MiNDFOOD Cruise Special by Roderick Eime

CRUISE SPECIAL

The world’s seas and rivers are your oyster when you step onto a cruise ship. Travel to secluded harbours and spectacular destinations onboard luxurious ships of all sizes – there’s something here for everyone.

Discover more cruises and holiday destinations, go to mindfood.com.

ALASKA

NORTHERN EXPOSURE

Alaska, the land of gold rush fame, is now more famous for the riches of its stunning scenery. The Holland America Line is the expert when it comes to discovering Alaska, taking travellers here for longer than any other cruise line. WORD S AND PHOTO GR APHY BY RODERICK EIME

COLD BE AUT Y

The MS Westerdam in Glacier Bay.

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W PURE G OLD

Picturesque Ketchikan is an Alaskan city facing the Inside Passage, the popular cruise route along the state’s southeast coast. The Inside Passage is a region of pristine water, snow-capped mountains, deep fjords and forested islands, and the occasional brown bear.

hich US capital city can you not drive to? It’s a great trivia question and it’s true: you cannot drive to the state capital of Alaska, Juneau. But you sure can cruise there. For five months of the year, the tiny city of Juneau becomes the centre of the cruising universe. Mighty cruise ships from many of the big names in the business, run in and out of the beautiful harbour, bordered by dense forest and overlooked by tall cliffs clad in pine and spruce. Floatplanes buzz the waterfront, whisking sightseers out for airborne excursions to the nearby glaciers. It is quite likely busier now than during the famous gold rush that lasted 60 years until WWII. Alaska’s history extends way beyond the first sightings by Europeans that began in the 18th century. The first residents of the region were the native Tlingit people who came to Alaska thousands of years ago and are an acknowledged First Nation people of the Pacific Northwest. Despite the influence of westerners, the Huna Tlingit of Glacier Bay maintained their independence throughout, resisting the move to reservations and continuing the traditional lifestyle as best they could. “We are a people who exist not just in museums or books,” the guide reminds us as we cruise serenely through the still waters of Glacier Bay National Park, “we are a living culture.” Today the Tlingit take great pride in playing host to visitors from all around the world and their rich, resilient culture is evident throughout the entire region now known as Alaska’s Inside Passage. Their tribes and those of the Haida and Tsimshian people also extend well into Canada’s neighbouring province of British Columbia. Previously a territory of Russia, the rapidly expanding US took up an offer from them in 1867 and purchased Alaska for $7 million, both parties unaware of the vast riches in gold and oil that lay along the rivers and underground. Juneau wasn’t established until the latter years of the 19th century when gold nuggets “the size of peas and beans” were discovered by prospectors Joe Juneau and Richard Harris along ▶

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ALASKA

Snow Slide Gulch. When word got out, the encampment rapidly grew into a thriving village, swollen by the influx of men and women with gold in their eyes. Juneau became the capital of the Alaska Territory in 1906. Even today, the only way in and out of Juneau is by air or sea, making this historic port one of the most intriguing places to visit on the world’s cruise calendar. That, and the astonishing array of excursion opportunities on offer like the massive Mendenhall Glacier, Mount Roberts Tramway, Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, Glacier Gardens, whale and orca watching or any of the exciting flight-seeing choices just a short floatplane ride from right off the wharf. As an adjunct to the gold, timber and fur industries, cruise tourism has been a feature of Alaska for around 100 years. The early steamships carried freight, ore and passengers ITINERARY: WHEN & WHERE

CHILLED DELIGHT

From top: Cruising on Glacier Bay; the Mendenhall Glacier is one of the astonishing array of excursions that’s on offer; and the caribou in Alaska are distributed around the state in 32 herds, numbering about 950,000 animals, including shared herds with Canada.

