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Friday, July 6, 2007

Icy Days

The helicopter ride and the walk on the glacier were, of course, amazing. Will not bore you with superlative descriptions. Best part was having to climb a three story high pile of ice with a hook in each hand and a rope between my feet. Never did wall climbing, but natural ice is very inviting to try and master. Muscles keep finding new places to ache, though. The things you do at old age.

Today was another boat tour, to Tracey Arms, 2,5 hours to get there, but again well worth the trip and the early rise. A green bay full of smaller and bigger icebergs in white and neon blue floating in between the high rising mountains on both side, discarding water from their tops in steady and powerful streams. Until we reached the main thing. And yes, the hypocrisy is not lost to me: a boat full of people worried about global warming hanging around a glacier for more than an hour, hoping a huge chunk of ice will break off the glacier. And it happened. No Al Gore quantities, but one rather large chunk and several small pieces. We can start and really save the world, now I have seen the evidence.
On the way back we encountered some whales, the magical animals everybody runs to the side of the boat for. And that while they only show a tiny bit of their back, in the distance. Talk about image! The sea lions, stretched out lovably on an iceberg, didn’t get the same enthusiastic response. Personally I loved the sight of two eagles sitting next to each other on a small piece of ice, like they were in deep conversation.Ended the day in a pub, looking straight up at the humungous rump of the Zaandam, at the pier. My god, what a monster cruise ship. Next to me a loud American family bossed the waitresses around. Especially the women was of the neurotic American type: ‘could you bring me.. What about our drinks, could you check on our food, could I have some salsa with it.. etc’. And, funnily: ‘that waitress is actually cuter than she looks. I love that accent’. The waitress spoke Oxford English. But she brought her dad on a cruise, and that is a good thing, though she let him know one time too many.
Tomorrow is a land day.

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