Punta Arenas

Trivia question for you. Where can you find replicas of the ships of Magellan and Darwin, the ship used to claim this area for Chile, and the lifeboat that Shackleton used to get to the mainland to get help for his crew stranded in Antarctica? I’ll give you a hint. It’s the title of this post.

Magellan’s ship, Victoria

Darwin’s ship, The Beagle.

The small boat in the foreground was the one Shackleton used after The Endurance sank. The bigger one got the Chileans to this area so they could claim it for Chile.

Other notable images from Punta Arenas follow:

The huge monument to Magellan in the main square across from our hotel has carvings on all four sides, with a rather arrogant Magellan atop.

Punta Arenas was a very wealthy area at one time, and the cemetery reflects that abundance.

This mural honoring Gabriela Mistral is on the side of the school she founded (more about her later)

Sara Braun’s mansion faces the main square. This is ANOTHER good story that has to wait till I get home.

This morning, we are heading to remote areas where Wi-Fi could be nonexistent.

Although the distances don’t appear to be great, this appearance definitely IS deceiving. We will spend most of today traveling to Torres del Paine, stopping along the way for a hike, weather permitting.

Two days later, we will be on a longer drive, to El Calafate. From there we fly to Buenos Aires.

For all the map lovers, that one is for you. ❤️