Peaks & penguin poo at the end of the earth

http://picasaweb.google.com/inmyfootsteps for photos

The flight is 3hrs and 20 mins to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires. The scenery is breathtaking as you land and Andrew got rather perturbed with me when I ran off to photograph it while he was with all our bags and a taxi ready to get going. Ushuaia is cradled by high jagged peaks. It is a spectacular setting indeed and did not disappoint after all these years of longing to experience it myself. I was so excited seeing it I had to have the camera crow barred from my fingers. Another thing that probably makes me a bit mushy is that the architecture is like Poland in many ways.

When we waited for the luggage in the baggage hall there was a call for us over the tanoy which worried me, but it was only to let me know they had found my book on the plane which I had found boring and was leaving for someone else. That will teach me. The Argentines are incredibly considerate and kind. The whole way they deal with someone being in their seat or not having enough room to stow their carry on baggage is handled with politeness, smiling and others jumping up to help find a solution. This is so different to impatient brusque Brits I have previously observed. We could learn a lot from the Argentines.

Tango ByB was a disappointment at first and a huge come down after BoBo but then it was a fraction of the price. It is seven blocks up from the main street with ‘up’ being the operative word in a streets of San Francisco kind of way. A taxi from the town centre was 6 pesos with a tip. The room too small to swing a penguin, a musty smell that hit you as you opened the door, nowhere to put anything unless you like a towel hook ready to deposit your towel into the lavatory and a great expanse of my enemy, carpet. I hate carpet generally and here it had climbed up the bedside cube engulfing it completely.

Breakfast was okay if you want sugar – even croissants in Argentina come close to being as sticky and sweet as baklava. The choice was toast with sweet stuff or pastries laced with dulce de leche. No protein or fibre to be seen which is a disaster for my body and I should think anyone who was going to go hiking as many do.

The one redeeming feature was being able to partake in the ‘mate’ ritual where you pass round a hot toxic brew of herbs taking a sip through the also shared straw. No guest was keen to go around again after the first taste. It was a shared breakfast table so we got to meet the other guests of the 7 of us and pick up travel recommendations which was good. We agreed to share a taxi (18 pesos) with two very amicable sporty Canadian types, Doug and Chris, to go take the chairlift and walk up to the Cerro Martial glacier. The book said a 90 minute walk and that there was a splendid teashop at the glacier where we planned to lunch. This was incorrect on two counts (thanks a lot Footprint) - we’d describe it as a climb in many vertically challenging parts and the teashop was at the top of the chair lift.

It is astounding how with no food in your backpack and the need for a wee you can scale such steep scree that crumbles underneath you determined to reach a teashop and other facilities. Oh how disappointing when all you find is a bit of permanent snow on the mountain top and no there were no buildings hiding around the massive boulder. Okay the views over the Beagle Channel were pretty bloody amazing and the sun shone all day which is a rarity for these parts. It’s famous for the 4 seasons in one day affair and Raul, our host, told us an Ushuaian saying of ‘You don’t like the weather? Wait 15 minutes and it will change.” That was certainly true our second day there.

For some reason we thought the chairlift (25 pesos) would take out the hard part leaving a fairly level meander to the glacier rather than having to transform ourselves into mountain goats. This was not the ideal first outing for me who has been suffering from adrenal exhaustion and even had to swap the exercise bike for short gentle walks over a month’s recovering not to over exert myself. It was really hard going and I was dragging myself along completely destroyed. Then at the glacier as I was talking cameras with the Canadians I went partially blind! That and my trembling legs made the descent less than fun but a speedy one as I wanted to get into a bed pronto and sort myself out. Before I got off the mountain my sight came back which was a huge relief especially with all the effort to reach the end of the world, I damn well wanted to be able to see it!

After a good lunch at 3.30pm in the end we went to Supermercado Anonima for shopaholics anonymous presumably and stocked up on healthy snacks as we felt the need for fruit. Our 36 peso bill covered Oreo biscuits, almonds, pistachios, big bag of crisps, apples, bananas, plums, peaches, grapes & mint tea.

The upside of the bed and breakfast are Raul and his wife Cristina along with kick ass wifi. Raul speaks the best English, has a fabulous sense of humour and is really helpful in getting the most out of your stay. Best of all and the reason for booking is if you stay a minimum of 3 nights he puts on a tango show and teaches you some moves. We and the other guests had a wonderful time and it really was one of those special nights you will never forget. Okay so the room was not great, but the warmth of these wonderful people made us happy we chose to stay there. It was also superb value.

