Overcast, humid, steamy warm, with a slight drizzle - Montevideo
received us at around 9 a.m. Not much wind to speak of, ergo docking the ship
this morning did not involve ‘stitching her to the dock’, meaning using every
mooring line aboard to secure her ashore.
On our arrival in Puerto Madryn, stitching was de rigeur, as
off shore winds of 50 knots made docking a bit of a challenge.
No tour for me today, so I wandered off into the deserted
Sunday morning city of Montevideo. Just
like Buenos Aires, the city has a wealth of Belle Époque Architecture and just
like in Buenos Aires – it is all more or less in the process of slow
deterioration. A shame indeed, to let so much of these historic buildings, who
still glory in faded beauty, fall to pieces.
For the last few days, Uruguay and Montevideo have been
suffering from punishing rain, with flooding in the country side, and puddles
and fallen trees all over the city. Mosquitos are out in droves…
By midday, the city awakes from her Saturday night sleep,
and the food market near the Port springs to life. Clouds of blue smoke rise
from its wrought iron roof, indicating that a few dozen indoor parillas are
starting to prepare Uruguayan beef – all imaginable bits of it from tenderloin
to innards – for the great Sunday Lunch Out for locals and tourists alike.
I visited a couple of art galleries, which are still around,
albeit in lesser numbers and with fewer serious artists being presented, but
still inspiring and interesting.
Off into the indoor hustle and bustle of the market to
garner a seat at one of the food counters, preferably a bit away from the open
fires – too hot – and awaiting the obligatory Uruguayan meat treats. I had a
salchito, a sausage, which did not particularly delight my taste buds, beside
me a blond haired tourist was digging into a huge blood pudding, others were
working their way through mini mountains of chopped up steak and ribs – all washed
down with some Uruguayan wine of beer. An expensive pleasure, but worth
experiencing the local ambiance.
Tomorrow – Buenos Aires and milonga, probably dancing to
some piece of music made famous by Carlos Gardel, who is claimed by Uruguayans
as one of their own, although he is revered like and Argentinian deity of Tango.
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| Juan y Karla, Tango Instructors of World champion niveau, hailing from Colombia, are teaching aboard Prinsendam - unfortunately they are leaving the ship in Buenos Aires |
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| Montevideo Balcony - most are a little on the decrepit side |
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| Metropolitan Cathedral at Plaza Constitucion |
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| Montevideo Landmark Building |
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| Puddles on Plaza Independencia - heaven for swarms of mosquitos |
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| Montevideo Doorway |
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| One of many Parilla restaurants at the Port Market |
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| Urugayan Felines enjoying Sunday morning people watching |
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| Fast food.... |
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| Port Buildings in Montevideo |
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| Montevideo claims to be the original inventor of tango.... |
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| Montevideo also claims Famous Tango icon Carlos Gardel as one of its own |
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| Exchange rates for the Uruguayan Peso |
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| Wooden clock in the historic Port Market |
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| Street artists |
