Antarctic Field Course - Study Abroad
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Callista's Journal
QA
Name: CallistaMajor: Landscape Architecture and Horticulture
Year of Study: Sophomore
Why Did I Want To Study in Antarctica: One of my goals in life is to visit every continent, when else will I have the chance to knock Antarctica off the list??? Plus I really enjoy traveling, seeing new and different environments, and being outdoors. I love penguins too!!!
Biggest doubt before the trip: I didn't really have any doubts but I was afraid of getting seasick and losing my luggage.
Best moment/experience: ummm…tough choice, have to go with top 3 here: 1. Exploring Paradise Bay 2. Climbing through the Northofagus jungle above tree line 3. Exploring the beautiful city of Buenos Aires
Worst moment/experience: Getting seasick
Favorite Animal: Chinstrap penguin
Favorite scenery/place: Paradise Bay and Buenos Aires
Favorite Plant: Cushion plant
Would I Do This Again? YES!!!
What do I think differently about since being back? I realize what a small but powerful role humans play in the world. We have this one beautiful, amazing planet. What happens to it is in our hands…or are we in its hands???
Quote: When you tell someone that you are going to Antarctica you get one of two reactions. "What? Are you crazy, why would you ever want to go there?" or " Wow! That is so cool, I'm jealous." When you experience Antarctica for yourself your reaction is awestruck silence.
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Please use the links below to view a specific date further down the page.
December - 2003
January - 2004 |
Photos credited to Callista. Click an image to enlarge, hover over an image for a description.
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Sunday, December 14, 2003
We have traveled for the last two days and have finally arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina. Our journey to Antarctica started out yesterday when we met at the Detroit airport at eight in the morning. From Detroit we flew to Miami where we had a layover for several hours. We boarded our plane bound for Buenos Aires that evening. Accompanying us on the plane was a large group of pre-teen Argentine girls (possibly a cheerleading or dance team) all with matching backpacks.
The fun started out at the airport where the girls started singing and chanting so loud that the Aerolineas Argentinas staff had to ask them to be quite so that they could announce our boarding time. On the flight the girls were constantly moving about, standing in the aisle, and talking. Their chaperones did nothing to stop the madness. Not only did the flight last nine hours, we also had our first exam to study for the next day. Needless to say, everyone was a bit annoyed.
From Buenos Aires we made a quick change to our next flight, which went to Ushuaia with a stop in El Calafate. El Calafate is a small town in Argentina. From the view out of my porthole, it looked a bit like Mars, a barren landscape shaped by glaciers and filled with cloudy teal water.
We arrived in Ushuaia this afternoon. It's a bit chilly and drizzly, (much like a Michigan day in March). We were greeted by Chenille, our friendly tour guide who told us a lot about Ushuaia. Ushuaia grew quickly, so there was no time for urban planning. The town is laid out haphazardly with hotels next to tiny house next to horse pastures. Chenille assured us that Ushuaia is very safe even though it looks a bit rough.
We moved into our hotel, the Cap Polonio, which is very charming. I am in a triple room with Bethany and Alyssa. For lunch I went to the Bar Ideal where I shared a pineapple pizza with Justin. It was tasty, but just not the same as home. We were surprised that we could pay for our meal in American dollars. We closed the night at the upstairs bar across the street. About half the group went. We all seem to mesh pretty well; I am amazed that we are all getting along.
Monday, December 15, 2003
Today we had an assignment. We went to two museums in town. Our task was to answer a list of questions at each museum. The first museum that I went to was the Museo Yamana. This museum had many neat handmade models showing plate tectonics. The museum had several exhibits on the native peoples of the Tierra del Fuego region. The main group was the Yamana which were the people that built the fires Magellan saw when he named the island Tierra del Fuego which means 'Land of Fire.' The Yamana were a nomadic people who ate mostly seafood and lived naked. They kept warm by smearing grease on their bodies. Early explorers of the area thought them to be very primitive because they did not wear clothing. As with most indigenous people in the Americas, the Yamana were plagued with European diseases and mistreatment.
