Punta Arenas and Lesson #5: Always end in style

Even though we saw some great sites while based out of Puerto Natales we were glad to see it go. The extra night we ended up spending at the hostal in Puerto Natales (because of a miscommunication with our host) turned out to also be the night when the bed bugs showed up. Ya, you heard me. Bed bugs. Poor Brian got eaten alive by the things, while the rest of us managed somehow to escape unscathed. Nevertheless we hightailed it out of there and hauled ass for Punta Arenas without so much as glancing back. (We did stick around long enough to make sure that our hostal stay was HEAVILY discounted, because there was really no arguing with the color and texture of Brian's skin)

At this point the boys set off on the cruise they had always been planning to catch and Isela and I booked a swanky, eco-friendly, positive-affirmation promoting, yoga practicing, oasis of a hotel in Punta Arenas to console ourselves from our Puerto Natales suffering. If any of you find yourselves in Punta Arenas I highly recommend the hotel Ilaia.

Besides our sweet digs though, Punta Arenas had some lovely things to offer.

like a craft market with cute handmade clothes and jewelry...

and pretty boat scenery...

and pretty girls... (oh wait!)

and pretty ocean scenery...

and penguins!

Punta Arenas is the launching port to visit Isla Magdalena, a island reservation for 1,000+ Magellanic penguins. In fact there are two places where one can go see penguins, but nowhere are they as accessible as on Isla Magdalena. Now, you're not allowed to touch the penguins but they waddle across the paths mere feet from you so it's the next best thing. While there I was struck by how human-like penguins are. I think that's part of the reason people tend to find them so endearing. They waddle like children and just have a playful demeanor in general. 

 I call this masterpiece "Basks in sun with poop"

 View from the top of the island.
As you can see there isn't much there. Isla Magdalena is pretty much one dirt/sand hill with a lighthouse. The penguins are only there about 3 months out of the year while breeding, then they take off for somewhere else. Fun fact: The males return to the island first to prep, then the females arrive. And only coupled penguins come back to breed. No single penguins allowed. I am told penguins mate for life so for the die-hard romantics reading that is another reason to like penguins.

I discovered that I have a lot in common with penguins:

... particularly these ones!

this one too!

And it cannot go unsaid that I did in fact "navigate the Strait of Magellan" to get to Isla Magdalena. Considering that once upon a time this was pretty much the ONLY way to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific I thought it was worth mentioning :)

But penguins aren't the only birds in Punta Arenas

The water at sunset is beautiful in Punta Arenas. It was a perfect way to end the trip.

That's all folks!