February 27, 2015 Ushuaia, Argentina

This is the southern most city in the world.  It’s pronounced “oo-SWY-a” - the “h” is silent according to our guide, although most people call it "oo-SHWY-a:.  We took a bus tour into the national forest and then to the end of the Pan-American highway that runs some 17,000 km from Alaska to Ushuaia.  We were warned by those on the ship not to wear anything that said “Falkland Islands” on it.  Argentina still claims the Falkland Islands, or “Malvinas” as they call it, as their territory and say the British are illegally occupying it.  There’s a sign at the port that informs everyone of this.  We didn’t mention that we had been there before coming to Ushuaia.  Peter and Carole, our British table mates, were going to say they were Australian!  If it’s their territory, why don’t they go back and remove all the land mines they left behind?

This is a very nice city with a nice central shopping street.  We had lunch with a good bottle of Tempranillo wine that was only $11.  The ship was scheduled to depart around 4:00 pm, but we were delayed an hour because they needed to send a passenger to the hospital.  The ambulance was late getting here and then it didn’t have the right equipment, so we had to wait for another one.  We heard at dinner that the patient was a Brazilian so at least s/he doesn’t have too far to go home when possible.

As expected the temperatures have taken a definite turn for the cold.  Stanley was cold and windy and today was cold, but no wind.  The seas have been a little wilder the last few days, but the ship is very stable.   Speaking of wind, we heard of someone who was on deck taking pictures with his iPad and the wind took it.  It was last seen flying by the ship with it’s cover flapping behind - a new species of sea bird.

After leaving, we sailed through the Beagle Channel past the beautiful glaciers.  Even though we were late departing, the captain made up some time and we were able to see them before it got dark.

Tomorrow is Punta Arenas, Chile.