A & K personnel met those of us who had arrived on
that flight and escorted us to the Hyatt Regency. Later that afternoon
we enjoyed a sight-seeing tour of the city which included the Presidential
Palace, cathedral, and the highest point overlooking the city.
Early next morning, we left to catch the 8:30 flight to Ushuaia (pronounced
Ush-Y-a), Argentina where we would board the Explorer II to begin our
journey to Antarctica. It takes 3 _ hours to fly from Santiago to Ushuaia.
After clearing immigration and customs, we were treated to an Argentine
barbeque featuring lamb. As an added bonus, we were entertained by a troupe
of dancers from the Provincial Ballet - six young men dressed as gauchos
and six lovely young women, graceful as swans in their filmy white gowns.
The next stop was Tierra del Fuego National Park. There are only five
varieties of trees in this area and the only animals you’ll see
are the fox, rabbit, and beaver.
By early evening, we boarded the Explorer II where the first order of
business was a mandatory emergency drill - life vests and all!
Our first stop was Port Stanley. The Falkland Islands are generally remembered
as the place where Great Britain and Argentina fought a war but we discovered
that their importance is especially significant in terms of the Gold Rush
era.
Several sight-seeing options were available in Port Stanley. I chose the
audio tour so that I could have the chance to explore a bit on my own,
including a stop in at the Globe Tavern a favorite haunt for the scientific
crews who go there while on leave.