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Holland America’s most popular Alaska cruises are the seven-day round-trip options from Seattle or Vancouver. Eurodam is based in Seattle along with her Signature-class siblings, including Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam. The Alaska ‘summer’ cruise season is from April to September with the mid-season months most popular. Australian and New Zealand guests frequently opt for the longer options, extending their stay with onshore extensions such as Denali National Park and British Columbia (Canada). The Rail & Sail packages, which combine with the Rocky Mountaineer rail experience, present great value. Fares for the seven-day round-trip voyages begin at around $1400 per person. Shore excursions are charged separately. See your travel agent, contact 1300 987 322 or go to hollandamerica.com.

along the sheltered waterways of the Inside Passage past the most amazing scenery. Travel entrepreneurs like Chuck West saw the potential and began turning these voyages into spectacular sightseeing cruises from 1947. Holland America Line (HAL) bought West’s cruise and tour business outright in 1971 using it as a springboard to the massive, multi-vessel operation we see today. Since my last visit to Juneau in 2012, a new wharf has appeared, nostalgically christened the Alaska Steamship Dock, boosting capacity from five ships to seven. Our ship, Eurodam, jostles its way alongside HAL’s sister ship Nieuw Amsterdam as well as Ruby Princess and Celebrity Solstice. In this new ‘gold rush’ about 2000 people from each ship stroll the streets and come and go from shore excursions. Everything from craft beer, faux fur coats and hats, gemstones and jewellery is being hawked in a style not unlike the enterprising merchants who “mined the miners” during the 1880s. Now the draw of visitors continues undiminished, with cruise lines like Holland America leading the charge north. Activities such as sea kayaking, dog sledding, salmon fishing and even hovercraft expeditions are available to turn the humble cruise into a rollicking adventure for the whole family.

Discover more cruises from Holland America Line at mindfood.com/hal-cruises.

THE WAY NORTH INSIDE PASSAGE

Activities include sea kayaking, dog sledding and salmon fishing.

Bordered by mountain ranges with dense forest to the shoreline and deep waterways, the Inside Passage is a 1500 kilometre marine highway extending from Seattle, Washington, to Skagway in Alaska. It’s the cruising expressway traversed by all the big names in a well-rehearsed drill that attracts travellers from all over the world. Most of the ship time is spent on a leisurely meander through the forested fjords with passengers enjoying the crisp air out on deck as they survey the perfect scenery from a distance of just a few hundred metres, sometimes closer. Port visits are a familiar mix of selfguided strolls among the shops, folk museums and cafés as well as optional excursions to nearby parks, sanctuaries and scenic lookouts. Holland America’s catalogue of shore excursions is exhaustive. There are sure to be explorations to suit your interests from sedate shopping strolls to adrenaline-pumping helicopter flights. HAL’s many Alaskan cruises typically depart from either Seattle or Vancouver, both waterfront cities vying for the title of the world’s most beautiful cruise port. Ships then sail up the tranquil east coast of Vancouver Island and past the fjords and islands of British Columbia’s Inside Passage to the glaciers and outlying ports of coastal Alaska.

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CUBA

COLOURS OF LIFE Comfortable small ship cruising is becoming the popular choice for visitors wanting to see as much as possible of vibrant Cuba, including Havana, the UNESCO-listed city of Trinidad de Cuba, and the idyllic beach retreat of MarĂa La Gorda. WORD S BY RODERICK EIME

BRIGHT PERSONALITIES Two local women look as colourful as the buildings around Havana. Opposite: Street art and classic cars in the city.

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‘D

ate un toque,” says Benito Camejo Nodarse in his boisterous and charismatic style as he pours us both a shot of his homemade rum. “Kill the rat!” – which I take to mean “hair of the dog” or similar. I take mine neat like my host and the clear liquid is surprisingly smooth and soothing, while others prefer a shot of the farm’s other product, coffee. Nodarse is a local legend in the Viñales Valley, a region recognised by UNESCO not for its rum and tobacco, but for its limestone karstic formations that rise as high as 300 metres in some places. Hiking and rock-climbing are popular sports for adventurous visitors. Here is Cuba’s western Pinar del Rio province, the supposed birthplace of modern tobacco cultivation, and we’re visiting the small farm that Nodarse and his family have worked for five generations. The allotment is typical of those operating in the region for many decades producing mainly tobacco, but also sugar cane, coffee and rum. About 90 per cent of Nodarse’s crop is selected for agreed government production under controlled conditions while any remainder is left for him to sell as he wishes. This is typically as ‘cleanskin’ cigars which come without any certified branding but smoke as well any Cohiba or Montecristo for a fraction of the price. Yes, I bought a clutch of 10 for not much more than a buck each. The primary crop was first cultivated right here by the Spanish in the 16th century. Modern tobacco is derived from the wild cohibo weed used by the long-gone Arawak Indian Shamans

