End of the World

---

Hi Everyone!

It's Friday, March 27th and for half the ships passengers, the last few days at sea before disembarking in Valparaiso, Chile. I've met a lot of new friends and most of them are getting off at this point however there are a lot of Californians and quite a few of them are heading to San Francisco as well.

The last couple of days, the weather has been totally unpredictable. This part of the world can see four different seasons in one day. Mother Nature was pleasant in Punta Arenas, Chile, even though it was in the 40's, the violent wind was absent long enough for us to have a pleasant day. I did a last minute tour change and decided to head out of town and tour a family ranch, the Estancia Fitz Roy in Patagonia that was well worth it. This was by far the best cultural day I've had in South America. After 1-1/2 hour bus and ferry ride, the family greeted us with hot tea and cookies. Then the tour guide took us through the farm to visit one of the many family pets, a puma, and view the local chapel made of lenga wood. We later watched a sheep sheering demonstration, wandered through the farm museum and ate a typical patagonian lamb barbeque with pisco sour and chilean wine. After lunch the youngest son fired up an old flat-tired tractor and gave us a carriage ride around the farm. The brave were able to mount a horse, at their own risk of course, and take a wild ride. I almost ate it, but managed to stay on long enough to say.... I did it!
We had about 45 minutes before the last tender left back to the ship, so four of us decided to take a chance and get off the bus to tour the city plaza since it was only 4 blocks from the pier. We managed to make it back for the last tender, however not without a sad little stray dog following us limping and crying. I tried to get several locals to take it in but unfortunately this is a huge problem in Punta Arenas and everyone refused.

We just left the End of the World. Ushuaia, Argentina is the southern most city in the world and also the most expensive city in Argentina. There is an International airport that many scientists fly into and the port is where vessels prepare for the journey to the Antarctica. Ushuaia ( pronounced oo shoo-AYE- ah) means in native language of Yahgan Indian, “ a bay penetrating westward” The bay is the calm waters of the Beagle Channel that eventually flows into the Magellan strait and then onward to the Pacific Ocean. My tour of the day was taking a catamaran through the channel to view wildlife that included King Cormorant birds, seals and sea lions. Our ride back was now against the wind and we were out of the channel for probably 30-45 minutes but seemed like a life time. The white caps were seriously out of control and the catamaran was rocking wildly back and forth, the CD sales-pitching tour guide was walking around with bags for the several unfortunate people not enjoying the ride back. This is one of those tours that you say, “been there, done that” no need to do it again OR see a damn $15 CD to remind you of it!

We were supposed to leave port at 3:30 so we could swing back around and see Cape Horn but the fierce wind wouldn't allow the ship to leave the dock until after 6pm. Once again, due to Mother Nature, we missed the ice glaciers of Cape Horn...however early morning scenery travelling through the west end of the Magellan strait gave us a beautiful view of the mountains and I was able to see one glacier on our way to the Pacific Ocean.

The next few days will be at sea. I think I will hang out at the spa today for a little pampering.

---

Photos

rhea
ostrich like bird native to South America called a Rhea