Woke up today in Montevideo, Uruguay (not a place I ever
imagined being or really even knew existed)… and found that it is very nice
here.
Since it is May Day EVERYTHNG (and I mean, everything) is closed. This is worse than even Christmas in the
US. No buses, no taxis, no shops, only a
handful of restaurants in the whole city are open. It’s been a challenge to get any scavenges
done.
First up, Rainey went swimming in the South Atlantic for 35 points. It was cold – and brown (apparently not from pollution but sediment - or that's the story they are sticking to) – and he had to go in up to his neck for the points.
First up, Rainey went swimming in the South Atlantic for 35 points. It was cold – and brown (apparently not from pollution but sediment - or that's the story they are sticking to) – and he had to go in up to his neck for the points.
We managed to find a bike rental place who – after we waited
almost an hour – delivered 4 bright orange bikes to the hotel for us to ride on
the Rambla (the wide, boardwalk-styled pedestrian and bike path all along the
ocean front). We headed out for a park that seemed less than an inch away on
the map but turned out to be over 4 miles in the real world. But it was fantastic. Sunshine (a new experience for us this trip
so far), cool brisk winds (it’s Fall hear) and lots of people at the beach and
on the Rambla. I thoroughly enjoyed the
ride.
At the park, we had to strike up a conversation with a group
of locals and get them to give you some mate.
Seems like an impossible challenge, right? Especially because mate is a
tea (that tastes exactly like a mixture of mud and grass) drunk in an
individual cup with a fancy metal straw.
Which stranger is going to share their cup / straw with you? Apparently anyone from Uruguay. The group we chatted with offered up their “I-just-took-a-sip-from-this”
straw to me readily (crazy people) and I took a big swig of bitterness. Then smiled brightly and exclaimed how delicious it was (my mother raised me right).
This afternoon we were stuck seeing stuff that is big and in
town squares and thus cannot be closed. The founding father of Uruguay – Jose Gervasio Artigas
Remaining piece of original city wall
Parliament building
And, of course, the totally touristy photo that is a
MUST-HAVE. Note the slope of my leg... exactly matching the V.
Interesting art.. Blue Man Group - solo (with fans at feet)
1 comment:
I'm impressed and surprised you drank from someone's metal straw!
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