Uruguay - Montevideo

In Montevideo

Our last port of call before BA and the sun is shining and the sky blue.  It was great to be able to walk off the ship instead of waiting for tenders.

We spent the morning with Antonio and Mercedes walking around the narrow streets and then all along the Malacon by the sea.  It's quite a small city in the centre, and then the suburbs sprawl out along the coast and bays.

Unfortunately it was holiday/fiesta here and most of the wider city was closed and it was difficult to get a real feel for how vibrant it might have been.

It had a small commercial area, market and shopping street, but the only area open was around the ship, with a crafts market, small shops and cafes.  There was the meat market, which was mainly full of restaurants.   It smelled wonderful and being holiday time was full with local families.

It was the most amazing place with Asado BBQs heaving with meat of every kind cooking away.  You just pointed to what you wanted and paid by weight. Unfortunately we were not very hungry and are just a little sick of food generally at the moment.  We wouldn’t have been able to do it justice. So we are going to wait until BA and not eat for a day or two before hand.

Our impression of Montevideo is that it isn’t particularly well off.  There were some lovely buildings, squares and houses, but some of it was fairly run down and needing some tender loving care.  But it is difficult to tell in one day,  and when the place was shut and the locals not around.

The ugliest building I think I have ever seen

Purile, I know

We might get a hydrofoil over to Colonia in Uraguy for the day from BA if we have time.  It would be nice to see some more of the country. And if we ever come back we would to go up the coast to Punta del Mar

After dinner we went to the show which was called Pampas y Tango.  It was great. Two men and a women, who sang, danced tango and local folk dances, and performed with boletas.  These were originally used to hunt or trip up cattle or sheep.  But this lot spun them around.  It was amazing, and must have bloody hurt when they were learning to do it.  A great fun night.