We finally Arrive!After 24 hours in transit we arrive in Punta Arenas. Pete looking fresh at the airport. We were very lucky to have a guy take us and our bikes in his van to the centre of town. There is no way we could have fit the boxes in one of the taxis so it really worked out well. He ended up being a great tour guide as well letting us know all the places to check out while we were in town. We have been bombarded with speaking Spanish as much possible. Nafisa is inventing her own italianish that gets us by. Hopefully by the end of 6 months we will be able to order and know what we are getting.
A mini me version of our plane at the Punta Arenas airport.
Being Touristy...
It´s been an exciting time in Puntas Arenas. Today we were supposed to go and see the penguins off the the coast of Isla Magdalena but due to high winds the penguins blew off to Argentina. We only found out that our boat was not leaving after taking a cab to the port and finding ourselves all alone. A lot of people talk about the wind in Patagonia,but we have never experienced anything quite like it. The wind will decide how far we get on our first day in the saddle.
Punta Arenas is a great town to explore and is very comfortable but it is definetly not designed for the budget tourist. We did manage to find this great bed and breakfast called Hostal Del Rey. The owner Catalina has been very kind in letting us build up the bikes and keep them locked up outside.
Our room with all our gear and the bikes still in their boxes.
Pete building up the bikes. Just tighten a few screws and away we go! In the last few days we have explored the town and found some of the following highlights:
The Cemetery is an amazing place. The grave markers show the international history of the town and the distribution of wealth. There are monuments the size of small houses and each one tells its own story. Some have amazing gardens and act as sanctuaries to the local wildlife. Locals come everyday to put new flowers and tend to their families. In some cases you can trace the family lineage. It doesn´t have a morbid feel at all and is unlike any other cemetery we have been to.
After trying several cafes in town this place stands out as the best in town. This place makes really strong coffee and is very laid back.
Our friend Ghislaine was an incredible help in giving us tips on where to go in town. This cafe called Los Inmigrantes is out of the centre on a small corner and is filled with local families. It´s a fantastic place for teas coffees and sandwiches and gives a glimps into the immigrant history in Punta Arenas.
The Braun Menendez Museum is a converted old mansion that shows the elegance and wealth of some of the early inhabitants. The rooms are quite oppulent even for todays standards. The pool table room was so cool!
We found this great dried fruit and nuts place which had load of different varieties of papayas, apricots, prunes, peanuts. We stocked up for the saddle ride.
Before leaving Punta Arenas we decided to head to this restaurant which was recommended to Nafisa called La Marmita. It was excellent food, we had the best cerviche there.
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