Ushuaia, Argentina: the End of the World

It is not the end of the world yet

We are in the waters around Chilean Patagonia, somewhere in the Straits of Magellan, on Christmas day. It starts gloomy and rainy. The glaciers and the waterfalls seem mystically far away. The area supposedly  teeming with marine life, which were Darwin's focus as he sailed down the straits, seems lifeless. Not an albatross, not a sea lion, not a seal, not a dolphin. Disappointing.  But suddenly a light house appears and then a rainbow. There is a subdued tone. Sea lions are sunning on rocks. Penguins parade along the shores. All is well. 

Arguably all about location and size

Ushuaia (pronounced oo-swy-ah) is the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego, in Southern Argentina, with a population of 80,000. It's ‘near’ Cape Horn where the mighty Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans meet at the southern tip of South America.  It lies between Chile and Argentina, ensconced between the Andes mountains in the North and the Beagle Channel in the South. This is the closest settlement to the South Pole. It is the starting point for Antarctic cruises. 

Okay, not so fast. There is an island further down south but since its population is diminutive (only 3000) it is considered a village, and, therefore,  does not count! Hence, Ushuaia continues to be the world's southernmost town. And, they do give you a certificate with your name on it beautifully calligraphed.

A penal colony?: not quite

History has it that, in the late 19th century,the native Yamana population dwindled alarmingly due to epidemics. The Argentine government decided to boost the population. The least controversial way to do it would be to send political and high security prisoners from Buenos Aires and put them to hard labour within the prison walls and outside.  Thanks to them a railway track was built to transport timber (from the lush forests), rock and sand. By the beginning of the 20th century the prison had been expanded. The new town grew. 

Today it has luxury hotels and concrete apartment blocks. Happily the scene is not boring for the town also has wooden shacks precariously balanced on piers so that they can be easily moved when necessary. Interspersed are old buildings and picture perfect houses with manicured gardens. The styles vary from Swiss Chalet to stark modern. The pastel colours and wooden structures help preserve the fishing village feel. There is no doubt that tourism plays a huge role in its economy.

Stand outs

The streets are interesting to explore. The history  museum with figures beckoning through the windows is as attractive as the mural at the post office. The arcade sells local handicrafts

 Cold and colourful

Temperatures always range  between 1 and 10° because of the latitude. No surprise,for Antarctica is only 5000 km away. But nature and clever landscap8ng adds bold colours to an enchanting atmosphere. 

A picture of tranquility

At sundown the landscape takes on a subdued, sensual tone; everything feels seamlessly connected. We are ready to leave with a certificate. Others have postcards mailed from the southernmost address.

Mystical Cape Horn

Back On The Beagle Channel we sail around Cape Horn, the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, in the wake of Ferdinand Magellan's sea route that led to trade between Asia and The Americas before the opening of the Panama Canal. We are very lucky indeed to have calm seas for more often than not the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Pacific is turbulent and rambunctious making it a graveyard for ships in the days of yore. 

Ephesus, Turkey: to go or not to go

Tolerance Test at Kusadasi, Turkey.

A cruise port on our Mediterranean cruise happens to be Kusadesi. We have decided not to book a shore excursion to Ephesus, for as always a sizable portion of the time available would be taken up by the distance to travel to and fro. Besides, in our experience, the port of call would probably have more to be discovered and enjoyed at a leisurely pace. And so, we go down the gangway to be engulfed in a sea of cruisers from another liner. They are all young and enthusiastic, eagerly forming groups to hire private transport and thus share the cost. Quite quickly the groups evaporate. A small group is left still undecided. It looks as though it needs more to form a group. So Drink suggests we ask them if we could  join them. We believe we got a rude rebuff. For one thing they are all spritely caucasian Italians, from a celebrity cruise line, speaking animatedly in their own language. Here we are two older Asian adults who do not speak or understand a word of Italian. Perhaps we didn't even communicate. Even our facial expressions may not have registered.

Ego and enterprise seal a wonderful deal

Shouldn't the situation be pathetic? No way! Competition makes us more resolute. We should ask if anybody else would share a cab with us. And, as luck would have it, two couples toting professional cameras make their way down the gangway and into our entreating approach. That is a stroke of serendipity for they are well read, articulate and outgoing. Going to the museum afterwards in their erudite company is invigorating.

On our next trip to Ephesus we have our grandchildren with us. The men at the carpet shop are eager to talk to the young explorers. But it gets a little too cloying and so we find shelter at the tourist agent's office. We book with them, sit around for a while. The boys practically jump up to board the van as soon as our lady guide appears. They are more interested in the ride than inTurkish friendship, for now.

The Roman Capital of Asia Minor: an astounding synthesis of cultures

We drive through Selçuk district, towards Ephesus. We pass by a ruin and two distinct buildings. In the foreground is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Hellenistic Temple of Artemis (the many-breasted "Lady of Ephesus"). Only one column remains. Just behind it is the İsa Bey Mosque built during the Seljuk period ( Turco-persian-sunni Muslim).  In the background is the Seljuk Castle built during the Ottoman period. To think that we had seen it all in Istanbul/Constantinople, or even in Jerusalem, would be an overstatement. Add to this Classical, Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Christian. What a history, what a culture!

