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Published: June 17th 2016
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After a few days hanging out and seeing the sights of Buenos Aires I thought it would be fun and a little different to hop on a boat and travel over to Uruguay. No one really goes here and it seemed like a really exotic notion. So up at the crack of dawn, to beat the notorious Buenos Aires rush hour traffic, Jani and I headed to the port and were able to secure a ticket on a ferry for the one hour journey to Colonia del Sacramento. I was exhausted on the boat and slept for what I could, but once we arrived in Uruguay my energy levels shot sky high. It was so foreign and off of the beaten path to be here. I was super excited.
Colonia del Sacramento is a wonderfully photogenic little town right on the bank of the Rio de La Plata river across from Buenos Aires. The moment we got off of the ferry I was ready to explore. I was to cheap to pay for a taxi so Jani (much to her dismay) and I walked to our accommodation. I had to give her a taste of the way that I travel.
We had a quaint little guesthouse right next to the historic center of the town. We dropped our bags and went off walking and taking photos. The town is small enough to to cover in one day and we were able to accomplish just that. We took in a naval museum that had a lot of old seafaring maps from the 16th century and even climbed the massive spiral staircase to the top of the old light house which provided really nice views of the city.
After a really enjoyable day and peaceful evening we got some rest and were up early the next day for the three hour bus ride to Montevideo which is the capitol of this little country.
Montevideo, Uruguay The trip on the bus to Montevideo went off without a hitch. I always really enjoy being on these buses between cities. I can look out the window for hours at the landscape, farms , and little communities observing the people in their daily lives. The capitol city has a population of 1.5 million so it is big enough to find plenty to do, but not so large as to be overwhelming. Once we
arrived at the main bus terminal I sought out the local bus which would take us the rest of the way into the downtown area of the city. I dragged Jani, bags and all, onto a crammed bus and off we went. All for the reasonable rate of $1.25. I was proud of her for sucking it up and not wanting to take a taxi instead. She was getting a glimpse of my routines when I travel around.
We scored a sweet hotel right in the city center that was to be our base for the next couple of days. we did a ton of walking and saw pretty much the entire city center on foot. The mood and the people here were awesome! Everyone was so friendly and they always had a smiles on their faces. People here wanted to interact with you and see where you are from and they wanted to make sure that you were enjoying their country. It was excellent to be treated this way and I really like Uruguay a lot. One day for lunch in the central mercado we had a traditional Uruguay parrillada - which is essentially a lot of grilled
meats. The market was full of restaurants with open flame grills and all manner of meats on display. I was stoked. It was ribs for me.
On our final night here we went to
Baar Fun Fun which is a sort of famous landmark in the city. It has been around since 1895 and has been serving up tango and drinks for over a century. Both of which we took in. I loved being here with the live music and the performers onstage displaying their crafts. It was a really nice way to end my time in Montevideo.
The next day we hopped on another ferry for the three hour ride back to Buenos Aires. Jani had a flight home and I remain behind. I was so happy to have a friend from back home visit. Having had that and now that I am alone again, I feel really alone. Ebbs and flows, highs and lows. This is the way it is. Now a eulogy of sorts:
R.I.P.
After countless miles of walking in the streets, on sidewalks, in mud, through sand, on cobblestone, in the jungle, in the mountains, and even in the desert through five countries
a dear companion of mine suffered a fatal blowout in Montevideo. They are now in that great smooth walkway in the sky where the sun always shines and their is no dog crap to avoid. Tony Hawk flip-flops you will be missed.
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