during ceremonies. From that rough leafy plant sprung a most valuable export product that has become a major contributor to the Cuban economy alongside coffee and sugar. We’re here on Peregrine Adventures’ eight-day Cuban Panorama tour, a flavoursome mixture of small-ship cruising and land excursions covering coastal and inland attractions like the Viñales Valley, but also the fabled, UNESCO-listed city of Trinidad de Cuba on the southern shore. In this immaculately preserved city, we wander the cobblestoned streets and alleys closed to all but foot traffic and the occasional donkey or handcart. LIVELY OLD-WORLD FEEL In a stark contrast to the fading metropolis of Havana, Trinidad’s preserved and brightly painted buildings, as featured on so many postcards, rise only a storey or two except for the few prominent edifices around the Plaza Mayor. There isn’t the sad crumbling demeanour of the many grand buildings of Havana, instead it retains a lively old-world feel with bars and restaurants sprinkled among the dimly lit thoroughfares and usually thronging with cameratoting travellers. Our evening meal is taken at a local restaurant where we are serenaded – and transfixed – by a talented quartet of young musicians . We’re sailing aboard the classic, 34-guest motor cruiser, MV Callisto, but you could just as easily find yourself aboard the 48-berth sailing yacht, Panorama, on the same itinerary. We take our meals in the timber-lined dining room below the bridge and ▶

We are serenaded by a talented quartet of musicians.

TOBACCO CURE ROLL YOUR OWN Harvesting Cuban tobacco has become a nearscience. Knowing when to pick the leaves and exactly which ones is a technique handed down over many generations, making the product from Pinar del Rio renowned by cigar aficionados the world over. The top leaves, called volado (hot), are harvested first and used as a binder for the cigar’s contents. Next, a week or so later, the ligero (light) leaves are plucked and used as the wrapper. Finally, the lower leaves or seco (dry) ones are gathered and used for the filler. The various qualities and proportions will dictate the final flavour and aroma of the cigar.

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CUBA MY HEART IS IN HAVANA Left (from top): On the Peregrine Adventures Cuban Panorama cruises plenty of time is spent in the capital of Havana. A highlight is visiting Ernest Hemingway’s former haunt of Finca Vigía. The sailing yacht Panorama.

ITINERARY: WHEN & WHERE Peregrine Adventures’ adventure cruise Cuban Panorama sails from Havana to Cienfuegos (or reverse) via María La Gorda and Trinidad over eight days from November through March and is suitable for travellers of low or moderate mobility. Fares begin at $3630. Contact your travel agent or Peregrine Adventures on 1300 561 176 or visit peregrineadventures.com.

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enjoy cocktails either in the convivial saloon on the same deck or outside on the sunny aft. Every foreign tour operator must employ a local guide and ours is Gus, who enriches our understanding of this complicated country with delightfully candid descriptions of everyday life in this peculiar Caribbean socialist republic. Comfortable cruising is becoming the pre-eminent touring choice for visitors wishing to see as much of Cuba as possible without the nuisance of checking in and out of hotels and rushing for waiting coaches. In conjunction with Greek small ship operator, Variety Cruises, 40-yearold Peregrine Adventures operates the small ship alternative in Cuba offering intimate and stress-free explorations of this intriguing country. To mix it up, we do stay at an idyllic beach retreat at María La Gorda on the far western tip while visiting a local village and school near the Guanahacabibes National Park, home by the way to the world’s smallest bird, the tiny (2g) bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae). Yes, we saw one, just. We also check out the busy port town of Cienfuegos, near the site of the famous 1960s Bay of Pigs invasion, where Callisto shares the pier with three other cruise ships of thankfully moderate size. Founded by the French in 1818, the city has its own distinct character and it’s here we are treated to a most impressive cappella performance by the national choir. There is plenty of time spent in the capital, Havana, where all the key sites are visited including an excursion in Chevy Impala classic taxis to Hemingway’s former Cuban haunt, Finca Vigía. If I’m to believe my guide, Ava Gardner used to swim nude in the pool, much to the displeasure of Mrs Hemingway.

