This weekend, I got the awesome opportunity to visit my 5th Antarctic station. On Saturday, myself and about 15 other Palmerites set sail on the L. M. Gould for an overnight voyage through the beautiful Lemaire Channel to the Ukrainian base, Vernadsky. Since the waters close to station were too shallow for the Gould to tie up, we all climbed aboard two zodiacs to race across to the dock where the Ukrainians stood waiting for us and waving. As part of this trip, we delivered their new chef, who hitched a ride from Chile on the Gould, and a gift of fresh food for their winter. Once there, we took a tour, took part in a gift giving tradition between station managers, ate some food that was so nicely prepared by the all male station, took pictures and drank vodka. I also feel like I learned a lot on this trip. For instance, I learned:
1. That a drink referred to as "Milk and Honey" is not actually milk with honey poured in, but is in fact a specially fermented home brewed vodka that has a powerful kick.
2. Budmo! = Cheers! in Ukrainian
3. People with the name of Thor really do exist and they are good to have as a darts partner.
4. Fish heads can be given as gifts.
5. This sign probably has lots of important tips about abominable snowmen, skeletons, and goldfish tacos with glasses of water.
6. The Ukrainians are a super friendly and hospitable and can lay out a nice spread of food for visitors.
7. That one day away from Palmer can make me feel like I'm coming home upon my return.
Click here for some photosTo see more about Vernadsky,
click here to visit their cool slightly out of date website.
After some research I think the poster might be depicting a legend about a man who was turned into a Abominable Snowman by a sorcerer. He was just about to freeze to death when his friend, Jarod the Skeleton, gave him an enchanted goldfish taco, which turned him back into his human form. To celebrate they both shared an glass of Milk & Honey which was, unbeknownst to them, enchanted. They were accidentally both transformed back into Abominable Snowmen. Thus the great circle of life continues.
ReplyDeleteThat's not the abominable snowman, it's just a winterover.
ReplyDelete