Flying south via LAN Chile Airlines, we arrived at the take off point for southernmost Patagonia, Punta Arenas. A handsome young driver, Marco, greeted us with, of course, the now familiar sign, "Hiebert x 2." Heading from el aeropuerto, it was time for the first real test of my exceedingly limited knowledge of Spanish. Marco didn't speak one word of English, but he was very accommodating when I remembered the name of the central plaza, the Plaza de Armas. I recalled getting acquainted with the women selling their hand knit wear there six years previously and asked if we could be dropped off there since we had a free afternoon before embarking to Tierra del Fuego.
Marco actually understood my halting request! On the way, he drove us slowly through this small seaport town. Founded in 1848, Punta Arenas served not only as a prison settlement, but more importantly, as a thriving base for fortune hunters traveling by ship around the horn, headed for the gold fields of California. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, unfortunately, the once thriving town no longer served as the key refueling point for these seagoing treasure hunters. However, it was given a reprieve after 300 purebred sheep were imported to the region at the end of the 19th century and a new industry arose on the surrounding lands. By the turn of the century, nearly two million sheep grazed on nearby estancias, creating great wealth for some and jobs for immigrants.
Today, Punta Arenas remains a lively city that relies on fishing, tourism, and methane industries.
[Go to Patagonia Part Six]