Learn about Peregrine Adventures’s trip along the Dalmatian Coast at mindfood. com/peregrine-dalmatian-coast.

Discover more cruises and holiday destinations, go to mindfood.com.

GREENING THE OCEAN

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has a half-century reputation for extraordinary destinations delivered expertly and responsibly. The tiny ecocapital of the Americas, Costa Rica, punches above its weight in the contested ‘greenweight’ division as a landing on the remote Osa Peninsula shows. WORD S BY RODERICK EIME

ECO TR AVEL

After being dropped off by Zodiacs at a beach on the Osa Peninsula, travellers take in glorious tropical scenery and relax under the careful watch of scarlet macaws.

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The fruit’s aroma is like cheese and eau de laundry basket. We think of the health benefits that outweigh the bad perfume.

COSTA RICA

uan-Luis reaches up into the low-hanging branches, grabs firmly and pulls down without protest. It is a plump, healthy one, rotund like a rugby ball with skin the texture of a sun-ripened iguana. Without a second thought, Juan-Luis bounces it around once or twice and when he’s found a vulnerable spot, a deft blow from his rusty machete splits it open down the middle. Instinctively, we reel back in disgust as its banana-yellow innards disgorge themselves into his hands. “Ah, this is a good one,” he announces with a hint of triumph. “Who’s first?” In a scene reminiscent of a Ridley Scott sci-fi movie, I accept a strip of the lurid flesh and plunge facefirst into the anemone-like mass, gnawing at the glutinous tendrils like a savage. Delicious! Our bizarre jackfruit was an easy kill, I must confess, yielding its tasty, golden meat willingly. GRASS ROOTS Here in the organic gardens of the Finca Kobo cocoa farm, our machetewielding guide, Juan-Luis, delights in walking us through a tiny section of his 50-hectare farm that grows some 85 different varieties of fruits, spices, herbs and vegetables. And not your average greengrocer selection either. We ogled exotic crops, such as custard apple, noni, cinnamon, turmeric, star apple, citrus and guava. Not to mention the humble cocoa beans, the magic crop. “The noni is full of antioxidants and vitamin C,” says Juan-Luis as he slices the pungent fruit with his Victorinox. “The taste is not nearly as bad as the smell.” And he’s not kidding. The innocent looking fruit has an aroma something like a mix of ripe blue cheese and eau de laundry basket. We think of the many health benefits that outweigh the unfortunate perfume as we consume the slices through clenched lips. Just that morning, Lindblad Expeditions’s brand new 100-passenger expedition ship National Geographic Quest dropped anchor amid glorious tropical “pinch-me” scenery at Playa Blanca on Costa Rica’s remote Osa Peninsula. We came ashore via Zodiacs on a picnic-ready beach and split into groups, each heading to their chosen ▶

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COSTA RICA

The crew prepare our sumptuous lunch under a massive fig tree.

COSTA RICA LIVE LA PURA VIDA Costa Ricans are taking sustainability and environmentalism seriously. Just over 20 years ago, the tiny Central American republic of fewer than five million people suffered a horrendous deforestation rate. But it has reversed this and is now in a “reforestation” bonanza, eschewing destructive industries such as ranching and tree-felling in favour of environmental tourism. The military was disbanded decades ago and the savings channelled into social programs. Pura Vida (pure life) now serves as a greeting among friends and strangers alike.

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excursion to visit families who owned and operated subsistence-level farms, each with their own specialities. In a country well-known for its incredible biodiversity and rugged primary rainforest jungles, the Osa Peninsula is remote even for Costa Ricans. It’s a prominent, if distant appendage tucked away on the far southern extremity of the country adjoining its neighbour, Panama. While the crew diligently prepare our sumptuous barbecue lunch under the shade of a massive fig tree, a troupe of local school students enthrall us as they swirl and twirl in traditional costumes to the tune of folk music. All the while, a trio of brightly plumed scarlet macaws look down on the clumsy mammals with an air of comic disdain. A FAMILY TRADITION Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic have been exploring this region of Central America for more than 20 years and it shows. When the dynasty’s patriarch, Lars-Eric Lindblad, began expedition cruises to Antarctica and the Galapagos 50 years ago, he set in motion an unstoppable trend by taking intrepid travellers to previously impossible destinations. Today, Lars-Eric’s son, Sven-Olaf, continues the family tradition with a fleet of 13 vessels taking guests as far afield as the high Arctic as well as the remote Pacific and many inland waterways. This year Lindblad returns to Egypt, inaugurates a citizen science project in the sub-Antarctic, launches a second 100-passenger new build and cuts first steel on a revolutionary X-bow vessel

