Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a much larger and more touristy city than I had anticipated.  It is (probably because its National Park status) a very clean city with lots of hotels, hostels, restaurants and shopping; but also a port city of considerable stature.

I quickly began making plans to not only visit the Ushuaia National Park, but to explore as much I could over the course of a couple of days.

On my first day I boarded Elizabetten (sic) to explore the see the lobos (sea lions) and penguins on the islands of in the Beagle Channel (the other passage around the tip of South America).

The Elizabettan provided spectacular views and provide perhaps best chance to appreciate the Andes as they trail off into the sea.  It was cold and breezy, but well worth the five hour trip.  There are a host of options available, so do your shopping.  Here again, as the day closed we were suited to more of the spectacular Patagonia sunset (This time over water!).  In any direction you looked the ski was “on fire” (witness the four photos).    . The next day was spent in the National Park where I hiked five miles through the woods and along the shore line.  It was pretty and enjoyable, but perhaps more of a trekkers forte.