Do you remember that I had written about our guide asking the group the first day about our motivation to come to Patagonia in one of my previous posts? The landscape, the hikes, the food... And the penguins? To be honest... The penguin-answer came from me. Since a long time, I love those little animals. Especially their clumsy way to walk (maybe there are some similarities??) make me laugh all the time. That's why the last day in Ushuaia was a real highlight for me!
I really liked Ushuaia - not only because of our luxury hotel! This city has a very special atmosphere! With its fascinating history (from great and important explorations to the sad history of the native Yamana) I had the feeling that there is still something in the air. And even if there is a Hard Rock Café nowadays, Ushuaia seems to keep its old, adventurous spirit.
I wasn't the only penguin fan in my group. The plan was to visit the penguins by boat, but some of us wanted to see them from very near. That's why we booked a special penguin tour. It was expensive, but it was sooo worth it!
In the early morning we took a bus that drove us to the Estancia Harberton - Patagonias oldest estancia, buil in 1886 by the British missionary Thomas Bridges. There are several old, nice houses and the museum Acatushun, which shows a big collection of local animals.
From there, we took a speed boat (bumpy bumpy bumpy) to the Isla Martillo. And there they were - the penguins!! We saw two different kinds - the Magellian penguins and the Gentoo penguins. Not very tall - perfectly for putting in a handbag and carry it home... (but no... I could finally control myself, don't worry!!).
Surprisingly, the penguins didn't bother some tourists (I guess they're used to them) - even with only 2 m of distance!
I think it's better to let you enjoy the pictures instead of reading pages and pages about my enthusiasm for those little creatures, right?
It was very cold and rainy on the island, otherwise I could have stayed there much longer. It was so much fun to observe those little penguins! We took the speed boat back to the estancia (bumpy bumpy bumpy again) where we really enjoyed a warm cup of coffee and some fantastic banana cake (thanks for sharing, Noelle! :-) ). Once warmed up, we visited the museum and learnt a lot about the local fauna.
Then we took another boat that brought us back to Ushuaia in about 2 hours. All along the Beagle Channel, one of the two "water streets" that connect the Atlantic and the Pacific ocean. This boattrip was another highlight.
We passed by the picturesque lighthouse of Ushuaia (which is actually 8 seamiles away from the town)...
... saw cormorants sitting on the rocks (to be honest, before this trip I had thought that cormorants are crocodiles, so this trip was also quite needed for my general knowledge!!! :-) )...
... and sealions, chilling on the rocks in chilly weather...
Once arrived in Ushuaia, we were all hungry - noo, not for fish! It was teatime! We found a very cute little café and I enjoyed my delicious chocolate cake.
It was already the last day with the whole group - which made me really sad. I'm always surprised how close you get during a trip and how much you start to like the people. I had the feeling we became a little (big) family during those 2 weeks. We were such a funny bunch! We ate dinner in a fantastic restaurant called "Maria Lola Resto" with a perfect view over Ushuaia bay, did the obligatory group pictures and then went to a cozy Irish pub called "Dublin" (yes, 2 of our group members should have felt like home there!) for some more beers (one more, one more!). It was a very funny evening, even if I felt a little bit of sadness and melancholy deep inside my heart (Did I really have to go home the next day??? Back to normal life?).
Most of us arrived back in the hotel late after midnight. But you can't just go to sleep if you have two huge suites and some more bottles of wine, right? So the after-party continued in the boys' suite. Music. Wine. Traveller's memories. No more details. But: What a great night!
The next morning, we had to say goodbye to some of our group who didn't fly back to Buenos Aires with us but who started another adventure instead- the Antarctic. Goodbyes. Hugs. The promise to meet again. I don't like that.
The rest of the group travelled back to Buenos Aires. Back to a big town. Back to noise, civilisation, 25 °C. Seemed strange to me. Fortunately, I aclimatized soon again. The tango show in the evening was therefore helpful. I had 2 more days in "BA" and decided to take it easy. I wasn't motivated for sightseeing anymore. Instead, I enjoyed the nice cafés, the atmosphere, strolled around San Telmo again and enjoyed not to have the normal sightseeing-stress.
