We got to Colonia and started to poke around.
The streets were lined with big leafy trees and the buildings and gate
were interesting too. We really enjoyed exploring the little shops,
museums and alleys. It was very quaint and a nice easy day. In the distance I can see the lights of Ushuaia. It is only about 4:30 AM now. This confirms my belief that I saw the Akademic Ioffe come into the port the morning before we left. AT 7 AM we are awakened by the news that we are docking. We look out our window and see a double rainbow.
They just anchored for a couple of hours until our appointed time. We have a final breakfast and say good bye to the crew. We will miss these guys. Some we hug and some we shake hands. It has been an incredible trip.
We take about a 1 block bus ride to the Albatross hotel and it starts to rain. We wait out the rain and go over to the tourist office. They have email capability and so we send email to Wade's mom and my sis and the guys at work get one from Wade. He is very tense about the fate of his project. We purchase a few last Ushuaia souvenirs and get on the bus.
We arrive at the airport. The flight goes off like clockwork. Soon we are checked into the Hotel Presidente again. The farewell dinner is in a couple of hours. We attempt to move our flight up two days because we are ready to be home but it would cost $300 and we decided to stay. During dinner the tension over work causes Wade to sprout an awful headache. He returns to the room and Chelsea and I get an escort from Bea and Bernie -- a very friendly and lively couple.
It all seems like a dream the icebergs, penguins, seals, boots, clothes,
ship -- everything.
While we are feeding them we notice that this one bird seems to have terrible aim. He pecks and pecks and misses the food. when he finally gets one he wiggles his head around in the most wild way possible.
Our next stop is to Kelly's again to see if we can get a few more gifts. then we start back to the hotel. On the way we pass the Ferrytours office where we decide to get tickets to Colonia Uruguay. Everything is arranged but the office is not air conditions and it is a humid 90 degrees outside.
By the time we are done we dive back to the hotel to cool off. I fall asleep and get about a three hour nap. Ah, vacations!
When I awake my sweet family is ready for dinner so we pick El Palacio de Papas Fritas (the palace of fried potatoes). We did have a reason to pick it since our good guide book suggested it. On the way out we ran into two of the people on the tour. The woman, Florence, had taught school for years and so she took an interest in Chelsea. We were comparing notes on dinner and they ended up going with us. We had a good time. I am sure we talked their legs off.
Tomorrow we head for Colonia.
We got to Colonia and started to poke around.
The streets were lined with big leafy trees and the buildings and gate
were interesting too. We really enjoyed exploring the little shops,
museums and alleys. It was very quaint and a nice easy day.
We got back quite late and were all tired when we got in.
We went once again to the Plaza Congresso to feed the birds. This morning it had been raining a little and Wade said on the way over that the birds might be hiding on account of the rain. Chelsea looked depressed. Maybe, I said, they are more hungry from getting wet. Boy when I hit the nail on the head, I don't fool around. The minute we got the food, the birds started landing all over us. Chelsea had two on her head at one point and about seven on her arms. they were frantic. We went through a dollar and a half in bird food really quickly. I just threw the last third of it and they tried to catch it in mid air. I think there may have been more birds than air.
Next we spotted the movie "Good Will Hunting" at a theater. The movies here are in English with Spanish subtitles. The theater was air conditioned and we really enjoyed it.
Later, we did a little shopping and had lunch. We probably would have gone to another movie but there was nothing we could all see that we had not seen that we all wanted to see. So we had some Haagen Daaz and watched the people walk by on floor below us on the street.
The final bits of good luck on this fantastic trip were that there was a Marine Expeditions bus going to the airport so we would not need the $45 private car. Not only that but the plan seems as if it may not be completely full.
What a trip this has been! Far from being one I will never forget, I think that I will never lose the awe that I felt at the grandeur of the scenery. I'll never lose the excitement of having a wild penguin lean onto my leg trying to crawl up on me or the tickle of penguin down on my nose or the magic of huge snow flakes in the dark. I may not find the time or money to go back but if given another ticket I would leave tomorrow. Well, maybe the day after tomorrow -- we will only be getting home tomorrow and home sounds pretty good just now.
This was put together by Wade Guthrie