Trips

Sun., 12/28/14 – Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
            Another early departure today.  Our Aerolineas Argentinas flight has a weight restriction of 33 pounds for our luggage and 11 pounds in a carry-on.  We were slightly overweight but they did not charge us extra. (we were able to store a suitcase at the hotel with the warm-weather clothes until we return in a week).
            The flight was smooth and on time.  We arrived in Ushuaia at 12 Noon to a bright sunny day.  This weather is so unusual, that the locals were outside in the parks and walking along the seaside.   Berenice lived here for two years and she was totally amazed at the sun and the people outside enjoying the very rare sunshine.
            Our bus took us on a short drive around town and dropped us and our luggage at our hotel, the Cilene.  Then we were taken to an overlook, Barrio de Collina, for pictures of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel.  It was a sunny, clear, warm day, one of about 15 they have in a year!  It was beautiful to see this southernmost city in the world under clear skies.  It rained during our visit two years ago.
            We had a “home-hosted” lunch at Gabby’s house up on a steep hillside.  We had the run of the unique house, which was stuffed with items brought back from their travels.  She laid out a wonderful buffet for us with spinach pastries, lentil stew, fudge with Dulce de Leche topping, and a birthday cake for Nicky.
            We visited a center for veterans of the Malvinas (Falklands) War in 1982.  We sat inside while Berenice translated as a veteran told us his story.  His experiences on the islands were horrific but he and other veterans have lately set up centers like this one to help and support other Malvinas veterans and to make sure the present generation hears their side of a terrible government experiment.

A sunny day in Ushuaia and everyone is taking advantage	Harbor and mountains
Ushuaia	Mt. Olivia and the 5 Siblings (right)
Harbor	Hone-hosted "snacks"
After checking into our apartment/suite with bedroom, large living room, small complete kitchen, nice balcony, and wonderful views, we all went to eat king crabs at Freddy’s.  I ate a nice salad while Marge and the other 18 shared crabs.  The crabs are placed in a tank in the window, the customer picks one out, it is weighed, cooked, and delivered on a tray to the table with serious shears and brief instructions on how to open them.  Marge had a WONDERFUL time and got out every morsel of crab.	Freddy's
Crab	The beer was good
	Getting inside
Still lots of meat	It was GREAT!!
Mon., 12/29/14 – Ushuaia and Embarkation on Via Australis              This morning we took the same trip into the “southernmost national park”, Tierra del Fuego National Park, as we took two years ago. The weather was much better today – sunny and warm and not windy. The Pan American Highway ends in the Park.  Just outside the park is the “southernmost tourist train.”  We stopped for a look at the three old engines and tourist cars.  The train runs for 7 km along track that was used to transport prisoners to work in the woods cutting trees for lumber and heat and quarrying stone used to build their prison in Ushuaia.
	Southern Fuegian Railway Ferrocarril Austral Fuegunino train - Train to the End of the World
Southern Fuegian Railway Ferrocarril Austral Fuegunino train - Train to the End of the World	Southern Fuegian Railway Ferrocarril Austral Fuegunino train - Train to the End of the World
Tierra del Fuego National Park         We looked at the peat bogs that have filled in glacial lakes and then stopped at Ensenada Zaratiegui where the “southernmost post office” is. The flag flying at the small building is the Tierra del Fuego flag – orange for fire, white of an albatross, and blue for the sky with the four stars of the Southern Cross constellation. On our hike into the woods we saw kelp gulls and cormorants, dog orchids, Indian breadfruit, Fashine (like white daisies), Calafate bushes with berries (not ripe), mistletoe, “terrestrial” orchids, and two upland geese.  We did not see any native red foxes or non-indigenous beavers.           We also took a new hike down to LaPataia and the “trail to the end of the world.”
Dock and "southernmost post office"	"Southernmost post office"
Kelp gulls	Kelp gulls
	Peaceful trail
Streaked Maiden (Azucena - Flower of the Province of Tierra del Fuego	Dog orchid
Indian Breadfruit	Indian Breadfruit
Indian Breadfruit	Fashine flowers
Calafata berry bush	Mistletoe
Campground	Neat sign
LaPataia - “trail to the end of the world”

 

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