Last Tango in Ushuaia

Even though the trip to Argentina went pretty much without a hitch, there is always some element of stress inherent with traveling long distances. We flew out of Houston at about 10 PM on Saturday, and I just couldn’t get to sleep. I had a window seat, but even though we were flying over oceans, jungles and mountains, it was night. I caught a glimpse of the city lights of Cancun, and Panama City, but that was it. I had to wear my big wading boots so I could cut down on the weight of my luggage, and my legs were cramped because there was no way to stretch them out. The meal they served was some beef like mess with a starch. I got up and stretched and walked a little, and finally we touched down in Buenos Aires about 9:30 AM on Sunday.

During the flight they passed out customs declarations to be turned in at the customs office upon landing. It asked me to declare anything of value, and said the duty would be 50% of the value. I had all my camera equipment and my computer, and feared I would be paying hundreds of dollars in duty fees. I read it again as closely as my sleep deprived brain would allow, and found where it said used items needn’t be declared. Whew! I did have to pay a $150 entry fee, because that’s what our country charges them for visas.

I did all the passport, customs, declarations rigamarole, and then took a taxi to the hotel I’d be staying in on my return visit to drop off some luggage I wouldn’t be needing until I returned to Buenos Aires. They had no record of my making any reservations. I got online and provided the info they needed, dropped off my suitcase, and went to the other airport where I would catch my plane to Ushuaia.

The Jorge Newberry Airport was very interesting. I had to wait for my flight for about 3 hours, and struck up a conversation with an Irish geologist who was on the way to the Mendoza wine country. The gift shops all over Argentina sold these little gourd-like cups with a silver straw called a bombilla, used for drinking Mate, the national drink of the country. There are Mate museums, Mate festivals, and Mate social events all over Argentina. Mate is an herb that contains caffeine, but tends to be more energizing, like green tea, rather than getting you wired like coffee. I couldn’t wait to try it as soon as I could find a café that sold it.

I flew out of BA at 4 in the afternoon, and my fellow passengers were mostly Argentines. We were served these awful ham and cheese sandwiches in flight, but I didn’t mind too much. I finally got my big sweaty boots for the first time in days, and it felt sooooo good! It was night when I got to Ushuaia, and was surprised to see how large the town really was. Here it is, at the end of the Earth, with a population of around 80,000. The Martial mountains surround it with the Beagle Channel spreading out below. I was finally here, south of the Equator and at the end of the Earth. I headed for the hotel lounge and had a few beers with some folks who were heading for Antarctica also, then crashed out, exhausted.

Monday was exhilarating. I woke up at 6, and went back to sleep till 10, then up to the restaurant for my complimentary breakfast. I was ready for some eggs and bacon after having to eat those sandwiches on the plane, but all there was were little rolls and some ham and cheese. It was time to go downtown.

Ushuaia really is downtown, from the hotel up on the mountain. I went down with this Canadian soldier to the main drag, and the place was crammed with tourists and the little junk shops to serve them. The whole city was geared to the tourist industry. Besides being the jumping off point for Antarctica, Ushuaia also was the base for people going to the Tierra del Fuego National Park for climbing, skiing, and boating. I tried to find a place that served Mate, but a storeowner said that restaurants didn’t serve it. It was consumed in homes, in social settings. I went back up the hill to my hotel, and returned later that evening for another look around.

The sun doesn’t set here till after 9, but the streets were completely changed. There were fewer tourists, and more locals, especially teenagers. They sat around listening to music, drinking Mate. There was a couple who were street performers who danced the Tango. I tried to sneak a picture of them and they grabbed me and made me do the Tango with them, or at least make an attempt. Onlookers must have liked it, because they all laughed, and my buddy who was with me snapped a pretty good shot of me in action.

Tomorrow we all board the boat and then leave for the Drake Passage the next day. Ushuaia is having its first Mardi Gras parade ever on Tuesday, so I’ll try to catch it before boarding the ship.