PATAGONIA-- Days 8 & 9 (Los Ultimos Dias)

We had left our last 2 days open, so we could visit Tierra del Fuego--one of the least visited National Parks in the World.  We heard it was a big, barren land--but we still wanted to at least set foot on it.  It would be another 2 hour ferry right across the Strait of Magellan.  We were set to go and then found out the ferries only go over to the island once on Fridays (what is it with Fridays?!!!).  And it wasn't until the evening.  The return ferry the following day wouldn't get us back in time to catch our flight home.  I heard myself singing that song "So close, yet..." again.

 So, this is the closest we got to it.  Behind us is the Strait and behind the Strait is Tierra del Fuego.  If you look hard enough, you can see land!  

"Luke:  you won't remember it, but you were there!!!"

 All in all, it turned out to be ok.  We used our last day and a half to wander around the city of Punta Arenas and explore.  We needed some "easy" downtime anyway.  

 Yep, it's a penguin on his head.  I LOVED it.  Convinced Jake it was cool after a few tries and told him he could get the wallet he wanted AND the hat :)

 love  love  love

 the market

 Our hotel

 After we walked around the city, we spent the rest of our time driving as far south as the road would take us.  Here's what we saw:

Panda Dolphins--see the white belly? 

 Had to get a picture of this.  People leave little memorials of loved ones they have lost all along the sides of the roads.  The plastic bottles were new to us though-- does that show how many people have come to visit?  They stop, drink their juice or Coke and leave the bottle as a token?  That was my hypothesis.  Could be WAY OFF.  

We made it to the "end of the world" and back with 3 kids in one piece.  

Just barely.  

We LOVED what we saw.  It was simply incredible.  

Time to go home.  School starts tomorrow :(