Hola Uruguay.

On a lovely sunny day I checked out of Argent Suites, leaving my suitcase there, and grabbed a cab to Puerto Madero, the port of Buenos Aires. Its only a stones throw from the hotel but I couldn’t be stuffed walking, thus the cab. Because of the traffic, insane one way system and road works everywhere it took over half an hour to do the short distance and I was starting to panic. 

Walking into the terminal is an information desk with a guy sitting behind the counter. My “Bueno dia (They drop the ‘s’ from the end of words here). Hacer usted hablar inglés!” was greeted with a very terse “No”. No smile, no nothing. Thanks a lot you grumpy sod. 

Anyway I eventually found the right person to print my pre-booked ticket who then sent me upstairs to immigration. Once I was exited from Argentina I was sent to another counter to check me in to Uruguay. An interesting way to do it but quick and painless. 

Boarding started with a bun fight but there was absolutely no need as it is a massive ferry with room for all. I nabbed a window seat (bus like seats) with a huge window to see the view. 

There’s even a duty free shop on board. Anything imported here is heavily in taxed so they go crazy about duty free stuff. So many people in Puerto Iguazu had literally bags and bags of duty free stuff that they had bought when they nipped over to the tax free haven in Paraguay. It’s like snatch and grab to see how much stuff they can buy and still be able to get it into their car. Quite crazy. 

And we are away - crossing the River Plate to Colonia del Sacramento where I change to a bus for Montevideo. The last of my adventures before I head home. I can’t write about the view. Just out to the mouth of the river and across the Atlantic so other than water there is nothing to see.

The moment we set sail the throngs attacked the duty free shop. Quick quick or they will sell out. I waited till the panic had subsided and went and had a look. Hmmm bad news. They stock Desigual and so I might need to check it out on the way back. Hmmmm!

We arrived in Colonia with no dramas and there out the front are the busses ready for the trip to Montevideo. Despite there being a number of direct BA to Montevideo sailings each day they are either very early or very late but this one with the bus connection made more sense. Its a gorgeous day here, the bus is comfy and I have an aisle seat so I can stretch out.  The bus is full and most everyone is quiet  but there is always one. A guy (obviously very important) making business calls in a loud voice. Oh what a pratt!  

The scenery could be out of the Wairarapa. Rolling hills, lush green and very pretty.  The sun is streaming in and if it wasn’t for Mr Important on the phone it would make for a perfect ride. Oh well!

Arriving in Montevideo I get out of the bus and find myself in the centre of a decent sized shopping mall.  Wow! Nice shops, restaurants, ATMs that let me withdraw, all sorts of travel type kiosks - just lovely.  Since I was there I grabbed something to eat.. another over cooked steak, although at least this one was juicy, but so tough I couldn’t eat half of it.  The first steak I’d had that actually smelled and tasted as if it had been cooked in a bbq so that was a plus.

A cab bought me to the hotel.  Im not quite sure how I managed to book this place on the beach front, far from the city and not the sort of place I ever want to stay in.  Over priced for what it is, but it is known for its high teas and the restaurant was full of ladies dining on silly little bits of food and cups of tea. Not my thing but good on them.

It was getting dark so I wandered close to home and found an amazing supermarket.  About the closest in variety to our supermarkets at home.  They even had so e sort of crunchy bread which I snaffled for dinner with some proscuitto and a jar of dulce de leche.  Just around the corner I found a large and lovely mall so I spent some time checking out the shops before I walked back to the hotel, turned on the telly and spent the evening watching BBC news, eating my newly purchased groceries and looking forward to an early night.

Tomorrow I go exploring in the city.