Archives for posts with tag: seafood

Puerto Madryn and the Cellar Master’s experience

January 27, 2026 //

So, in a few different places I’ve asked after port safety in Montevideo, especially around the port / Mercado area and in general the advice is “we were there a few days ago and it was fine but as usual in a big city…” etc.

In Buenos Aires of course the advice is different – do not walk from the port area. The recommendations are to get a taxi or Uber to where we are going or at least as far as Plaza General San Martin, but much of Buenos Aires is still safe for people who look like better targets than Julia and I. Generally, but not always, we’re not the first target, especially on a Holland America cruise. Until recently neither of us wore jewelry or watches worth stealing either.

One of the things I end up doing every time we travel is I try to figure out if it’s safe for myself or a marathon runner to run outside. There is a fun little assessment I do regarding local weather conditions, traffic assessment, and comfort level. You’d be surprised where people aren’t comfortable running outside! For instance, sometimes places like Avignon, France, are lousy places for runners even in the wee hours of the morning because everybody is calling out for you!

So far, Puerto Madryn was one of our favorite places anywhere we’ve traveled for running (with obvious exceptions like Boston and New York City). Puerto Madryn has La Rambla along the sea which continues in some form or another more than three miles out to the point and to the ecological center.

An obvious turn around point for most guests when they walk or run from the ship is Monumento Indio al Telhuelche on a point of land at the end of the main beach.

This is a monument to the labor movement of the indigenous peoples in Patagonia several decades ago. It also has a lovely view.

View from the ship from three miles away.

The view beyond. I would have loved to keep going, but there was plenty to do. We turned around and ran back the other direction where I stopped near the pier for a large beer while waiting for The Boss to double my mileage.

This was a prelude to some souvenir shopping followed by lunch at Náutico Bistró Del Mar.

This was officially Mariscos de Golfo Nuevo with Golfo Nuevo being the gulf around Puerto Madryn. I’m not totally certain all of it was directly from the gulf itself but it certainly seemed fresh, cooked as appropriate, and seasoned with lemons, onions, and vinaigrette appropriately.

Perfect as we were planning to attend the Cellar Master’s dinner yesterday evening, a lunch to share with papas fritas and more large beers.

Eventually after some shopping we returned to the ship. Our original plan was to run, have a beer, return to the ship, and then head back out, but Puerto Madryn is the type of place where when it’s summer you walk around casually as you are. We felt comfortable in our fitness wear in open-door souvenir shops as well as dining outside.

We returned in time for the tango sail away!

Last night we attended the Cellar Master’s dinner. This appears to be focused on wine but is also one of the best meals available on an Oosterdam cruise. Food and beverage staff spoke at length and we were introduced to the entire Pinnacle Grill team – although we’ve met them all at some point.

The menu was great. Somehow we had a mix-up and two of us had scallops instead ofthe foie gras but we were both fine with that especially after yesterday’s bonus lunch.

The Pumpkin Sage Cappuccino is a delightful cream of pumpkin soup paired with a flavor-forward Pinot noir to offset it’s sweet and spicy nature.

For us the warm lobster salad was the star of the show. If it were twice the size of us then it would be perfect for a meal on a day like yesterday. This was paired with a rosé which actually wasn’t the greatest in our opinion, but we do think we would have enjoyed it better as stand alone on a sunny summer day.

The filet with the beef tenderloin and grilled shrimp was the best beef I’ve had on the ship so far but the shrimp were even better. This was nicely paired with the same MTC Syrah I had with dinner a few nights ago!

Dessert was decidedly not a tuille BUT it was the perfect size! Not huge! And Graham’s Six Grapes was a perfect accompaniment.

We both enjoyed this meal better than the Konigstafel but I actually think that’s the point. Konigstafel is to display a variety of what the king wants, Cellar Masters is to share food to pair with wine in more of a best-of. We also dined by ourselves. We’re at the point on a 22 day voyage where we are happy to not socialize as much.

One complaint?

Often it seems as if HAL glasses have spots on them. They need rinse aid of some sort.

So, a few other things to talk about:

We’ve spent a fair amount of time playing table card games, mostly blackjack, and a little bit of craps. We haven’t lost a ton of money – essentially we are even aside from an hour where I played about twelve days ago where I lost several hundred dollars and stepped away from the casino for four days as a result. In the meantime, we’ve gotten to know the casino staff really well especially while playing craps.

Last night we decided to curtail our visits to the casino as we’re winding down the trip. We spent a couple hours with our casino staff friends and gambling buddies playing craps. It was actually the latest we’ve stayed “out” on this trip so far (we’ll likely stay “out” later on the last night when we go to a closed door restaurant). It was a lot of fun.

