Punta del Este, Uruguay – Back to the ocean & beaches… finally

So the last time I saw an ocean it was the Pacific & was over a month ago (end of April) in Valparaiso, Chile. The time before that was watching the sunset in Lima, Peru in early March. But the last time I was in it, playing, enjoying was the Galapagos in February. That’s a long fucking time for someone who loves the water & is traveling South America. So while I’ve obviously enjoyed my trip (severe understatement), I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to craving & missing the ocean. That need was satiated a bit by Punta Del Este, Uruguay. “Punta” is Uruguay’s most famous beach resort & known as a glitzy & glamorous getaway for the Argentina & Brazil elite. Definitely not low key. My initial plan, before I was delayed by Patagonia, was to spend a couple days here then head North up Uruguay’s coast hitting smaller much more laid back beach towns including Punta Del Diablo – it just kinda sounds way more like my style. But by the time I was now hitting the Uruguayan coast, the hot temperatures were long gone. I still wanted to see it so I visited Punta Del Este in the low season & it was not so glitzy & glamorous. More like a ghost town with a pretty coastline. There weren’t so many tourists around. Many places were closed after the high season. Very little traffic on the streets. You know it’s dead when the town has decided to turn off all of the traffic lights in the city, forcing a yield at every intersection – although I don’t believe I ever saw a car having to use its brakes. But all of that means I simply enjoyed it probably way more than I would’ve in the high season when all the tourists would’ve annoyed the hell outta me. But it was nice to see & the beaches were stunning which only makes me excited for a future visit to Uruguay’s chill northern beaches. There’s one exception to my enjoyment… due to the temps, I of course was unable to play in the water so I only stayed 3 nights & kept myself busy & happy taking a borrowed bike to explore the coastline. But those waves & those beaches only made me more excited to head further north to Brazil in search of the heat.

The obligatory photo of the famous hand statue. That lady is a goner.

Get here quick as the neighborhood is clearly going to shit. I was riding my bike when I came across this & out of nowhere I just instinctively started booing & emphatically giving the universal thumbs down. I couldn’t help or control myself. It was as if I all of a sudden had a tangible target for my frustration, distrust & disgust with the US government. I think it was probably a bit confusing to the gathered group of local construction workers enjoying their lunch. That is until one of them appeared to put it together & they all enjoyed a laugh.

Montevideo, Uruguay – You can skip it. You’re welcome.

So my love affair with Uruguay after Colonia temporarily hit pause during my visit to Montevideo, an easy 2.5hr bus ride away. I didn’t love it. And that’s my sarcasm kicked into high gear. It didn’t help that it was overcast & a bit chilly all 3 days of my visit but it goes beyond that. First off, its old town, which I read compared to Havana & is often used as a fictionalized version of it in tv & film, does not even remotely compare to Havana. Not by a long shot. Perhaps a few crumbling houses within a larger block are somewhat comparable but rather than having a charming appeal & evoking the excitement that Havana brings, Montevideo’s old town is just a bit depressing. It certainly doesn’t have the personal appeal as Havana’s streets are constantly teeming with people, music & life & seemed quite safe while Montevideo’s atmosphere seemed downtrodden, sad & unsafe at times. In fact, I was stopped during the early afternoon hours 3-4 times by locals who warned me that it wasn’t safe to be walking in the old town at night or even dusk. I had read the same thing but they seemed intent on warning me. I somewhat doubted the urgency of the warnings but when I left Mercado del Puerto, easily the highlight of the old town so drawing lotso tourists, after a wonderful late lunch around 4:30, hours before sunset, I was already witnessing some untoward behavior by locals in a very clearly altered state. So I proceeded to head back to Pocitos, a more affluent area where I was staying & while I certainly felt safe there, it wasn’t a very lively neighborhood & seemed a bit devoid of culture. I wish I could say the next 2 days exploring el Centro, Pocitos & other hoods improved my opinion but it did not. At the end of the day, I’m glad I visited bc I would’ve always wondered & while I hesitate to draw a conclusion after visiting for only 3 nights, I think I can cross this city off the list for future Uruguay visits & still sleep soundly.

Mercado del Puerto – a different kinda market as it primarily features a bunch of great steakhouses all under one roof. It’s relatively expensive but highly recommended. Over my delicious late lunch, I met this amazing couple from São Paulo, Brazil & we made plans to go out the next night & meet up in São Paulo. Again, loving those Brazilians.

The best chimichurri I’ve had on the trip & one of the best steaks. If you visit Uruguay & spend a night here while traveling, a stop here for a great lunch is a must. I chose El Palenque but I’m sure they’re all great. But know that most if not all close at 5pm so are only open for lunch. Odd for steakhouses I know but I think a nod to the safety, or lack thereof, of the Old Town. Sad really. I hope the city is able to invest here as it has a lot of great potential.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay – A lovely chill break from Buenos Aires

I am super excited to be in Uruguay. Prior to my trip, this was one of the countries I was most looking forward to visiting. I think of Uruguay & I think of beautiful somewhat isolated beaches on the Atlantic. That’s definitely not what Colonia del Sacramento is but the more I read & heard about it, the more excited I grew to visit. It’s an easy 1hr ferry ride from Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires but it’s like a whole different world. Colonia is a colonial city, the oldest in Uruguay, located right on the Rio de la Plata & it’s small (population of 20k), quaint, tranquil & picturesque with charming streets & shops & wonderful food & wine (tannat is their prominent red grape & I enjoyed sampling several wineries). It was such a welcomed reprieve from non-stop BA action. It seems there’s a bunch of Argentine day-trippers that visit but they thankfully don’t overwhelm & when they leave, they miss out on the lovely quiet nights at cafes with live music under the stars. I spent a lazy 4 days largely not leaving the old town so I mean real lazy & it was exactly what I needed.