Uruguay is tranquil and peaceful compared with Buenos Aires across the river.
Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. …
The 2017 Mercer’s report on quality of life, rated Montevideo first in Latin America, a rank the city has consistently held since 2005. …
It’s surprisingly clean … though I did see a few cockroaches and one dead rat. #Port
Most nights I sipped tinto and enjoyed the sunset.
Like everywhere in South America, they love statuary in Uruguay.
My ongoing tour of South American cemeteries.
In most Spanish speaking nations I would call this a malecón. A stone-built embankment or esplanade along a waterfront.
The Rambla of Montevideo is the avenue that goes all along the coastline of Montevideo, Uruguay …
… over 13.7 uninterrupted miles (22.2 km) …
Tourists in Montevideo see the sights by walking, running or cycling. Cycling is best. There’s much to see along the Rambla.
I rented a cheap bike from the hostel one day. Two hours out I got a flat. One hour 20 minutes walking back.
Another day I rented a GOOD bike from the leading rental company. $10 / 4 hours. No flat.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Asado (Spanish: [aˈsaðo]) is used in the same way as the English word “barbecue”, both for a range of barbecue techniques …
In Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, asado is a traditional way of preparing food and a traditional event.
An asado usually consists of beef, sausages, and sometimes other meats, which are cooked on a grill, called a parrilla, or an open fire. …
Click PLAY or watch my meal on YouTube.
Finished in 1928, Palacio Salvo stands 100 m (330 ft) high …
The building was originally intended to be a hotel, but this plan didn’t work out, and it has since been occupied by a mixture of offices and private residences. …
Some of my favourite photos from Montevideo were of this building.
La Mano (The Hand) is a sculpture in Punta del Este by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal. It depicts five human fingers partially emerging from sand …
It is also known as either Monumento al Ahogado (Monument to the Drowning Man), Los Dedos (The Fingers), or Hombre emergiendo a la vida(Man Emerging into Life). In English, it’s popular name is The Hand. …
While Irarrázabal had the entire summer to complete the project, he managed to finish in the first six days …
He later made near or exact replicas of the sculpture for the city of Madrid (in 1987), the Mano del Desierto (Hand of the Desert) in the Atacama Desert in Chile (1992), and in Venice (1995). …
I was surprised to find it directly across from the bus terminal. Not nearly as romantic a location as you’d guess from the photos.
Crowded most of the day, I went early morning to get the Hand to myself.
It’s deteriorating, as well. One day they’ll need do a restoration.
related – the Mano del Desierto located in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Punta del Este is the most important resort town in South America. …
The city is referred to as “the Monaco of the South”, “The Pearl of the Atlantic”, “the Hamptons of South America” and “the St. Tropez of South America”, being also compared to Miami and Cannes. …
I wouldn’t make those comparisons myself, but Punta is nice.
Some Argentines, Brazilians and Europeans have chosen Punta del Este as their permanent residence.
Here are a few of my photos to give you a feel for the place.
Yerba mate, or mate (mah tay) is a popular drink Argentina, but in Uruguay it’s an obsession.
It is a kind of herbal tea which has quite a kick. …
When you have drunk a cup of mate, you add more hot (never boiling) water.
The tea can be used several times that way. You see people walking around with Thermoses of hot water for that purpose.
Personally I don’t like the taste.
But I get it. You love yerba mate. You are addicted.
Still … I’m shocked how many people wander around with a thermos of hot water tucked into their arm pit. What a hassle.
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, is renowned for its historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. …
The city was developed on a peninsula that protrudes into the Río de la Plata. The 16 hectare “Barrio Histórico”, or Portuguese Old City, was enclosed by a fortification wall …
It is a popular tourist attraction for visitors from Buenos Aires, and there is frequent ferry service across the Río de la Plata between the two cities, with fast ferries completing the journey in just 50 minutes. …
This was my first visit to Uruguay. It’s far more stable and peaceful than Argentina.
I took in the sunset with some tinto.
I’d read that in Uruguay people applaud sunset. There was a smattering.
A crazy lady at my hostel took me out to the local version of Carnival. I sat about an hour on cobblestones, enjoying the show.
I finally ducked out. Back to the old quarter for some quiet. And PIZZA. 😀
Rick McCharles 