult skill competitions, and Betty got chosen to clang the brass bell to start each event.  The gaucho who was the overall winner was given the next day off work.

We then went to an air-conditioned dining room for the traditional asado.  The first course was chorizos, then came a salad course, followed by a chicken course, a veal course and finally a steak course.  By tradition none of the meat courses have any vegetable accompaniments.  Perhaps this is why rates of heart disease are lower in Argentina than in Canada.

Wines (and beers) flowed very freely.  The white (Torrente) and the red (Malbec) were from the same winery.  Reading the labels I saw that the white was best paired with empanadas and the red best paired with asado.  Perhaps this is a coincidence, or perhaps our host is a major shareholder in the winery.

During the meal we were entertained by folk dancers and singers and by 4:00 we were served Champagne to accompany our dessert.  Both Betty and I enjoyed sleeping during the entire two-hour ride back to the hotel.  Needless-to-say we did not go out to dinner, instead settling for appetizers, one glass of wine each, and large coffees.

On our last night in Buenos Aires we went to the Michelangelo Theatre for dinner and a live show.  Malbec flowed freely with with steak (what else?) dinner and then we left the restaurant area for comfortable seats in the theatre itself.  The orchestra and singers were excellent, but were outshone by the absolutely superb tango dancers.

This is our fifth trip to South America and probably our last.  My one regret is that we never got to see Iguazu Falls.  We had a visit planned but it got cancelled during Covid.