Ushuaia, is located at the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, surrounded by high mountains and overlooking the Beagle Channel.
The Argentinian Navy once operated a penal colony on Isla de los Estados, a tiny island off Tierra del Fuego's eastern coast. The prison at Presidio's de Ushuaia functioned during the Devil's Island era and, like its infamous cousin, was considered escape proof. After the turn of the century, the jail was relocated to Ushuaia and it became a favoured holding place for political prisoners until after WWII. Although is has a rather unsavoury history, Ushuaia owes its existence to the institution. The train that brought the prisoners returned northward with local wood. In 1947, the prison became part of the Naval base, and has now been restored as the Museo Penetentiario.
The ship docked a few hundred yards away from 'downtown' (50,000 inhabitants), an easy walk in the brisk midday breeze.
The mountains behind the city were snow-capped, a few glaciers peeked through the clouds and a fresh dusting from last nights snowfall covered the lower forested slopes. They were indeed - if cold - very inviting looking.
I disembarked and worked my way through the array of tour and taxi drivers from the end of the dock to the taxistand outside the gates, and there negotiated an exursion price from $103 for a drive to Tierra del Fuego National Park down to $28 for an hour anywhere else. I jabbered for a while in Spanish and finally secured Rafael, a nice young taxi driver with a stud through his nose, and another through his ear, to take us up to the nearest snow-line. That would be the Glacier Martial, 15 minutes outside Ushuaia.
Little did I know, that at the top of the windy access road was a chair lift (20 minute each way and costing $10 up and down) to travel to the base of a slew of hiking trails onto the glacier itself. Rafael escorted us to the ticket office of said chair lift, to make sure we would be ok, then retired to his taxi to have an almuerzo (lunch) whilst we whisked ourselves up the mountain. Beautiful panoramic views of Ushuaia spread below us, with MS Amsterdam resting at the dock and the Beagle Channel with range after range of snowcapped mountains spread out in the distance. Luckily the wind had subsided, and the ride up was pretty pleasant. We travelled over green trees, leaves weighted down with patches of snow, over the bed of a rushing clear mountain stream. Up there, the air felt fresh and clean, and the glacial slopes rose above us into icy heights. Next time, if there is more free shore time, that's where I will be....trekking around those rugged mountain trails amongst snow and ice.
For a totally unplanned excursion it was difficult to beat. The view from the chairlift riding back down was truly breathtaking (especially if one is slightly vertiguous like yours truly). Rafael was waiting (we delay paying him until the termination of the journey) and drove past all the vistas and viewpoints to Casa de Mariscos (Fish House) a restaurant downtown Ushuaia. I enjoyed an unforgettable meal there a couple of years ago, one that almost cost me my trip to Antarctica, as I was so engrossed in conversation, good food and wine, that I lost track of time, and almost missed the last tender back to the Prinsendam, my ship at that time.
Rafael suggested to get to Casa Mariscos before 3 p.m., as it would be cerrado (closed) for siesta after that.
In we went, and without looking at the menu we ordered exactly the same dish I had about 4 years ago: Chilean Cod baked for 20 minutes in Roquefort Cheese and Cream Sauce, served with one lone boiled savoury Chilean papa (potato). Absolutely incredibly melt-in-your-mouth delicious....I asked for the recipe, after trying to imitate it unsuccessfully for the last few years.
A good Argentinian dry white went quite well with it...
This time I watched the time pedantically, I did not want to 'miss the boat' for anything. Strolled through town, which resembles Banff with a Latin flavour, and a heck of a lot less tourists. Resisted buying Antarctic fleece jackets imprinted with maps of Antarctica, penguins, or Patagonia or Ushuaia. Also resisted buying some expensive trinket made from the Argentinian national stone the Rhododentrice (??) a beautiful transluscent red/pink stone.
Walked into a local Antarctic travel agency,.and got a quote for $ 3.500 for a 11 day Antarctic trip on an excursion vessel ( 2 Antarctic Zodiac landings per day included) - as long as one books as walk-in-last-minute. The 'real' expense would be about 2000 dollars more. Still a good deal to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Have to leave it for another day...
The ship was off again about 7 p.m. down the lower Beagle Channel to anchor off Port Williams to exchange back from Argentinian Pilots to Chilean ones, as Cape Horn region (tomorrow) is Chilean territory.
We spent quite a while at anchor...no rush, as we do not want to round Cape Horn before 7 a.m. next day.
