Antarctica 2023
Jan 31
We had to get up early for the short ride to AEP, Aeroparque is the smaller and closer airport in Buenos Aires. Then after a long and fast moving check-in at Aerolineas Argentinas we were on our way to Ushuaia. (pronounced oosh-why-uh)
Ushuaia, Argentina
I had booked a VRBO apartment in Ushuaia, and they contacted me in advance to make sure I reached out to the host using Whatsapp when we arrived at the airport. That way he could make the arrangements to get us into our place. There was definitely a language barrier in that Whatsapp exchange, so we caught a cab and went to what we thought was our place.
The Taxi drops us off in front of Austral Hotel and we go in to check-In, both us and another couple are getting the strange looks, and told, No, you are across the street, Austral Departmentos is not here. When we cross the street there is a man at the door, and he asks me if I'm Dave in rough English. The other couple shows him their booking form, and he says "That is someone else, he come soon". Apparently they didn't send their Whatsapp message on arrival. We all get on the elevator and leave them behind.
Two very different buildings
Once Norine starts talking to him, we learn we are on the 7th floor, but the elevator only goes to 6, then one flight of stairs. A bit awkward with luggage, but well worth it... The 7th floor has huge balconies, 1-5 don't have any.
Our incredible view
Our black/grey building on right 
The Port that we leave from
After getting settled into our apartment, we headed out and wandered the town. It feels a little like an old Banff, being surrounded by mountains and only a few main streets, just add some ocean and a bunch of murals.
Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. With a population of nearly 80,000 and a location below the 54th parallel south latitude, Ushuaia claims the title of world's southernmost city. In 1896 a prison was opened here intended for repeat offenders and serious criminals, following the example of the British in Tasmania and the French in Devil's Island.
The prison population thus became forced colonists and spent much of their time building the town with timber from the forest around the prison. They also built a railway to the settlement, now a tourist attraction known as the End of the World Train (Tren del Fin del Mundo), the southernmost railway in the world. The prison operated until 1947, when President Juan Perón closed it by executive order in response to the many reports of abuse and unsafe practices.
Around the town you see a lot of nods to the old prison days.
I have to keep reminding myself that in January at the tip of South America, it is summer.
King Crabs are a featured dish here in Ushuaia, it's kind of cruel to put them in a tank where they can see the ocean... so close, yet so far. I'll have to eat one later.
Local artisanal gallery
Around every corner is another mural, some are local wildlife, some are depicting indigenous people of the past, and some are just... well, art.
Such a wide variety of vehicles that have traveled here, some are more local, but many of them have done the Pan-Am Highway. The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads stretching across the Americas and measuring about 30,000 kilometres (19,000 mi) in total length. Except for a break of approximately 106 km (66 mi) across the border between northwest Colombia and southeast Panama called the Darién Gap, the roads link almost all of the Pacific coastal countries of the Americas in a connected highway system that runs from Fairbanks, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Ushuaia is not very big, but it's really cute with amazing views of the surrounding mountains.
We had dinner at Bar Ideal (since 1951) known as the oldest bar in the city, which offers a unique atmosphere with its cluttered decor, football memorabilia, and flags hung from the ceiling. I ordered a King Crab meal, and Norine ordered Trout stuffed with king crab. In Spanish, Norine asks the waitress if the fish includes the head, she ensured there was no head, but they also ensured every single bone was intact. It would be our least favourite and most expensive meal in Ushuaia, but it was nice when a couple guys came in and played some music. They then wandered around asking for tips. As soon as they collected the tips, they left.
It finally started getting dark around 10:00.
Feb 1
We slept in, then hit a bakery for breakfast, I know, we're so predictable, but bakeries!
The collection of ships at the port have changed a little bit, and one of the sister ships to our Oceanwide Hondius, The Plancius is dwarfed by three much larger cruise ships.
No, this statue is not made of butter
We walked the town, and found the ‘end of the world’ sign. A group of us are waiting patiently to take a picture of the sign and some dumb guy walks and stands right in front of all of us. We all burst out laughing when one of the english guys says “Is he having a laugh?” Eventually he wanders away, oblivious to what just happened.
I didn't even notice until we got home that this building looks like a whale.
At the center of the waterfront area is a large park square that is focused on a memorial and tribute to all of those that had perished fighting against the British for control of Isla Malvinas in The Falklands War. It was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. In Argentina they are not referred to as The Falkland Islands.
There's a nice little hike up some stairways to a group of platforms that look out over the harbour on Beagle Channel.
Back down the hill and we are noticing all kinds of art we hadn't seen yet, I didn't think there was that many streets.
Having arrived in Argentina not long after their country had won the World Cup, there was definitely signs that their greatest player was appreciated.
Tonight we had dinner at Barcleit 1912, a pizza joint around the corner. he doesn't have any diet drinks so he offers Norine white wine, when he delivers it, he asks “would you like Ice?”, ummm no thanks, he walks away, the wine is warm. She asked him for ice.
A little unconventional, but not bad pizza, and the cheapest meal in Argentina so far.
When we got back to our room, we hung out on the balcony to enjoy the views and watched the parade of ships leaving the port, Oceanwide's Plancius left for Antarctica and we saw a new ship arrive...The Hondius, our expedition ship!
Feb 2
It's our last morning in Ushuaia, we had to look out and make sure our ship was still there, this trip has been such a long wait.
We packed up again and went down the hill to drop our bags off at the designated drop off location, which was a few blocks from the pier. While in line we met one of the other passengers when he bumped his bags into Norine, "Sorry Ma'am!" he's big and loud and has a drawl that doesn't match his Minnesota home... let's just call him Drunky. It's 10am.
...now we just have to wait until we can board. Time to explore the last parts of Ushuaia.
Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy) replaced the old Kingdom of God parish, which was the First Catholic parish founded by the Salesian missionaries in 1898. Built mainly of wood and metal, recently renovated for its centenary. It was built in 1942 with the collaboration of the entire city.
In assorted location around the city are custom dog food dispensers, there is a lot of "local" dogs wandering around, but none of them look hungry. Of course they are happy to become your best friend if you have food.
At the end of the harbour is Reserva Natural Urbana Bahía Encerrada, the Natural Urban reserve is a habitat of 49 species of birds in a space that is located in the heart of the city of Ushuaia.
It's a really nice scenic walk along the harbour and then around the reserve and back into the city.
Martial Glacier above the city
Sitting aground in the harbour is the wreck of the Saint Christopher (HMS Justice). The Saint Christopher is an American-built rescue tug that served in the British Royal Navy in World War II. After the war she was decommissioned from the Royal Nay and sold for salvage operations in the Beagle Channel. After suffering engine problems in 1954, she was beached in 1957 in Ushuaia's harbor where she now serves as monument to the shipwrecks of the region.
I'm pretty sure we have walked every street of Ushuaia, and after a nice lunch break with WiFi, it's time to head to the pier and board our ship bound for Antarctica... FINALLY!