On the second day we were encouraged by the Canadians who were hiring a car as it all seemed so simple. Raul organised a car for us and told us about an option to drive to Estancia Haberton which is a very scenic 90km drive and get a boat over to the island inhabited by penguins. As it is a private island only one company does this and it cost 190 pesos. The car hire guy Martin from Localiza was also really friendly and helpful. Car hire for the day plus a few more pesos for going over the 200km limit came to a total of 182 pesos. We soon realised that Ushuaia has plenty of one way streets and how to read the signs of which way you can go after a man stood in the middle of a street indicating to us we were going the wrong way!

It was indeed a stunning drive amongst peaks and desolate wild landscapes punctuated with lakes. The estancia didn’t look worth the trip to see alone, had it not been so picturesque. We were supposed to meet the boat at 13:30 but true to Argentinean form this shifted to 14:00 by the time we got there, a bit like the emails we keep getting from Aerolineas Argentinas but not as bad as the Canadian’s experience of a decision to close the Puerto Williams airport the day they were supposed to fly in there.

We sat on a low bench eating our delicious sandwiches while the farm cat attacked the camera bag strap. The sarnies were kindly made especially for us at a bakery in Ushuaia at the top of the shortcut steps to the BnB (on Brig. Juan M Rosas) because none of the ready ones were without cheese (me) or vegetarian (Andrew). The boat trip was only 10 minutes or so and I didn’t feel seasick at all. I’m really not good with boats and this is why this option was perfect for me – beats 6 hrs sailing on the Beagle Channel only to sail past penguins. This way we got to wander amongst them with only 3 other people (the guide and a Brazilian couple) and see them up close and personal as they peaked out from their nests or waddled along the beach where hundreds of them were loitering. It was amazing seeing them in their world. They make quite a lot of noise too when they get going and it is really fun to see them jumping out of the water dolphin style when swimming. So cute that I didn’t mind being covered in penguin poo when I sat down to pose near them.

On the last day (a sad day for me to be leaving the end of the earth I had waited for so long – wish we’d had 4 nights here) we wandered around the town a bit more and visited the Maritime Museum (35 pesos entrance) which includes a very interesting prison. Andrew was fascinated by it and amused by me who refused to go in the cells I felt had ghostly presences. Doesn’t this happen to everyone? In one wing they use the cells as an art gallery. Another wing has not been done up since god knows when and looks very sombre and spooky. This really was a place for penance. Altogether a better prison visit experience than Alcatraz I’d say. Oh and I think the centre of the prison is where some of that film that inspired my Argentinean trip was filmed. Behind the prison is a cinema in a very strange building and behind that a field of horses where once again you feel you’ve escaped the humdrum of life.

Food in Ushuaia was pretty good and Andrew was able to eat well too. 137 was the only disappointing food experience despite it being packed to the gills but that could have been because the cruise ship was in town. Moustacchio was good too and you can get a vegetarian grill there which was yummy. I had beef in breadcrumbs with mash potato and it all reminded me of food my Polish grandmother made me. Unfortunately it was in the taxi to the airport that we spotted a vegetarian café on Piedrabuena a few blocks up from the main street, San Martin, on the left.

Our favourite was Tante Sara which had two branches – an olde worlde bar type place and a swanky modern one selling divine looking patisserie as well as proper meals, breakfasts, etc. It was here Andy Pandy discovered a taste for their dark beers like Hain. There was a lovely moment after breakfast on our last day in olde worlde Tante Sara where a guy was singing to his sleeping baby and it was so beautiful I wanted him to stay forever. Even as they gathered their things and walked out he continued to sing and I tried not to stare in awe so much.

Food costs info:

Tante Sara

American breakfast, vegetarian sandwich, café con leche = 48

Tuna salad, pumpkin ravioli, salad, fries, beer and water = 81

Cheese and mushroom toasted sandwich, salad, lamb stew, water and beer = 70

137 Pizza y Pasta

Pizza, spag bol, 2 salads, water and beer – 95

Moustacchio

Pasta, American salad and the kitchen sink, vegetable grill, breaded meat, mashed potato, water and beer – 99

Typical tip for meal for 2 people was 10 pesos.