After leaving Puerto Chacabuco, our cruise ship set sail to Punta Arenas via the Strait of Magellan, a sea route first entered by Ferdinand Magellan on 1 November 1520. This year 2020 happens to be the 500th anniversary since his first entry to this waterway
Immediately as you enter the territory of Punta Arenas, a signboard confirms that you have indeed crossed the Strait of Magellan.
At Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, a great vintage point where we had a panoramic view of city of Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan.
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Literally, every visitor to Punta Arenas will be brought to see the statue of their icon, Ferdinand Magellan, located at the lovely town square. Magellan is cast in bronze is depicted as the explorer standing on the bow of a ship looking ahead. Two bronze figures rest below. They represent the Ona and Tehueiche indigenous Patagonian people, one of them has a very shiny foot. Story has it that a sailor from Spain was sent here and he immediately fell in love with the place and hoped to come back. It was said that he rubbed the foot of one of the figures hoping to return. Since then, rubbing the foot is a wish to come back, some say for good luck, yet some for calm seas. Whatever is the intention, it's now common to see visitors rubbing the foot before leaving. We too held the foot and posed for a good shot for remembrance!
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The Museum of Remembrance or Museum of Memory spread over a huge lawn is a collection of replica houses of the first colonists, buildings, carriages, carts, locomotives, farming tools and machinery dating back to the time of the pioneers. The over 3,000 items on display both outdoor and indoor allow us to have a good idea of the history and technology of this region in those days.
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