On both previous occasions we have visited the weather has been cold, wet and windy - even snow once, despite this being “summer” in these parts! Today therefore was an unexpected treat with clear skies and ‘relative’ warmth - enough to warrant breakfast on our verandah.
We, like any other cruise ship, have moored in the sound adjacent to Stanley, and then tendered into town. It’s a moderately short journey, and the view of the town gets better and better as we approach, the coloured rooves all look fabulous in the sunshine.
We’re very quick off the tender and head up past The Globe and on to our planned walk, firstly in the direction of Gypsy Cove to catch a few pingu. It’s about 5 miles so we keep stopping where necessary to take photos and finally make it to the walkway around and above the cove. Warning signs remind us constantly that straying ‘off piste’ can be deadly, there are still mines around the area.
In fact we’re reminded that this glorious country was the subject of a terrible time not so long ago, although many of our younger friends and family have little or no concept of these times when The Falklands was headline news each and every day.
We are mindful still that huge tracts of the islands are no-go areas, and we never stray off the designated path. Just to remind us, a fighter plane buzzes around, presumably friendly?
After a good hours march, we reach the area of Bluff Clove, ironically within swimming distance of our moored ship (not an option I would suggest) and we follow the pathway around the headland to watch penguins nesting in the heather quite happily ignoring the tourists, IE us!
As well as pingu there are many other birds and we enjoy a massive collection of these as we also enjoy our bakery elevenses, purloined from the breakfast order earlier.
After this we head back towards town, amused as always by the lack of traffic, and each vehicle, when seen, is a 4x4 - more Toyota these days, where as 12 years ago it was mostly Land Rover.
We wander through the town of Stanley like old regulars, it is so simple to navigate we fell like honorary locals, and check out all the old favourites like the Governor’s house, various monuments and significant buildings such as the local rag, post office, gaol, co-op and the like.
No Falklands visit is complete without a Mars Bar so we sort that out before visiting the Southernmost Cathedral in the world and then catch the tender back home.
Having clocked up 15 miles, we think a jacuzzi is necessary and somehow manage to while away the afternoon oscillating between said jacuzzi and swimming pool, completely uninterrupted by any other guests, it’s just a ghost ship this afternoon.
We’re invited to a dinner event tonight hosted by a band member and singer, both of whom are delightful and we have a great dinner with them and the other guests,
Finally, the entertainment is a solo pianist, whom we find a little annoying, even though he is undoubtedly extremely talented.
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