Ushuaia was founded as a last ditch effort by the Argentinians to lay claim to the vital navigation routes of the Patagonian region. Several attempts to settle this region at the bottom of the world failed due to the isolation and inability to perpetuate the population.

So in the style of colonials before them, the Argentinians set up a penal colony here. It worked for Australia, as a means to create a workforce to help establish a local economy. A navy base followed shortly after and the town became a place to send convicts whose crimes ranged from the political to the murderous and all that lies between.

The dogs here have the run of the place, and on Christmas Day the streets were empty save for some scrapping 'perros.'

Despite it's slightly rag-tag appearance, there is a beguiling quality about this little city at the bottom of the world. Happy Christmas!