The other museum was the Museo del Fin del Mundo. This museum was significantly larger and contained stuffed animals of Patagonia and Antarctica and an actual figure head off of a ships bow. In this museum, I learned a bit of the sailing history of the area including the many shipwrecks. We also looked at skulls of Leopard and Crabeater Seals. The teeth of these animals help them to strain krill from seawater. The seals take in a gulp of water and then push the water out with their tongue. The water is pushed out through holes in the teeth themselves and through the jagged gaps formed between teeth.
All the restaurants seem to have the same menu. Even the Irish Pub had pizza, which looked just like the pizza at the Bar Ideal, Tante Sara's, and X Burger. I am getting a bit frustrated!
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Test day! Our first test was at ten this morning. It covered the Antarctic Primer (a booklet passed out by our cruise company, Quark, that gave general information on physical environment, biological environment, wildlife, explorers and scientists, and popular areas in Antarctica to visit) as well as several scientific articles the professors put together for us.
After the test we moved to the Hotel Albatross. Our next assignment was to go to the Museo del Presido. This museum was very cool; it was an old prison on the edge of town. Part of it was a maritime museum that included what seemed like a model of every ship that has ever sailed around the horn. Another part of the museum focused on the history of the prison itself and included life size models of prisoners and guards. Each cell was a different exhibit that focused on an aspect of prison life. Other parts of the museum centered around Antarctic exploration, Antarctic animals, and oil drilling on the ocean. One wing of the prison was left in its original condition. It was cold, dark and generally creepy. I had a lot of fun at the Museo del Presido.
This evening Brad, Justin, and myself decided to climb up the foothills of the mountains. We went to the grocery store and bought some bread, cheese, meat, and juice. Then we walked out of town. We passed a beautiful pond area that was backlit by the sun. I took some great photographs there. We continued up the road and arrived at a small children's park. There seemed to be a trail at the back of the park. I asked some men working at a nearby house if it was OK for us to hike there. They said yes. The small amount of Spanish that I remember is sure helping me out!
The three of us ate dinner and watched the sun set on the top of a hill. From the hill we had a great view of Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, and Chile. On the way down we encountered two horses tied to trees. I ride horses at home, so this made me smile. The hiking trip with Brad and Justin was great, we bonded a bit, got a chance to see more of the area, and most of all relaxed. We have a big day tomorrow; we board the Orlova and get on our way to Antarctica!
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
We started out early today since we had to check out of the hotel, give our baggage to Quark, and then have a lecture on Antarctic Systems. Something new that I learned from the lecture was that ocean water moves along two gradients: temperature and salinity. Cold water sinks and salty water sinks. These forces help to create the nutrient rich waters of the Southern Ocean.
We boarded the ship at four. One of the crewmember's flights was delayed so we stayed docked until about nine. In the meantime we enjoyed an introduction meeting, a cocktail party, a lifeboat drill, and a delicious dinner. Craig told me to try new things as much as possible, so tonight I had for the first time:
- Halibut
- Avocado
- Chocolate Moose
- Champagne
Thursday, December 18, 2003
SEASICK!!! I woke up around three in the morning to an intense feeling of queasiness. I felt a little crazy and remember thinking, "what the heck have I gotten myself into…Antarctica better be worth all this!" I found it quite challenging to stay on my top bunk, I had to hang on and brace my feet against the wall with every gut wrenching sway. I finally managed to get down on the floor. I pulled my bedding down and decided that the floor near the bathroom was the best spot to sleep. Moving around made me have to throw up.
I spent the most of the next day delirious on the floor, eating soda crackers and flat Sprite, getting up now and then to vomit, and then sleep a bit. I finally managed to get up around five. I went upstairs for some hot cocoa and fresh air. I made it to dinner, and the seas were finally calming down. That evening we watched some movies in the lounge. I slept on the floor again (just in case!).
Friday, December 19, 2003
I slept in until 11 today. I am still feeling a bit seasick, but doing much better than yesterday. I made it to lunch and dinner. We had a group meeting to discuss our projects; what we intend to collect data on, how to collect data, and what aspect we are each covering. I am in the 'Terrestrial Biota' group. I am studying the cold adaptations of plants in Antarctica. Plants that we hope to see in Antarctica include two vascular plants: the Antarctic Hairgrass, and the Antarctic Pearlwort; mosses, lichens, and algae. Brad and Dustin are in my group as well. I intend to observe methods of adapting to the cold and extreme environment that is Antarctica. We hope to create transects either in parallel lines from the shore, or along a tourist path. We will count and record what if any plant is at every tenth centimeter. In this way, we can determine either the optimal growing distance from shore, or the amount of disturbance along a path. We can also observe which species or plant forms grow best under different conditions.
