17. Uruguay err,

Urugauy...otherwise known as U R GAY... a more humorous name coined by our friend Mr Homer Simpson.

A country of only 3.5 million people..yes, only half the size of London...and Americans call us quaint! There's nothing special here, but then nothing really bad either. The land is flat and farmed, houses are well maintained, the coastline is attractive and the capital is laidback and a mix of historic and modern. Colonia, the Portuguese shipping port is the real gem.

Famous for: Winning the first World Cup and a Rugby team surviving a plane crash in the Andes.

Montevideo
Sounds classy eh? Pretty empty really, I think Barnard Castle has more bars! Still you can hop between the beach, shopping centres and museums and discovering ZARA has been a treat. Have spent 9 days in the really nice Red Hostel, occupied by the weirdest and most boring collection of travellers I have ever met. My cold is getting better though.

Punta del Diablo
Hopped up here last weekend..really rugged, beautiful coastline, sandy beaches and little beach huts...but NO ONE HERE! I had the waiter in the only restaurant and the hotel dogs to keep me company.

La Paloma...ghost town
Great surf scene and a place to chill in your boardies claims the LL. Well maybe Dec-Jan..I got off the bus, walked around and straight back on another one.

Colonia
Cobblestoned streets and a historical air make this a charming little place..so little you have seen it all in two hours.

Carmelo
SWEET little place. Colonial houses painted in candy colours and a really laid back pace of life, lots of deckchairs on the street and bicycles. I have been whiling away the hours on the sandy river beach, just chilling out before getting the boat back to Argentina tomorrow

And that's about it folks...definitely the shortest e-mail I have written..enjoy the break!

Hasta la vista x

---

---