Ushuaia

We spent today, Sunday, Feb 21st, in Ushuaia, the most southerly city in South America and the world (there are a few very small settlements further south). The city is surrounded by some beautiful mountains, providing a majestic vista. 

The history of the area is based on a penal colony (similar to Australia) and also as a safe haven port for shipping around the cape and trips to Antarctica. We visited the marine/jail museum, as well as taking a train ride into the large Tierra Del Fuego national park.  Gary and Jan took the bus tour to the end of the Pan American Highway, a bit further into the
park.

Ushuaia had a very majestic panorama

This map shows that the very tip of South America is made up of several islands

The marine/jail museum was very interesting

A tough looking guard watched over the prisoners

You really got a feel for how awful it must have been to be incarcerated there.



Life was tough

I tried to talk to one of the inmates but he didn't speak English.

We took the train up into the Tierra del Fuego National park

The train was originally built to support the logging industry that cut trees for the building of Ushuaia.  The prisoners from the jail provided the labour.