In the evening we had a briefing of what to expect during our first landings tomorrow. I am excited to see land again! The first iceberg was spotted around ten at night. I stayed up late with Justin, Mike and Mark who live across the hall from me. We went out on deck to watch the icebergs, count penguins, and take pictures. I don't think that it ever got fully dark, which was kind of eerie. After looking at the icebergs, we went up to the bridge. The Russian crewmembers seemed nervous while navigating through all the bergs. All the equipment up there was amazing, but I was a little disappointed that there was not a big wooden wheel to steer the ship!
Saturday, December 20, 2003
We woke up early to make 3 landings today. The first was at Aitcho Island, part of the South Shetland Islands. On Aitcho we encountered our first penguins! They were Chinstrap Penguins; about knee high birds distinguished by a black line running under their chin. This makes them look like they have black helmets strapped to their heads. On Aitcho we also saw a few Gentoo Penguins, which differ from the Chinstraps by having a black head and neck with small white patches behind their eyes, which resemble earmuffs. After visiting with the penguins we went on a short walk to see Elephant Seals. Along the way a Weddell Seal was basking on the snow.
The Elephant Seals are quite comical. They have quite a gas problem. It's funny to watch them lay on top of each other, burping and farting. We were told that the group was made up of immature males which some of us related to frat boys. There was one older male there that had grown the elongated 'elephant' nose. He was very vocal and seemed agitated at with all the people. We are supposed to stay at least fifteen feet from the animals but some people broke that rule right away. After Aitcho Island we came back onto the Orlova for lunch. We travel about on inflatable boats called Zodiacs. The Zodiacs are dropped by crane into the water, then we climb down a staircase to the boat. On the way back to the Orlova we went on a short Zodiac cruise to look at the massive blue tabular icebergs. Blue bergs signify very old dense ice with few air bubbles. We saw a Minke Whale while on the cruise.
After lunch we made our second landing at Yankee Harbor. There were not many plants at Aitcho due to heavy snow cover so we decided to collect data on seals. We are now supposed to look for evidence of seal feeding such as penguin carcasses, and keep track of what seals we see. There was another Weddell Seal relaxing at Yankee Harbor. There were more Gentoo Penguins as well as a lonely Macaroni. I guess occasionally an odd penguin or two gets mixed up with another species. We made our third landing after dinner at Half Moon Island. The sky was amazing; dark and stormy in some areas and beautiful lighting effects in others. The 'seal' group walked along the back shore looking for dead penguins. We were not too lucky with that but did see an iceberg break up. It made a loud gunshot noise and then split and started rolling.
Sunday, December 21, 2003
We had an Early start again today. Hannah Point was crossed off the itinerary due to strong winds so we went to Bailey Head on deception Island instead. I hear that the winds were a blessing in disguise because tour ships rarely are able to make landings at Bailey Head. Bailey Head is the home of the largest Chinstrap Penguin rookery. Over 200,000 penguins nest there. The penguins take over two hours to make the trip down the 'penguin highway' from their nests to the ocean. We found many penguin carcasses on the shore here. Bailey Head is an interesting landscape. There is a large rock outcropping carved by glaciers and a large glacial valley.
After lunch and the passage between Neptune's Bellows (a narrow passageway into the caldera of deception Island) we landed at Whaler's Bay. Here we found remains of an old whaling station including whalebones, wooden boats, and boilers to melt whale oil. There was also a plane hanger and an abandoned British aircraft that we could climb into to have our picture taken. Wildlife seen at Whaler's Bay was limited to Weddell Seals, Skuas, and other birds. I though it strange that penguins were not nesting here since it was such a protected area.
