South America - a brief encounter: 7 * URUGUAY *

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The final ‘episode’ of this, 'our' South American travel experience.

The collective ‘episodes’ (this being the seventh - and final) describe our journey from our arrival in Buenos Aires (Sth America) from the 1st week of October for an extended tea-bag experience of this huge continent. Like home, the continent is huge. In the few weeks available to us, we can only experience a few locations - a (tea-bag) dunk here, another there, and so on. After a few days in Buenos Aires, we flew to Lima for a 'dunk' into a few selected locations. We then fly to Chile to do some more 'tea-bagging'. We'll eventually make our way back to Argentina and our departure home.



We attach a few pics to give a flavour of our journey, and some may 'flow over' past the dialogue. If we do this, you may need to manually go to the 'spillover' page to see them.



As always, if you want to 'see' more detail in an accompanying picture, click it to enlarge.

A summary (for those with limited time)...

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Sunday saw us depart Rosario by bus and return briefly to Buenos Aires before catching a ferry to Colonia del Sacramento.



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Sunday 13th November; from Rosario to Colonia via Buenos Aires...

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We'd previously spent time in Buenos Aires and weren't too fussed with what we experienced. Before we left Cordoba we pondered how we'd spend the week remaining till we departed BA for home. Two options were entertained (a) go north to Izuaga Falls (a 1500 km roadtrip - or an expensive flight from Cordoba) or (b) go visit Uruguay.



Being amongst the worlds most spectacular, the idea of visiting the falls had a great appeal. But, we pondered, it would take just 3 or 4 days to 'do' the falls at a cost of around A$500 each for flights, and what would we do for the remaining time? Moreover, that seemed a large sum of money to spend - and much time in travel - for effectively a couple of hours taking a squiz at some cascading water.



The appeal of Uruguay lay in the reports of a relaxedness and laid back friendliness. After going 'fast and furious' for too many days, the latter won out. The distance to Buenos Aires from Cordoba is 700 km (about a 7 hour car drive) but by bus it is a little over 9 hours. We chose to stop over in Rosario and take a bus to Buenos Aires and a ferry to Colonia del Sacramenta in Uruguay the following day.



Departing our accommodation for the walk to the bus terminal, the sky threatened rain. Overnight a change had rolled in and as we walked the clouds more resembled rolling surf waves than anything we've yet experienced. The bus trip to BA was uninteresting - just flat agricultural lands. The rain didn't help the view.



The trip from the bus terminal at Retiro to the ferry at Puerto Matero was a 15 minute walk, and in the now sunshine quite pleasant. We had some time to kill and hesitantly ordered an Illy (brand) coffee. As we've earlier written Argentinian (ground) coffee has been roasted to replicate Nescafe. We'd tried Illy elsewhere in the world and it has always been good. We were hoping the Illy here would live up to our expectations. It did and it became the first decent cup of coffee in 7 weeks. We didn't realise how addicted we are to good coffee.



Once on the ferry, Bruce decided to check the route we'd need to travel from the ferry terminal to the accommodation we'd booked. Using the phone 'sat-nav', we discovered that the 200m from city centre was for a town some 95 km from Colonia. Seems there are 4 Colonia's in Uruguay - and all are in close-ish proximity. Though most just use the word Colonia, each has an added word (or 2). So, we'd booked in Colonia Carmelo when we really wanted Colonia del Sacramento!!! We quickly cancelled the former and re-booked another in where the ferry terminated.



Being on a wide river estuary, the ferry trip was smooth and uneventful. The diustance between BA and Colonia is some 50km and the trip on the large catamaran took an hour.



The 'new' accommodation was a 10 minute walk away. In the last light, we noted a Craft beer brewhouse so stopped in for a refreshener. The accommodation 'host' had made a mistake regarding availability and as a consequence we scored an upgrade. With plenty of space, a super comfortable bed, and dreamlike pillows we felt special.



We asked for advice on nearby restaurants and found a quaint little place overlooking the Rio de la Plata. The food and wine were in reasonable proportions and we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed ambience in both the restaurant and the locality.

Monday 14th November; Colonia...And,

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After a wonderfully restful sleep and a great breakfast, we spent the morning relaxing and catching up with chores.



