Good Bye Argentina

Our southernmost point, on the Beagle Channel in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. El Fin del Mundo!

Am starting this note on the bus from Ushuaia, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile on Christmas Eve. We have been incredibly lucky with the weather also here in southernmost Patagonia - the sky is blue with little white clouds, and we have had sun since we arrived 2 days ago. The first day it rained some, while the sun shone, and the same happened briefly this morning. When it rains more, you just go to a different window and you see sun!
It’s early summer, and it has been warmer than the average yearly temperature of 10C (50F). But when not warmed by the sun, I needed my gloves and even wore my wool hat for awhile. Somewhere I read one should be prepared to experience the 4 seasons all in a day.. am not so sure it only pertained to hiking in the mountains here. The wind gusts are very impressive and I wouldn’t have wanted to be somewhere high and exposed.

Link to last few Bariloche, and then Ushuaia pic’s

We have nothing but positive things to say about Bariloche. One correction to  my first post from there - come later in November, and presumably any time during their summer. The last day we cheated and took the chairlift to the top of Cerro Catedral, the centrally located DH ski area. We walked around only briefly, and realized we probably would have had snow had we tried to hike hut to hut here.

Seems it always is clear and bright in Patagonia. The air is fresh, the skies are dramatic, and Craig read the UV index has been 10/10 a few times (it was 11/10 when we were in Arequipa, Peru..). Having said this, I hope we won’t be fogged in on our upcoming excursion to see whales!

In our last kitchen in Bariloche, we experienced an exploding gas stove (the caps over the burners literally shifted), and then the electrical power seemed to turn on/off for no reason. Fortunately our hosts were great, they live next door and after an hour or so of drama, everything was fine again. Despite the gas being public, the pressure apparently changes. Our hostess, who is from Buenos Aires, and had lived in Australia, said such is life in the third world...
Craig is not impressed with the plumbing anywhere we have been on this trip, and even I can tell they must waste a lot of energy in winter because there is no insulation, and there are cracks open to the outside everywhere.

My Spanish classes have unfortunately come to an end. I didn’t make time for them when we managed fairly well with English (all 3 hosts in Bariloche, and also in Ushuaia). But in the stores, we had to figure things out using what little I know. It was interesting to see how often people in many different places, immediately knew to speak English to us before we even opened our mouths. At the airport a gate attendant didn’t want to see our passports because she remembered us from check in - without having been the one to do this for us! Not sure why we are so memorable...
A few times I managed to make my inquiry clear in Spanish, and then couldn’t understand any of the reply. But here I would not fault only myself - so many times, people just said the same thing over and over without slowing down, or trying to simplify their language. Seems people aren’t used to incompetent foreigners.
But there are very few people who look local on today’s bus.

I had wanted to come to Ushuaia because it is the southernmost town in the Americas, and because I thought we should see Tierra del Fuego. Am now not sure how much is marketing hype, and where this point lies, but Ushuaia will be the furthest south we have ever been. It probably will remain so unless Pat and Dick tell us one absolutely should see Antarctica, too. Despite the brief stay here, and the convoluted travel arrangements, Craig is now also very happy we came.

We spent yesterday in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and had a wonderful day! Craig observed there were no mosquitoes (as opposed to what we understand is the case in Alaska), there was color everywhere, there were black, blue and green lakes, and the ocean was calm where we were. We saw goslings, and many other birds, but unfortunately no penguins. Had hoped to take a tour to an island off Ushuaia where one apparently can walk amongst LOTS of them, and the Brits who told us about this place, unexpectedly also saw King Penguins there. Unfortunately the tour company was fully booked through New Year’s, so we couldn’t sign up on the spot.

‘Don’t cry for me Argentina..’. They have had major difficulties and inflation is still a concern now. But of all the places we have visited on this trip, we have felt the most at home here; we have been comfortable, the weather has been just beautiful, and people have been nothing but nice. We sincerely hope they continue on their current path despite economic concerns.

Good Bye Ushuaia!

We arrived safely in Punta Arenas and found food on our way from the bus station to our little cottage! We have just finished a tasty (??!) Xmas dinner of potatoes, carrots, red pepper, onions & garlic, tomato and a special Chilean spice mixture called Merken. Even a bottle of wine - so am not super disappointed we have no dessert. Finished the Argentinian chocolate earlier today.

Xmas dinner!!

December 27 we will board a research vessel and will be off to hopefully see whales. Back on the 29th very late.