Veendam Day 11 - Ushuaia, Argentina

So this is what the end of the world looks like...Ushuaia, Argentina...the bottom of South America. Wow, are we a long way from Mayberry!

On the shores of Beagle Channel and surrounded by mountains, Ushuaia is the world’s southernmost city, and is known as the “Port at the End of the World”. It is the capital of Tierra Del Fuego, a large triangular island beyond the Magellan Straits, and the Southern Atlantic Province. Ushuaia was originally colonized as an Argentinean penal colony in 1902. It remained a prison outpost until 1947. In fact, some of the 42,000 present inhabitants are descendants of those prisoners. It is now a major South America tourist destination and is rivaled only by Buenos Aires for ship traffic. Ushuaia is one of few cities on earth that offer the sea, mountains, and forests all in one place. Ushuaia can best be described as a hearty frontier town in a truly dramatic setting.

This is where Route 3 (the Pan-American Highway) ends. Wowza. The highway began in Alaska. That's a long way from here.

And this lovely spot is the area's major attraction - Tierra Del Fuego National Park. Since we are only here for a few hours, we'll probably just walk around and take in all the local smells and views...and say howdy to the locals. Life is good!