About midday we went in search of the information office and a supermarket for a couple of items. A supermerket is but a supermarket, right? No! Each displays local culture and economic preferences. The one we attended had a small buthery. There, we saw wonderfully aged beef meat. Given the colour of the meat, we deduced it had about 30 to 40 days dry ageing. Wish we could buy such delights in Australia!!!



Most of the streets we wandered were lined with very old and shady (European) trees. In the growing afternoon heat, it made for a very relaxed 'adventure'. But also, as we wandered, most people passing would say Hola or Buenos Dias. If we could speak the lingo, we're sure there would have been many conversations. But, we did appreciate the friendliness.



We returned later to catch up on computing, banking, etc., and continue our relaxation. And, Judy had a (very long) Nanna nap.



Later we headed out to buy bus tickets to Montevideo and for a most beautiful meal - perhaps the best we've enjoying in our whole Sth American experience.

Tuesday 15th November; Colonia...

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After another great sleep and a great brekky, we went wandering the 'old' centre; or Barrio Historica. Rather than write about the history we gleaned up while wandering, a video here of the Barrio features is instructive. One little street (lane) is not there featured; De Los Suspiros - or street of Sighs. A modern take is that when one enters the street from the well treed Plaza Maya 25 de Mayo, one gets to see the River (Rio de la Plata) and this induces a sigh. Reading a history book on the area, Judy discovered a more 'interesting' explanation; there once was a brothel in that lane and the streetname reference is to the 'sighs' of the working girls!



In the cool of the morning sun, coupled to lovely shady street trees, we were really enjoying ourselves. Though the 'Portuguese' cobblestones were difficult to walk on, we managed to quietly visit all 'the' sites.



At one site, we noticed a group of schoolchildren with their teachers. What was different was that the children wore white overall tunics with a dark navy bow. didn't matter whether it was boy/girl, all were the same. While the kids appeared not to worry about the 'similarity' of clothing, for us, it was so different to see such 'uniformity'.



After a return to our 'digs' and (another) Nanna nap, we ventured out to seek more 'culture'. As we had travelled the streets, we'd noticed various old cars - generally from before WW2. We deduced their presence was a tourism initiative. Over the past fortnight we'd seen no end of old cars. Those we'd seen 'up country' Argentina were still being used. For example, we saw an old 2cv Citroen chugging away - minus a mudguard, a door and a muffler. And, there were plentiful battered old pick-up trucks looked like they'd been rescued from a wrecking yard. And, on quite a few rural properties, old cars lay rusting. So, bringing a few in, painting them up, and making a statement seemed plausible.



We turned one corner and there was an old English made Ford Prefect. This car has a special appeal for Judy as her parents had one and they used it for many years to make the annual pilgramage from Bendigo to visit family in NSW and Qld. Standing beside the 'old girl' Judy couldn't stop recounting themany stories she has in her memory bank about trips in that car.



When in Argentina, we'd noticed people drinking Mate - pronounced mart-ey - in cafe's. It's a herb tea drunk from a stylised pot with a filter straw/spoon. Here, locals walked along with a thermos and their Mate pot - often stopping to have a sip. So endemic is the practice, that we wondered whether it is addictive. The literature suggests not, rather culturally important.

Wednesday 16th November; to Montevideo...

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After days and days of warmth, it was a bit confronting to awaken to a weather change with wind, rain and cold temperature. We'd organised bus tickets on the 11am bus to Montevideo so we chose to stay inside till about then. By the time we needed to walk the 15 minutes to the bus station, the rain had stopped and the day had warmed marginally. But, it was still a jumper temp.



The 3 hour trip was uneventful save for the bus acting like a commuter and stopping frequently to pick up and drop off passengers. For most of the journey it was standing room only. But, no-one seemed to mind. We got the distinct feeling that if one pre-booked they were rewarded with a ticket and an allocated seat, but assumedly at a higher price.



