Falklands lure Yanks to discover "Islas Malvinas," learn about the war

Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, or "Las Malvinas" to Argentine people, is a peaceful town of less
than 3,000 people. It is one of the smallest and most remote capital cities in the world.

FISHING, PENGUINS, ENGLISH INFLUENCE CLOSE TO ARGENTINA BUT REMOTE

English influence abounds in Port Stanley,
including old-fashioned telephone booths.
Here, Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie"
Meyers take a stroll through the village.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

WE ALL remember when Queen Elizabeth 2 famously requisitioned her namesake ship, QE2, converting it to a troop ship  during the 1982 conflict in the remote Falkland Islands.
Many of us went to our atlas to find exactly where the islands were.
So 40 years later, there we were, on the Falkland Islands during a Celebrity cruise.
Our day there was full and fun, beginning with several hours at the fascinating penguin preserve on Bluff Cove.

There are several lovely rural retreats in the Falklands, offering hill walking and birdwatching. We saw both King and Magellanic penguins,  gentoo penguins, Cobb's wrens, and striated caracaras. We also saw the Upland Goose and Falkland Steamer Duck.

A courtyard near the museum features remnants
of the Falkland's War and old fishing boats.

On the penguin trail in the Falklands

Imposing Christ Church Cathedral on Stanley's main street.

Our driver was a cheerful, good natured chap,  much like the Englishmen we've met in pubs in the UK.  In fact, that's where he was headed after our day's outing.  He'd picked us up earlier at the ship terminal, dropping us off at the preserve.  When he came to fetch us after our outing, he was looking forward to his pint, like any proper Englishman capping a long day's work.
THE LAND is flat and arid, much like parts of inland Australia, with the same sheep grazing terrain and miles and miles of dry grassland.
In Stanley, the English influence is apparent everywhere, including the supermarket. There we found English teas, kippers, chutney, sausages and black pudding.
Main street is home to fish and chip shops, and one cafe featured Cornish pastries and sticky toffee pudding.
Attractions include a delightful museum, and Government House—built in 1845 and home to the Governor of the Falkland Islands. Naturally, there's a golf course.

Keller and Cookie in the Historic Dockyard Museum,
a treasure trove of memorabilia and wildlife exhibits.

OUR AFTERNOON in  Stanley was a pleasant follow-up to the penguin excursion. We wandered the town of 2,400, and looked at a map to ground ourselves while we had a coffee. We were about 300 miles northeast of the southern tip of South America. Europeans claimed the islands as early as 1645, using them as a stopping off point for rounding the horn.

There are two main islands: East Falkland and West Falkland, and 200 smaller islands, spread out over 4,700 square miles.  

Most of the 3,758 people live in Stanley, a quiet capital city. We spent a couple hours at the fascinating Historic Dockyard Museum, two floors of treasures. An elderly docent spoke of growing up with three generations in her household. We also toured the impressive Christ Church Cathedral

A complex of town homes in Stanley.  The average
price of a home is 320,000 British pounds,
or about $415,000 American dollars. 

and the Whalebone Arch, the 1982 Liberation Memorial, the Lady Elizabeth shipwreck, and some of Stanley’s original houses. We learned of the way of life and heritage in these rugged islands, where fishing, tourism, and agriculture flourish. Fishing is the largest industry, contributing more than half of the islands' annual GDP. The islands also export wool, hides and meat.  Last year, more than $382 million in goods went to Spain, Morocco, the United States, Namibia, and Germany.  Jetty Visitor Centre has this information, along with helpful maps and a cheerful docent to field questions.

 WE ASKED our guide about the Falklands Conflict of 1982, that short undeclared war between Argentina and Britain. It was fought over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. We'd heard the Argentine side in Buenos Aires, where people call the islands Islas Malvinas. The conflict lasted 74 days and cost over 900 lives.

"We are a self-governing British Overseas Territory, and will remain so," he said, explaining that under the country's 2009 Constitution, the islands have full internal self-government. Meanwhile, the UK is responsible for foreign affairs, retaining the power "to protect UK interests and to ensure the overall good governance of the territory".

The courtyards of Port Stanley display artillery from the 1982 conflict.

WHAT LED to the conflict? Following World War II, the British Empire declined and many colonies gained their independence. Argentina saw this as an opportunity to push its case for gaining sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, and raised the issue in the United Nations, first stating its claim after joining the UN in 1945.
Yet, Falkland Islanders overwhelmingly prefer to remain British while many Argentine people still argue that "Islas Malvinas" is theirs.

WE ASKED our Argentine friend why the debate continues:
"The answer is simple," he said. "The Falklands -- Islas Malvinas -- belong to Argentina. They just happen to have been seized, occupied, populated and defended by Britain for hundreds of years."
As the museum docent told us, "We are British, the only life we've known for generations."

To arrange a cruise to the Falklands, we recommend Celebrity Cruises:

www.celebritycruises.com

Mount Rushmore in its autumn glory. Our next feature.

UP NEXT: A visit to Mount Rushmore in its prime autumn splendor. We take readers to this dramatic South Dakota memorial -- at its most beautiful in autumn. It pays homage to the ideals of four beloved U.S. presidents -- Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. We explore the story behind its creation, with sculptor Gutzon Borglum at the helm. His inspiration for the monumental sculpture was the driving force of its creation as he wooed politicians and presidents to back his dream. More on this fascinating project -- and the nearby Crazy Horse Memorial, which honors Native American people and their tremendous contributions and sacrifice.  On to the Black Hills, remembering to explore, learn and live.  Catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, family, the arts and more. Please share the link: www.whereiscookie.com