Yesterday I mentioned running in port. I’ve largely curtailed my treadmill activities although I may pay a visit tomorrow morning. Instead, I’ve been walking an hour or more on the promenade. I’ve had some interesting step totals –

Yesterday – 21,589 (Puerto Madryn)

Sunday – 11,468 (Sea Day)

Saturday – 16,519 (Falkland Islands)

Friday – 7,991 (Sea Day)

Thursday – 15,334 (Antarctica Day 4)

Wednesday – 16,212 (Antarctica Day 3)

Tuesday – 17,667 (Antarctica Day 2, with treadmill time)

Monday – 16,944 (Antarctica Day 1)

I had planned to do a number of yoga and pilates classes, but early in the cruise after my first class I couldn’t get motivated to attend because I didn’t enjoy the instructor’s style, so I never went back. I’ve practiced yoga on Carnival and Cunard cruises, the last time being back in 2017, but I haven’t found any on this or my past two cruises that I truly enjoyed. I almost think decent fitness classes were a casualty of the Covid era.

One thing they mentioned last night which I never would have known – HAL canceled their bottle stewards after Covid. They still have a sommelier around and they have one full time in Pinnacle Grill, but not so much visibly; they just have a beverage runner in the MDR, at least on this ship. You order through your waiter. I wonder if HAL pushed bottles of wine versus elite beverage package more prior to Covid. This, by the way, is one thing I like more about Cunard; HAL has a decent wine list and I think it’s better than our experience on Celebrity nearly four years ago now but you have to ask for it. Cunard is a little more forward with their wine list. And we enjoyed (again, this is four years ago, right before all of the cuts) Celebrity’s beverage service in Blu a bit better.

But again, especially in the dining room, Pinnacle Grill, and with food in general, HAL has surprised us. The variety of food and drink available is stellar. The MDR menu isn’t as generic as we had on our Celebrity Silhouette cruise a few years ago – and thus we didn’t dine in the main dining room. Here there are often more interesting dishes offered. When you get to know the system and get to know your dining room staff, things are really in your favor. And the Pinnacle Grill breakfast experience is top notch; to think we almost missed it because our goal had been to skip breakfast every day.

Now, speaking of the Lido Market buffet – we still haven’t returned for buffet dining, even though today is Cake Day (it’s hard to handle Cake Day after a few days of a lot of eating). We’ve learned that they do not have an Asian corner on this ship as they do on Noordam and Westerdam (someone please correct me if I’m missing something regarding info and availability this winter please).

Also, today, without eating breakfast, I was craving a typical sandwich, something like a club sandwich, so we ordered room service lunch. They warned us it would be a 45 minute wait; it was a ten minute wait and the sandwich was great.

Tags adventure, antarctica-experience, Buenos_Aires, cruise, cruise experiences, cruise-experience, cruising, cruising_experience, food, Foodie, La_Rambla, Mariscos_de_Golfo_Nuevo, Montevideo, Monumento_Indio_al_Telhuelche, port_safety, Puerto_Madryn, running_safety, seafood, travel, travel-to-south-america

Categories Foodie, Running, South America - Antarctica January 2026, travel, Travel Logistics

Looking ahead to the Falkland Islands!

January 22, 2026 //

Looking ahead – what the guide says about The Falkland Islands:

“Many ships call into the Falkland Islands on their way to or from Antarctica. These stops usually turn out to be a pleasant surprise for those on board. Located 477 km (296 miles) east of southern Argentina, the Falklands are a rare mix of wildlife hotspot and delightful inhabited outpost. Comprising over 700 islands, the archipelago has a human population of around 4000, and a sea-bird population that dwarfs that. For wildlife lovers the Falklands are a fantastic destination. Unlike other subantarctic islands, they can be visited independently by scheduled flights.”

The archipelago is slightly larger than the area of Jamaica including water. Theya re around 51 degrees south latitude, the equivalent to Southern Labrador, London, and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the north. They are, however, much colder and are constantly raked by strong winds. There are no naturally recurring trees. Temperature in the summer tends to be around 9 degrees Celsius / 48 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun shines more often than not.

The book talks about literally millions of petrels, albatrosses, penguins, gulls, and cormorants. Black-browed albatrosses, rockhopper penguins, giant petrels, white-chinned petrels, Antarctic prions, Magellanic and blue-eyed cormorants, kelp geese, upland geese, crested ducks, flightless steamer ducks.

There are mammals including Commerson’s and Peale’s dolphins, killer whales, Sei whales, elephant seals, South American fur seals, sea lions, etc.

We’re looking forward to it. We have a Volunteer Point excursion planned.

