Posterity

Well, that's pretty much a wrap. I doubt anyone is reading this at this point, even my fellow blogmates. But for posterity's sake and since time got away from us during our last week, below is a short (really short) summary of what we did on our final five days in Ushuaia.

June 21: Argentina game watch party in Plaza San Martin in Buenos Aires and also in airport. Arrival and taxi to Hostel Antarctica. Incredible seafood dinner. Dancing during the Longest Night of the Year festival (continued below...).
June 22: Hiked Marcial Glacier. US vs. Portugal game.
June 23: Boat trip on the Beagle Channel.
June 24: Dog-sledding and showshoeing. Goodbye to Anna and Casey that afternoon.
June 25: Rental car over Garabaldi Pass to Rio Grande. Argentina game.
June 26: End of the World Museum. Flight to Buenos, then Buenos to Houston...
June 27: ...goodbye to Austin and Jeff in Houston. Houston to Dallas. Hung out with friend Keeley in downtown Dallas during ten hour layover (at this point just James, Lauren, Gavin). Dallas to Denver. Friends Gus and Laura pick us up. HOME.

After eating amazing seafood on June 21 shortly after our arrival into the southernmost city, we walked toward Ushuaia's pier and experienced what to me was a truly life-affirming moment but one that I have had trouble relating what it meant to us and why it was so special. As we walked, a church-like building with a gyrating circle of happy, dancing people of all ages in front of it came into view. There were maybe 50 locals in total. As we walked closer we saw a candle in the center of the circle and heard that they were dancing to "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles. They all wore beaming smiles and looked to be having such a fun time that we couldn't help but smile as well from beyond the circle. The song ended and they swiftly turned around and beckoned us to join the group. I warned them in Spanish that we had no idea what they were doing, but the ostensible leader, a mousy middle-aged woman, told us that we'd catch on.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was the next song up, and mouse-lady stood in the middle of the 57 of us and gestured which way we should sway or step, at a slower pace than the previous song. Thusly we swayed until the main chorus of Lucy hit, at which point she threw up her arms and everyone around us ran forward every which way in a swarm of frenzied limbs and with open-mouthed smiles of pure euphoria. We did the same, and instantly we were part of them. The happiness was the most infectious I'd ever experienced. Upon the chorus ending we fell back into circular formation, each person next to someone they'd never met, as the second verse began. During the euphoric swarm of the second chorus, I remember flying with arms outstretched like a plane and passing Anna and Jeff in quick succession. The moment we shared during this brief eye-contact had to have been less than a second each, but in each of their faces I saw and shared the sentiment - How did we get here? What are we doing? This is so amazing! Life is so good!!!!

In a buzz the song ended, and the buzz remained as we finished off the Longest Night dance with a few sentimental slow songs. Anna, as she had the wonderful tendency to do, ducked out at just the right moment to capture the Danza de San Juan, below. I don't ever remember being so drunk with happiness as I was during this song, dancing in a sinuous circle with these wonderful Argentines on either arm and all around us, and in between them the faces of six of my closest friends, under the brilliant southern stars of a cold, dark night at the end of the world. This - this - is why we travel.