Feb 26 - Punta Arenas, Chile

Sam’s excursion off the ship today is in the town of Punta Arenas, Chile. The name means Sandy Point. This is the southern-most city in Chile, and on the continent of South America. Many years ago, this was use as a jail – a place to send people who were being punished. From around 1860 there were many immigrants from countries in Europe and Russia. The town was very important for ships traveling around South America. They would stop here for supplies. When new fashions came from Europe, the women in Punta Arenas would have them before the women in San Francisco. The fortunes of the city were changed in 1914 when the Panama Canal was completed. Then ships had a shorter and safer route to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 

In the winter, the nights in Punta Arenas are very long. The sun goes down as early as 4:30 p.m. and wouldn’t come up again until 9:00 a.m.  They have snow from March through November each year.

On the tour, Sam saw the city and the harbor from a high place. He went to a cemetery that was similar to those in New Orleans, mausoleums and vaults above ground. Then he went to a museum that had many of the things that the immigrants used.  Finally he went to the center of town and saw houses of the wealthy people that built the city. He saw a statue of Magellan in the city square.