Our Great Adventure: Ushuaia Day 220 26/04/2015

After breakfast at the b&b we headed downhill to have a look around the town. The plan was to spend the morning getting to know the town, before taking a boat tour into the Beagle Channel in the afternoon. As we walked downhill towards the shores of the Beagle Channel we got our first view of the Fuegan Andes peaks that are the backdrop to the city. Snowcapped and with low early morning sunshine they looked stunning. The town itself didn't seem to have a huge appeal but it's position and surrounding scenery make up for this and more. It was originally established as a penal colony and then later become a naval base. Today tourism feeds the economy and drives up prices. Ushuaia is known as the 'southernmost city in the world' and is the main gateway to the Antarctic. Despite this title it's still 150km from Cape Horn. Passing ships gave Tierra del Fuego its name when they spotted campfires that the indigenous Yamana people tended. The 'land of fire' is reluctantly shared by Argentina and Chile. South and west of Ushuaia is Chile and north and east belongs to Argentina; in fact the eastern end is unoccupied and we thought if you trekked out there it must really feel like total wilderness and at complete mercy of the elements. This archipelago at the end of the world is surrounded by the Atlantic and the Strait of Magellan with astounding mountains, glaciers, forests, lakes and a dramatic coastline. After looking at the different boat tour operators, comparing itineraries and prices we went back to the Ramos Generales for coffee and a cheeky cake. We reflected on how many references there were to the Isla de Malvinas (Falkland Islands as we know them) around the city and, whilst we have never felt uncomfortable being in Argentina, we decided here that if asked we would say we were from Scotland as any anti UK slogans were anti English rather than anti British. We then had a leisurely stroll along the harbour front and the main high street (all shops were closed as it was Sunday), stopping for lunch at the Banana cafe. By this time it was 2pm so we headed back to the sea front and entered the office of the tour company we decide to voyage with. However as the wind had picked up the office rang the port to see if the trip was running, only to be told it wasn't. Disappointed we decided to go to the nearby Museo Maritimo. This is located in the old prison that held 700 inmates in 380 cells and was divided into 4 sections. The first section was on the original discovery of the area by Europeans including Francisco Magellan (first person to circumnavigate the globe in the 16th century, James Cook (he got everywhere!) and Charles Darwin. This showed how ships have developed over the last 400 years and also how the maps evolved as more of the territory was discovered. Also there was a haunting display showing some of the ships that have been shipwrecked around Cape Horn, which is recognised as one of the most hostile and unpredictable stretches of water on the earth; where all the fury and energy of the two huge oceans crash together. Also part of this section was fa cts and pictures of the life of the indigenous people, the Yamanas. They had been here for over 7000 years and it only took 100 years for them to be wiped out by the Europeans, mainly through disease principally measles, TB and influenza. Ushuaia is actually a Yamanan word meaning land facing the sunset. The second section was in one of the prison wings and each of the 32 cells downstairs was full of prisoners stories and prison life in general. Up stairs in this block were exhibits on expeditions to Antarctica including Scott and Admunsen, Shackleton plus many other stories of man braving (and sometimes perishing) in this most harsh but beautiful part of the world (one day we would really like to go there but need to save up a lot of money to do it first!). The 3rd section was a wing of the prison which hadn't been renovated and as Diane didn't fancy it Simon went down it on his own. It was very cold and eerie in this part and the shower and tower block was there which just added to getting a glimpse of how hard it must of been for the inmates. Just for added authenticity Simon went into a cell and shut the door; it was very cramped (only 2 paces by 2 paces big) as well as being very creepy; he didn't stay there long. By the time we go the the 4th section on local art, we were both a bit 'cultured out' so we left and walked back up the hill, remarking with some frustration that the wind had dropped. At the b&b we caught up with the emerging news of the dreadful earthquake in Nepal, reflecting on what a tragedy for the local people, who we found to be so friendly and helpful. We were relieved though that as the stories unfolded, the friends we know who travel and work there are accounted for and are safe and well. It was sobering to think that as we travel the world how many of the most beautiful places are so dangerous and how life there is so tenuous. That evening we decided to try one of the famous local 'parrillas' (steakhouses), Bodegon Fueguino. Simon enjoyed the Patagonian lamb chops and Diane had Chicken Milanese washed down by bottle of malbec, aptly called 'Fin del mundo'.