Ushuaia, Argentina best port-of-call so far. Train ride and some superb pictures of the shore line, a church and a bit of artistic graffiti.

It's been a few days since you've heard from me due to poor Internet connections on the ship - Well, the weather changed dramatically just as we were coming around the Horn and the sea started to boil and the wind picked up to gale force. What an experience - its a good job we have our sea legs otherwise it could have been messy. It's no wonder the sailors of old and even now, fear the waters around there - apparently there are thousands of wrecks. We got some video footage but it doesn't portray the fury as it was. It was all very exciting and dramatic. The Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet at this point and there is no land barrier to stop the roaring winds - hence the turbulent and unpredictable seas. We are now the proud owners of a certificate to say that we have rounded the HORN - THE END OF THE WORLD.! 

Well, that was yesterday and today we have arrived at the southern most "city" in the world - Ushuaia - Argentina. Welcome to the end of the world and a new beginning. The town was very busy with lots of tourists. It had a really friendly relaxed feel to it and we enjoyed our brief stay. 

We took a tour in the morning on a railway which retraced the steps of prisoners which once were the only inhibitors of this place. They were taken out each day to cut down trees for fuel for the penal colony. Consequently, we saw miles of tree stumps which looked just like gravestones and indeed it is known as the tree cemetery. 

From there we went on to see the national park and Lake Esenada - very beautiful scenery except for the tourists! On the lakeside there was a cute little post office where you could post a card and a British type post box - no time for that though when you only have a ten minute stop!!!!! 

On our return to Ushuaia, we did some souvenir and chocolate shopping. While on the main street, we spotted the local church and went in - Ann said a prayer for all the family, my Mum and Gran. There were no candles to light or donation boxes, which was a bit of a shame, as I would have liked to have left something in return. It was a plain church but lovely - a quiet oasis from the bustle.

We did try to find the prisoner's museum, but got caught in a quite prolonged hailstorm, so we made a run for the ship's tenders and returned to QM2 for a well earned cocktail-of-the-day and a nap!

On to Punta Arenas tomorrow where we are booked on a ranch tour.

Our carriage awaits!

Train engine controls.

Forest devastation... those little specks in the distance are tree stumps from trees cut down over a hundred years ago.

Ann at the end of the world, almost getting blown away!

The post office and "cute" post box. It costs $10 to send one postcard!

My artistic attempt at capturing the shoreline, the blobs on the image are rain drops.

Alter at the Ushuaia Church taken with a fisheye lens, which gives a slightly distorted effect.

Weird graffiti on the side of somebody's house on the main street Ushuaia.

More later...

Visiting Ushuaia, Argentina - Options for an EIGHT hour Visit!
If the average weather records are anything to go by, it's likely to be quite cold.

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