In preparing for our time at Montevideo we'd looked at Google-Earth to ascertain the landscape. That showed us little natural vegetation remained. The bus trip confirmed what we had determined. Unlike the trip from Cordoba to BA, the countryside here was of low rolling hills. As with most Argentinian cereal croppers and graziers, the Uruguayans also retain stands of trees (though often Gum trees or European deciduous). Uruguay is about 2/3rds the size of Victoria and it's population at 3.5 million is also about 2/3rds that of Victoria. And, it sits on a latitude about the same as Sydney. On a relative scale, the Uruguayan landscape is not unlike the grazing/croppong landscape of eastern Victoria.



We'd pre-booked an Airbnb apartment in the 'old centre' (Ciudad Vieja). The bus arrived at Tres Cruces (3 crosses) and fortunately a tourist information office at the bus station was able to direct us to the appropriate local bus to get us to the 'old centre'. Getting into a city by public transport rarely takes the most scenic route. This journey was no exception. In the gloomy day all we could see was crumbling unpainted cement rendered apartment blocks. Closer to the city centre, shops lined the street level of the buildings. Few were smart and inviting, most were lockeed in a time warp with retailers offering goods once deemed desirable but no longer. Many still had protective mesh partly covering the shopfront.



Once settled, a trip to find a supermarket exposed us to the cold. Some food, beer and wine in our backpack had us return quick smart. A beer and a 'home cooked' meal was a delight. After the typical Argentinian fare of BBQ'd meat, chips and a few leaves, it was so enjoyable to have a vege dominant dinner!

Thursday 17th November; Montevideo...

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If we thought the weather yesterday was miserable, we were in for a shock today! Till yesterday, we'd been enjoying temperatures in the high 20's (yesterday was 22) but the expected high today was 14!!!! And, there was much wind about.



We'd anticipated 'doing' a CBD walking tour and so rugged up and braved the cold for the 11am start. The guide must have looked at the weather and thought it better to stay inside. Along with the 15 or so others waiting 'for direction', we were all sadly disappointed.



We had planned to attend the walking tour and follow that with a concerted effort to 'unravel' the Montevideo local bus system 'code'. Unlike other cities, there appeared no website or map showing the various bus routes. For us, this is a key to be able to navigate a city. We returned to the apartment and went searching the 'net. Still no 'find', so we decided to visit the main tourist office to get a solution. Sadly, the day had deteriorated and looked much like rain. From the narrow pedestrianised laneway where the apartment was located, the broad sky was out of sight. half an hour later, in dazzling sunlight we ventured off. After 10 minutes of walking (and looking at sights) the sky again closed in and we had to dash to a foyer to avoid the downpour.



By lunchtime we eventually got to our 'target'. After finding out that "Uruguay hasn't the money to do such things for tourists", we went our way. Opposite the tourist office was a large hall - Mercado del Puerto - that beckoned "come in here, dear tourist". Inside was what we'd assumed would be prevalent in Argentina; a Parrillada focussing on Asado's. We'd experienced the 'Asado' elsewhere in the world and wondered why we couldn't find any in Argentina. Not to worry, here they were in Uruguay; 'all' under one roof. We don't know whether the Uruguayan approach is different to Argentina, but the wiki website on Uruguayan food suggests not. The building we were standing in looked very 18th century European; a steel frame with corrugated cladding. We learnt it was originally purchased from a railway station manufacturer in England, shipped out in pieces and erected in this location as the produce market. The market has (long since?) gone and now there are many Asado's competing for trade. At lunchtime, it was a lively affair as spruiker's sought to enhance business for their employer.



While the sight of so much BBQ'd meat looked appetising, our burgeoning waistlines suggested we refrain. Instead we shared a Uruguayan Empanada and decided Chile and Peru had the market on this fare.



Once leaving the 'mercado' the sky again looked decidedly bleak. We made our way back to the apartment to escape the cold. Sadly, that was the explorative feature for the day.



The remainder of the day was far from 'wasted'. On our smartphone we've downloaded several music apps allowing us to listen to music of our choice. Sitting back supping our fave tipple with beautiful music is a wonderful way to while away time. After a spell of just 'being', we noted that back home we'd be 'hooked' into whatever TV show. here, Spanish speaking programs leave us cold. We both realised how the electronic dummy (TV) manipulates us to want to keep watching, to the detriment of our personal enjoyment.



