WET AND WILD IN MONTEVIDEO

We had to be at the Port in Bueno Aires for 8am arriving on time we checked in for the boat and waited for our 9am departure. It is a regualr occurance to hop over to Uruguay from BA and everything was well organised. The day had started wet and we were hoping to escape the rain of BA. Passing through both Argentina and the Uruguay customs we took a short bus ride to the boat and very quickly we were on our way. Surging over the slightly rough Rio Plata. The boat journey took just over an hour so we arrived pretty much on time into a very wet and dull Colonia. From here we took a connection by bus to Montevideo which is the capital city of Uruguay. The bus journey was 2.5 hours and we were looking forward to the scenery along the way.

On first viewing Colonia looked very rough around the edges with delapitated buildings. We had been told by a couple of people that Colonia had little to offer but areas always look a bit rough and ready by the port so we cant really say. Leaving Colonia we headed off on the roads. The scenery right up until reaching the outskirts of Montevideo was mainly fields and on a dull and wet day they hardly capture the imagination. We arrived a little late into the bus station but as we had already booked our accomodation we jumped a taxi to the hotel. It was raining very hard at this point but we tried not to let it dampen our spirits. We had opted for a hotel in the old quarter which boasted cobbled streets, open squares and century old buildings. When we got to the hotel the surrounding area which is supposed to be a hub of activity looked like everyone had decided to stay in bed!!!! We checked in to our room which was very nice and was even en-suite. The room was good but the bathroom was somewhat old and in need of attention. We had a bath which I immediately got excited about particularly as it was damn cold too. On inspection I really would not have considered washing the dog in it so that idea went out the window. No matter I thought as we were only paying 10 pounds for the room. We were to stay here only one night and leave back to BA at 4.30pm the next day. With time of the essence we dumped everything and set off to investigate.

With a little advice from the hotel staff we headed off towards the port area which is the place to go if you want to eat in the daytime. It was still raining very hard and meandering around in this sort of weather just is not ideal so we thought we´d take a quick look round and prayed that the rain would die down. Getting very wet quite quickly we frog marched down the streets in search of the port. On first evaluation the whole area seemed tired and uncared for. What few old building their were looked ready for attention and many that we passed had gone way past a need for a little touch up. Many of the building we crumbling or had done so and without sounding unfair to the place my first evaluation was it was a dump. Nowhere looks appealing in the rain and referring back to our first day rule we decided to keep an open mind in the hope we would turn a corner and Montevideos beauty would be revealed. Finding the port area we needed to get out of the rain and ducked into what looked like a shopping area. In fact it was a hive of activity but the main produce being sold was food. The place was quite out of character to what we had seen in the streets. Warm and cozy with full restuarants and smallers cafes the place was remarkably charming. Each cooking area boasted racks of meat in every size and shape imaginable. Mainly beef but with offerings of chicken, lamb, baked potatoes, roasting peppers, the smell was mouth watering. We wondered round looking for somewhere to settle having decided that if we continued wondering around in the rain we would slowly drown in our clothes.

The restaurants all looked inviting in their own way. Some were very busy which we know is a good sign but neither of us fancied squeezing our wet bodies through the crouds. We settled for one that was very quiet but had a patio heater which meant we could at least try and get a small portion of our clothes dry while enjoying a good meal. The waiter was very attentive and immediately pulled the heater over to where we sat. He then bought over two glasses of complimentary champagne which was made locally. It was a little sweet but tasty all the same. Having poroused the menu at great length we both laughed and decided that we would have a steak. I am amazed at Tim who has never been a major fan of red meat even after all my years of coaxing he still prefers chicken or pork. The meat out here though is spectacular, the cuts we are getting for around a fiver would cost 3 times that at home. He figured that it would be unfair not to try the Uruguan offerings to compare to Argentina and then to my amusement decided on the tenderloin which was the most expensive on the menu. For saying we had agreed to cut back our steak meals due them being rather over budget when we added all the little extras and wine to the deal I thought this very funny. Not one to be left out of course I agreed that the tenderloin was a good choice and ordered one myself. We were both very hungry so we also ordered ensalda completa, baked potatoes and papa fritas for Tim. We enjoyed a beer and then an excellent red wine from Uruguay recommended by the waiter. The salad when it arrived was unbelievable and professionally dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar even Tim is taking to them. I´m not suite sure what to think as he wont eat salad at home either!!! The waiter showed us just how to make the dressing up and then how to toss the salad properly. Something to bring home with us, I was surprised that much thought went into it. When the meat arrived I could not believe how big it was. Dominating the plate and oozing with juice it was a meal on its own. If I could have posted it to my dad in heaven I would have done I´ve never seen a peice of meat look so good, he would have been so impressed!!! We are learning not to rush our food and to enjoy it more. Meal times out here are a relaxed, more of a hobby and we spent over 2 hours chatting and eating and drinking. If the sun had been shining it would have been perfect but on inspection through the windows it was still raining hard. What can you do in these situations apart from order another bottle of wine and stay next to the patio heater. Fortunately the whole place closes early evening otherwise we would probably have been there all night.

Heading back towards the hotel bellies full we decided it would be silly to wonder around for the sake of it. Everywhere seemed closed and it was very cold. We settled for an early night in the hope the weather would improve the next day.

We woke early to torrential rain and could not believe that it had rained all night too. The streets were deserted and it was hard to even bother to get ourselves up. But, we only had the day here and we had hardly seen anything so we donned our waterproofs again and semi wet fleeces from the day before. Yuk!!! Finding a cafe in the main street we had a delightful omelette and braved a walk through the city area. There were some interesting buildings and monuments but the rain was driving and the wind was icy cold. Having ducked into another cafe for some respite we still has a few hours before the bus picked us up. We were getting wet again and neither of us wanted to sit on the bus soaked. We agreed that the most sensible thing to do was get our bags and a taxi to the bus station and sit there in the dry until it was time for the bus. Not ideal but we could not continue the way things were and our hotel had no guest lounge to speak of. So we did just that.

The bus station was very good though and had a nice eatery where we could get some dinner before we left. We got the bus having sat in the station for 3 hours but the time passed quickly with us planning other parts of the trip. The bus journey back to the port was very slow due to the weather and when we boarded the boat again the staff would not let people sit up front due to the crossing being very rough. Fortunately neither of us struggle with sickness but there were a few very green faces on the way back. We are both glad that we went to Motevideo and I´m sure in the sunshine we would have seen a different place althogether as there were many square and streets with cafes. In all honesty though had it not been for the phenomenal steak we would not have anything to shout about.

Finally we arrived in BA at 9pm the cok full of large shipping boats from China towering over our littel boat. We had opted to stay in a different area this time and we jumped a taxi across the city in the pouring rain.........

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