Being over the commercialization of Christmas and being away from my family with talks of a dreaded winter storm on the way, I decided I needed to get somewhere that wasn’t too big on Christmas and also warm. I only had four days to spend away as I do have a job that I like and need. So, I went to my computer and got to work. I was very very close to getting a ticket to Morocco but decided that I want to see that country at a much slower pace. After much research and conversations with friends, I decided on Uruguay.
Yes, Uruguay the little country that is bordered by Argentina to the west and southwest, Brazil to the North and Northeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the South. The little country in South America that has a very European look and feel. Uruguay has a very stable economy, it is not cheap like some other south American countries, so if you plan on going make sure to budget as you would in the states because the prices are comparable.
My first thought when I got to the airport was, man this place looks nothing like the other South American countries I have been to. I quickly video called my friend in Tirana so he could see how much Montevideo resembles Tirana. I must say it was very easy to get from the Airport to the hotel. You can do Uber, taxi, or take the city bus which is very reliable and cheap. I opted for uber and it was about $25 which was very reasonable for a 30 minute drive.
Montevideo
Montevideo is the capital city of Uruguay, it is on the north shore of the Río de la Plata, the arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the south coast of Uruguay from the north coast of Argentina.
The Two Hour Walk
If you like the outdoors and ocean breeze then Montevideo is for you. There are multiple beautiful parks and beaches all over the city. As you guys know, I am all about getting outside and exploring. I had a walking tour schedule for the Monday after Christmas but decided that I would walk along the coast to get a picture of the Montevideo sign I spotted on my way to the hotel from the airport. As it was a bit overcast and windy earlier in the day, I decided to just wear a tank-top, no hat and neglected to put sunblock on my back and shoulders. BIG MISTAKE! first of all, it took two hours of walking to get to the sign, which by car was just a 10 minute drive. I was walking the entire time with the Sun to my back and at about 20 minutes into my walk the sun came out in all its glory. I got the 2nd worst sunburn I have ever gotten in my adult life, the first being that time I got Sun poisoning on July 4th of Freshman Year and couldn’t go classes and almost failed my Lit class. But that trauma is for another discussion.
The walk along the coast was very calming and beautiful.
The Walking Tour
As I mentioned before I had a walking tour schedule and it did not disappoint. As a general rule whenever I go to a new place I always check to see if they offer free walking tours because it is a great way to learn about the place from a local and meet people that are also visiting. There are tours available in Montevideo in English, Spanish and Portuguese. You can go with the guys with the red umbrella or the blue umbrella. I was initially signed up with the red umbrellas but the English tour guide got sick and I decided to tag along with the bule guy. This turned out to be a very good decision. This guy was so knowledgably and did make some very good recommendations on places to eat and visit. He was well versed in the country’s history and took us all around the markets while schooling us about all things Uruguayan or Oriental as the correct name of the country is The Oriental Republic of Uruguay (dropping some learnt knowledge). Montevideo is a very walkable city so be sure to pack your most comfortable walking shoes, because trust me you are going to want to walk everywhere. One thing to watch out for is the amount of dog feces (yes poop) on the sidewalks. These people have no clue what it means to curb your dog!
Let’s Talk Food
So, as you know, a big part of why I travel is to try new foods and immerse myself into other cultures. I am not a beef eater and was told, It would be difficult for me in Uruguay because they love beef there. It is a big part of the Uruguayan diet. For the most part, the beef thing is true but there is also seafood and lamb and chicken. If you are vegetarian or vegan there are places where you can enjoy a meal as well. I found place that had vegan backed goods and great salads. So I wouldn’t let not eating beef be a reason not to visit a country. I will say if you are looking for the spices and flavor of Latin America, you will not find it in Uruguay. The food and flavors lean more towards European flavors (so if you like spicey, pack your own hot sauce). You won’t find any plantains, yucca or sugarcane, but you will find a lot of dulce de leche. They love sweets and I was in heaven because that is my weakness.
Where I Ate
A few doors down from my hotel was a bakery that is ran by a gentleman who told me he is a commercial pilot from Brazil. He had all these delicious treats that I indulged in daily. El Fagon was a great place to eat and if you do like meat, I recommend the lamb or any seafood dish. I ate there two nights in a row and was delighted both time. also do be sure to get you a glass or two of Tannat wine.
Happiness in Cream and Sugar
I think I had ice-cream, drank Aperol spritz and wine everyday I was in Uruguay. It was Christmas after all and one must celebrate life whenever possible.
Some Street Art
I love street art and graffiti I think it says a lot about what go on in a city and is a great way of cultural expression. I did noticed that there is a large homeless population in the city. I walked all round and did feel pretty safe even when a homeless man tried to curse me out for not giving him money for what looked like an old earring and tapped me on my shoulder. Marijuana is legal in the entire country of Uruguay and I have to say I did not smell weed anywhere nor see people walking around smoking as I did in Las Vegas and LA (do with that what you will).
Some More Things
Rapping it Up
I completely enjoyed the five days I spent in this country. I will most definitely go back and see more of the country and also take the ferry over to Buenos Aries because I didn’t have time to do so on this trip. This was a great way to spend Christmas not getting bombarded with sales and twinkling lights. If that’s your thing cool but that not my scene at this part of my life’s journey.
I think if you have the means and time to get away and you want to enjoy the ocean and be chilled, then consider this country. It was an amazing solo trip, but if you have travel buddies, why not add this little country to your list?
