Montevideo, Uruguay 10-14 August
(Montevideo Photos)

I have a small admission to make that shows my pitiful knowledge of geography. Until I started thinking seriously about coming to South America (about a week before arriving in Buenos Aires) I used to get Uruguay and Paraguay confused. I give my sincerest apologies to all Uruguayans and Paraguayans for this! They only way that my geography has improved at all is through my travels. I know that you all know exactly where Uruguay is. But, just in case some of you need a little refresher, Uruguay is wedged between the two giants of this continent, Argentina and Brazil. Along its southern edge is the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, it shares a border with Argentina to the west and Brazil on its north and eastern sides. The population of Uruguay is just under 3.5 million.

I could have made a day trip to Paysandú, Uruguay while I was in Colón, as it was just across the Rio Uruguay. In theory, I did set foot on Uruguayan territory while on Charlie’s river safari. However, I chose to cross the Rio de la Plata, taking the Buquebus ferry service from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento. Colonia is an hour on the fast ferry making it a popular one day excursion from Buenos Aires. It is about 50km as the crow flies. I then took the connecting bus service to Montevideo, which is about 170km east of Colonia, along the coast.

Montevideo has a population of about 1.3 million, so it is a fraction of the size of Buenos Aires (Greater BA is about 12 million). However, like BA, it also has a very European feel. Since these two capitals are physically close to each other, it is easy to make comparisons between them.

One of the first things that stuck me is that the drivers behave much more courteously towards pedestrians. When they see you standing at a pedestrian crossing, one without traffic lights, they actually stop. They are also more restrained in their use of the car horn. Basically, the citizens appear much more laid back, and hence the city has a relaxed feel.

It was also soon apparent to me that Montevideo lacks the intensity and freneticism of Buenos Aires. Someone made the observation that the city has a certain sad quality to it. On reflection, there was something just slightly melancholic about the place. On the whole I found the Uruguayans to be just as amiable and keen to chat as the Argentineans. There also seemed to be more of a connection with the United States and its culture then I had felt in Argentina. I guess I got this impression from the shops I passed and what they were selling, the brand names, certain styles etc. They have also adopted 911 as their main emergency services telephone number (often each service has its own number – confusing for a newcomer).

The central part of the city, including the Ciudad Vieja (Old City), is relatively compact and you can easily cover most of the sights in a day. The Av. 18 de Julio is the city’s ‘main drag’, running east/west. At its western end is the Plaza de la Independencia, which is surrounded by an odd collection of buildings, including the iconic Palacio Salvo (the distinctive shape of its tower is a landmark, visible from most points in the city). At the centre of the plaza is the statue of Artigas (independence fighter and national hero) and, below, his mausoleum.

The faded Ciudad Vieja begins at the western side of the Plaza de la Independencia. I spent a lot of time exploring and re-exploring its narrow streets, usually with my neck craned upwards, fascinated by the mix crumbling and restored structures. Architecturally, Montevideo and BA appear to be similar, with strong European influences. This is largely due to the work of 19th and early 20th century Spanish, Italian, French and British architects. Eclectic architectural styles – a style that is a mishmash of the classical and contemporary – seem to dominate. One of my favourite features of these buildings are their cupolas. The Old City is also the country’s financial heart and import/export hub with its small container port.

I stayed at the Red Hostel, located a block south of Av. 18 de Julio, behind the Intendencia (city hall). The hostel, an old converted mansion, was friendly and laid back, induced by the various shades of red used on the walls. They did cram an extra bunk into every room then there should have been. This is par for the course, however. My bed was comfortable, and sheets and towels were provided (towels were changed daily). There were five, aging PCs with Internet, cable TV in the lounge and kitchen and a sizable roof patio (not used much in the winter). Including breakfast, a bed cost UY$275 (about US$11.50 a night).

Some of the highlights of Montevideo for me were:

• Exploring the Ciudad Vieja

• Guided tour of the Placio Legislativo – fascinating free tour (Spanish), stunning interior

• Saturday lunch at Mercado del Puerto (vegetarian options are limited)

• Museo del Gaucho y la Moneda – interesting mix of collections in another beautiful building

• Museo de Arte Precolombiano e Indigena – interesting collection of artefacts, but this recently renovated building dominates

One useful tidbit I read in one of my guide books is that if you need to top up your stash of US$ cash you can do so at most ATMs in Uruguay. Though, I think the minimum you can withdraw is US$100. Argentinean ATM menus also show this as an option. But, don’t get too excited (as I did), you have to have an Argentinean bank account in US$ to withdraw US$ from an ATM. Since I am on the topic of money, I did note that things in Uruguay were slightly more expensive here than in Argentina – a small observation.

Another interesting note: The US$ is the trusted currency in these two countries (and probably most others South America). All high value transactions from buying kitchen appliances to houses are done in US$, and usually in ‘effectivo’ (cash) – literally in bags and suitcases. Loans, credit and mortgages are relatively recent offerings, previously available to a privileged few. It is still very much a cash economy in this part of the world. The concept of physically carrying US$100,000 to buy a property was quite a shock to me when I first learned of it. No wonder why armoured trucks are nearly as common as buses!

More photos of Montevideo can be found here.