The last day, Carmen - my german group member and café-and-cake-companion during this trip - and me enjoyed another breakfast with the typical ingredients (toast, cake, dulce de leche, mate-tea), then I took a taxi to the airport. Practised my Spanish skills again (will miss the language and the Argentinian accent!). Then took the plane back to Switzerland. With so many fantastic memories. Wonderful new friends. New knowledge (cormorants are no crocodiles!!). And a huge desire to see more of the world. I can't describe how much I enjoyed this trip - but I guess you read it in between the lines. Patagonia is amazing. Una maravilla. Or: Una maravi-sha, how the locals would say. If you can, visit it! Take me with you! Or at least: Bring me a penguin, ok?
Thanks for reading! Hope to be able to post soon again!
Yours,
Valentina
My tips for USHUAIA:
- Hotel Cilene del faro: There are many luxury hotels in Ushuaia. This one is really nice (and quite affordable compared to others...). If you're lucky you catch the suite. Located next to the harbor and the shopping street, with spa and good wifi. What do you need more? :-)
- Visit the museums, there are a lot! The prison museum must be good fun and interesting to see!
- Do a "Tierra del fuego" Tour by bus or hike! Make sure you visit the southernmost post office and the "End of the earth" train!
- Visit the penguins at Isla Martillo. I recommend the "Piratour" company. Quite expensive (150 Dollar for a full-day activity), but it's worth it! Boat and bus ride included. The Estancia Harberton is on the way and also worth a visit! The office is located at the pier.
- Make sure you get a stamp for your passport! You can get it free at the tourist office at the pier!
- "Maria Lola Resto" (Deloqui 1048) is a fantastic restaurant - probably one of the best in town. Great view over Ushuaia, not so many tourists (it's a bit hidden!) and good food!
- "Paso Garibaldi" restaurant (Deloqui 133). My favourite in Ushuaia. Very creative, very colorful, very friendly staff and great food and wine. Perfect!!
- "La Estancia" restaurant (corner Godoy / Av San Martin). Once in Argentina you should try the meat there (yes, I'm a vegetarian, but also for me this was something new!). A real "asado" (grill restaurant) where you choose what you want to eat by pointing at the big meat that is prepared in the open kitchen. It's "all you can eat" so be prepared! For vegetarians, the serve good pasta.
- Enjoy the night in the "Dublin Irish pub" (9 de julio 168) - a little pub always full of people. Cozy atmosphere, a lot of alcohol and funny people. Try the local beer there!
I really liked Ushuaia - not only because of our luxury hotel! This city has a very special atmosphere! With its fascinating history (from great and important explorations to the sad history of the native Yamana) I had the feeling that there is still something in the air. And even if there is a Hard Rock Café nowadays, Ushuaia seems to keep its old, adventurous spirit.
I wasn't the only penguin fan in my group. The plan was to visit the penguins by boat, but some of us wanted to see them from very near. That's why we booked a special penguin tour. It was expensive, but it was sooo worth it!
In the early morning we took a bus that drove us to the Estancia Harberton - Patagonias oldest estancia, buil in 1886 by the British missionary Thomas Bridges. There are several old, nice houses and the museum Acatushun, which shows a big collection of local animals.
 |
| On the way to Estancia Harberton |
 |
| A flag tree at Estancia Harberton |
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| Estancia Harberton |
Surprisingly, the penguins didn't bother some tourists (I guess they're used to them) - even with only 2 m of distance!
I think it's better to let you enjoy the pictures instead of reading pages and pages about my enthusiasm for those little creatures, right?
 |
| Magellian penguins at Isla Martillo - would fit perfectly in a bag! :-) |
 |
| My Australian roomie chatting with some Argentinian friends... |
 |
| A colony of Gentoo penguins |
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| A (veeery) happy and impressed tourist and some perfectly unimpressed penguins |
It was very cold and rainy on the island, otherwise I could have stayed there much longer. It was so much fun to observe those little penguins! We took the speed boat back to the estancia (bumpy bumpy bumpy again) where we really enjoyed a warm cup of coffee and some fantastic banana cake (thanks for sharing, Noelle! :-) ). Once warmed up, we visited the museum and learnt a lot about the local fauna.
Then we took another boat that brought us back to Ushuaia in about 2 hours. All along the Beagle Channel, one of the two "water streets" that connect the Atlantic and the Pacific ocean. This boattrip was another highlight.
