Pinguinos and Centolla!!

Pictures: coming soon... hopefully.

Patagonia at last!!  We were welcomed to Patagonia by a vast grey sky, and drove into town with the sea on our left.  The wind was blowing, but we would learn later that this was just a gentle breeze.  We hopped off of the bus in the main plaza, and realized that we had left our guide book to Chile in Chiloe.  Oops.  A stroll around town took us to a nice little hostel with a free room.  We headed out to have a bite to eat--bring on the king crab!!!  Luna was a funky place with fabulous food.

did you know that 10% of the world's natural gas is produced there?

We spent the next day searching for a trip to see penguins that wouldn't break the bank, and settled on the Ottway Penguin Colony.  That evening we got our fill of the waddling little critters, and also of the infamous whipping Patagonian wind.  I really think you have to experience it  to believe it.  Punta Arenas is nice, (did you know that 10% of the world's natural gas is produced there?) but we have hiking to do!  Tomorrow we'll try to catch the early bus to Puerto Natales--the gateway city to Torres del Paine.