We were allowed to walk up to Neptune's Window where we were treated with a great view of the ocean and the Antarctic Peninsula in the distance. The crew also dug us a large pit in the black sand to go swimming. deception Island is an active volcano so the sand is warm. Most of us went swimming in the ocean and then the pit.
Monday, December 22, 2003
I woke up to a beautiful sunny morning. Our first landing was at Port Lockroy, a British Station funded by a small museum and gift shop. This combination of research facility and tourist stop is a great idea. Ideas such as that could help solve some of the problems between researchers and tourists. The Gentoo Penguins nest very close to the buildings here. A study taking place at Port Lockroy analyzes the reproductive success of penguins that are disturbed by people versus those that are isolated. The penguins on the island are divided roughly in half. One group is exposed to tourists while the other is kept isolated from people. Results showed no difference in nesting success between the two groups. This reminded me of the fifteen feet rule for animals, maybe this rule is exaggerated in the case of penguins, but I think that it should remain so that people respect the animals' space.
In the afternoon we attempted to pass through the Lamaire Channel, known for its stunning beauty. We made it most of the way through only to find the exit blocked by icebergs. The ship was forced to turn around and go around the island to our next destination, Petermann Island. On the way to Petermann we took advantage of the beautiful warm, sunny weather by having a barbecue on the stern. We were treated to lots of yummy meat, salad, and even corn on the cob, and bonus: free beer! We finally made a landing at Petermann this evening. On the Zodiac ride to the site we stopped to take pictures of a Leopard Seal hanging out on a small berg. This is the furthest point South we made at 65 degrees 10 minutes (the Antarctic Circle is at 66 degrees…so close). At Petermann we were introduced to a third type of penguin, the Adelie. These penguins have a stunning solid black head with a white ring around each eye. Some of the Adelies had chicks, which was a real treat to see. I finally found a bunch of plants here also. A few tufts of hair grass, abundant moss, and some crazy land algae. All this made me want to change my report back to plants. I talked with the professors, and they said I could, but I had to keep collecting seal data since it would be hard to collect plant data. Also, I was almost dive bombed by an angry Skua parent whose nest I almost stumbled upon. Word to the wise: be careful of Skuas, they are not very happy birds.
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
We woke up early to another beautiful morning. Our first landing was at Almirante Brown, an abandoned Argentine station. Here I saw an albino penguin! That was so cool! Then we hiked up a small outcropping for a great view of Paradise Bay. Carrie took our pulse at the top as part of her project. Then we all slid down the slope and made snow angels at the bottom. At the station, there was one of those signs that pointed to places on Earth and told how far they were. It was neat, especially because it was in Spanish.
After Almirante Brown we went on a Zodiac cruise around Paradise Bay. We were treated to a Minke whale sighting. This whale seemed very curious about the small boats; it stayed close to them and even went under ours twice! That was the closest I have ever been to a whale or similar sea creature. What an experience! After the whale lost interest we moved on to look at a huge glacier that is know to calve a lot. Our driver Sepp went so close, we were all afraid that a huge piece of ice would land on us! This was a humbling experience; it reminded me of how small I truly am. Then Sepp took us to an iceberg that we could stand on, this was quite fun. On the way back to the ship we stopped to take pictures of a very interesting shaped berg that we could actually drive the zodiac into! One the way to our next landing site two Humpbacks were spotted. We all rushed out to take pictures and video of the mother and calf that seemed to be in a playful mood. We made our last landing at Cuverville Island were Gentoo Penguins were nesting. A small group of us students were sitting on a rock and two penguins came so close to us. One even pecked at Ben's glove!
After Cuverville we turned our backs to Antarctica and started making our way to the Drake. I managed to get dinner down, but had to vomit soon after getting back to my room. I think that I have one of the weakest stomachs on this trip. Guess it's the floor again for me tonight!
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
I still felt quite sick in the morning so I stayed on the floor during breakfast. I finally made it upstairs for Olle's slideshow of the Swedish Expedition to Antarctica and Kara's talk on Antarctic Seals. I spent the rest of the day in a haze from the Dramamine patch and pills that I doubled up on. That afternoon I made it to Charles' lecture on Antarctica Fifty Years Ago. Charles is one of the expedition staff. He seems to have been everywhere and done everything. He has spent the last seven decades working in the Arctic and Antarctica. He is truly an amazing person and we were very luck to have him aboard. The 'human' group found him especially helpful; I think most of them interviewed him about their research topics.