A Theatrical entry

As we enter Ephesus our attention turns to the lonely pear tree laden with fruit. A vestige or a stray? Our eyes are drawn towards the vast area of broken toppled stone pillars and slabs, then sweep upwards to the remains of the Odeon, an astonishingly large amphitheater, in fact, the largest in the Roman Empire. In its heyday it is said to have hosted 24,000 spectators. 

Right on the top, just behind the bleachers is the Fountain House that gave free access to water for the denizens of the city. Point to note: it was not controlled by aristocrats. An egalitarian society, indeed.

As the eyes turn back and downward, they settle on the broad, rutted, columned Harbour street. The road actually led to a harbour at the river mouth. Trade prospered. But the ravishes of natural phenomena silted the approaches so much that the port/commercial centre declined. It is easy to imagine how vibrant and prosperous the city would have been. 

A trove for the thirsty mind

An imposing two-storeyed facade towers ahead of us. It is the reconstructed Library of Celcius. Apparently, the facade was designed to make the building look imposingly enormous. When Ephesus flourished the building  housed 12,000 scrolls. The building faces East so that the reading rooms are flooded with the morning light. Notably, Celsius paid for it from his own pocket while his son built it. It is no wonder then that the sarcophagus of Celcius is buried beneath it.

It seems fitting that Ptolemy, the man who created the model of the universe with earth at its centre, was born and raised in Ephesus

Grand monuments: Symbols, mythological figures and heroes

As we walk,towards the terrace along the path that Antony and Cleopatra would have taken during their winter sojourns we get a sense of how well developed the city had been. 

A vestige of a pillar has the apothecary symbol carved on it. It is a chalice, the symbol of Hygieia, the goddess of health. This cup has a snake twining around it. The twining snake was the symbol of her father, Asclepius, god of medicine. She is partly credited with the Hippocratic Oath. In all probability the stump is a reminder of some kind of an infirmary at that spot.

Then there is the Memmius monument in Domitian square to commemorate a decorated soldier. The sculpted figures are realistically portrayed. Nearby is Nike, the goddess who personifies victory. And then at the Hadrian Temple is the Hercules (strong and courageous) Gate. Add to that the Gate of Augustus!

Evidence of a populous city buzzing with life.

The Trajan Fountain with beautiful sculptures tells of luxurious bath complexes. The row of toilet seats that had running water swishing through made it convenient for people sitting next to each other to share secrets, gossip, schemes etc. Little nooks,corners and tunnels speak of brothels and bars.

Stupendous in all respects: terrace houses

There appears a slope that seems like it is a cross-section of a hill. Brick arcs, pillars and walls are exposed. The excavation that exposed and tried to restore the rest of the city is still going on here. Now the terraced house complex is slowly and meticulously being Uncovered and restored bit by bit, shard, by shard. The grand mosaics are being fitted like a jigsaw puzzle. The frescoes are being painstakingly Uncovered and restored. Gladiators, floral motifs and Roman gods adorn the walls. The houses are multi-leveled and include even  fireplaces. The grandeur, the opulence and the amenities reflect how the wealthy lived.

A work in progress

After the city was abandoned (in the 15th century), people moving to higher ground on the surrounding hills, the marble sculptures had been ground to powder to make lime for plaster. The ruins of the temples became building blocks for new abodes. Some of the artifacts either in the original form, restored or recreated helped complete the experience of having traveled back in time.

Observing the work being done by the archaeologists we can't help but admire their patience, dedication and mental acuity to want to revive a glorious past that can evoke a country's sense of pride.

A Catholic pilgrimage

Many of our fellow cruisers also made a pilgrimage stop. A few miles from Selçuk is  TheHouse of the Virgin Mary. It is said that this was her last home before her assumption into heaven.

All keyed up for the highway that goes to the sea: Florida Keys

Trust our luck: when GPS fails

We drive from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Key West through the everglades, the largest tropical wilderness in the US, the waterways of which whir with activity. Airboats glide through groves of mangrove for eager safari goers to spot alligators, turtles and such in their natural habitat. We are supposed to turn left at a particular point towards Key West. We did but the road took us nowhere. Perhaps the GPS in our rented car needed time to reorient in this wilderness. We tried again.  Still no luck. So we decided to continue further and explore the next turn. It worked. A good sense of direction and distance estimates are highly valuable in moments like this.

We have arrived in Key Largo

The Spanish version translates to long (Largo) little island (key). It is 48 km long and 3.2 km wide. This is the biggest of the 1700 islands that make up the Florida  Keys. When we came here a few years before, driving all the way from Fort Lauderdale, a storm was impending. It was very close to sunset as we arrived at the information centre. We were warned to stay put since driving any further would be hazardous. We were not prepared to be tossed and turned and blinded by any natural hazard and so decided to stay the night on this island. The centre is able to arrange for our stay in a nearby hotel. The storm is predicted to be a few hours away. 

