I was so glad that I finally got onto the bus that would be bringing me out of Ushuaia. Had to brave the cold by walking the junction of Roca and Deloqui (where bus was waiting) from my hostel. Just imagine walking in Ushuaia (during the middle of the winter) at 5am in the morning!
As the bus moved up north (generally) along RN3, my mind immediately wandered back to what happened last evening again. Was unsure why it had affected me greatly; somehow this was like leaving a big ugly ink blot on my beautiful page about Argentina. I could have really gotten into trouble; if the accused so decided to pull me into the shit so as to lighten his responsibilities. With language problems and I was so alone in a faraway land, I really wondered if I could ever get back home (even though I really did nothing wrong). In fact, I was actually hoping that I could board a direct flight somehow and fly me back to Changi!
On hindsight, this incident made me realise how applicable Lord Buddha's teachings were even though that was thought so long ago (I am trying not to preach but if you think I am, please move on to the next paragraph please). If the accused had encountered the second (out of the five) precept (I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given), it might have helped him made a more conscious decision. I secretly (and with full of guilt) wondered on when I would get into the trouble for not keeping the precept on abstaining from intoxicants (i.e. beer).
The incident had such an impact that I forgot to take photographs of Papa and Dorothy. They been extra nice; giving me advance warning to be careful with my belongings as they suspected the thief was in the hostel when Dorothy 's money was lost. The obnoxious feeling is in me again; I wondered if I would ever meet them again, as my bus gets further and further from the end-of-the-world.
Perhaps the only regret was not being able to visit the "Faro del fin del mundo" (or the lighthouse at the end of the world as made famous by Jules Verne in a book with the same title) in Isla de los Estados. It is only accessible by the Argentine Navy (I think there is a base on the island).
I first knew about fin del mundo when I watched Happy Together as a 19-year-old. The film said that if one ever gets there, all he/she needs to do is to dig a hole, whisper secrets in it and it would be forever kept. I told the "hole" that I was so grateful to be here and this was already enough.
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Writing a postcard to Sally at the end-of-the-world. The Beagle Channel was in the background.
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The crescent moon was so distinct on a clear night as I was walking back (it was cold!) to Ushuaia from the base of Cerro Martial (7kms).
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I came back to an Ushuaia who was celebrating the victory of Club Atlético River Plate (or simple the "River") in the 2008 Clausura. Traffic on San Martin practically came to a standstill as fans were dancing on the streets.
There was no one wearing a Boca Junior jersey on that evening.
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Complimentary breakfast at Hostel Aonikenk. Apart from the usual breads and jams (there were at least 6 varieties), you get a wonderful view of the Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego as well.
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A Chinese restaurant (at the junction of San Martin and Antartida Argentina) at the end-of-the-world. There were serving a typical parrillada buffet (AR$32/S$15.24 per person) that was very similar to what I ate in Comodoro Rivadavia. Was feeling rather stingy and did not patronize the restaurant in the end. |
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Even love existed at the end-of-the-world; a couple was kissing near the Islas Malvinas Monument along Maipu. |
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One of the nicer photographs that I took of the Argentine flag.
p.s.: I can at least find one large flag in every city I been to in Argentina. A symbol of its pride and bravado? |
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The night view of Ushuaia; taken at the junction of 25 de Mayo and Magallanes. |
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Decided (despite what had happened in the hostel) to splurge on a good meal on my last evening in Ushuaia. Did it at La Estancia along San Martin (parrillada buffet at AR$45/S$21.43). A full fuegian lamb (see photograph) was being roasted (lamb beats the beef hands down in Tierra del Fuego) as I was trying to eat everything in the restaurant.
p.s.: I thought that the lamb was quite tough and I would still prefer my carne.
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A picture of my "empty" room in my hostel just before I started packing my bags. I hoped there was thermal heating in the police station where my "roommate" was.
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