for delivery in 2020. The NYC-based company is on an upward trajectory for the next 50 years, but all the while keeping grounded in its core values. “We are seeing more and more ships being developed that use the term ‘expedition’ in their offerings,” notes Lindblad. “They are designed to carry more and more people for obvious reasons – revenue. It’s just not a good idea. The most valuable commodity our guests have is time. And, frankly, large numbers of people on an expedition squanders time, limits opportunity, puts safety in jeopardy and, in some cases, is just not good for the places visited. So, you will not see us falling to that economic temptation.” Indeed, time is precious, especially in the second half of our lives when we all have less patience for long queues, contrived experiences and boorish behaviour. It’s no wonder these aspiring expedition cruise companies to which he refers all look to Lindblad for inspiration. Costa Rica fits seamlessly into the Lindblad portfolio and forms a cornerstone of its operations in Central America, which also includes Panama, Belize, Mexico, Cuba and Guatemala. The family-owned, community experiences on the Osa Peninsula are an enlightening example of how tourism can resist becoming a massmarket commodity and maintain sustainable, eco-friendly operations that are a joy to experience. And me, I’ll never snub a jackfruit again.

Find out more about cruises for adventure travellers at mindfood.com/adventures.

ITINERARY: WHEN & WHERE Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic trips sail from December through to April in Costa Rica and Panama, including a transit of the Panama Canal. Itineraries are eight days/seven nights aboard the 2017-launched, 100-passenger National Geographic Quest and can be extended to nine or 11 days with optional land expeditions. Rates begin at $7490 per person, twin share. Solo cabins are also available. Fare includes group transfers, all excursions, naturalist-led hikes, kayaking, wildlife spotting and expert enrichment lectures. To book see your travel agent, call 1300 361 012 or visit au.expeditions.com.

CRUISE SPECIAL

AMAZING AMAZON Venturing into the Amazon basin with Ponant is like exploring the heart and lungs of the planet. With one in 10 known species on earth and 1.4 billion acres of dense forest (half of the planet’s tropical forests), if you listen closely, you can hear the world breathe.

WORD S BY RODERICK EIME

VOYAGE TO REMEMBER This image: Ponant cruises are rich in encounters and discovery. Below: A stylish bedroom, bar and reception area inside Le Soléal showcase the relaxed elegance of the vessel.

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e’re at a tiny farm a short ferry ride from the Amazonian city of Belem where Cicero, my ebullient guide is explaining many of the curious plants and tiny animals surviving here. “Go ahead, give it a shot,” he coaxes, handing me a tiny shot thimble. Inside is a clear, pungent liquid. Down the hatch! My tongue immediately electrifies. I turn to Cicero and he’s laughing uproariously. I discover this drink is called Cachaça de Jambú and comprises a base spirit distilled from cane sugar (the cachaça) infused with local herb jambú (Acmella oleracea). This perennial flowering plant is widely used as a flavour enhancer. No kidding! Cicero, at 64, is a true man of the jungle and makes our visit to Belem a truly enriching experience. He spent 10 years living on a patch of primary forest downstream, only returning to civilisation to put his kids through school. “The government gave many people land when the highway was built about 40 years ago,” he tells us, “but that’s all you got. ‘Here’s your land,’ they said, pointing to the forest, ‘Bye-bye’. So for many years it was very hard work.” Our day started with Cicero walking us through the local market on the riverside, a stone’s throw from where Ponant’s luxury boutique cruise ship, Le Soléal, is moored at the old rubber industry wharf, long disused but slowly converting to chic restaurants and retail. All manner of peculiar fruit and vegetables unfamiliar to Western eyes are arrayed for our inspection. Names like cupuacu, bacuri, tapereba and

