Southernmost Little City in the World

Ushuaia, you need a new press agent. I mean, you lead the list as "Southernmost City in the World," at Latitute 53, and, you are. And you are the southernmost city in South America, (when it is pointed out that Puerto Williams is just a "settlement") and southernmost city in Argentina, for sure. You are the "last stop" when most folks head for Antarctica, so you're hard to miss. You have a national park in your back door and an airport big enough for the Concorde.

646 Where am I?

But that's about all there is in the tour info. Your picture won't come up on Google Earth, and, anyway, how are you PRONOUNCED? Us-who-ee-a? You-shy-uh?

I was looking forward to being there, because, for one, I'd been to Barrow, Alaska, the Northernmost City in North America, in summer there; Ushuaia completed my plan to visit the Southernmost City in South America in summer too. A tick-mark on the Accomplishment Chart. And, after 36 hours at sea, I was looking forward to walking on land again, seeing buildings, and traffic lights. All that day-in-the-life stuff.

647 Answer: Ushuaia, Argentina

Nobody told me you'd take my breath away!

When I caught sight of you this morning I fell in love. There you sit, tucked between the clean, clear waters of the Beagle Channel and the end-of-the-Andes chain. No foothills block the views, just sea and mountains, top to bottom, bottom to top.

I don't know your politics, Ushuaia, and I don't know the quality of your restaurant food, or the comfort of your bed-pillows. Because, darn it, my one regret of the trip, I had no time to get to know you first-hand.

I saw you from the ship this morning, I breathed your sparkling air, and then, whoosh, onto the dreaded tour bus, zip-zip around with nary a foot on the ground, and dropped ka-plop with all my tour-buds at your airport.

648 Early morning shadow

Goodbye Ushuaia, I hope to be back someday. Meanwhile, you really ought to let people know how charming you are. I, for one, will be telling.

649 And see what I see

650 Now look over that way

651 And to the right a little

652 Look above the town

653 Rooftops, treeline, snow peaks

654 Meanwhile, to the east

655 Morning clouds waking up

656 A day on the docks

657 A little freight in a stack

658 But who minds working

659 Beginning of everything

660 End of the line

661 We're well secured

662 Stuff out, stuff in

663 I peep into the workings

664 The Safety Suits

665 The sign says

666 Goodbye! Goodbye!

667 Gateway City

668 On the road again

669 Pointy things

670 Signs of the place

671 Hotels and taxis

672 A daycare, I surmise

673 A political statement?

674 A house of tin

675 Pizza and pasta

676 A flowerbox above the stone

677 A high-rise hotel

678 Across the water

679 A row of brown houses

680 A house of orange

681 For the nature lovers

682 Entrance to a hillside resort

683 Fiscalia de Estado

684 A place to live

685 This way, or that?

686 Some folks prefer to walk

687 Get your haircut here

688 Meanwhile, further down the street

689 One hillside in the town

690 A school? City Hall?

691 Apartments maybe here? Hotel?

692 Lupine plus poppies here

693 A school, for sure

694 More blue and white

695 The little log cabin

696 Gate left open for Santa

697 One last guest house

698 Plop! Dropped at the airport.

699 Another clever open-air design

700 Mile high sign: Tango