We Visit Punta Arenas, Chile

We are in Punta Arenas, Punta Arenas (sandy point), Chile is considered the largest southernmost city of South American mainland. It has amazing history and is located in one of the wildest, most remote regions of the earth. The weather here is normally very cold and very windy and I was not looking forward to the tender ride. Again our luck was unbelievable. The sun was shining and the sea was dead calm. We could just step aboard the tenders. We had a city tour here, it was through Princess .Unfortunately it began at eight and we had to be in line to catch the tender at 7:30. We seriously considered cancelling it because we didn’t want an early morning. But we didn’t. The local currency is the Chilean Peso and the exchange rate is 480 pesos equal one dollar. So a thousand peso price tag means a cost of 2 dollars. I wished I had my debit card with me because there is a Scotiabank here and getting thousands of pesos with my card would have been fun. The guide was a very knowledgeable young lady. She guided us through the city and the first stop was the Pioneer cemetery. There were amazing mausoleums. It is hard to believe these structures are for the dead. The tall cypress trees are ornately pruned and the elaborate mausoleums amaze. Next we proceeded to La Cruz Hill where we get a wonderful panoramic view of the city and the harbor. There are crafters here and I bought an Alpaca scarf. Then we head to the city center and the central plaza, called Plaza Munoz Gamero. The plaza is dominated by a huge statue of Ferdinand Magellan. At the base of the statue is a figure of an Indian and the legend is that if you kiss the toe of the Indian you will return to the area. The lineup was amazing and the toe is worn shinny from all of the kissing. We decided to pass and we only took a picture of the monument. Here is a city square and there are many many crafters selling their wares. Amazing skills are displayed here. I now have a pair of wonderful silver earrings ….penguin earrings. The last stop is the Maggiorino Borgatello Museum. This is a 19th century mansion. The elaborate furnishings are a feast for the eyes, but soon it is time to get back to the bus. We return to the ship and have time to explore the cruise ship center. Then we catch the tender back to the ship. Another adventure ends.