2025_26 Oosterdam, Punta Arenas, Chile...

Today I got off the ship and did an 8 mile walk to see the sites of Punta Arenas. The weather here can be wild and today was no exception…it was windy and cold, despite the sun being very strong and the rain held off. I walked up to the central square known as the Plaza de Armas…During the golden age of Punta Arenas, wealthy merchants built grand mansions, cathedral and civic architecture to demonstrate their wealth and influence. The most famous among them is the Sara Braun Palace, situated right on the main square. At the centre of the square stands a memorial to Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Leaving the downtown area I headed to the Punta Arenas Cemetery on the outskirts of town. The cemetery is known internationally for its grand mausoleums, a tribute to the wealth of Punta Arenas’s merchant class, prominent figures, military leaders, and wealthy landowners. It is interesting to see that many of the names had different heritages…especially a lot of Germans, Croatians, and Scandinavians. From the cemetery. I headed to the waterfront. A stroll along the seafront gives you ocean views, statues, and the iconic Punta Arenas sign and the Goleta Anclud Monument…The Anclud is a towering memorial dedicated to Chile’s first claim of sovereignty over the Straits of Magellan. Across from the waterfront is series of murals painted across several buildings, the art tells the story of the community, in particular the fishing industry and people of the city. I was back on the ship for lunch and our meeting with our guide for our upcoming Torres del Paine tour. Great walkabout in Punta Arenas.