Blogs from District of Montevideo, Uruguay, South America - page 7

We weren't the only ones who struggled in a rain soaked Puerto Madryn. That evening we over heard a rather camp shop assistant talking to his Brazilian colleague that having been to Puerto Madryn many times, he was so upset that he couldn't find his favourite ice cream/coffee shop with free wi-fi. He had walked the whole length and breadth of the town but returned to the ship defeated as well as deflated. He said that of all the times he had visited this town it had never rained. God must like baseball as he had thrown him a 'curve ball' because everything looked so different in the rain!!! Ah, that explains it then!! Now I understand why we were being told it is such an interesting town and we saw something completely different…it was raining!! ... read more

On what was meant to be my last night in Montevideo a Swiss guy that I had befriended at the hostel and I decided to head down to the beach to check out the sunset. As we walked the 4 blocks between the hostel and the beach these three guys asked us for the time. Patrick replied to them in Spanish as we walked by without stopping. After about 10 meters I looked back behind us and the three guys were following us. To Patrick I went "we're about to get mugged". Next thing I knew two of them are grabbing at my bag and tugging it until the strap breaks and it comes off. They then go and help the other one who is fighting with Patrick for his iPhone. As I was waiting for ... read more

Visai padoriai išsimiegojęs apie 10.30 ryto atvažiaviau į urugvajaus sostinę, Montevidėjų. Iškart išsikeičiu vietinių pinigų ir suradęs reikiamą adresą sėdu į autobusą. Netrukus aš jau prie durų už kurių manes laukia dar vienas couchsurfing draugas. Šiuo atveju duris atidaro CS draugė, mergina vardu Noel. Iš pradžių planavau Montevidėjuj pabūti 3-4 dienas, tačiau pasikeitė mane priimančių draugų planai, tad arba reiks porą naktų praleisti hostelyje arba šiektiek sutrumpinti viešnagę šiame mieste. Taigi duris atidaro draugiška mergina, kuria čia gyvena su savo vaikinu ir dar keletu draugų. Trumpai pabendraujam ir aš žinodamas, kad čia neturiu labai daug laiko, išskubu apžiūrėti miesto. Pirmai dienai pasivažinėti gaunu dviratį, taip šiandien galėsiu aplankyti žymiai daugiau. Namas kuriame apsistojau yra pačiamie miesto centre, visai šalia senamiesčio, tad visų pirma panagrinėju senamiesčio... read more

Merry Christmas! Up early because we have booked an early tour of Montevideo. On the bus by 9 am. Our guide is Hector, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of his city and country. The day is overcast, temperature of 22°C. But Hector tells us that yesterday it hit 40°! Uruguay is a small country nestled between Brazil to the north and Argentina to the west. It has been claimed and occupied by both those countries, as well as by Britain and Spain. The early Spanish explorers had to contend with unfriendly native inhabitants and eventually systematically exterminated them. The country achieved independence in 1808 but had to repeatedly fight off invasions from Brazil. The country has only about 3 million people (fewer than the city of Buenos Aires proper), and almost half of them live in ... read more

Bright and early we head back to the ferry terminal to start the journey to Montevideo in Uruguay. We settled ourselves in with lots of people looking at the Australian chickas, my favorite being a jolly man who offers lots of advice, told me of his love of Perth and that without any Spanish or Uruguayan Spanish we were stuffed! A theme started to emerge when the large burly taxi driver said, " you speak Uruguayan?" no " you speak espanola ?" no " you in trouble".....it was fine however as I am an excellent mime. The fresh seaside air was gorgeous, with people running, exercising and sunning themselves along the promenade that runs the length of the town. Our hotel is only a block back from the beach, and once the bathroom was recleaned and ... read more