Day of the Day: November 8, 2008 - Punta Arenas, Chile

After six days on Easter Island and a day in Santiago to reset and swap out our warm-weather gear in our packs for the cooler temperatures in Patagonia, we flew 2200 kilometers to Punta Arenas, picked up our Ford Ecosport and checked into Hotel Carpa Manzano.
With a half day to do some exploring, we decided on a visit to the Seno Otway Penguin Colony.

Magellanic Penguins (For a larger version, click any image.)
The weather was what we soon learned to be fairly “seasonal”, i.e., cool, overcast and very windy, which didn’t seem to phase some of the other indigenous species, including Darwin’s rhea:

and the ubiquitous sheep:
We ended the day with an unexpectedly, wonderful meal at Damiana Elena Restaurant. Here’s my Tripadvisor review.
The next day we drove to Puerto Natales, from which we would venture to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine.
Related posts:

• Puerto Natales - November 9, 2008
• Parque Nacional Torres del Paine - November 10, 2008
• Parque Nacional Torres del Paine - November 10, 2008

June 11 Photo of the Day: Ottawa, Ontario

Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario © 2015 Peter Marble
May 9, 2015 – Having opted to leave my DSLR in the hotel, I grabbed this shot looking up Metcalfe Street with my iPhone from inside the Queens' Lantern. The glass tower, named in honour of both Victoria and Elizabeth II, was completed as part of the 2010 restoration. For more information about the history of the museum, see the Historical Timeline.
(For a larger version, click the image.)
I spent several enjoyable hours wandering through the museum's exhibits and would happily go back the next time we are in Ottawa. For information about the tentacles hanging from the ceiling, see Guy Romain's blog post Creating Light in the Lantern.

March 4 Photo of the Day: Wilderness, South Africa

Indian Ocean Surf, Wilderness, South Africa © 2015 Peter Marble
(For a larger version, click the image.)

February 15, 2012 – On the second day of our Garden Route tour, after a very pleasant stay at the 88 Baron van Reede Guesthouse in Oudtshoorn, we visited Cango Caves and then drove our rental Honda Jazz across the Swartzberg pass on the unpaved Route 328 to Prince Albert. Lunch at the Prickly Pear was "okay", after which took the "long cut" via R407 through De Rust back to Oudtshoorn and then on to the The Dune Guest Lodge in Wilderness.

This was by far the most "lux" accommodation of our month in Africa. Our room overlooked the Indian Ocean, with a walkway down to the beach. We enjoyed the sound of the pounding surf both nights. Next stop: Knysna.

February 25 Video of the Day: Chao Phraya Ferries

River traffic on Chao Phraya - Bangkok, Thailand © 2015 Peter Marble

December 8, 2004 – Okay, so I'm digging deep here folks, but one of the best things we found to do in Bangkok was hopping on and off the Chao Phraya ferries. This video shows the long tail boats, Wat Arun and the general river mayhem, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

February 22 Photo of the Day: Humber Bay, Lake Ontario

Frozen morning - Toronto, Ontario © 2015 Peter Marble

February 20, 2015 – On the way into work Friday morning I pulled over for this grab shot with my phone.

At -18 degrees Celcius, the "smoke" rising from the water and ice surface of the lake was beautiful. I got as far as the other side of the car, but couldn't summon the willpower to walk out to the boardwalk for a closer look.

February 11 Photo of the Day: Cambodia

Key Maker and Cyclists - Siem Reap, Cambodia © 2015 Peter Marble

December 14, 2004 – Early on our last day in Siem Reap, our adopted Tuk-Tuk driver, Mr. Tan, drove us into town for a final walk-about:

Traffic into the city centre was busy:

We passed numerous construction sites for new 5-star hotels where most work was done by hand.

Before heading to the airport, Lesa made one last attempt at sending/receiving email:

February 9 Photo of the Day: Chilean Patagonia

Vapor Amadeo at San Gregorio in Magellanes, Chilean Patagonia © 2015 Peter Marble

November 15, 2008 – On our way back to Punta Arenas from El Calafate via Rio Gallegos (affectionately known as the ugliest city in Argentina:

• Ginger Sees The World
• Google Books
• Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forum
• Tripadvisor

... a moniker with which we wholeheartedly agree), we spotted the lonely wreck of the steamship Amadeo.

Apparently she was built in Liverpool in 1884, sold to J. Menéndez of Punta Arenas in 1892 and finally beached here in 1932.