Day 139 - Attacking penguins

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We couldn't travel all this way without visiting some penguins, so that was what we did this morning. We travelled in a Zodiac boat to Isla Magdalena which is in the Magellan Strait. It took about an hour to get there and is not a fun trip for anyone who suffers seasickness. The island itself is a national park, with a path from the jetty up to the lighthouse. And along the way you can marvel at the thousands of waddling little penguins and wonder why they were put on this earth (tourism?). Some of them let you get quite close and one even attacked our camera in a similar fashion adopted by Russell Crowe. They were an impressive sight, if a bit smelly. This particular colony has a much better deal than the Emperor penguins in Antarctica - much warmer (although still bloody cold) and without the 4 months of marching and starving (their beach is just a short waddle away).

The lighthouse itself was quite interesting and really made you think what a terrible decision it would be to become a lighthouse keeper. We climbed the narrowest and steepest spiral staircase humans could ever hope to use for a windy 360 degree view from the top. There was even a sign saying that this lighthouse is considered one of the hundred most important lighthouses in the world. It didn't elaborate on exactly which position this lighthouse held, or how often the list is revised; we didn't even realise that anyone compiled such a list. You learn something every day.

We wandered around Punta Arenas once we were back on dry land and took in the amazingly cared-for cemetery, with enormous family tombs of Punta Arenas's rich and famous ex-citizens. In the evening we ate in the hostel and spent time chatting to the owner. It's called Aiken and we'd recommend it, although everyone agrees it's bizarrely similar to a stereotypical grandparents' house! (all original stuff though, in good working order)

We also noticed something wrong with their map of the world - see if you can spot it...

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Comments

[skaboii]

Islas Malvinas / Fakland
There is no typographical error, the Malvinas/Falkland Islands are a territory still unresolved within the right placement and resolution of the united nations. From 1810 to 1833 Argentina manage the islands without any international claim until the United Kingdom invaded the islands in 1833 and claimed by Argentina since then.