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February 15, 2007

Argentina | South America   08:34 AM
Thinking about heading north.

The sunrise this morning over the channel really sent chills through my road worn and weary body. I wandered the streets. Watched people. And continued to contemplate my whereabouts and my next destination. Some people never stray from the main drag in Ushuaia. Today I actually walked up and down the tourist laden stretch of asphalt for a couple hours. Yeah. If that's all you see you might say Ushuaia is just a well-marked tourist trap. But look where it is! On a map! To truly know the place is to get into the park, hike toward the glacier. Have an asado with friends. Sure. You the souvenir stands and duty-free shops can get you down. But it's all in how you look at it. And today it looked good to me.

Signs on the street show the distances to major cities throughout the world. The tourist information office offers a free certificate and passport stamps for proof that one has traveled to the end of the earth. A lively local in a Penguin costume greets travelers on the street. An Irish pub assures visitors it's the southern most Irish pub in the world. And tourists fresh off cruise liners press their noses to the gift shops. You can find a three dollar t-shirt or a real sheepskin comforter. Sailors in the harbor tend to ships of all sizes, shapes and flavors. And the line of people waiting for ice cream from the local heladeria winds outside the door and down the street. While three painters work hard to freshen the lines on the street. This is Ushuaia today. But...

My Venezuelan friends have long departed the end of the world. Mark and company took off this morning. I could stay longer. But I need to be in Buenos Aires in ten days. And there's a lot of miles, penguins and friends between here and there. So I settled up with Javier and have decided to depart Ushuaia. I'll make a late start tomorrow and just go a few hours north to Rio Grande so I can have one last night on Tierra del Fuego. Then it's on to Rio Gallegos and the southern most point of the continent in Argentina (Ushuaia is on an island). This is called Cabo Virgenes and there resides the second largest penguin colony in Argentina. It's time for some waddling sea creatures.

Doc sits patiently outside the legendary Javier's Place. It's actually Martin Fierro Hostel, but there's no sign.

Well. There is a sign, but Javier just isn't ready to post it, even though he's been open for business for several years.

How many workers does it take to paint lines on the street. That is, with a paintbrush?


The only penguin I saw in Ushuaia. But I'll be seeing many next week!


The main drag in Ushaia.

Posted by allan

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