We’re also reading up on our next stops in Puerto Madryn, Punta del Este, Montevideo, and finally Buenos Aires.

I’ve been using Peter Carey & Craig Franklin’s Antarctica Cruising Guide for information on Antarctica as well as the surrounding islands including the Falklands; this includes the quote above.

For ideas on what to do in ports as well as Santiago and Buenos Aires, I’ve been using the latest version of Lonely Planet South America. This helped me give our private guide in Santiago a list of neighborhoods and sites to visit as well as for me to identify what was good for us to see on our own. I’m also using it for a similar guide in Buenos Aires. And it helped me with the museum in Ushuaia and to find Isabel Cocina al Disco in Ushuaia.

Tags antarctica-experience, cruise-experience, cruising, cruising-tips, food, seafood, travel-to-south-america

Categories Books, South America - Antarctica January 2026, travel, Travel Logistics

Ushuaia, Fin del Mondo

January 18, 2026 //

Okay, so I’m catching up on my writing as today is our final sea day until our Antarctic adventure begins. I went to two lectures on polar ice today and a third discussion led by the captain on our planned route once we reach Palmer Peninsula early tomorrow morning. Basically he warns us “if you’re living life to its fullest you’re going to be busy.”

Our mornings are predictably beginning fairly early here and I’m finally settling into a routine where I’m able to fall asleep and take a nap if I’m trying to live life to a fullest. Unfortunately, my Oura ring which I’m using to track my stress levels, heart rate, readiness, and sleep doesn’t seem to be able to tell when I’m taking a nap on a ship. I know it can tell how much sleep I am taking at night but it doesn’t see when I reach the same level of stillness I normally do for a nap at home – because obviously the ship is moving.

It hasn’t tracked a nap since Santiago.

Anyway, the first thing I tend to do in the morning is look outside off the stern of the ship. If it isn’t raining I hop out there and snap a photo. Beautiful, isn’t it? Then I sit at my desk here and write a little and sip coffee.

The further south we were going in the waterways of Chile the more ice we saw and the closer it came to sea level.

On Friday we went down to Pinnacle Grill for breakfast.

The Pinnacle Grill menu is obviously more substantial than the MDR menu. On this particular day I had the aloo masala (potato curry I think) and egg burjhi (eggs with peppers and spices I think). It was served with a dosa (lentil crepe), chapati bread, stewed lentils, and some chutneys.

For comparison, today I had the Pan Asian breakfast, you know because I have to try everything out.

This was served alongside miso soup poured table side.

I’m really impressed with the variety of food served here. It’s even higher than what we saw traveling in Aqua Class on Celebrity. I know we have some perks due to Neptune Class, but this variety even extends to the room service.

Anyway. We were cruising through the Beagle Passage past a series of five glaciers as we were dining that morning. I didn’t get the best photos, but that’s fine.

Many of my glacier photos were stained by the window

It was enjoyable to capture the moment and instead rest for a change.

We were able to have a fairly active morning as we were not due to arrive in port until 1pm. This was actually delayed even though our original plan was 2pm; the captain had to wait for a couple of expedition ships to clear out before we had space on the pier.

I was able to go to the gym and have some treadmill time (something I’m hoping to repeat today) before going to the aquatherapy room and the thermal suite.

I mean, this was a civilized way to come into port.

Anyway, unlike Punta Arenas, in Ushuaia it just seems as if you suddenly arrive on a scene. The city itself likes tucked up against the mountains on a narrow tilted shelf pouring itself out at the harbor. It looks and feels as if you’ve suddenly been dumped in Queenstown, New Zealand, or Aspen, Colorado. And it’s priced the same.

And there are these pricy expedition ships docked there to remind you of your mortality.

As we didn’t really have any opportunity for souvenir acquisition in our previous three stops we decided to begin our time ashore by going shopping.

Typical construction in Ushuaia – both old and new

There are a lot of shops that sell chocolate alongside t-shirts. And a number of liquor shops as well with whisky that normally costs us $60 at home going for $200 here. Fortunately the local stuff is cheaper – I think a small bottle of Patagonian gin was about $15 USD. We actually found the most interesting gifts in a coffee shop / cafe called Espirito Fueguino Cafe & Gift Shop. I now have a heavy black hoodie with a mythological Patagonian creature on the back of it; it should come in handy the next few days.

There are three museums near the port (there may actually be more, but I searched and saw three). There are two Museo del Fin Del Mundos; we visited neither. We did, however, visit the museum at the Presido, the old prison, which actually consists of about five small museums in one.

This museum has about two wings dedicated to prison life – one to the history of the prison and the prisoners who were in residence, and then one completely devoid of furnishings so you could wander around and enjoy the silence.

