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Solfari
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Places
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Endurance
: Montevideo
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I gathered my bags and began walking towards the glass doors separating
me from the waiting gallery of families and friends. It was a perfectly
sunny and warm day in Montevideo, but that didn't seem to be what was on
everyone's mind as I emerged into a small mob of people and cameras, not
unlike a triumphant sports team returning to their home city.
I fought my way through the crowd
and quickly forgot what I had just passed and focused on what lie ahead:
the Tourist Information Office. My goal was to take the bus into
town as close to my hotel as possible.
I began speaking with the young woman in the office and quickly realized
that she didn't speak any English. This was a hint of things to come....
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Plaza Cagancha
Montevideo, Uruguay
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After a short wait, I hopped on a bus to Montevideo, luggage and all.
The bus was nearly full, but I found refuge in the back of the bus
where I would be less distinct. However, as I carried myself to the
seat, every person on the bus gave me the strangest look. Was it my
winter white tan or the Argentine sweater that I had on? I don't think
that I'll ever know.
The bus slowly made it's way into the city center area. We passed
many people walking along the road, several horse drawn carts and many roadside
cafes along the way.
Yet the most significant observation that I made was the bus driver's
aversion to coming to a complete stop when picking up or dropping off passengers!
I estimate fewer than 1 in 3 passenger changes were complete stops.
Otherwise, the bus would slow to 5 mph and people would hop on or off
as needed!
The driver also went along with the front door wide open. Here in
the States, the buses probably have sensors that the detect the open door
and prevent the vehicle from moving lest a lawsuit arise. It's kind
of a sad statement on US society that lawsuits are so prevalent.
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Regardless, I finally arrived in central Montevideo and reached my hotel
not long after 2 in the afternoon. As per my custom, I quickly showered,
changed and prepared to begin walking all over town as an introduction!
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I began by walking towards the peninsula that contains Ciudad Vieja
Montevideo. Along the way, I passed the financial district and
walked into one of the grand banks with a single massive room 4 stories
high. I was quite in awe but as I steadied my camera, a security guard
stopped me. 2 seconds quicker and I would have been golden!
I continued walking west and slowly noticed that the area was a little
more shady than I expected. I kept alert but still enjoyed the scenery
before arriving on the oceanfront. There was a pleasant area to lay
down and watch the fisherman ply their trade and play their luck.
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Avenida 18 de Julio
Montevideo, Uruguay
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I spent a fair amount of time the next few days scouting for the local
Irish pub. The best that I could do was find a shuttered storefront
that had a Guiness sign hanging above the door and a green three leaf clover
under the street address. Much to my disappointment, it seemed that
this pub was permanently closed.
There was one hotel bar that looked interesting, but the one night that
I walked by around 9, it was virtually empty so I chose to head back to
my hotel and read Shackleton's Endurance story. Obviously,
this book would have a positive affect on me.
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Plaza Independencia
Montevideo, Uruguay
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One evening I had dinner on the Plaza del Entrevero, a pleasant
area in the heart of the entertainment district just off of Avenida 18 de
Julio. The outdoor restaurant, serving the fine local cerveza Pilsen,
was a popular location for many reasons, not the least of which was their
large speakers serenading patrons with only the latest in Uruguayan music.
I had only partially finished a filet Milanesa, or heart attack on a plate,
when I heard Heart's "What About Love" resonating from the speakers.
I couldn't help but notice people's joy and think that if these people
had only seen the VH1 "Behind the Music" espisode that they would feel sympathy
for Ann Wilson.
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The rest of my time in Montevideo, I relaxed by sitting in parks reading
books, walking along the beach absorbing sunlight and window shopping anticipating
Chile. A neat feature of the city are the beaches within walking distance
in any direction. People seemed to congregate to areas that didn't
even have sand, just somewhere to relax and enjoy the water.
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I also spent a very pleasant day at Punta del Este, a beautiful beach resort
about 2 hours by bus east of Montevideo. Punta is a beautiful peninsula
area that offers two different ocean experiences. One is the bayside,
or the calm side, of the peninsula and the other is the wild side facing
the Atlantic Ocean and all it's fury.
My next stop was the coastal country of Chile and the beautiful city of Valparaiso.
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Palacio Legislativo
Montevideo, Uruguay
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Solfari
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Places
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Endurance
: Montevideo
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