Punta Arenas, día 2

What a difference a day makes! The streets of Punta Arenas have come alive! Seriously, I thought I had entered a ghost town yesterday afternoon, but around 6.00pm people suddenly started appearing out of nowhere and wandered the streets, browsing the shops and ducking into restaurants. I thought that since I am so far south, the sun would set at midnight or something, but it got dark around 10-ish.

Yesterday I noticed on a can of Cerveza Austral (the preferred beer around here) that the plant was in central Punta Arenas, and that you could stop by to see it. This morning after breakfast I set out for the brewery. It was in the middle of a residential neighbourhood (imagine having a beer brewery as your next-door neighbour). There was a gated forecourt where a truck was being loaded by forklifts and something that looked like a front door to an office, but there was a heavy chain blocking off the steps. I walked around the plant and heard bottles clanging furiously inside. A man was painting a wall, and I asked him about the tours. "Go through the gate into the forecourt," he said. "They'll let you in." I somewhat awkwardly opened the gate and a guard came out of a shack. "Visit? Go inside and ask for González," he said. I went into what turned out to be an office and asked if González was there. A woman came out from an office and said that the plant was closed to visitors until next week; would I be staying in Punta Arenas until then? Absolutely not, I thought. (There is not enough in this town to keep a person occupied for a week!) I was unable to persuade her to let me see the plant. I overheard two men at a desk debating whether or not I was English or American. I left quickly, and walked back down to the commercial part of town.

Last night I went for a walk on what was probably the grossest beach I have ever seen. Punta Arenas is too cold for sunbathing and swimming, which is probably a good thing as there were lots of dead birds washed up on shore and a rusty-looking pipe containing god-knows-what heading out into deeper water. Some large freighter vessels were anchored a little ways off-shore, and a small cruise ship was docked at the pier. Most of Punta Arenas' waterfront is occupied by a naval base, and I think the Chilean naval academy is here.

I have seen more national flags flying here than I did in Santiago. Because of the isolation from the rest of the country (one cannot drive from here to Santiago, or anywhere north of here, really, without going through Argentina - a boat or plane is the only way to head north and stay in Chilean territory), I assume that the flags serve as visible reminders that this is indeed Chilean territory, and any land-hungry Argentines should know this. There also seems to be a small facet of people wanting independence from Chile here. The region's flag is everywhere, too, as are bumper stickers and shirts proclaiming "The Independent Republic of Magallanes".

There are lots of stray dogs in Punta Arenas. These aren't just mutts, either; I have seen purebreds mixed in the lot. They roam the streets barking at each other, and occasionally manage to hump one another. The macho society of Latin America must think neutering a dog is a sacreligious idea. Trashcans along the streets in Punta Arenas look like wire baskets atop poles - this must be to keep the dogs out.

I met a girl in the hostel from Germany who has just finished a semester of study in Santiago. It is nice to have someone I can ask questions about what I am about to experience when I go back to Santiago.

This afternoon I am going to visit a penguin colony. I think tomorrow I shall head for parts elsewhere...Punta Arenas is quickly running out of things to offer.