SOUTH AMERICA acerola are piled in vivid stacks on the wobbly trestles. Like dense little apples, the acai fruit is the only one I recognise. “This fruit has made the fortune of the river people,” Cicero says, “and we export this all over the world for its miraculous medicinal properties. Once we had rubber, now it’s acai!” I hand Cicero a few rials (about $5) to buy some juices for us. An amusing range of expressions ensues as the unfamiliar liquids assail our tastebuds. Deeper inside the market we meet Batu, a feisty woman of 70-something who presents us with a baffling range of jungle remedies and potions. A small photo gallery shows her many celebrity clientèle from politicians to minor local and international TV and movie stars. “She’s a shaman, you know,” Cicero whispers with a glint in his eye. One of the many little vials dangling in clusters from her stall catches my eye. “What does this do?” I ask innocently. “It makes you irresistible!” Cicero says. Okay. PORTS STEEPED IN HISTORY This region is populated by people with predominantly Portuguese and indigenous Indian heritage. And there are plenty of French, Dutch and Spanish genes in this deep pool as well. The port towns of Santarem, Mojuizim and Guarja support thriving populations with their multitude of satellite stilt villages that are connected, not by road, but by busy little ferry ‘buses’ zigzagging across the torrent. Below (from left to right): The ornate Basilica and Monastery of St. Benedict in Olinda; Fiesty shaman Batu is proud of her ‘jungle remedies’ and potions, sought after for all kinds of ailments; This male capuchin monkey is at home in the Amazon.

If not for the brown turbid waters and small outboard-powered canoes, you’d think the city of Belem was a mini Miami or Surfers Paradise with all the slender high-rises piercing the low clouds. This busy port was the site of the first European settlement in the Amazon dating back to 1616 and is situated on the Guama River, one of the many arteries that comprise the massive Amazon delta which dumps 127 billion litres of water into the Atlantic every minute. On the return journey, past the many little stilt houses and moored ferries, we discuss the radical changes in the jungle Cicero has witnessed over a lifetime. “Our president [Lula] introduced palm oil a few years ago,” he says through furrowed brow. “Now we have these green deserts that have destroyed hundreds of jobs for our people.” Our shore excursion today was just a snapshot of life in northern Brazil. And our guide was one of the standouts, proving that expedition cruising is much more than just sightseeing in exotic locations. It’s a chance to meet and interact with locals and hear their stories. Our 18-day Amazon & Orinoco expedition began a few days prior at the city of Recife in the north-east corner of Brazil. This major port and commerce centre shares a similar history with so many other early coastal cities of Brazil, developing into an important Portuguese trading port that attracted unwelcome attention from the Dutch. Here we toured the cultural centre of Olinda, listed by UNESCO in 1982, where its cobblestoned streets and squares are only interrupted by churches and civic buildings painted in pastel hues. Another UNESCO-listed city, Sao Luis, featured

next, where we were entertained with a regional variation of the famous carnival, known locally as Bumba Boi after a quaint folk tale. NATURE BECKONS From Belem, Captain Debien and his team have expertly navigated through the jungle-lined waterways as far inland as Santarem, stopping at least twice a day so we could launch our Zodiacs on excursions into the dense undergrowth. Waders, raptors and waterbirds of every sort are sighted. And too many toucans to count. We even spy the bizarre hoatzin, a bird so ancient it has more in common with dinosaurs than the rest of its feathered genera. Pink dolphins and caiman pop up regularly to check on our progress, while howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas and bats survey us from above. If it weren’t for adventure cruise and travel companies like Ponant prepared to invest and seek out these special locations, then the experiences contained in such exceptional ecosystems, environments and civilisations may well never be seen by the likes of me. ITINERARY: WHEN & WHERE The Amazon & Orinoco expedition is just one of the many exciting and remote destinations delivered by Ponant and its fleet of luxury vessels. The elegant Le Champlain will travel the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers throughout 2018-19. Details of all Ponant voyages, including itineraries, pricing and shore excursion highlights are available online at ponant.com. You can also contact your travel agent, or Ponant on 1300 737 178 or (02) 8459 5000 or email reservations.aus@ponant.com.

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