After all these years, we finally wake up!!!

Friday 18th November; Montevideo...

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With the weather on the mend, we chose to use local buses to explore further afield. The tourist office explained the complicated web system to determine how to find the right bus from point A to B. We selected a route along the 'northern beaches' waterfront and with a sunny sky and a very cold wind we headed off. The dismal grey render of the buildings look a lot less gloomy in sunshine. And, as the bus departed the CBD, most streets were lined with very tall Plane trees. This, more than anything softened the agedness of the city centre.



As the bus left the suburban streets and entered the wide beachfront boulevard, we could see a wall of 15 story high rise apartments faced the ocean. The water was still a very murky brown, indicating that the wind over the past few days had stirred up much sediment. We're not sure where the fresh water ceases in this very wide delta, but clearly it wasn't here. As the bus bumped and lurched northwards, it took us to a series of wide sandy bays - each 'contained' by a rocky headland. We'd noted the bus went to Carrasco, about 20km from where we were staying. So when there we alighted to take in the vista. The speed and noise of the boulevard traffic greatly impinged on any enjoyment offered by the wide promenade. In warm sun we went walking back from whence we came. It was more an exercise choice in the warming sun than a means to explore new ground. We explored some of the rocky outcrops and the sandy little bays before getting back on a bus heading towards the CBD. After a while, we hopped off at Pocitos to repeat the exercise. On our final leg on the bus, it travelled through the suburb of Punta Carretas. We could see here a level of affluence not demonstrated in the suburbs we'd travelled through this day.



On our return to the CBD we went to the supermarket we'd 'adopted' only to find the staff on strike. It seems Uruguayans have a social conscience. In Calonia we'd been advised that the Uruguayan government had banned restaurants from placing salt or sugar containers on tables as it wanted to convey the message that it is detrimental to health. We'd noted the abundance of salt on the BBQ'd meat when in Argentina.

Saturday 19th November; Montevideo surrounds...

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We were not fussed with further exploring Montevideo bu bus, so went in search of a rental car. After several "yes, we have a big car but there is a 2 day minimum" or "sorry, no cars" we eventually secured a small Chinese made buzzbox at the whopping price of A$80 for the day! Oh, well, the price of freedom!



Judy had read about Punta del Este in glowing terms so we made our way in the coastal direction towards Brazil. It was not until we were some 30km from the CBD that we learned Punta del Este is about 150 km from the CBD. Our little buzzbox had a 250km 'limit'. After the hefty 'entry' price, we didn't feel inclined to complete that journey and add more costs. At the 30km mark, a large river enters the Rio de la Plata and so we were forced to go inland onto the motorway to cross the barrier. Immediately over the bridge was a toll. Smart move! Provide only one bridge and toll it!



Getting some more miles on the little beast, we deviated back to the coast to see whether the beaches got any better. They did, and life in this coastal zone is decidedly slow. To us, it seemed like it was weekender-burb. Again another river, and so back on the motorway (and another toll) we made our way back to the briny and more seaside villages. We arrived at the largish holiday) town of Piriapolis and didn't stop. It seems tourism has (just) overtaken fishing as the economic driver. A little further on and feeling peckish, we stopped for some lunch and an ale and enjoyed an ocean view, an ale and a now warming light breeze.



We'd noticed quite a few houses with thatched roof's - just like in England. Near one watercourse we saw the evidence of thatching preparation as cutters removed reeds from the lake foreshore and placed them in bundles for drying. We wondered the labour cost for this trade.



We continued onwards to join the motorway and head back. At one point we could see the city of Maldonado and the adjacent Punta del Este. The proliferation of high rise accommodation signalled it may not have been the most pleasant of destinations when zipping around in a buzzbox. Learning later that there are 2 Trump Towers, and another being built confirmed our decision not to visit. As we meandered along, we came across the village of San Francisco - we HAD to take a pic!



We made our way back to Montevideo and our 'satnav' phone ran out of battery some 10 minutes from our destination. Trying to find the required destination without a 'satnav' and looking out for tall landmark building to guide us is a challenge. But, we got to the appointed site bang on 6pm to find the rental manager had still to arrive (everything closes in the CBD at noon Saturday). Whew!