There were also two gift shops. And an art gallery.

The only requirement for a piece of art to be in the art gallery is it had to be pretty good and it had to have something to do with water. Nonetheless, it was good art, mostly South American from what I could tell. Much of it resembled European art work, or even American art work from the time periods where they were created. For instance, there were a couple of Hopper-esque oil paintings I enjoyed. I could have enjoyed standing in silence in this wing for a while longer but I wasn’t alone. It was time to go eat.

And even though it was neither Patagonian lunch time nor dinner time, we found a nice meal at Isabel Cocina Al Disco.

I think we actually spent big city prices for our meal but it was worth it. One massive 750ml beer from Patagonia Brewing Company and two large but not massive beers from a local brewery that makes a red ale. We also shared the house specialty – seafood and potatoes cooked in a disc from a plow, or a de arado, or plough in British English. In modern times they actually use a cast iron pot with high edges similar to a paella pan.

It was so good. Mussels and baby octopus and shrimp and calamari stewed in white wine-tomato broth with nicely roasted and fried potatoes.

I tell you. I researched this place months ago. I had no idea what the cast iron pot was until now and didn’t connect it until I saw “plough” on the English language menu. And Isabel is easy to get to from the port – you walk off the ship, down the pier, out through the gates, and across the street and it’s to the right one block.

Back to the ship for us.

It was a beautiful late afternoon stroll back to the ship where we whiled away the evening with our feet up on the loungers in the Crow’s Nest.

Ushuaia is a great cruise port – my favorite so far. Logistically it’s easy. For excursions buses and vans come straight out to the ship. Visiting town is a half mile stroll along the pier.

Local beer here is great, by the way. Next up, two days at sea.

Tags antarctica, antarctica-experience, cruise, cruise experiences, cruise-experience, cruising-tips, culinary, port city, seafood, travel, travel-blog, travel-to-south-america, urban exploration

Categories Foodie, South America - Antarctica January 2026, travel

Boqueria

November 25, 2025 //

It’s time to start writing about things I do.

Tonight I had piano lesson. I’m on about eight years of this madness but my 17 year old daughter is on nine years. She learns better and plays better than I do, although with some songs I catch a certain nuance. But anyway, piano is still a time commitment and for now the commitment is on Monday evenings for a lesson. Tomorrow the kids come over and hang here for nine days straight so that meant last night was the night to go out to dinner. Usually this is a once a week event along with maybe a brunch. This week’s choice was Boqueria thanks to an Amex credit; more on that on another blog. But first, the restaurant.

I know I’ve been to Boqueria a few times but the last time was definitely in 2017 or 2018 so it has been seven years at least. The first time was in 2013 with my friend Brian and that’s the only time I ate outside there. In 2018 there were fewer Spanish options around and none in my neighborhood. Now there is one in my neighborhood and more Barcelona outposts.

Usually on an outing like this if the restaurant is agreeable it becomes something to add to the rotation. Boqueria was good, but I would not say it did it for me. Why? $260 plus taxes for four small plates, cheese, dessert, and drinks.

Wait, five small plates.

First, the cheeses. Valdeon, aged manchego, cabra de cabrales cheese with a dab of fig spread and bread. The cheeses were good and served right. We enjoyed them through the meal and didn’t feel as if they were too hard or heavy.

We had a plate of anchovies that arrived first. This was a classic Iberian preparation of canned anchovies along with some house made potato chips. This was followed by char grilled peppers and patatas bravas, and then a tuna crudo followed by pulpo a la plancha served over a bed of mashed potatoes with capers.

Thoughts on these – the tuna was too thick for what I would call a crudo. I was expecting something more delicate. This was more as if they took strips of tuna from nigiri and placed them over avocado paste. The octopus is good but I’m afraid I’m over-octopus. I think in January when I head to South America I will restrict my octopus consumption to ceviche and salads. The anchovies though were great – delightfully salty and served with orange. I’ll try to do this at home.

Boqueria also did a good job with crema Catalana and had a nice list of sherries for me – I had an oloroso sherry.

So, for me, Sabores in my neighborhood can give me a similar experience for about $100 less. Boqueria’s patatas are bigger and crispier but they don’t need to be. Sabores has tapas that are a little more delicate. I think if I were going for a true Spanish seafood experience I’d spring for Del Mar on the wharf, or one of the Barcelona locations.

Del Mar is even pricier, but it’s a better experience (not that Boqueria is bad).

I have no idea where this is from but it looks really good

Or one could always head back to Spain.

Have a pleasant evening, all.

Tags anchovies, cooking, culinary, dinner, food, Foodie, Iberian, restaurant, seafood, travel

Categories Foodie