Testing the waters

Since we have a little time, and there is still some daylight, we decide to drive towards Key West for about an hour and then return to safety. This drive brings home the fact that we are taking a huge risk. The bridge that connects to the next island seems to part the sea. Before we know it we have crossed the island on to another bridge and another island. These islands are so small they are barely visible from the bridge. The raised walls of the bridges and the median are painted a light blue and so until our eyes are acquainted with them we seem to be literally on a narrow isthmus , the seas frighteningly close on either side. Most of the roads are single lane and are not lit at night. A hair raising experience.

The storm blew over during the night. The next day dawned with a sparkle. But we had to return to Fort Lauderdale for our flights.

A coral necklace

A few years later we start from Naples, Florida, therefore arriving at Key Largo before noon.  The weather is excellent. We are back on the Overseas Highway route which connects the string of keys that form an arc from the tip of Florida. The statistics are stupefying. The Highway with 42 bridges connecting 44 islands is 180 km long in total. Every now and then a sign board appears to indicate a beach or a water activity. We exit at one that  almost immediately puts us onto a rather small beach with turquoise blue waters. That is all there is to this tiny island! It's as though these islands are coral beads strung into a necklace by the bridges.

Every which way

Driving from Key Largo to Key West we are on the Bay side (driving on the right) and so we are driving along Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, curving to the left. When we drive back we are on the Ocean side, i.e. along the Atlantic Ocean.

Since there are so many curves in this stretch, addresses on the connected islands cannot have the typical compass point descriptors, but MM which stands for milestone marker.  Addresses descend on the right as we drive toward the tip. Hence, Key West is an MM0. We start at MM 105

‘Slicing’ through open waters 

The longest bridge is the Seven Mile Bridge. Yes, you guessed it, over seven miles of water. Imagine driving on it on a cold, blustery, windy day under a sky laden with heavy clouds. The warning at Key Largo on our previous trip was serious indeed. The bridge connects vibrant Marathon, one of the bigger islands in the middle Keys to Duck Key, which has a posh residential area.

A Marathon indeed

Parallel to this bridge is another that stands out like a skeleton. Marathon got its name from the workers toiling nonstop to build the bridge,  the original oversea railroad, a part of which has been turned into a popular pedestrian bridge.

We arrive at Key West, park the car, and then, of course, walk the streets of the island of coral rock and limestone with an area slightly bigger that 3×6 km.

Where great minds came to write and relax

The huge building, the Southernmost Hotel stands out. Then comes the spacious Spanish colonial house where Hemmingway used to live and which continues to be the residence of his 6-toed cat's descendants. Other great writers like Tennessee Williams  and Robert Frost have also called the island their home. Add to that list President Harry Truman who spent summers here in his Little White House.

The Spanish-Cuban connection: historic charm

The architecture around us is charming. Homes and businesses have colourful facades, front porches and shutters. Called  cigar cottages or shotgun homes they have an interesting history. Typically they are each a long and narrow rectangle with a porch, with decorative wood work, and a gabled roof. The picturesque diminutive dwellings arr often only about 4 metres wide with rooms one behind the other making them cheaper and faster to build. Perhaps they are called shotgun homes because if someone fires a shotgun from the porch the bullet would pass straight through to the back of the house!

Why the haste and the compactness?  

Cuba is closer to Key West than Miami is. Naturally Key West had Cuban immigrants, one of whom established a cigar factory on the island to escape Cuban tariffs. This led to a major cigar industry attracting more Cuban immigrants to work in the industry. They needed to be housed in a small area as quickly as possible

A lesson in Spanish

We have passed over Islamorada. To the uninitiated, like I was at first, it's read Islam-orada. But it is actually Isla( Spanish for island) Morada.

A museum for wrecks?

The Atlantic Gulf Stream  was crucial to navigation between Europe and the New World. Galleons laden with treasure for European monarchs plied the route. But often they struck the reefs. The salvage industry boomed until legislation had to be put into place to discourage looting.

Navigating through Key West: take your pick.

There are just too many cars. The streets are bustling with people. It's safer to park the car for a fee and then explore on foot. The best way to soak in the atmosphere. Scooter, bikes, mopeds, pedi-cabs,electric cars and trolley cars are available for a fee. They all add to the vibrancy of the town.

Packing a punch

The heart of Key West is bustling with culture and nightlife. It's filled with restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops selling unique gifts, clothes, and, of course,  hand-rolled cigars. Music fills the air as you walk past.

The pleasant and the unpleasant.

While the islands are sought-after for their idyllic climate and crystal clear beaches, fishing, diving, snorkelling, etc. hurricane warnings are to be taken seriously. Evacuation can become difficult. Since there is only one road connecting the islands to the mainland traffic can come to a standstill. People could be stranded without services and communications. That is why this unique Highway is aptly referred to as the umbilical cord.

Not to forget, key lime pie is ubiquitous to the island. Made of key limes which are more tart than lemons, it is typically topped with meringue. Do not be surprised if it is commonly eaten for breakfast. No surprise that pineapples and sapodillas are also grown here.

The "Highway that Goes to Sea”  is a vibrant mix of history, culture, picturesque communities, and plenty of water related activities with different islands specialising in some areas..

Yet despite their small size, these islands support lively, communities.