That evening I stayed up to watch a few movies in the forward lounge. For some reason the forward lounge makes me fell really sick when the boat is rocking. I don't know why, perhaps that it is on one of the upper decks and has windows on both sides. I finally figured out that if I lay down in one of the booths near the center of the boat, I don't rock nearly as much and feel a lot better.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Merry Christmas! I feel much better today; the seas have seemed to subside a lot. We had a meeting this morning about getting off the boat tomorrow. After that I spent most of the day in the forward lounge listening to lectures. The lectures included a talk by Charles on the Antarctic Treaty, and Kara and Olle's talk about whaling history.
We went around Cape Horn early in the afternoon. The Horn is basically a big rock with some plants on it and a few buildings behind it, not terribly interesting, but something to say that I have done. Now I can get my ear pierced like a sailor because I went around the Horn! After going around the Horn we watched a movie about going around it in a sailboat. After seeing those waves I am glad that we are in a big metal boat, and that we had fair weather! After the movie, Mike gave his lecture about diving in the polar seas. This lecture was really interesting. We learned how deep sea diving took place in the past with large cumbersome 'Jacque Crusoe' like outfits attached with an air tube. Mike used to deep-sea dive while working for oil companies in the North Sea. This evening we were treated to the classiest dinner that I have ever had. We not only had about six courses, but also had three forks and knives. Now, you know you are eating well when you have not one, not two, but three forks! After dinner we arrived in the Beagle Channel where we anchored. Our group celebrated our tiny Christmas gift exchange in the forward lounge. I received a small handmade basket and a jar of strawberry jam. I went outside to watch the beautiful sunset on the still, calm Beagle Channel. Then we all came to the bar for some drinks, dancing, and chatting with crewmembers. This was a great finale to a wonderful trip!
Friday, December 26, 2003
We woke up early to get off the boat at 8 am. We checked back into the Cap Polonio Hotel and then had some free time to wander around Ushuaia, do laundry, sleep, or call home. Craig suggested that I hike up the glacier with Karalea and April. They will be conducting their research on some trees in Ushuaia called Northofagus. Since I am interested in plants also, I tagged along. We hoped that I could find some alpine plants with similar adaptations to those in Antarctica to make observations about.
We took a taxi up to the ski run. The chair lift was not working so we hiked under it. Then we went into the woods and climbed up the mountain. The bent and intertwined trees made a challenging and fun climb. At the top we rested. Here I found some amazing cushion plants. They are several feet in diameter. If you tap on them they make a hollow sound, but they can support my weight. I really think that the cushion plants are neat. We climbed down a streambed. Along the way I found some other mosses, lichens and other plant materials that I could come back and look at more tomorrow.
Saturday, December 27, 2003
We had a lecture early in the morning, and then the whole group went up the mountain to do the tree census for April and Karalea. We took taxis again, and then the chairlift. Then we hiked back to the edge of the glacier for a brief summary of glacial features such as steppes and outwash planes. Bob quickly covered alpine plants found in the area such as liverworts which indicate a consistently moist environment, cushion plants, and lichens which are good bio-indicators since they are sensitive to air pollution.
After the lecture we split into three groups to collect tree data at different elevations. Each group was to measure the diameter of the trees at breast height and estimate each tree's height. I was in Craig's group, which climbed up to tree line for our first transect. At this location I walked around a bit on my own making observations and taking pictures of the alpine plants for my project. We moved one hundred meters down and completed another census at 600 meters above sea level. I also stayed later to complete one final transect at 300 meters above sea level. I really enjoyed hiking today, it feels good to get outdoors and see a totally different landscape.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Today was filled with three lectures including one from Craig's colleague, Chuck, who spoke with us about the Antarctic treaty, effects of McMurdo Station, and IAATO guidelines. Chuck showed us pictures of McMurdo Station, the largest research station on Antarctica. This station is run by the United States and is home to about 3000 people in the summer. I was amazed by the amount of pollution that has taken place at McMurdo. In the past, trash was pushed out onto ice flows in hopes that it would drift out to sea and melt. Most of the trash never made it out to sea however and it still sits just under the surface near the station. To this day there is no treatment of human waste at McMurdo. E. coli has been found in the water near the station. The land around the station has been scraped to move soil where it is needed.
