Stanley - The Big Smoke

We sailed into Stanley before breakfast.  We were zodiaced in arriving at the wharf were there was a sea lion waiting for us and three there when we left.  We wandered around the place like an old forgotten English Village.
 
The cathedral – Christchurch - had a nativity scene and inside were the most beautiful embroided kneelers.  I asked one of the people about the names  on the shore on the other side of the harbour as we sailed in.  They were the names of the ships which were their protectors.  Endurance, Protector, Dunbarton Castle, Beagle, Clyde.  The names were in white stones.  The crew would have to place the stones to make out the name of the ship.

It was Christmas tree festival time.  A couple of decorated trees in the apse.  There was some lovely stained glass too.

Wandering around the village there were quite a lot of cars out.   There was a memorial for the Falklands war further down the main road which was quite moving.  Lots of poppy wreaths and little crosses around.
 
There were quite a lot of trees planted in Stanley but the Falklands has no trees.   A problem with the rats because the native birds and animals all nest on the ground.  The museum was interesting with displays on whaling, the war, Antarctic survey, animals and life in the Falklands.

From there it was back to shop for presents and then back to the ship.  Oleg said if ou weren’t on the ship by 11.15am he would leave you behind because there was weather coming.

As we left the harbour there was a fabulous lighthouse with lots and lots of shearwaters.  The further south we went, the worse the seas.  By the evening when we were doing our Trivia quiz, a lot of people disappeared.   I am pleased to advise that we won.  Drinks on us at the bar

Meanwhile, the seas continued to rise and there were 9 metre waves.  It was rocking from side to side which made sleeping tricky.    It was another day at sea and so a late start did not matter.

The main is a view of the wharf where we landed and the houses behind.
The extras are:
Nativity scene at the Cathedral, interior of the cathedral x 2, Falkland War memorial x 2, Stanley kitty, the post office (notice the telephone boxes and post box- there were lots of telephone boxes like that around the town), the cathedral, view of the Governors house (white with green roof), lighthouse