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Published: March 24th 2023
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Blog 6
When I ended the last blog, I had just seen the tango show. The only thing I had left to see was the famous Ateneo bookshop, set in an old theatre. I had marked it in my maps.me app and got in a taxi. It was miles away and the taxi was 2,000 ARS, by far my most expensive. It was an Ateneo bookshop but not the one I wanted, I got the correct address and then another taxi, 1500 pesos !! It was beautiful and deservedly is said to be the most beautiful bookshop in the world. I got a taxi back to where I had eaten breakfast as I had left my, very expensive, water bottle, it could have just added to the expensive day. Thanks to my VPN I watched the last match of the Six Nations England v Ireland. Ireland were deserved grand slam winners.
At the last minute I decided to visit Palacio Barolo which was five minutes from my hotel. I had time to walk up to see the Congress building which looks pretty impressive. The tour was great and the guide particularly entertaining, the building was built in 4 years
and was an office block. The offices are tiny and certainly not conducive to modern work. We went up to the 14
th floor by lift but had to walk up a spiralling staircase to the 22
nd where there were stunning views of the city. I returned to the Brizzo hotel for dinner, the service vastly improved and reflected on my time in Buenos Aires.
On our previous trip to Argentina I was disappointed to have missed it but to be honest I had mixed feelings about the place. Firstly, the heat made doing very much incredibly difficult, I would normally walk everywhere in cities to enjoy the architecture etc. Secondly, the whole money situation made a simple task more complicated. Thirdly, and sadly there are incredible numbers of people living on the streets. One morning there were five people asleep across the pavement outside the hotel, you had to walk on the road to get past. It left me feeling a bit deflated and definitely hoping Montevideo would be different.
Sunday and it was time to head to Uruguay. After breakfast I got a taxi to the terminal for the ferry. I was leaving Argentina with about 3,700
pesos , less than 10€. I had booked a the Buquebus ferry to Colonia and then connecting bus to MVD and had read very mixed reviews but it was all very organised , immigration leaving Argentina and entering Uruguay done at 2 windows metres apart. I was helped by a great couple from Florida, in Uruguay who kept me right about when and where to go. Suitcases were check in like a flight then collected at Colonia. I used my last pesos on the ferry for a sandwich and finally left with less than a euro. I collected my bag from the belt and the bus was feet away and just over 2 hours later arrived in Montevideo. The route was very green and it was so welcome after city life.
I had booked a hotel close to the bus terminal and it was literally over the road, a nice modern clean place. My room had the biggest and comfiest bed of the whole trip. Obviously new country new currency and above the bus station was a 3 storey shopping mall with atm machines. Using credit cards in Uruguay attracts up to 21% discount in some places. I had
a very average salad in the food court. There was security in the mall but outside some dodgy looking characters. It felt like Groundhog Day and I was back in BA.
Chris's cruise ship arrived early but they were docked overnight and were coming to the hotel. I expected them about ten am but they arrived before 9 just as I was finishing breakfast. The hotel were great giving Alan his room five hours early. Chris had a snooze and Alan and I went to get tickets for the bus to Colonia for the next day. Chris had succumbed to the cruise cold bug and was still suffering. We had a pretty lazy day but were meeting 6 others from the cruise for dinner at 8pm. About 5pm I asked Chris to show me his list of people coming, at the top was the name of the restaurant. Except it was the wrong one, eventually we got in touch with everyone. We got a taxi and had a great evening. We were eventually eight, us three, Sue from the UK and Lesley and Graeme and Yvonne and Alistair all living in Australia, although only Graeme was born in Australia.
The service and food were exceptional. For me it was good to socialise in English after two weeks on my own.
Next morning Alan set off for his trip back to the UK and we headed for Colonia del Sacramento. The previous day I'd bought tickets for 12.30 but we bought new tickets for an 11.30 bus to save hanging around. Colonia is a small town with an old town which is a UNESCO world heritage site. We were staying at the Mirador hotel with an indoor and outdoor pool. The welcome was great but the hotel is a bit dated. We wandered into town early evening, failing miserably to get any money our of 4 or 5 ATMs. We ate in the hotel and the food was tasty but we waited a long time.
Wednesday we set off walking to the old town, its very picturesque and quaint, it was built by the Spanish and Portuguese before Montevideo. Given the town's strategic position it was fought over many times with the British and Brazilian trying to take the place. It provided a port, together with Buenos Aires where silver from Potosi could be shipped to Europe. The
old town is made of
small granite sets a bit like in Portugal but the streets of the new town are just as difficult to walk on. It was hot so we went into an ice cream shop. I bought diet Sprite and vanilla ice cream and was transported back to my childhood when I made an ice cream float. I've never been a fan of milkshake but pop and ice cream a different matter. The girl in the shop looked quizzically at me, each to his own.
I spent an hour in the indoor heated pool and hydro massage while Chris tried to get some rest and shake off his cold. Our evening meal down in the old town turned into a car crash. We chose our table with the waitress and after 5 minutes of waiting for the menu Chris had to go and ask for it. When she said she didn't know we were there that summed up the rest of the evening. There were three staff and the cashier. We ordered food and got our condiments and bread . A different waitress came to clear it away at which point we said “ We haven't eaten yet" The food arrived and it was pretty average. When I asked for the bill I was told pay at the caja “the till" which wasn't at the bar but inside. The bill in South America either has the tip added or you are asked if you want to add a tip. If its the former they have to ask if you want to pay it- you can refuse. When I said no as the service had been terrible she just looked grumpy and wasn't interested in knowing why. Later when I looked at the Google reviews they got 2.6 !
Yesterday we were going to walk around the estuary but Chris was still grotty so after a short walk I headed to a pharmacy and explained his symptoms and got a potion. We wandered into the old town and when we came back used the warm pool, which seemed to help Chris's chest. I then lazed by the outdoor pool and had a swim, it was a perfect temperature and there was only me. The garden and pool are beautiful. Our evening trip into town couldn't have been more different to the previous evening. A local sports club had an outdoor terrace and we had drinks and eventually ate. Excellent service and tasty but simple food. Its not rocket science!
Today we are leaving Colonia, hiring a car for a few days to see a bit more of the countryside. We are following the river Uruguay, first to near Carmelo, I am taking Chris to a wine lodge. We are staying the night but also doing a wine tour and having a parilla- a South American grill. Then Saturday we have an airbnb in Villa Soriana, the first town inhabited in Uruguay. We plan to just enjoy the countryside.
Till next time
Norma x
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Vicki Campbell
non-member comment
Uruguay
Is rt safe?