Post Number 5: Punta Arenas

Day 8 – Our next shore excursion – Punta Arenas, Chile. The seas have gotten rougher, it’s extremely windy, and we don’t go outside without our winter coats. Tendering in to port is a challenge (check out the video).

We spend the day walking the city with Carol and Frank. There are many interesting monuments and some really great architecture.

Our first stop is the open air market where Carol exercises well developed skills.

After a while Frank and David go to a locutorio (internet cafe) to re-establish contact with North America by checking e-mail and the stock market (really bad move!!). After receiving the bad financial news it's only appropriate that we venture off to check out the cemetery. For many it's one of the highlights of visiting Punta Arenas (as long as it is not a final visit!).

I really like the cemetery, though I can’t say that David and Frank are thrilled.

On the way back from the cemetery we decide to dine with the locals. While we were dining we were serenaded by a local singer using a karaoke machine for his music. Interesting background music to say the least!

I’m also happy to have learned what Selk’nam is. We have seen the word frequently (both on this trip and last year in El Calafate), were curious, though never googled it. Turns out, Selk’nam is the name of an indigenous tribe found in this area until the early 1900’s and, given their unique form of body painting, make them an art form unto themselves.

Tomorrow the Straits of Magellan.