On the walk back to our apartment, we happened upon some folk dancing beside a city park From the number and age of participants, this seemed a weekly affair. We're no experts on local style dancing, but it looked like a slow and less energetic form of tango. After an ale, a steak and vege's and a quiet red, it's off to bed for the last time in Sth America.

Sunday 20th November; Home...

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Today we departed Montevideo by a 3 hour ferry trip to Buenos Aires. As we sat in lounge chair comfort, we noted the insignia on the ferry window was a stylised map of Tasmania and the builder's name Incat. Another little bit of Oz so far from home. From there we make our way to the airport and head west to home. 😊

Reflections...

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Rather than do a 'reflections on Uruguay, then our whole trip. We'll place the Uruguay reflections at the end.

OVERALL REFLECTIONS:

We had a great time 'tea bagging' part of South America. Each nation we visited offered plenty of highlights. We went from cold to hot tropical weather, back to cold and almost freezing, then really warm and back to cold; all with just a carry-on each. As we travelled from the Pacific to Atlantic coasts, we've also experienced scenery ranging from desert to snow, lake lowland to Andean highland. Though we found the people friendly, we weren't fussed on their dietary preference for 'mucho' meat, carb's (potato, corn, pastry) and plenty of oil. We've recognised that over the past half century our Australian diet has certainly been influenced by vegetables. We weren't too fussed on the bland flavours. Other than salt on BBQ'd meat and a bit of paprika, everything is very bland (especially the cheese).



As tourists, one hopes their research gives them a rough idea about the place/s they're about to visit. Our research before we left Oz prepared us well for what we experienced. But it's not the 'big' things that surprise - it's typically the little unanticipated things. And, as to be expected, there were heaps in Sth America. Of note were the gum trees, and the typical Aussie 'aroma' as the heat of the day grew more intense.

ARGENTINA:

We reflected on our experience of Buenos Aires as mixed. On the one hand it is a scruffy and poorly maintained city. On the other, it has an intriguing charm. But it is hard to engage with the 'charm' when the streets are filthy and the neighborhoods lack a pleasant ambience. From data, Argentine is going through an economic rough patch. But, our travels elsewhere in Argentina didn't expose us to the trevials like BA. Using Cordoba as a comparison, it seems the Argentinian capital is being poorly managed.



Despite our inability to speak Spanish, the Porteno's BA citizens) took the time to engage as much as they could. The intrigue of the city was in the small spaces, the little corners where coffee could be had (or in our case, a non-coffee drink), the courtyards of buildings (when open to the public) which were often with garden. We figured the 'real' Buenos Aires lay in these 'respite' areas - places where one could stop and recharge from the constant humdrum of traffic chaos and streetscape filth.



Given this experience, our return to Argentina via Peru and Chile held some trepidation. But, any concerns we may have had were swept away by the cleanliness and bright ambience of Cordoba. Like the many rural towns in the greater Cordoba region - and also Rosario - we found little to compare to our experience of BA. We hunched that the Argentinian economy appears dependant on primary produce and this landscape was the source of that national wealth. So, with a consistent economy - rather than the recessionary impact being experienced by Buenos Aires - these folk appear to be doing OK. At least their cities are not languishing.



Our trip to see national parks was enjoyable, though a long drive. Along the way we got to see some great countryside and experience the 'way' Argentinians eat; bulk meat, chips, sugary pastries and sweet drinks. Except for the rural horsemen, most Argentinians are very overweight.

PERU

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Given our experience of BA, we were delighted to arrive in clean and orderly Arequipa. Though we'd intended to go into the desert beyond this small city, the 'attractiveness' of Arequipa versus a lang drive to wherever enticed us to stay put for our time there. And, we weren't disappointed.

Continuing on the tourist 'trail', Puno was a challenge. Not for the city, but the altitude. The city centre is typical 3rd world - a mix of crusty old and sloppily made new. But, the urban fabric only tells one story. Another is that we found the people we encountered at both Arequipa and Puno to be really friendly and helpful. While this is the case most places we visit, there was a little something else in this region. Perhaps the best way of explaining is that elsewhere, when the friendly exchange is finished the engagement ends. In a funny sort of way, we were a little unprepared for the exchanges in this region because the locals would continue to engage once the primary matter had been resolved. Even when the exchange was in sign language, there was this continuation of 'being there'.



