Ushaia, Argentina and the Beagle Channel

Arriving in Ushuaia was breathtaking.  The town was cute and very Sound of Music with the tudor houses and the snow capped mountains.
We had had a 4 hour flight from Santiago to Ushaia.  Grawnola to the rescue again.

We were promptly put on a tour bus for our trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park.  I was very excited.  I am a total science and nature nerd.  I have always wanted to go to Patagonia and there we were.  Into Patagonia and to the Beagle Channel.  The same water way that Charles Darwin himself sailed over 175 yeas ago and started exploring as a naturalist.  WOW!!

After an amazing hike through the the park, the plan was lunch on a catamaran and a trip down the channel.

By this time I was very hungry.  We hiked town to the Canoero catamaran, the Elisebetta for lunch.  Tables were already set and a wrap appetizer was already on the plate.

Initially our server was Spanish speaking only so I got out my Triumph Dining Card.  It has Spanish on one side and English on the other. I have rarely used this and felt a little silly doing so but, it totally worked.  I was so surprised.  The server quickly brought over the English speaking manager who confirmed the ingredients of the lunch soup and that they were safe.  She sent over a very good salad, in place of the wrap, with packaged dressing. The amazing thing was the ingredients were so simple I could even read them in Spanish.  There was no obvious gluten so I went for it.

The rest of lunch was small but incredible good.  It was a beautiful beef curry soup.  The manager even double checked with me the ingredients were gluten free as it was served.  It was very good.  Small portion but the spices were just right.  Flavorful without being overly spicy, hot.

Then there was dessert.  It was a chocolate covered ball of black cherry ice cream.  The manager said it was safe.  I knew that maybe the chocolate may not be completely safe but this was one of those calculated risks and she did say it was safe.  I did not get sick, so I win.  Take that gluten!

Half eaten.  I couldn't wait. 

As I ran outside to take pictures of sea lions and cormorants I noticed some cookies by the door.  The boxes were sitting behind the cookies for identification.  They were gluten free!!!  It said it right on the box!!! "Sin Gluten"!

 Okay, I admit they were aweful!  Disgusting actually.  But what a great effort on their part.  There were no other glutenous cookies, just the GF ones for everyone.  Good show.  

For a small operation, that speaks a different language, they did a FABULOUS job of pulling off gluten free.  I was very impressed.

After our great lunch and tour of the channel we boarded our ship to Antarctica!  So exciting!

                                                                                     Antarctica here we come!!