All of this pollution and disregard to the pristine environment that the researchers are trying to study really angered me. Here are some questions that came to mind during the lecture:
- Does McMurdo REALLY need to be as large as it is?
- Why are scientists so anti-tourism when they are the cause of ninety-nine percent of the pollution?
- Is there a larger impact from moving the waste from McMurdo than leaving it there?
- Are there any ways that tourism and science could join forces? Port Lockroy funds its science with tourism.
- Would it cost more to have several smaller stations that bring less impact to the area?
Monday, December 29, 2003
This morning started out with Craig's lecture on his experiences at Macquarie Island. Craig showed us a slide show and talked about his research to determine whether the height of grasses varies genetically along an altitudinal gradient. His pictures were interesting and sometimes funny. It was nice to have a break from taking notes and have a more informal lecture. Craig's experiences on Macquarie have made a large impact on his life, he views the world differently now. I hope that my experiences on this trip will broaden my eyes as well, making me a better, more experienced person.
The rest of the day was ours to study and work on our slideshows. I am quite the procrastinator, so I took the day to do some laundry and explore Ushuaia. I am really enjoying the change in culture and chance to use my Spanish language skills. As I said earlier, this city lacks design. As a Landscape Architecture student, I was compelled to take note of the mismatched sidewalks, inventive garages, small urban plazas, and public spaces within the city. I hope to take some pictures of these features later when I have more time and the weather is nicer.
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Today we went to Tierra del Fuego National Park. On the way to the park Chenille explained the recent war between Chile and Argentina over three islands. These islands determine the boarder of the claims to Antarctica. Relations between the two governments are still bad even though the peoples like each other. We hiked a lot through the park. We saw several different landscapes: a shoreline, dense deciduous forest, peat bogs, open glacial valleys, and mountain views. We were also treated with the sighting of a pair of wild parrots in a tree. I saw some really neat plants in the park. There is a species of orchid that grows wild, Spanish moss, Fire Bush, and many interestingly shaped old Northofagus trees. Chenille seemed to enjoy telling us about plants that were edible. One plant called Winter Bark was used by sailors to ward off scurvy. The Northofagus trees contained large clusters of an edible fungus. The Yamana ate the fungus as a last resort foodstuff since it had no taste. Some of the group tried the balls that had not yet released their spores. They agreed that it had no taste. The evening was spent listening to the first half of the student presentations. Everyone did a fantastic job and I learned a great deal about subjects that we only touched on before. Alyssa taught us about early explorations of Antarctica and that originally, before Antarctica was discovered, it was believed that there was a huge Southern land mass chock full of tropical goodies as well as more people…boy were they in for a surprise!
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Alyssa, Bethany and I had to wake up early to move out of our room because the hotel needed our triple for other guests. Then we finished up the student presentations. Amanda taught me about the sizes of all the whale species found in the Southern Ocean, her reference to the Blue Whale, the largest creature on earth was helpful to compare the other whales to. Bethany taught us about the breeding habits of penguins. I learned that some species lay two eggs and kick one of the chicks out of the nest after hatching. We wondered why they kicked out a perfectly healthy chick and thought that there may not be enough resources to feed two chicks. I was the last to present. I was very nervous and still shaken up from my project not loading correctly this morning. I have also not slept much and that may be half the problem. Despite all that I think that I made a great slide show!
After presentations we were given a few hours to have lunch and study for the final exam. This exam was the LONGEST exam that I have ever taken! It took me three and a half hours to finish. It wasn't terribly hard, just very detailed and involved a ton of writing. I think that I did well.
After the exam we headed over to the Hotel Albatross for New Year's Eve dinner and dancing. We got to watch a tango dance, were supplied with a constant flow of alcohol, provided a dance floor with upbeat Latin tunes, and given party favors. We kind of took over the place with our dancing, limbo line and such, but some of the other guests and even some of the hotel staff joined in the fun. I think that everyone had a great time. I was really glad that the professors treated us to this; it kept everyone together, and once again, encouraged some bonding. FUN NIGHT!!!
