Our first South American trip took us to the sleepy town of Colonia del Sacremento, in Uruguay. In case you're wondering, it's pronounced Oooh-er-hway, making this the most frequently mispronounced word in my limited Spanish vocabulary. Uruguay is a 60-minute boat ride from Buenos Aires, and it is worth every penny to take the 'fast boat' rather than the 3-hour 'slow boat.' I was expecting a rickety little ferry, but it was new and modern, with a restaurant, a duty free store and plasma TVs showing the latest futbol match. (BTW, a bag of medium sized M&Ms in the duty free store: 12 US dollars. !!)
Colonia is absolutely beautiful and untouched. The cobblestone streets are dotted with tiny cafes, a lighthouse, ancient ruins and little stores and galleries. We visited the quaint cathedral and saw their old bullfighting coliseum, which is no longer in use. The waterfront was an unanticipated gem, with spring weather finally emerging; we sat on the rocks and watched sailboats in the warm sun.
6 comments:
I look forward to reading more about your vacation - interestingly enough, this afternoon we discussed going to Uruguay as our post-deployment trip.
Oh my gosh- the photos are beautiful! What a wonderful little side trip! If you keep posting ones like these, you will have us visiting sooner think you think!
Ahhhh, your posts give me a tiny little retreat from my life and my time here in what is still mid to high 90s... Ooooh- er- ehway....they should really spell it differently if that's the way they want it pronounced. Anyway, what a great little place! looks like my kind of town...
Karen, along with great beaches, there are supposed to be wonderful wineries and estancias (ranch-style B & Bs) in Uruguay. Just from what I've seen around here, and now Uruguay, this area couldn't be more family-friendly. If you decide to head down this way, let me know and I'll do what I can to help you out!
Kim--we're ready for you guys any time!
Tava--hope the cool weather gets there soon! When will you be reflecting again--love your posts~
I have ALWAYS dreamed of going to South America, specifically Chile and Argentina, but now, I have to add Uruguay to my list! Ahhh, some day.
Andrea, we've got plenty of room here, so if you're thinking of seeing it before Dec '12, we'll be here!
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