Punta Arenas, Chile

The most prominent settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile. Population: 120,000 - 130,000 people year around.

A lovely rainbow greeted us during the mid-morning hours. The topography is very different here ... the hills are lower an further away. The ship was docked at an industrial pier. I took the basic city tour, which drove by churches and the city center. Including the Catedral of Punta Arenas. A view of the city down it's main street from the Cerro La Cruz ... ... and a panoramic view of the whole city were chief on the list for this tour. The Cerro La Cruz is well-visited, and shopping is everywhere. A good sense of humor goes a LONG way! I'm al LONG away from home. The city streets are clean and well maintained ... ... which is more than I can say for the power lines! ... not much traffic. The architecture is quite interesting. One principle point of interest in the city is Memorial to Hernando de Magallane It is a tradition among sailors who cross the strait for first time to ... ... kiss the foot of the Patagon siting under Magellan. It's a nice statue. The plaza is also nice, and a GREAT place to shop! Dozens of stands to buy at! The foot has, indeed, been kissed ... a LOT. It's the only part polished! I especially liked this house ... what a view! Then we visited this museum, which preserved wealthy colonial life. Dinner, anyone? No shorts or T-shirts in THIS dining room! Formal Night every night!!! The kitchen was interesting. So was the house furnace ... note the new one, to the left. The servants quarters ... The house/museum had many antiques, including this old camera! We then visited Puntas Arenas' version of "the city of the dead." This nice cemetery had similarities to the Recoleta in BA, but smaller. Some of the family mausoleums were just as big and gaudy, though! The "municipal cemetery," has graves of many antarctic explorers, too. A view of the inside of one of these family chapels. VERY interesting ... ... they entomb them in the walls.