“The End of the World” Ushuaia

Ushuaia, known as the end of the world and the southernmost city on earth, makes me linger with its unique geographical location and "legendary" stories.

In October 2019, I was invited to participate in the "The World We Want" Antarctic Forum and embarked on a journey to Antarctica.

The remoteness, vastness, purity and even mystery of Antarctica make people yearn for it; the crystal-clear glaciers, capped snow-capped mountains, cute penguins, and lazy seals are unforgettable; Chinese and foreign experts at the forum discussed the changes in the earth The discussion on warm, green, low-carbon and Antarctic protection is incisive, inspiring and thought-provoking; and Ushuaia, known as the end of the world and the southernmost city on earth, has its unique geographical location and "legendary" story. , makes me lingering even more.

It takes 3.5 hours to fly from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, to Ushuaia. Ushuaia is the capital and administrative center of the Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina. It is located on the Ushuaia Bay on the north shore of the Beagle Channel. It covers an area of ??23 square kilometers and has a population of about 100,000. It was founded in 1870 and established as a city in 1893. , the main economic pillar industries are electrical appliances, wood processing, fishery and tourism. Local residents make a living by engaging in logging, sheep raising, fishing, etc. Ushuaia is world-famous as the ideal starting point for the journey to Antarctica.

That day, stay overnight in Ushuaia. Looking from the window of the hotel, the small town is surrounded by mountains and sea. The white snow and green mountains are shadowy but charming. The bright lights on the various buildings with different colors complement the sparkling Beagle Waterway. The beautiful scenery is all over the place. fundus. I can't help but feel: It's quiet at night near the mountains and the sea, and the lights are brighter than the stars. Ushuaia is famous for its white snow and green mountains.

When you arrive in Ushuaia, you can’t help but check in at the post office at the end of the world. The next morning, I took a small train that used to transport prisoners for logging and is now used for sightseeing to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Tour guide Miss Lucy said that the post office at the end of the world is in Tierra del Fuego National Park. She said that more than 20 years ago, there was an Argentine named Carlos who was a teacher. He was a fanatical Argentine patriot. In pursuit of free will, he escaped to the "end of the world" and opened a post office for himself. In business till now. Miss Lucy's "interesting stories" about the post office made me "get better". Unexpectedly, she changed the topic: Carlos is old and does not work regularly or open every day. It is not clear whether he is working or open now. This made my "curious" mood uneasy. In this case, it only depends on luck, so I went straight to the post office at the "end of the world".

I saw a container-sized house on a plank road deep into the sea on the coast. The Argentine flag was flying high on both sides of the plank road and around the roof. The rectangular house has a wooden roof, a wooden door, and iron walls. On the wall is written: Unidad Postal Fin Mundo (Post Office at the End of the World). Pushing the door open, fortunately Carlos was in the house, and there were many tourists from all over the world who came here. Carlos has a kind face and kind eyes, his iconic gray and white beard, a stocky figure and a straight back. He has the aura of a weathered but determined old man, which makes people respect him. I selected a few representative Ushuaia landscape postcards, filled them out and asked Carlos to stamp them with the logo and words "Post Office at the End of the World". Postcards cost three dollars each, and postmarks cost one dollar. When I wanted to pay, Carlos asked for RMB with words and gestures. It turned out that Carlos learned that I was from China when I filled in the address on the postcard. He is not only a lover of coin collection, but also has a good impression of China. When I gave him a hundred-yuan bill, he immediately pointed to the portrait on the coin and shouted, "Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong", his admiration was beyond words. I couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up and asked him to take a photo with a hundred yuan in his hand.

Ushuaia’s king crab is also famous. On the evening of the day we returned from Tierra del Fuego National Park, a group of ten of us went to a Chinese restaurant named "Bamboo" on San Martin Street, which has four restaurants along the street. Entering the store, there is a roasting room on the left, with a red fire and the mouth-watering aroma of the lamb being roasted; on the right is a row of fish tanks, with bright red king crabs running rampant in the tank, and their fierce appearance makes people's index fingers move; in the middle are rows of fish tanks. There are more than a dozen dining tables covered with white tablecloths. The entire restaurant is clean, comfortable and warm, and Chinese elements are clearly visible. The owner and his wife are from Dalian, China, and have been running restaurants here for many years. Knowing that we are from Shanghai naturally makes them even closer.

The proprietress enthusiastically introduced that this is the best season to eat Ushuaia king crabs. The crabs are huge, full of meat, delicious and cheap. Each crab weighs about two kilograms at 30 US dollars. The regular brother in the same group loves food, is especially good at eating crabs and shrimps, and is familiar with the "crab way". He said that the price of a king crab of the same weight in Shanghai is at least 800 yuan, while the king crab here is only more than 200 yuan equivalent to RMB. It is so cheap that "this opportunity cannot be missed, and time does not wait". He ordered ten king crabs in one go, and the average price per day was One person. According to local practices, everything is steamed to maintain the original flavor. We cut our hands, peeled our teeth, and feasted.

During the dinner, we chatted with the landlady. It turns out that the couple also ran a hotel in Dalian. They visited Ushuaia many years ago and left a good impression. The proprietress said that Ushuaia was quiet and clean, had a leisurely life, was rich in seafood, and had a rich South American style. She fell in love with the environment here, so she rented a house and opened this restaurant. We asked: "How is the business?" She said: "The seasons have distinct characteristics. Every summer in Antarctica is the peak tourist season here, so business is not a worry. No, more than a hundred king crabs were sold yesterday and today. But in winter, there is almost no business. "We asked again: "The child is here too?" She said, "Then you have to go back often?" It's inconvenient." Finally, she sighed: "It's a dilemma, I can't care about this!" Then she murmured to herself: "I have to go back anyway." At this time, tears were rolling in her eyes, and she was homesick. The feeling is pitiful. It can be said that "I am approaching old age, when will I return to my hometown?"

When I returned to the hotel that night, I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. The post office in Carlos and the nostalgia of the landlady lingered in my mind for a long time. (Xue Quanrong)