Ushuaia Local Customs

2 more images

Ushuaia is the state capital of "Tierra del fuego". The architecture reflects the contrasts of very old houses made out of wood and modernly built buildings used mainly as hotels.
All depending on historical and political history.
The older buildings : constructed by the local gouvernment to influence the engaged incoming free workers. (20th century)
The recent builded houses : to give more comfort to the growing quantity of tourists looking for comfort in the most southern city of the world

4 more images

Every Saturday during the summer there is an open air market of sorts on the edge of the downtown area. There are lots of goods and handicrafts that can be purchased at a very reasonable price. While walking through the market I saw one group sharing a cup of Mate. When I asked if this is what they were drinking they invited me to share their drink with them.

Most Argentines eat a light breakfast of coffee or tea. A pastery like a croissant or toast and jam.
We were always served Nescafe, never brewed coffee. Glad I took my own.
Lunch is is often the days main meal and it is cheaper than dinner.
Most dine late for dinner, 9pm is early for them.
If you can go early you avoid the crowd and a lot of the smokers.

Yerba Mate (pronounced "sherba mahtay") is a cultural drink of ancient origins. It was introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America. More than a drink, Yerba Mate has become a cultural phenomenon throughout South America. All around Argentina people carry their Mate with them throughout the day.
The thing is, being a foreigner, you see the Mates and Bombilas in every shop and window, you see the people carrying thermoses with hot water, but you don't have a chance to taste
it. They don't sell it in restaurants, coffee shops, or anywhere else, for that matter. Finally a nice girl in a souvenir shop in Ushuaia was so nice, to prepare us the Yerba Mate, of her own. We tasted it. Some spit it out, but I think, it has some character to it. Anyway, you probably have to grow up on it to get really fond of it.
To prepare the Mate infusion, the dried minced leaves are placed inside the Mate cup up to 3/4 of its capacity and hot water (approx. 70 C) is added. The infusion is sucked through a metal or wooden pipe called "bombilla," which has a strainer at its lower end to prevent the minced leaves from reaching the mouth

The aboriginal population was formed by Onas or Selknam and Yaganes or Yamanas and only at the end of the XIX century, European sailors started raising cattle in the area.
The Selknam were essentially terrestrial hunters and nomad fruit gatherers who lived on the island of Tierra del Fuego from the plains near the Strait of Magellan to the area betwen the river Grande and the Beagle Channel. They called their land Karukinka.
The Yámanas or Yaganes lived on both sides of the Beagle Channel and the adjacent channels up to Cape Horn, near the sea. They hunted sea wolves, one of their main food sources. Their body was long and wide in contrast to their inferior limbs.
During the incursions of European sailors in the XIX century, The Yamanas were taken by surprise by the brigantine Beagle, after which the channel was later called. Thus were initiated the first contacts with white men.
In September 1884 the expeditionary division to the South Atlantic of the Armada Argentina commanded by Comodore Augusto Laserre landed in Ushuaia, and on the 12th October they raised the Argentine flag in the newly built subprefecture. Every year that date is celebrated as the birth of the city.

Tontódromo means "fooldrome"; this is the name the locals give to the main street, because people usually go round the same street over and over again! You can do the same (especially in the afternoon) or you can lean on a wall and be the fools that look at the other fools passing by!

Tontódromo es el nombre que los locales le dan a la calle principal, porque la gente habitualmente da vueltas por la misma calle una y otra vez. Ustedes pueden hacer lo mismo (especialmente en las tardes) o pueden apoyarse en una pared y ser los tontos que miran a los otros tontos pasar!

As Ushuaia is situated at Canal Beagle, sea birds are quite common, especially the seagulls. Looking at them, or even feeding them, seems to be a common activity for Ushuaian people. Close to the port I found this vehicle surrounded by seagulls; the driver was feeding them, so the birds waited for their turn.

Como Ushuaia está situada a orillas del Canal de Beagle, las aves marinas son bastante comunes, en especial las gaviotas. Mirarlas o incluso alimentarlas parece ser una actividad común para los habitantes de Ushuaia. Cerca del puerto encontré esta camioneta rodeada de gaviotas; el conductor las estaba alimentando, por lo que las aves esperaban su turno.

Ushuaia has a typical and charming architecture; most of its houses are made of wood, with ridge roor of corrugated iron. Bricks and mortar are very expensive, because they must to be brought from thousand kilometres away. Besides, wood and iron are good materials to bear weather inclemencies. The houses are usually painted in bright colours and have nice ornaments.
Enlarge the picture and you could see the original roof of this bar.

Ushuaia tiene una arquitectura típica encantadora; la mayoría de sus casas están hechas de madera, con techos de dos aguas de chapa acanalada. Ladrillos y cemento son muy caros, y deben ser traídos desde miles de kilómetros. Además, madera y chapa son buenos materiales para soportar las inclemencias del tiempo. Las casas suelen estar pintadas de colores brillantes y tienen atractivos adornos.
Amplíen la foto y verán el original techo de este bar.