Ushuaia Cruise

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Braving cold and icy winds, we took a boat ride on the Beagle Channel to see several nearby islands and a lighthouse.  They call Ushuaia ¨Fin del Mundo,¨ the End of the World, so some think the lighthouse is the one Jules Verne refers to in his novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World, but that one is even further away on Isla de los Estados. The other islands were breeding grounds and habitats for sea lions and cormorants.  We were able to get out on one island, a nature reserve, and take a walk to the top of a hill for some beautiful panoramic vistas from the top, and some information about the local flora along the way.

In the evening, we followed the new tradition of making new friends and nearly pulling an all-nighter when we have to leave early the next morning.  In this case it was a travelling couple from Melbourne.  We had to catch the bus at 5 am, which we did, barely.  Monica, the host of the B&B we were staying in, Las Retamas, got up at that hour to see us off and call the taxi.  Our stay in her place was such a pleasure.  It was in a quiet spot, but still close to town, and very very cosy.  We felt very much at home, and took full advantage of the breakfast spread the first two mornings we were there: homemade breads, pastries, pies…all amazing, served with cereal, yogurt coffee and all the other brekkie standards.

The bus ride to El Calafate was 15 hours to Rio Gallegos, and then on after a bit of a wait to finally arrive at 12:30 am.  Thank goodness the hostel was only 2 blocks from the bus terminal!

Patagonia photos

About the author

Traveling like turtles, slowly and deliberately, Tamara and Donny wander together with no cure for their insatiable wanderlust.