Sunsets, Camping & Tortas Fritas - Uruguay

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First things first... quick update on the birds (feathered variety). Need to share before we forget! Monk Parakeet (noisy parrotty bird), Hummingbirds (the real deal - how small & beautiful), Chickeny bird (real name to follow), Lapwing impersonator bird (but with turkey legs!), little white bird (highlighter red hair), woodpeckery bird (but not one - kept singing "Wanderers") and eagly bird. As you can probably tell, we are no Bill Oddie!

Part Uno - Colonia de Sacremento

Pace of life compared to BA - S - L - O - W. Beautiful cobbled streets and old colonial buildings.

People - much more us, chilled, friendly and the women were bigger than a size 6! We found out why - the local delicacy tortas fritas, our new favourite snack, it´s basically fried buttery salty bread and believe it or not a healthier option than the Milanesa (a battered steak barm with ham cheese bacon mayo and salad), even big nick struggled, it was as big as his head!

Colonia will best be remembered for its stunning sunsets over the Rio de la Plata and our two perros (dogs) who followed us everywhere.

Tried Mate, the national drink, a very bitter tea drank through a straw. BITTER beyond belief, bloody awful!

Beer Update - Local beer is Pilsen, not a patch on Quilmes Negra.

Part Dos - Mercedes

The first time the tent has made an appearance at Camping del Hum, ace spot at the side of the Rio Negro and at $2.70 night it´s a real bargain. We shared our pitch with a million ants and yet another perro but another beautiful sunset more than made up for this.

Bobo - ordinaire or something! Each weekend the promenade is taken over by the whole town and his dog who cruise up and down on scooters, bikes, skateboards, trucks and cars, basically anything with wheels. Those not cruising sit on the side of the road to watch, even bringing along their deckchairs and butties. No health and safety here as the riders balance kids, granny, deckchairs drinking mate at the same time.

We made friends with the locals in Hogar Espanol, Mercedes´s equivalent of the Athey Arms and home to a avid fan of the Bee At Lees, you know... Bee At Lees??.. Jo Lino... Paul Macertney! "Hey Jude"!!

Beer Update - this Pilsen is not too bad after all, I could get used to it!

Met an Aussie, Shane, who put our travelling antics to shame. Took him for a pint and deposited the same drunk aussie back in his tent after several bottles of Pilsen.

Beer Update - quality stuff this Pilsen!! Cheers Mr McCarthey.

Part Tres - Termas del Daymen

The price of camping has tripled over night, but my god it´s worth it. We have our own thermal pool, and to quote bignick "I´ve had colder baths!" Ohh it was nice.

Stayed a second night so we could visit the municipal pools, a complex of termal pools with hundreds of visitors chilling (or more likely boiling) in their bikinis! Average age 65, it´s good for the old bones. People stay long after dark and the steam rising from the pools and people wandering the streets in their dressing gowns was a surreal site!

We´ve been off the beer and we´re looking after our bodies! This area is a citrus fruit growing area and we have drank bucket loads of orange juice. Our bodies have loved it. Feeling clean, fresh and alive despite the heat.

And so back to Argentina via the small ferry from Salto to Concordia, a 20 minute journey across the Rio Uruguay. Off to see some big waterfalls 😊

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