Scenically, from Arequipa to Puno, we hardly saw a tree or shrub outside the city centres. The rural was either dusty stony ground, or sparse grasslands. Once up on the Alto Plano from Arequipa, there were the occasional volcanic mountains, a few uplift ridges, but mainly undulating hills. It wasn't till Cusco that the vegetation returned.



Cusco and Machu Piccu were a highlight. Not necessarily any more than the other parts of Peru we visited. Rather, that the hype surrounding the destination wasn't fake. It really is a magical place.



We've visited many jungles, and the Amazon was a bucket list item. We loved our time there, but also lamented we couldn't experience 'original' jungle. But, our first world 'wants' need to be tempered with the aspirations of Peruvians. That said, while a few get wealthy, most don't and their landscape is changed forever. As we learned from the folk on Uros Island (lake Titicaca), it seems the locals need some relative power to sway government decision-making. Maybe the Amazonian locals could learn a bit there.



There's not many nations that have the geographic, climatic and scenic variations that abound in Peru. Without doubt, we loved our Peruvian experience and learned much about 'their' way of life.

CHILE:

After the 3rd world 'encounters' of Buenos Aires and Peru, we were unprepared for the dynamic economic reality of Chile. From what we experienced, it may not be a 1st world economy, but it isn't far away. We liked the cleanliness, the sense of order and the apparent care demonstrated by Chileans to others. And, for the few encounters we experienced talking to strangers, there is a sense of happiness in the way they communicate.



Clearly, Chileans has suffered economic and dictatorial hardships to arrive at where they are today. Not being Spanish speakers, we'll never know whether there is a lingering negative sentiment. But, from the surface it appears to us not.



The Lakes district of Chile afforded us a glimpse into 'normality'. To date, we'd been in definitive 3rd world parts, in dry and dusty environs, in high altitudes, in cold climes, in hot & steamy jungles and in each location while we enjoyed the experience we were a little out of our comfort zone. In the lakes district, it was sort of like being back in Victoria. The (relative) humidity was within our 'normal', the vegetation somewhat familiar, and hospitality encouraging.



While the weather was typical lower Temperate - cold and bleak with a few enticingly good day - we learnt from the dismal weather that we needed to adjusted our thinking about 'holiday'. Relaxing in front of a wood fire and chillin' out listening to jazz on the wifi with an ale is just as enjoyable as racing around looking at the 'scenes'. That said, the scenery of the Lakes District is phenomenal. Snow capped volcano's, rugged craggy peaks and magestic lakes all add dimension to the verdant green landscape.

URUGUAY:

Uruguay was largely unplanned and came at the end of a long trek through Sth America. Colonia was not only pretty, it was an oh-so relaxed place. After the pace of the previous week in dryland Argentina, we melted into Colonia.



Montevideo was a bit more challenging. Arriving on a wet and dismal day, the grey concrete and cement render made for a negative impact.



Looking at the buildings in Montevideo, it appears Uruguay blossomed (as did Buenos Aires) in the 19th century, and (similarly) declined in the early 20th century. There appears little evidence of building construction between (say) 1930's to 1950's suggesting the global depression impacted hard on Uruguay. There was a flurry of dreadful red brick tenement style apartment high rise representative of the 1970's. Then there is an absence of building styles caused by the CIA funded dictatorships (of which Uruguay was also a victim). Then another spurt in the late 1980's as high rise apartments carpeted the beachside foreshore. Again, an absence till about 2000. We haven't researched the politico-economic background of Uruguay but the buildings say much.



We can see evidence of wealth in Uruguay. Though there is also poverty, it is not as endemic as across the Rio in Argentina. Perhaps the most striking observation is that there is a large middle class. And, it appears greater than in Chile.



Perhaps the most endearing oddity we'll take away from Uruguay is the number of very old cars and utes still being used. Yesterday we saw a 1950's style Ford F100? pick-up with a driver somewhat older. More than likely he bought it in his youth and has driven it all his life.



Cheers 😊

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