12/12/2010 Walking around the McMurdo "Town"

Since it is Sunday today, we were able to have some fun time walking around the station, visiting places, meeting with people, etc...

McMurdo Station is almost surrounded by many mountains, which provide us with 24 hr pleasant spectacular view in the summer time. Too bad that my photographic skill is not good enough to show such breathtaking scenery. Between the station and the mountains shown in the above picture is a frozen ocean on which any heavy vehicles can safely be driven until it becomes not thick enough for such heavy loads in the summer. Sometimes, icebreaker sails through it to reach the station. 

This is how we sort out garbage - many different trash/recycle bins that require you to be smart! Except for food waste that is used as fuel locally and most of garbage must be shipped back to the States or New Zealand - even human waste!

Joseph and I went to a protestant church service at 11am.This is my first time to go to church among my four visits to Antarctica so far.

Stuffed Adelie penguin and south polar skua displayed in Cracy Research Lab. People over here try to have a touch of Christmas atmosphere around the building but how they are displayed is kinda creepy...   

Also stuffed penguins at Cracy Research Lab. 
 

Joseph and I took a short walk to a middle section of the Observation Hill where we could see the entire view of McMurdo Station. This place has lots of volcanic rocks, which are exposed in the summer when snow melts. Since there are many old container buildings and construction materials around, the station looks more like a factory town or mining town - but no kids!

The dining hall at McMurdo Station very much looks like any college dining hall. My two buddies - Joseph and Kshitija have amazing appetite, feeling hungry almost every a couple of hours. They seem to enjoy the food here. You shall be fed well and work, work, work!!