Tierra del Fuego!!!!!! Can you imagine Tierra del Fuego? Almost the end of the earth!

bus trip off Chiloe this morning, an hour's ride to the Puerto Montt airport , wait around, wait around, then a two-hour flight to Punta Arenas---as far south as we'll go---this trip anyway! First stop: a look at a full-size replica of Magellan's ship; I would not want to be on the open sea in something that small!!! amazing! (they are working on a replica of The Beagle as Darwin sailed through there too.)

And Tierra del Fuego!!!!!!!! It's just right there! Tierra del Fuego has been on every world map I've ever seen, and it's right here! Got my feet wet in the Straits of Magellan, wouldn't exactly say I went wading, but almost.

Punta Arenas was founded in the 19th century and has very impressive buildings around the central plaza, including a large cathedral. Didn't match the pictures in my head at all. As you might imagine if you thought about it, which I didn't, it is located at a crucial point on a majorly important sailing route.  Anyway Kay and I are impressed.

Tomorrow an early departure so we can hike at Torres del Paine in the afternoon. We'll even be taking box lunches so as not to stop for lunch en route, though I am certain there will be potty breaks. So tomorrow is the day I'll finally get to see the Torres!! I've been waiting probably fifteen years, longer than I've been a grandmother!  I am beside myself with excitement--wouldn't it be funny if I said I was beside myself  'literally?'  Can't you just see two of me side by side jumping up and down eagerly? Anyway that will be tomorrow.

Yesterday I neglected to describe one of the UNESCO churches on Chiloe: Iglesias Nuestra Señora de Gracias de Nercon. It is all built of wood in a way that uses only ten percent of the nails required in regular construction ; nails were expensive as you can imagine. They did it by fitting the pieces together like a puzzle--fascinating! It has just undergone  some renovation and only re-opened two weeks ago. Lovely interior as well  Someday hopefully someday you'll see the photos.

That's it for tonight, tomorrow--Torres del Paine!