EEEEEK I AM BRA-LESS IN ANTARCTICA!!!!

WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND!!!

 

My mum decided not to join me at this landing. She was exhausted with the last landing. I brought some money to buy stickers or patches. I wanted to check this station out. Apparently, this station does not have frequent visitors.  The expedition team said that they are excited to have us stop by. Mind you this and Petermann island were not the original landings on the brochure. This was added because we did not land on Neko Harbor and Almirante Brown yesterday. 

 

This landing was not close nor see it,  It is further in a bay then another bay. It took a little long to arrive there. It was snowing and windy in the same time. The piercing snow was hitting my face and hitting my oakleys. It is a fairly large station. You can see the water tower that says “VERNADSKY” with palm trees in the background and “V” is the peace symbol with 2 fingers.  There were plenty of beautiful icebergs near the landing. at the landing, you can see the amount of snow that has been stacking throughout the years or even decades.  My group waited outside patiently to wait our turn to enter the station to have a tour of it. we had to remove our boots to avoid cross contamination.  It is very small, only 20 at a time inside the station.

 

I took photos of the grounds while we were waiting. There was a pole of many cities of the world on how far we are from Tokyo, Sydney, London, mc murdo station, ODESSA?!?!??! as in Texas ODESSA!?!??! they have that but not LA or VEGAS!!! WTF?!?!?!  HHAHAHA. There was a gorgeous view of an iceberg at the distance. There was old sleighs, oil drums, generators, and of course antennas.  It started to snow again. It was beautiful. It was finally our turn to go inside the station. I removed my boots and life jacket. It was quite warm inside. Up the stairs inside there are photos of what the station looked like 20 years ago. Now is covered with Ukrainian history of science memorabilia.

 

Upstairs is where they cook, hang out,  library of some sort that is converted into a gift shop when we arrived. At the door is labeled “THE SOUTHERN MOST GIFT SHOP” HAHAHAHA sure is. At the end of the top floor is the famous bar. HEHEHEHE :P

 

HAHAHAHA I am laughing about this landing. I have been plotting since the briefing yesterday at how I am going to do this. Vernadsky station is a Ukrainian base. It was named after Vladlmir Vernadsky, the first president of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.  The Ukrainians still keeps the bar intact that was left by the British. They have unique decorations on the bar…..BRAS!!!! They advertise, if you want a free shot of their homemade sugar distilled vodka. You barter your bra for a shot of vodka!!!! Mind you there are 11 men and 1 woman living in that station 1 year off and 1 year on. WOW!!!! HAHAHAHA I can comment to that in many ways!!!! I did not want to give my $40 Victoria secret’s bra just for a shot of vodka.  One of the passengers, Eunice, gave me an offer.  She wanted a couple of photos of chinstraps penguins I took at Deception Island to barter for her bra. She does not care of the vodka. I think it was an even trade…. .DEAL!!!!!

 

THE QUESTION IS…..WHAT IF THE MEN WANTED A FREE SHOT OF VODKA?!?!?!? HAHAHA

 

She gave me her bra before my group was called. I wanted to wear it and remove it in front of them. I am sure I can get more vodka out of that HAHAHHAHAHA.  My mum thinks I am crazy.  I put on my snow gear. GEEEEZ Eunice has a BIGGER cup size as me. I feel like I have 2 punch bowls HAHAHAHA.

 

I walked inside the bar. there was a pool table in the middle. They were playing American music. They were playing the “GREASE” soundtrack, Pearl jam, Nirvana, Metallica, Guns and Roses, and many more rock  bands.  There was many photos of American actors and movie posters.

 

The bar area is dark wood. There are padded bar stools. Behind the bar you can’t miss the collections of bras. The HUGE bra caught my eye. GOOD GOD!!!! Somebody actually left that, there were about 7 bras…..so far.  i different sizes and colors.

