Day 64

PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE

Population 110,000, the Capital of the Magellanic and Antartic Region and they claim "Patagonia´s most important city."

At first glance...Punta Arenas is another mid-sized Chilean city. But, then you start to look around and you realize....it is truly beautiful. All the Chilean cities we have been to have been characterized by impressive Victorian architecture...but here in Punta, the difference is, they seem to know how to take care of it. The Plaza De Armas is spotless, the buildings are in pristine condition, and throughout the streets everything is quite and respectful. Lest I say.....we like it here.

We spent the majority of the day stolling the streets and "taking care of business". Phone calls, credit card payments, etc....

But then we went out to dinner followed by drinks at the Sarah Braun Mansion. We learned tonight, as we sipped fabulous ice wine in comfortable leather chairs, that this mansion is the very place Captain Schakelton came when he reached land. Lady Sarah is the woman he begged to save his crew! If you do not know the story I am speaking of......look up Captain Shackelton on the internet......11th grade history will come back to you......it took me a minute. It really is one of the best stories of adventure in all of history and being here makes you feel the history. I am fortunate enough to feel a part of the earth´s great founding!

Here is the mansion......at 10PM!

That is just another facinating part of this city. At 11pm tonight we watched the sunset. I have, of course, heard of cities with 20 hours of sunlight per day.....but I must say the reality of it is really quite entrancing.

The wind is also a bit of an adventure activity of its own around here. The winds in town today hit 70 miles per hour. No storm....it was a bright sunny day....its just the wind! It was strong enough to pull the elastic out of my ponytail and Rich had to carry Bryce for fear he would blow away!

P.S. To answer Heather´s question......No Ice. Its the heart of summer here. Which means its a balmy 50 degrees with high winds and you only have to wear one wool hat instead of a face guard!