The Thermal Springs of Salto

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Salto! Yes it is not exactly on the tourist map it must be said. We had decided we did not want two 20 hr trips back to back between Rio and Foz and then to BA. So looking at the map of SA (thanks Roachie) we saw a little place called Salto on the way to BA with has natural thermal baths! Well two girls and the idea of a little pampering - decision was quickly made. We then realised it was in Uruguay and not Argentina and so an extra country was added!

We got to Salto to discover that this is the place that the Uruguayans themselves come to relax. The water is indeed warm and very soft. (Not sure if it really is all that amazing but there goes!) After hosteling it was also very exciting to have our own hotel room and bathroom! The small pleasures in traveling!

We have been the object of curiosity since we got to Uruguay. I don't think they get many tourists and a popular questions are - how did we get here? By plane? How many hours did it take? And the plane never stopped?

We also had the first experience of a typical Uruguayan dish - the chivito canadiense - which is a steak sandwich with bacon, egg and melted cheese on top. Hello! Served with home made chips of course!

On the Sunday we went for beauty treatments and then on to the public baths to see the Uruguayans at play again creating a lot of curiosity and looks! When we got the bus back to Salto we found ourselves on a bus fully packed with young Uruguayans on their way from from the baths. We thought the conductor had forgotten to tell us when to get off the bus so we were trying to get her attention at the front while we are right at the back. This is of course got the attention of the entire bus. There was a lot of nudging and ´he can talk English, go on say something´. When we got off the whole bus in unison said ´Goodbye¨ in English and one solitary voice ´Welcome to Uruguay!¨

We then had to wait at the bus terminal for 3 hours for our bus to Montevideo. We were lucky as it was also attached to a shopping. There we discovered that shops stay open till 10 at night. Then we were entertained by two teenagers singing - they were real Pop Idol wannabees. All I can say they were certainly loud! They drew quite a crowd and so we got to people watch. I can now inform you that the trend for guys here is highlighted peroxided hair! Clothes wise they are in a decade of their own!

Salto was great fun and a lovely start to Uruguay. And so another overnight bus and onto Montevideo!

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Comments

[anonymous]

Girls on Tour
Well, Certainly sounds like the two of you are having a ball. All I can say is hurry up and post some photographs. It sounds like what your doing is such fun! I loved your description of the bus. Ha! Hope you responded appropriately. You're not missing much in Amsterdam, only the most snow that's ever fallen in the last 50 years. It's all slowly melted and now it's just cold. Missing you both loads. So pleased to hear you're having loads of laughs. Love Mads xxx - Maddy