 

I went to the side of the bar. I gave my camera to a fellow passenger , Joe to capture my “BRA REMOVING” moment. I took off my 2 jackets. OMG joe screams out to everybody “LOOK HERE EVERYBODY MEL IS GOING TO REMOVE HER BRA IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY!??!!?” GOOD GOD, I am so embarrassed but whatever. There were plenty of camera flashes at me while I was removing my bra WITH MY TURTLENECK ON!!!!!  as I removed it, I was swinging it around above my head like I was giving a strip tease. HAHAHA. The Ukrainian guys were howling at me.   2 sweet guys were hanging out by the bar. As I removed my bra, they told me to come inside the bar. There were so much camera flashes at me by everybody. I will be on YOUTUBE for sure HAHAHAHA.

 

I took a shot with Sasha and I am sorry I forgot the cook’s name, they both took a shot of vodka with me. I took photos with them and with my bra. Sasha says “DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR HOME ADDRESS.” HAHAHAHA. I signed their guestbook without my HOME ADDRESS :D  afterwards, I briefly talked to Sasha on how they distilled it, with SUGAR no less. Well, you know what when you are in the bottom of the world with limited resources. You have to make do.  Sasha offered me another shot because I took it off in front of everybody HAHAHAHAHA. Which is my goal I knew I would get more if I made it fun giving it to them HAHAHAHA. that is the best landing ever. I had a good time there. If you wanted a shot of their vodka, it would be 2 euros, not bad. I would have drunk more with them. I love vodka.  My time was running out. I needed to go to the polar cirkel. There was a long line at the landing. I took more photos of the area. I even took photos with my bear, Bobo HAHAHHA.  It was gorgeous here. The views are spectacular.  It started to snow again :)

 

When I boarding the polar cirkel, the driver took us on a iceberg tour. I heard we missed a leopard seal and her pup earlier. I wish I was there sooner.  I would have loved to see that. However, I took amazing iceberg shots. The icy blue and the beautiful shape of the iceberg, it is starting to snow more.  I was hungry with all the excitement. I look forward to dinner as soon as I return to the boat.

 

Later that evening after dinner, one of the explorers, Christoph Hollger will read out loud the “SHACKLETON’S DIARIES.”  I ended up passing out and woke up at the end. I slept like a baby. It was long and active landing day.

 

WOOHOO POSSIBLE SECOND CHANCE LANDING ON NEKO HARBOR.

 

HISTORY OF VERNADSKY

 

Vernadsky Research Base ("Akademik Vernadsky") is an Ukrainian Antarctic Station at Marina Point on Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands, Antarctica.

 

The station was established by the British Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey as Base F or "Argentine Islands" on Winter Island in 1947. The main hut, built on the site of an earlier British Graham Land Expedition hut, was named "Wordie House" after Sir James Wordie, a member of Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition who visited during its construction.

 

Wordie House has been restored and is designated as Historic Site and Monument No. 62. The base moved to the present site on adjacent Galindez Island in May 1954 where the main building was named "Coronation House".

 

The base was renamed Faraday Station in August 1977 in honour of British scientist Michael Faraday.

 

Ukraine took over the operation of the base in February 1996. The Ukrainian Antarctic Center continues a program of meteorology, upper atmospheric physics, geomagnetism, ozone, seismology, glaciology, ecology, biology and physiology research.

 

The station consists of nine buildings standing on rock foundations. A 1961 extension at the east end of the hut provided living quarters for 15 people. Major alterations in 1980 updated the living and working accommodation. A two-storey extension provides sleeping accommodation for 24 people, a clothing store, boiler room and reverse osmosis plant on the ground floor. Upstairs are a lounge, library, dining room and kitchen. The old part of the building is now mostly laboratories and work rooms, together with the surgery and washrooms. The generator shed was erected in 1978-79, with the old one now used as a frozen food store and a carpenter's workshop. Other buildings include two non-magnetic buildings, a balloon launching shed (now skidoo garage), and a general store.