The ends of the earth

This may not seem like the most exciting picture I've ever posted, although those clouds are pretty impressive.

But this is the view from my hotel room in Punta Arenas, looking out at the Straits of Magellan, where the Atlantic meets the Pacific. This is the end of mainland South America, although the islands of Tierra del Fuego -- you can see them on the other side of the water -- extend south for a couple hundred miles to Cape Horn. This is not a part of the world I ever expected to see, and maybe that's why just the names -- Straits of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego -- make me feel like I'm in a history book come to life.

It's not a comfortable location to walk around in. It's sunny and warm but very, very windy, and I kept taking off my jacket because I was too hot, only to have the winds start up again and cut me to the bone. Fortunately I've already seen most of what there is to see here, so now I can stay inside until we leave for the Falklands and then Antarctica early tomorrow.

After today I have no internet until I'm back here at the end of the month, though I may queue up a few pictures to run while I'm offline if I have time.