Falkland Islands Part 2

After two hours with the penguins at Volunteer Point, it was time to head back to Port Stanley. While our trusty driver Bradley navigated through the boggy landscape, we ate our box lunches in the Range Rover. We stopped at the halfway mark again, which my husband and the other tall man in the vehicle appreciated for stretching the legs. We arrived back in Port Stanley at about 3:00 p.m. Bradley pointed out a couple of gift shops that were open even though it was Christmas Day. We had to time to visit those as well as some of the historical sights in town.

Top Tip: I mentioned in Part 1 that we booked our tour to Volunteer Point early. We had our hearts set on this experience, therefore we did not want to miss the opportunity. In general, excursions should be booked as early as possible, whether they are offered by the cruise line or a third party, because they might sell out, especially the most popular ones. Occasionally, you might be able to book a desired excursion on the ship, but I wouldn't wait if you really want a particular experience. 

The building above is called the Jubilee Villas. It was built in 1887 in honor of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The architecture is a good example of typical British terraced town homes of that time period.

Above is Christ Church Cathedral, the southernmost Anglican Cathedral in the world. The arches in front of it are made of two jawbones of blue whales, the largest creature on earth. 

The interior of Port Stanley's Christ Church Cathedral. No matter how hard the wind blows, this building seemed pretty solid.

One of my favorite Bible verses: Jesus said . . . "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 

This green space along the harbor is called "Victory Green" originally to celebrate the end of WWI. It also reminds visitors of the British winning the war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982. The conflict lasted 74 days; the United Kingdom retained sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. You can see our ship, the Oosterdam, anchored on the left in the harbor. 

Built in the 1850s as a hotel with cottages, the building above was originally named the Eagle Inn. Later is was called the Ship Hotel and then the Upland Goose Hotel after a common bird in the Falkland Islands. In 2008, it was converted to flats (apartments). 

These homes lie opposite the whale arch. The Christ Church Cathedral is to the left of the photo. 

Here is the arch with the harbor in the background. Our ship waits for us out in the bay. A final look back at the whale arch set against the few trees in Port Stanley. December is in the middle of their summer, hence the flowers blooming in the foreground. Time to walk down the street another block or so to catch a tender boat back to the ship. A wonderful and adventurous day on the Falkland Islands!

Bonus Tip: If you happen to be in a town on a holiday and gift shops are open, if you go in, try to buy something. After all, they have taken time out of their holiday to serve you. At the very least, thank them for being open.