USHUAIA, ARGENTINA–IMPRESSIONS

∙ WHAT BILL* DID/SAW/ EXPERIENCED

(*Sondra skipped this tour to sleep and feel better.  Bill toured the Beagle Channel and Tierra del Fuego National Park.  He took all of these photos, except the last 2.)
          ∙ Time in port: 6 hours
          ∙ The group of app. 30 or 40 boarded a 2-decker catamaran and sailed through Lapataia and Ensenada Bays.  They navigated the Beagle Channel all the way to Bridges Islands and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
          ∙ Then they traveled by bus through Tierra del Fuego National Park, 7 miles from Ushuaia
          ∙ Back in town, Bill managed to find the “Casino Club” and won some Argentinean pesos
          ∙ As we were leaving Ushuaia, the Captain came on and announced that there is an extreme storm in the Pacific Ocean, which they expect to produce 40+-foot swells.  It is too dangerous for us to head out into the Pacific right now, so we’re making an unplanned overnight stay in Punta Arenas, our next port.  They’re constructing an alternate course to get us through the South Pacific.  At a minimum, we’ll be delayed and will have to skip one of the future ports of call.  Let’s hope the storm lets up quickly!  We’re also monitoring activities in Egypt on the news, because we have tours planned in Safaga/Luxor, Sharm el Sheikh and Cairo.  Today, CNN is reporting that some American tourists returning from St. Catherine’s Monastery to Sharm (one of the tours we plan to take) were kidnapped and robbed, and eventually let go!  And Sharm’s supposed to be the safe place – before this, we were worried about Cairo!

∙ THOUGHTS/IMPRESSIONS
          ∙ According to Bill, “it’s a very beautiful place, and the people are very nice.”  He liked riding in the catamaran the most.  He saw many birds and some seals and horses too.