Ushuaia, Argentina was founded by missionaries in the 1860's to civilize the native Yámana people. The goal was finally reached when the last Yámana perished about 100 years later. The name Ushuaia is a Yámana name meaning "faces the sunset". Looking out across the bay, you are looking west. The city is located between the Andes Mountains and the bay. The Andes, while running north-south along most of the South American continent and separating Chile from Argentina, take a sharp left turn and run east-west just north of Ushuaia.
In 1902, Argentina decided to build a penal colony here which operated until 1947. They sent their worse offenders here to build the prison and most of the infrastructure of the emerging city. Built to hold less than 400, at its peak, over 800 convicts resided here.
After WWII, the Argentina government stimulated population growth using tax incentives. The city's population swelled from less than 1,000 to its current 75,000, and it is still growing. There was not much planning involved during the initial expansion. Many of the oldest parts of the residential area are a maze of irregular streets and paths. There is still only one pier for both commercial and non-commercial use. Therefore, ships like ours are docked beside expedition ships, cargo ships and private yachts. One really needs to stay off their cell phones and watch their step as they walk down the pier or they likely will be run over by a fork lift or tractor-trailer rig.
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| Looking west across the bay |
The path we took from Puerto Williams to Cape Horn and finally to Ushuaia.
Stephen T and I took an included 90 minutes bus tour of the city. They REALLY had to be inventive to get the tour to last a full 90 minutes...in fact, it lasted only about 70 minutes. We stopped serveral places for photo ops. The first was just outside the terminal where we stopped to allow us to take photos of someone's garden poppies. None were open, but if you used your imagination, you just knew they would be glorious.
We then were driven around to the other side of the bay where the airport was located. The day was chilly but with very little wind. We were told the absence of wind was unusual. We got some nice photos.
We had a really good tour guide. I didn't get her name but she was "cute as a button" and spoke excellent English, with an American accent. She told us that they do have winter sports, skiing, snowboarding, etc. Their water is supplied by the Martial Glacier which you can see from the city. I later wished I had asked her if the glacier was still growing or if it was receding. I have not been able to find out on-line.
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| Martial Glacier in the center of the photo |
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| Son-In-Law Stephen T |
We were driven up to the old prison grounds, which now is occupied by the Argentina Army. Then we were driven back to the terminal. I opted to get off the bus before going back into the terminal so I could walk around town. Stephen T and son Stephen H are going horse back riding later in the day. I was going to go but I found out yesterday they had a weight limit of 220 pounds. I weighed 217 before the cruise began and I know I have not lost any weight. Therefore I turned in my ticket yesterday and got a refund. Stephen told me after they returned that were were some on the horse back ride that were obviously heavier than I was, but no one said anything.
Anyway, I had a nice time walking from one end of the Ushuaia business district to the other end...twice (down each side of the main street).
There was a commemorative park in honor of Evita Peron.
AND, much to my surprise, I came across a Hard Rock Cafe at the End of the World. I got a tee shirt for the grand kids.
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| Looking down the main street of the business district, west to east. |
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| The Hard Rock going the opposite direction |
I did not go in, but this appeared to be a wax museum celebrating the history of the penal colony.
I walked up the old prison and took some photos.
I finished my tour of the city at a rock shop where I purchased a Inca Rose carving of a lion. I asked the sales lady "por que un leon?" to which she replied "por que no?" which seemed reasonable. I am going to give this to a dear friend of mine.
Here are some photos Stephen T brought back from the horseback ride.
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| Stephen H |
We shoved off around 4:00 pm. We will steam through the night, docking at Punta Arenas, Chile at 9:00 am Sunday morning. Stephen T and I have two hikes scheduled, one we paid for in the morning (3.5 hours Patagonian Andes by Foot) and the second, in the afternoon, is a free 2.5 hour hike. We'll see if my knees hold out for both.
