Argentine Bureaucracy

Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, calls itself “the gateway to Antarctica” when, in fact, a more appropriate title would be “the Gateway to Argentine Bureaucracy.” On a recent cruise to Antarctica, our vessel, the Professor Molchanov, was delayed two days in port while the ship’s leasing agent struggled to extract (prepaid) fuel from the local authorities. Previous cruises, we learned, were held up in port for six to 24 hours for a variety of other bureaucratic reasons. Travelers to Antarctica would be wise to book passage on ships that leave from neighboring Chile, rather than risk a disappointing experience at the hands of Argentina’s petty functionaries.

STUART A. GREEN

Los Alamitos