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Published: January 19th 2010
Upon entering Stanley sign
This sign can be seen from the ocean at StanleyThe Falkland Islands is not a place you can drive to for the weekend. It is located about 300 miles from the nearest South American coast. The island came to international attention when Argentine invaded the island in 1982. A British expeditionary force lander some seven weeks later and after much fighting Argentine surrendered June 14, 1982. There are remnants of the fighting on the island and one of the areas, Bluff Cove, that we visited had warning signs that unexplored ordnance might be present. A notice was posted late in 2009 that a British firm had been hired to clear mines in the area.
We arrived at Stanley via a cruise ship which is the most predominate methods of getting to Stanley although there is an airport on the Falkland Islands. We had attempted to purchase a shore tour aboard the ship however those trips were quickly sold out. We ventured into town to see if perhaps we could get a tour by a local tour company. Stanley does not have a very organized tour apparatus in place however there were several locals at the pier that offered their tour services. Most had their own personal vehicles. We opted
Penguins
Penguins in Bluff Cove fro a small bus that too us to Bluff Cove where we saw dozens and dozens of penguins. The weather was good however the temperature was very cold. We recommend that one have adequate clothing when traveling in the Falklands. After an hour at the Bluff we opted for a hot cup of ea at an old bus in the immediate area.
There are several signs in the area that warn visitors to stay on the marked paths as there may be unexploded mines form the last war. We just read that a British Company has been hired to look for the mines and this will start soon.
A quick bus ride back to Stanley where we found some of the most friendly people on earth. They all seemed very glad to see you.There are slightly more than 3000 people living-in the Falklands. The Stanley port is a quaint port city with several hotels, a church, restaurant and several gift shops. I wanted a book or two to read about the Falklands and found out books are a scarce commodity on the Falklands with prices being several times what the book would cost on the United States. I
Warning Signs At Bluff Cove
Warning signs at Bluff Cove about possible mines. Mines to be cleared starting in 2010 purchased only one and paid almost $50 for a history of the last war. It was written by a local writer and I found it to be very interesting. I donated the book to a grade school class back home that was studying the Falkland Islands.
We toured the downtown area, visited inside the church who had a tour person on duty that told us how the church was a major point during the war as well as people who sought the church as shelter. Had lunch at one of the local hotels and toured all the tourist shops. You will always find a lot of conversation about Argentina and the war if you make the mistake of asking. The relationship between the two countries has not always been good and the 1982 invasion did not help.The two countries resumed diplomatic relations in 1992.
The small country has two major industries, tourism and fishing.While not all that easy to get to, this has to be one of those places to visit in your lifetime.
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conquering continents
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My wife, Debbie, and I visited the Falklands on our way to Antarctica. We stopped at one island which was populated by one elderly couple, a Land Rover, magellanic penguins and albatrosses. I took a swift look at the wildlife and returned to the farm house to chat with the homesteaders to find out what made them tick. They are, after all even more isolated than the inhabitants of the capital, Stanley. What an interesting experience!