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Bookmark & shareA Top Day in Ushuaia
Rolling out of bed early, I wrap myself in layers to explore Ushuaia's waterfront. This is the best time of day to see it, as light glints off the shipping containers and sailboats bob on the glassy surface of the bay. After a brisk wake-up walk, I stop in at Almacen General Ramos for coffee and hot croissants, courtesy of the French pastry chef. I grab a baguette in hand for my bag lunch. Next stop: Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. Now it's raining, so instead of trolling for views, I take the forested lake trail to Hito XXIV on the Chilean border. Even if you've long stopped believing in fairy tales, the Fuegian forest is sheer enchantment: crisp air, twisted lengas and miniature yellow leaves scattering on the ground like confetti. Rabbits bolt at the crunch of my boots. After a short afternoon snooze in the hostel, I head to the tourist pier for a sunset cruise on the Beagle Channel. We sail past rocky isles with colonies of cormorants and sea lions, backed by the glacial peaks of Ushuaia. A stop on one of Bridges' Isles takes us to the blustery former settlements of Yaghans, now just shell piles where they once made camp. Back on board, a bottle of wine is uncorked and a picada (snack) is served: sausage, cheeses and olives. Passengers trade tales and some take maté with the salty captain whose stories animate the seascape with storms, shipwrecks and Yaghan canoes.
Author: Carolyn McCarthy
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