getting gay in uruguay

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New Years was really different, very few of the brasilians appeared to be intoxicated at midnight. theyd been setting off fireworks all week, including in the daytime, so you can imagine how many they set off at actual midnight. everyone wears white and does traditional stuff like jump over 7 waves and send things into the ocean and wear certain colours of underwear according to what they want in the new year (most popular = love and money). it was cool!
it was sad saying bye to my french buddies but id had one icecream too many in brasil and it was time to go back to spanish speaking land namely uruguay. first stop was this surfing fishing village called punta del diablo - thatched roofs and fishermens cottages, nice place except i wondered what it was like before it got a special mention in the lonely planet for being cool.
and then on to montevideo. the capital of ´gay where i walked round the first day going to a few musuems and sightseeing, then had a big fri night and went out cycling along the waterfront the next morning (i rule). i was staying in the old city which had the cool buildings and interesting markets. i liked it there cos it was smallish and happening and the fruit was really cheap.

next, still going along the coast, colonia. a colonial town, it reminded me of movies from that time such as pirates of the carribean when they are on the waterfront with curly wigs and jackets. its unesco listed, thats how special! caught a festival there with the drummers and dancers in skimpy costumes, and also a random reggae band that set up on the street and all the locals just sat round on the street watching and drinking mate and beer. spent an hour with some more crafts guys, once the guy gave up on selling me anything (had no uruguayan money left for the last day in uruguay, and plus i didnt like anything) we sat down and drunk mate and they played guitar and harmonica. and i got another present made out of wire this time in the shape of a flower - more appropriate than my marijuana leaf i got from the last craftsppl i hung out with!

and then i went to this town called carmelo. this town, as many towns on sundays, was dead. i ate the bread stick crackers and mayonnaise that i took from a restaurant the previous night. i had to get my moneys worth since i had already eaten when i went out with these other ppl, but they charged for a seat. plus i couldnt buy any food cos i didnt want to get more uruguayan pesos. i was only there for a few hours at the waterfront and beach, the reason for being there was to get a launch across the delta to buenos aires where i am now. pretty trip! at immigration the guy didnt search my bags at all but did say something about new zealand or me or maybe both being very pretty. sweet then..
i wanted to leave last night but got here too late to get any bus, so had to grab a superpancho and go to a hostel. and i was shocked to discover that its high season and superpanchos are now 2.50 pesos instead of 2, and ugis pizza is 9.20 instead of 8!!! ill hopefully get a bus to the lakes district this morning, leaving the coast which ive been following down since rio, for mountains, lakes and chocolate shops (uhoh). ive only got 10 days left here! theres so much more to see.

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