Thursday, January 1, 2004
Happy New Year!!! The professors gave us the day to ourselves. I had hoped to go horseback riding in Patagonia, but none of the companies were open on New Years. I slept in instead to recover from New Year's fun and the sleep deprivation of the past week. I had lunch at the Marco Polo, the restaurant in our hotel. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Ushuaia because of its diverse menu, and excellent quality. Some of my other favorite places to eat in Ushuaia are:
- El Mustachio (AKA 'the meat place') - specializing in an all you can eat buffet including grilled meats
- La Rueda - similar to El Mustachio but you choose what meat you would like by asking the guy behind the meat window
- Tante Sara's pizza and pasta - a nice selection of pasta and pizza, good quality
- Tante Sara's restaurant and bar - a more traditional Ushuaia menu, but great quality and a cool upstairs bar area
- The chocolate shop across the street from the Cap Polonio - makes excellent grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, hot cocoa, and homemade churros.
- Duck
- Gnocchi
- Curry
- Lamb
- Medium done steak (I always have had well done before)
- Brie cheese
- Goat cheese
- Empanadas
- Swordfish
- Jimmy John's vito sub
- Peanut butter
- Cold milk
- American style pizza
- Dill pickles
- Pepsi
- Chai
Friday, January 2, 2004
I went gift shopping in the morning. My mom requested a CD of local music and I bought Shakira in Spanish for myself. Then I took an hour to take photos of Ushuaia and a large park in the city. The park was built on a hillside. It was made up of a series of staircases broken up by several platforms. The design was angular and modern. The angled columns that defined the edges of the platforms were made of cement while the walkway was made of wood. Planting beds and trees surrounded the walkways. While the park was not as well maintained as those in the U.S., it was a nice open space that locals seemed to enjoy. As I walked about the park I noticed a girl exercising her dog, several people walking about, and others enjoying their lunch break in the park.
We flew out of Ushuaia in the early afternoon and arrived in Buenos Aires in the early evening. After arriving at the hotel, Kannan and I rushed out to take photographs of the city while there was still light. There are many beautiful city parks and plazas within Buenos Aires, I would love to come back to this city sometime and fully experience its grandeur. I went to dinner with the group at the steak restaurant that our guide suggested. I had a yummy steak. After dinner half of us wandered around Buenos Aires looking for a good bar or disco to dance at. It was only eleven (most clubs in Buenos Aires don't open until midnight or one), so we had a few drinks at an outdoor bar. We walked around a bit more and happened upon a better bar. At this bar Carrie talked to an employee who told us of a good disco. We took a cab to the club. Riding in a taxi in Buenos Aires was quite exhilarating. I noticed that their traffic lights turned yellow before turning green, this seemed dangerous.
The disco was really fun. It had two floors with different music on each floor. The music included Latin songs, hip-hop, techno, pop, and Eighties…lots of Eighties. The locals seemed to find our dancing entertaining; they dance further apart than we do. Some just stared at us, others wanted us to teach them how to dance. It was fun to try to communicate with them and teach them. We stayed at the club until four in the morning.
Saturday, January 3, 2004
I did not go to sleep last night. Instead I stayed up until sunrise to go out again and take more photographs. (Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted ALL my pictures of the last day in Ushuaia and Buenos Aires…so my memories are all in my head). Mike and I went for a walk and sat in the grass in the median of the main street. It was really nice to enjoy the city as it was just waking up for the day. Newspaper stands were setting up, and there was someone washing the sidewalk in front of every building.
We left the hotel at eight in the morning to make our eleven o-clock flight to Miami. The flight ended up being delayed nine hours due to mechanical problems. We had to stay at the airport. We passed the time sleeping and playing cards. At nine in the evening we finally got under way. I sat by Jaclyn as usual and the two of us enjoyed our last Quilmes beer… We arrived in Miami in the early morning where we said goodbye to Alyssa who sadly had to fly the rest of the way to California solo. Then we went to our hotel and tried to catch a bit of sleep before our trip to the Everglades.
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