This is the second time we have visited Ushuaia, Argentina. Our first time was in early 2005 on-board the Seabourn Pride cruise ship.
We woke early this morning in order to have breakfast and to get ready for our early shore excursion. We arrived in Ushuaia at 8:00 AM and we met for our shore excursion at 8:15 AM. We were very fortunate to have calm seas as we traveled from Cape Horn to this port of call.
Ushuaia has a total population of approximately 40,000 residents. Since so many items must be imported, this area has a very high cost of living. The town has a great deal of natural beauty.
While still relatively small, Ushuaia is the fastest growing city in Argentina. There are several factors driving the growth including job opportunities, and the fact that Ushuaia is a duty free port. Tourism is also a major attraction.
The last time we were in this port of call we took a trek through the Natural Reserve Park. Today, our excursion involved taking a Catamaran through the Beagle Channel. It was a lovely morning. After our group met on the pier, we took about a five-minute walk until we arrived at the Catamaran. Once everyone was on- board, we set sail for the first of three major areas where we observed hundred of imperial corman (sp) birds that resembled penguins. We also saw many sea lions. We enjoyed other wonderful views of the Beagle Channel and the surrounding mountains, many of which were still covered with snow. Our tour lasted 2 ½ hours. We had very nice weather as we cruised the Beagle Channel, and the seas were relatively calm.
When we returned from the excursion, we had lunch back onboard the Serenity with Bill and Sandra who are also on the full World Cruise with us. After lunch, we went back on-shore where Anne Marie and Keith walked for about an hour. We passed by a variety of shops and restaurants. There were several other ships in port including the Celebrity Summit and a Holland America Vessel. We really enjoyed this port of call. The town is bustling with tourists and is very safe and clean.
When we returned back to the ship, Anne Marie went to the music room where she practiced on the Piano and Keith walked around the ship. This afternoon we also spoke with our son, Eric, and our daughter, Jennifer. It was so nice to talk with each one of our children and to hear their wonderful voices on the phone. We miss you both very much.
This evening we had a wonderful dinner in the main dining room. The food has just been superb!
Originally, tomorrow evening was going to be a formal night but this has been changed to a casual night because of the Super Bowl.
On our way back to the room from dinner we saw a very large yacht adjacent to our cruise ship and learned that it is Paul Allen’s (Microsoft) Yacht. It is quite impressive.
Keith & Anne Marie
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