Ushuaia, FIN DEL MUNDO Argentina

Taking a nice 2 hour flight from Calafate, on an otherwise scary plane we arrived at the southernmost city in the world (this is debatable but we are going with it).




Ushuaia is a port town on the shores of the beagle channel and is on the island of Tierra del Fuego. We are truly at the end, as we feel the relentless wind blow and the rapidly changing weather. Needless to say the setting is a bowl shaped city, facing the port to the south with a backdrop of snow capped mountains. Ushuaia is an isolated and volitile place that has seen its share of change.

Our first day We spent a great day in the Tierra del fuego national park (last day of the off season and still free) hiking the coastal trail, it was a great day of fast changing weather and water.

Our highlight was probably seeing woody woodpecker in action, in spanish they are called Carpinteros: seems so appropriate!


After a nice adventurous day we went to a converted navy hangar to see a good ol hollywood actioncomedy, Tropic thunder. I must say Emily and I laughed alone through most of the movie, these poor folks miss most of the goods with the translated subtitles.





This is a nice evening shot followed by some KING crab, Em was stoked!



Sharing costs with Magali and Sebastian, we rented a car. Driving north (since further south is not an option) and out of town on the icy roads we summited a mountain pass and dropped down into the flatter, arid valley. We headed about 200km to Cabo San Pablo. Destination: visiting one of the victims of these wild seas that now lays rest on the beach.

OOPs.


Upon our return we stopped at countless beaver lodges in search of the infamous Castor (beaver in spanish ) Seeing only a few actual beavers we saw plenty of their handy work.





The area we were in is home to some of the craziest fungi ridden-hairy trees, many different bird species, wild huanacos (see below) and more sheep than humans.




In route back we stopped at Estancia Tepi for a pre-arranged postre and tea. It turned into about 8 different types of deserts, all good, all consumed and all of us were nearly ill (with delight). We then walked around the working ranch through eery green trees, limitless skies and very cold wind. Our experience at the estancia was very friendly and if i could change only one thing it would be that we all took a nice long siesta there.

Yesterday we went to the fin del mundo museo to make it official, stamping our passports to prove the obvious. Sticking with our theme we then went to the maritime museum, in the converted jail (the end of the world is a pretty good place to house the undesirables).
It was crazy to read and think about the many adventurous souls that both succeeded and lay victim to these harsh waters. My favorite being the map of over 250 ships that have sunk between here and antarctica.


We are quite happy to have finally made it to the southern most point of our trip. Deciding to save Antarctica for another time. We hope not to fall off the end of the earth and begin our return to the north, followed then by our return the the northern hemisphere. In all its glory we have reached Deep Patagonia! Now we search for Penguins.