Uruguay: Montevideo

The capital city of Uruguay is Montevideo, a three and a half hour bus ride from Colonia. On the way, we passed many open fields where cows grazed. Uruguay had bad flooding while I was there (remember the stormy pictures from Colonia), meaning there were mudslides in some areas. I was fine, though, as I stayed very close to the coast. Uruguay is home to many nice beaches (particularly in the Punta del Este area), but I didn't get a chance to visit any.



I stayed in the Old City in Montevideo. A part of the old city wall is still standing, as you can see in my picture. A statue of the Uruguayan hero, Jose Gervasio Artigas, is found in the Plaza Independencia above his grave. He fought for the freedom and independence of the Uruguayan people from the Spanish. In 1811, he led a revolution that defeated the Spanish authorities. He is sometimes called the "Father of Uruguay."

   




The most happening area in town when I arrived was down at the pier, because it was Sunday, and everyone was out fishing. On the way, I passed many buildings with interesting Spanish architecture, that I haven't really seen before.





When most people talk about the big Carnaval celebration in February, they usually think of Brazil. Bright and colourful costumes, dancing, and parades with big floats are all pictures that come to mind. But Montevideo is also a big party town. Unfortunately, the parades were cancelled because of the rain (the drums they use have a skin on them that is very sensitive to water, so the drums would get wrecked if they were out in the rain). But, I did pass a park that was decorated for the celebration! One positive thing that happened because of the rain, was that the Philharmonic Orchestra held their free concert inside the beautiful Theatre Solis, instead of outside as planned. I had wanted to tour the theatre anyways, but being able to listen to the orchestra was that much more beautiful!




In Uruguay, the most common foods people eat are barbecued meats, especially 'chorizo' (sausage) and 'chivito' (a sort of hamburger often made of lamb, with an egg on top). There were many food trucks at street corners selling these fast foods. To drink, Uruguayans love mate tea. You press tea leaves into a mug, add hot water, and drink it through a metal straw that filters out the leaves. At a museum I saw some really interestingly designed mate mugs.



Because of their open fields that are great for farming and ranching, Uruguay has a history steeped with cowboy tradition, like Calgary. Here, the cowboys are called 'gauchos' and they traditionally wear floppy hats, similar to a French beret, instead of Western cowboy hats. I saw a few in the mountains in Chile leading groups of horses.







With only a week in Uruguay, I didn't get to see a lot. But the time I spent there was very enjoyable. I found it to be a beautiful country with very friendly, laid-back people. Every day I find that my Spanish is improving a little bit more, and everyone I spoke with in Uruguay was really patient with me when I tried to communicate. I was sad to leave, but I had a flight booked already to head back to Argentina. This time, I am moving South, to the southest tip of South America, to be exact!

Uruguay: Colonia

 



After a quick, hour-long ferry ride, I was across the river and in Uruguay. It was the first country that I'd entered by boat. Because the town Colonia del Sacramento is so close to Buenos Aires, many citizens visit for the weekend. It's a beautiful old town with narrow cobblestone streets and buildings built over 300 years ago.

Uruguay was an area that was fought over between the Spanish (who settled in Argentina, and much of South America) and the Portuguese (who settled in Brazil). You'll notice that Uruguay sits right in between the two. Colonia went back and forth between the Spanish and Portuguese many times, but in the end, the Spanish gained control of it in 1777. Later, Uruguay gained its own independence. (To the right is a picture of the oldest church in Uruguay).

All off the street signs in Colonia are cute tiled pieces
in blue and white.

In Uruguay, I celebrated 200 days of travelling. There have been many ups and downs of the trip so far, but it's amazing to think of all the things I have seen and done. Sometimes you need to persevere through hard times to reach your goals, and although it would have been easy to give up and fly home to a warm, clean, comfortable housemany times, I'm so proud of myself for continuing. I'm also so thankful for the time I have to explore the world!

Argentina: Bienvenidos a Buenos Aires

 




A 13 hour plane flight brought me to continent # 4 of the trip, South America! I'll be starting in Argentina, then jumping back and forth between the surrounding countries in a way that makes sense with the landscape. Most of South America is Spanish-speaking (the countries that are not include Brazil, where they speak Portuguese, Guyana, where they speak English, French Guiana, where they speak French, and Suriname, where they speak Dutch) and I will only be visiting Spanish-speaking countries.


Argentina has a rich history with many ups and downs over the last hundred years. It has survived dictatorships and military takeovers, and was the first country in North or South America to have a female President or Prime Minister. Two of the most famous people in Argentina's history are Juan and Eva Peron, the husband and wife who ran the country in the 1940s. She was a poor child, who became an actress, than climbed the ladder rungs to marry a president and become a leader herself in fighting for suffrage (allowing women to vote) and human rights for poorer classes. She inspired the making of the musical and movie called Evita. I stood on the balcony at Casa Rosada, the house of the Argentine government, where big decisions are made. It's where Juan and Eva Peron gave their many famous speeches from, (and where Madonna sang in the movie, Evita).

                      

I spent two weeks in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, visiting the sites. I stopped by the Recoleta cemetary, where many famous Argentines are buried, including Eva Peron, and strolled through the many parks with large, shady trees. While I was there (in January), the temperature was very hot, usually close to or above 40 degrees C every day, so there were frequent thunderstorms. In the evenings, the storms always cleared and I saw the most beautiful sunsets. Because I was in Buenos Aires for two weeks, I rented an apartment, rather than staying in a hostel, and I really enjoyed being able to cook my own meals, and have my own space again. It's been six months since I've been on the road and I can't believe I'm halfway through my trip!