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Published: January 16th 2007
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When explaining my likely itinerary to people before leaving the UK, I don't think I mentioned Uruguay. I had assumed that I would dip into the country for a day or two and that would be it. As it turns out, Uruguay has plenty to keep travellers occupied for a good while. I spent 8 days there and could easily have stayed longer.
Montevideo is probably most famous for playing host to the first World Cup Final in 1930, which Uruguay won. I visited the old stadium and the football museum inside it. The city remains an important port, where there is a large food market with so much succulent meat on display that it is impossible not to stop for a steak or sausage. I enjoyed the atmosphere of Montevideo - the city has plenty of hustle and bustle but manages to retain a laidback feel. This is probably due to the relaxed, friendly nature of the Uruguayans. Perhaps part of the reason people like me simply forget to mention Uruguay, or do not even bother going, is because the country is too modest to shout about what it has to offer.
I moved on from Montevideo after
a couple of days, heading east along the coast to the beach resort city of Punta del Este. My arrival coincided with the peak of the peak season, and the place was packed with families on holiday, mostly Argentines. I didn't actually stay in Punta del Este itself, but in a small town called La Barra about 6 miles away. In fact, my hostel wasn't even in La Barra - it was about a 15 minute walk out of town, down some back streets. The location of the hostel beggars belief really - I don´t think it could be any more inconvenient. Taxis are sparse so I took a local bus to La Barra and then walked around for ages trying to find it. Not much fun when your backpack is weighing you down and it is 30 degrees, with dogs jumping up and down barking in your face. My real gripe with the hostel, though, is the fact that it cashes in on its shocking location by charging guests for transfers to Punta del Este or one of the beaches. Not just that, but they will ask for more cash if you have the audacity to bring a bag
or 2 with you or if there are only a few people in the van. One time I asked to go to the beach and was then carted around for about an hour while others were dropped off in Punta del Este, only to then be told that they wouldn't take me to my requested destination after all, as there weren't enough others who wanted to go! Quite extraordinary. Still, I got my own back by giving the hostel a lousy review on hostelworld.com, which with any luck will lose them a few customers.
Punta del Este is very touristy and not really my cup of tea. It is heavily built up, a typical seaside resort really. Well, technically it is a riverside resort, as it is on the banks of the La Plata river rather than the ocean. There were some very good beaches in the area but I was sunburnt so lying in the sun for hours on end was not a great idea.
I stayed in Punta del Este/La Barra for 2 days before moving a short distance west to Piriapolis, another beach town. I found Piriapolis to be more appealing than Punta - it
was also packed with families but felt more relaxed. It was a good place to spend a day topping up the sunburn. There was a beer festival while I was in Piriapolis, and I went to have a look. Curiously, however, there appeared to be only one beer on offer, Pilsen. Presumably they have a different concept of ´beer festival´rather than this being a terrible oversight.
It's fair to say that I haven't exactly been exercising my brain cells lately. Whenever my brain is suddenly called into action, it takes a while to get going. Usually I can just leave it on autopilot, because you find yourself having the same conversation over and over again. However, one question which occasionally poses a problem is "So, where have you just come from?". Yes, this sounds simple, but now and again I find myself standing there absolutely stumped, scratching my head thinking "Where HAVE I just been?".
Last, but certainly not least, on my Uruguayan itinerary was Colonia del Sacramento. This port town was founded by the Portuguese in the late 17th century as a means of smuggling goods into Argentina. The Portuguese named it Sacramento, but when the Spanish
conquered the place it became Colonia del Sacramento. The old part of town is essentially a maze of cobbled streets, perfect for wandering around aimlessly. It's a beautiful little place, oozing charm, and is a World Heritage site.
The best way of getting back into Argentina from Colonia is by ferry. I couldn't quite believe how quick the ferry was - it almost seemed to fly across the river, taking only an hour to cover the quite considerable distance to Buenos Aires. So I am now back in the big city, and am finding it even more alluring than before. I have met plenty of travellers who have talked about how Buenos Aires gradually lures you in, making you hopelessly addicted. Now I understand what they mean, and I really have to get out of here soon before it's too late. I am staying in Palermo again, and have not quite got round to buying my bus ticket out of here. It is too easy to sit on the street with a coffee and a newspaper, watching the locals strut around, before retiring for a siesta, ready for another all-nighter out on the town with folk from the hostel.
My hostel was promoting a day trip to Tigre, a riverside town about 30 kms out of the city, and I decided to give it a go. I was told to go to a park by the Retiro bus station to meet up with the group. There were only 4 others on the tour and we stood around for ages waiting for our guide. Eventually he turned up, 45 minutes late and in a right old state. He explained that he had been to a party the night before and had slept for only half an hour. He was so tired that he was standing with his shoulders drooped and his eyes virtually shut. Some tour this was going to be. Then he told us that they could not run the trip with only 4 people. He phoned a girl at the hostel to explain events, and she came to the rescue. The girl, Agostina, was a complete contrast to the other guy, full of energy and enthusiasm. She apologised for the situation but confirmed that they couldn't operate the complete tour with so few people. However she promised us a full refund and suggested that we all go to Tigre together anyway, free of charge. It turned out to be a great day. We took a boat ride down the river and spent a few hours sat on the banks chilling out with a beer. All of us except the hostel guide, who spent most of the afternoon asleep on the grass. Good work if you can get it.
Which reminds me, I must mention the professional dog walkers. Yes, you heard me correctly. People who have a job walking the dogs of owners who do not have the time, or the inclination, to walk their dogs. I have seen many of them around Palermo. Sometimes the walkers have 10-15 dogs stringing along behind them, it is quite a sight.
The other night I went to the national theatre to see a tango musical called 'Tanguera'. I was walking past the theatre and saw there was a show starting soon, and found that there were a few seats still available. As with everything in Argentina, the ticket was very cheap (about 5 pounds) and I had an excellent view of the stage. The spontaneous things invariably end up being the best and most fun, and the show was absolutely spectactular. The theme of the musical was basically the history of tango. At the end of the show, the encore of dances went on for so long that I was beginning to think it was going to go on all night when the curtain finally fell for the last time.
The curtain on my Buenos Aires experience really does have to fall soon. Time to head to that bus station...
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