Chile to Antarctica

Excursion: Punta Arenas on Foot Experience

We woke up to find a small expedition ship docked opposite us, the Magellan Explorer. We realised that our port window was at eye level with the pier, and for any delivery vehicles stopping next to the ship, so we had to pull the curtains closed when we got dressed.

The wind was blowing and it was also quite miserable outside but I was booked on a tour and decided to go because there were probably areas that I didn't see when I was out walking with Paul yesterday.

A group of 22 people whittled its way down to 8 guests by the time the walking tour was finished. The weather wasn't great so I don't blame them!

We walked along the waterfront, saw a historic pier that exists but doesn't as there were lots of planks missing. At the end of it there were cormorants sitting on it, but you couldn't see them clearly - they were in the distance.

Next we stopped at the Ancund Monument which is dedicated to a schooner that carried settlers to Punta Arenas in 1843. Unfortunately a lot what our guide was saying was lost because I couldn't hear her very well. It didn't matter - at least I got outdoors for a bit.

We walked along the Colón Avenue where there were neoclassical mansions, the municipal theatre, the Union Club, The Sarah Braun Palace, and the Menéndez museum.

We climbed a lot of steps up to the Cerro de la Cruz observation deck for views of the city, and then headed back into town, past the Cathedral and to Plaza de Armas to see a monument to Fernández Magellan.

At the plaza, the rest of the guests disbursed and the guide, an expedition leader, an Australian guest and I were the only ones who walked back to the port.Leia mais