Visiting Ushuaia town today

Hi All,

Today, I visited a part of Ushuaia and the Maritime Museum of Ushuaia.

I learned that the actual town of Ushuaia was born in 1884. It later became a military prison town from 1896. The local inhabitants, before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, were gathered into several tribes. You had the Yamanas, the Onas, the Haush, and the Alakalufes. The Yamanas became extinct due to the arrival of the Spanish and their diseases. The natives were mostly naked and clothes were given to them by the colonialists. This apparently kind gesture made them develop diseases as they were no longer cleansed by the rain.

The main prison, which is today the Maritime Museum of Ushuaia, was built by prisoners from 1902. In 1947, the President ordered the closing of the jail, and installations were transferred to the Navy. The Naval Base was set up there in 1950.

The town of Ushuaia has one main street where you find the majority of shops. I was agreeably surprised to see shops such as North Face, Canon, Timberland, etc... It's filled with tourists who have come to visit Patagonia or Antarctica.

The town lays between the see, or bays actually, and mountains. It is quite long and not very large. The mountains look beautiful with the snow on their tips. See pictures.

People here are very kind and helpful.