We passed by the picturesque lighthouse of Ushuaia (which is actually 8 seamiles away from the town)...
 |
| Faro Les Éclaireurs, 8 seamiles from Ushuaia |
 |
| Flying penguins... oh.,sorry.. Cormorants! |
... and sealions, chilling on the rocks in chilly weather...
 |
| Quite busy sea lions... |
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| Very busy!! |
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| Extreeeemely busy!!! |
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| Cormorants, cormorants, cormorants! |
It was already the last day with the whole group - which made me really sad. I'm always surprised how close you get during a trip and how much you start to like the people. I had the feeling we became a little (big) family during those 2 weeks. We were such a funny bunch! We ate dinner in a fantastic restaurant called "Maria Lola Resto" with a perfect view over Ushuaia bay, did the obligatory group pictures and then went to a cozy Irish pub called "Dublin" (yes, 2 of our group members should have felt like home there!) for some more beers (one more, one more!). It was a very funny evening, even if I felt a little bit of sadness and melancholy deep inside my heart (Did I really have to go home the next day??? Back to normal life?).
Most of us arrived back in the hotel late after midnight. But you can't just go to sleep if you have two huge suites and some more bottles of wine, right? So the after-party continued in the boys' suite. Music. Wine. Traveller's memories. No more details. But: What a great night!
 |
| My fantastic group - I will miss them terribly!! |
 |
| I probably drunk more wine during this trip than during the whole year before - but it was definitely worth it!! |
The next morning, we had to say goodbye to some of our group who didn't fly back to Buenos Aires with us but who started another adventure instead- the Antarctic. Goodbyes. Hugs. The promise to meet again. I don't like that.
The rest of the group travelled back to Buenos Aires. Back to a big town. Back to noise, civilisation, 25 °C. Seemed strange to me. Fortunately, I aclimatized soon again. The tango show in the evening was therefore helpful. I had 2 more days in "BA" and decided to take it easy. I wasn't motivated for sightseeing anymore. Instead, I enjoyed the nice cafés, the atmosphere, strolled around San Telmo again and enjoyed not to have the normal sightseeing-stress.
The last day, Carmen - my german group member and café-and-cake-companion during this trip - and me enjoyed another breakfast with the typical ingredients (toast, cake, dulce de leche, mate-tea), then I took a taxi to the airport. Practised my Spanish skills again (will miss the language and the Argentinian accent!). Then took the plane back to Switzerland. With so many fantastic memories. Wonderful new friends. New knowledge (cormorants are no crocodiles!!). And a huge desire to see more of the world. I can't describe how much I enjoyed this trip - but I guess you read it in between the lines. Patagonia is amazing. Una maravilla. Or: Una maravi-sha, how the locals would say. If you can, visit it! Take me with you! Or at least: Bring me a penguin, ok?
Thanks for reading! Hope to be able to post soon again!
Yours,
Valentina
My tips for USHUAIA:
- Hotel Cilene del faro: There are many luxury hotels in Ushuaia. This one is really nice (and quite affordable compared to others...). If you're lucky you catch the suite. Located next to the harbor and the shopping street, with spa and good wifi. What do you need more? :-)
- Visit the museums, there are a lot! The prison museum must be good fun and interesting to see!
- Do a "Tierra del fuego" Tour by bus or hike! Make sure you visit the southernmost post office and the "End of the earth" train!
- Visit the penguins at Isla Martillo. I recommend the "Piratour" company. Quite expensive (150 Dollar for a full-day activity), but it's worth it! Boat and bus ride included. The Estancia Harberton is on the way and also worth a visit! The office is located at the pier.
- Make sure you get a stamp for your passport! You can get it free at the tourist office at the pier!
- "Maria Lola Resto" (Deloqui 1048) is a fantastic restaurant - probably one of the best in town. Great view over Ushuaia, not so many tourists (it's a bit hidden!) and good food!
- "Paso Garibaldi" restaurant (Deloqui 133). My favourite in Ushuaia. Very creative, very colorful, very friendly staff and great food and wine. Perfect!!
- "La Estancia" restaurant (corner Godoy / Av San Martin). Once in Argentina you should try the meat there (yes, I'm a vegetarian, but also for me this was something new!). A real "asado" (grill restaurant) where you choose what you want to eat by pointing at the big meat that is prepared in the open kitchen. It's "all you can eat" so be prepared! For vegetarians, the serve good pasta.
- Enjoy the night in the "Dublin Irish pub" (9 de julio 168) - a little pub always full of people. Cozy atmosphere, a lot of alcohol and funny people. Try the local beer there!