Our
route is shown in red (click map for a more
detailed version)
•
Buenos Aires
•
Colonia (ferry)
•
Nueva Palmira
•
Mercedes
•
Fray Bentos
•
Nuevo Berlin
•
Paysandú
•
Termas de Guaviyú
•
Salto
•
Tacuarembó
•
Melo
•
Treinta y Tres
•
Rocha
•
Cabo Polonio
•
La Paloma
•
Punta del Este
•
Piríapolis
•
Minas
•
Atlántida
•
Montevideo
•
On to Paraguay...
Uruguay
In May/June 2005 we traveled through Uruguay for about two weeks.
We actually started in Buenos Aires and took a ferry across to
Colonia, from where we drove through the country to end up in
Montevideo two weeks later. From Montevideo we then traveled on to
Asunción in Paraguay.
So what was it like? It is a quiet country and from what we've seen it
has a slow pace of life. It's not poor, but not affluent either.
People seem to have a good standard of living. Its troubled past has
hit it hard economically and it is in effect a buffer between Brazil
and Argentina.
If I had to describe it as a person I'd say it was sad. Its economy
and public face (i.e. its buildings) are in need of a kick start and
rejuvenation. There are signs of this - road building projects
(mainly around Montevideo and the touristic south coast) and some
refurbishment of buildings. I can picture whole swathes of towns
being demolished and rebuilt.
The people here were fantastic. Everywhere we went people were
friendly, courteous and happy to help. They were genuinely
interested in our travel plans and asked us where we'd been and
where we were off to next.
Would I come back? Possibly yes as it would be interesting to see
the place in high season and to see how the country changes over the
years.
Would I recommend that you go? Definitely yes but, to make the most
of your time there stick to the west coast from Colonia up to Salto,
and then come back along the south coast up to Cabo Polonio and
beyond. The trip across the unvisited interior was worth doing just
to experience the sense of the wide open spaces but there is nothing
to "do" or "see" so if you're short on time then this is the bit to
miss out. Don't miss Minas though - it's a great place and you have to
have alfajores at Irisarri on the main square and then finish up
with a drink in the bar across the road from Hotel Verdun, assuming
it's still open!!
The music of Carlos Gardel, the Argentinian/Uruguayan "inventor" of
the tango... Both countries stake claims to him as their native son.
•
Cabo Polonio's web site:
www.cabopolonio.com. There is a great satellite picture clearly
showing the demarcation between the brown water of the Rio de la
Plata and the blue water of the Southern Atlantic.
In July 2004 we met Señor Carlos
Betancour, the Uruguayan Chargé d'Affaires in the UK, at a summer
recital held by the Anglo-Uruguayan Society. His enthusiasm and
knowledge did much to warm us to his country. Later we received a
lovely letter with insights on Uruguay from Sr. Betancour
(see below). We're looking forward to Uruguay as our first stop. But
whether we will be having Fray Bentos pies is another matter! (see
map!)
Letter from Señor Carlos
Betancour
Dear Stefan,
Further to our
encounter last Sunday, I am glad to respond to some of your queries.
It was very nice to meet you and Vanessa.
I am extremely
pleased that you had the chance to seek my advice prior to your trip
to Uruguay, not because I have any particular monopoly on truth, but
because I am passionate about promoting my country.
Though I gather that
you might find it difficulty to access information on our country,
Uruguay is not that alien to British homes...though sometimes they
do not know it.
I'll elaborate: if
you watch closely one of the spots currently on TV promoting
CANNON's sponsoring of Euro 2004, the one at an airport...that is
actually Punta del Este airport, and the tail of an aeroplane that
you see there is showing the logo of the Uruguayan National Airline
-PLUNA. This is not an isolated phenomenon. Many spots on British TV
channels have actually been filmed in Uruguay, as advertising
companies there offer very good technical skills, very scenic
settings (mainly "selling" the European aspect of our cities), and
they are cheap by UK standards. To name but a few, spots for
Expedia.co.uk, Vodaphone, Mastercard, Peugeot, etc. actualy depict
Uruguayan vistas ...the problem is that we Uruguayans are the only
ones to notice!
For information in
general, there are many sources that you can resort to, and I think
that the most comprehensive source of information would be to
address yourself to the following Website:
http://www.turismo.gub.uy/
Once you access the
website, you can click on "English version", to the left of your
screen, and then click on "Knowing Uruguay" which will allow you to
virtually tour the country, and get as much information as you like,
on the many cultural or historic aspects that sparked your interest.
As to flight
connections from London, you can fly on IBERIA, that has a direct
flight to Montevideo from Madrid. VARIG, BA, AIR FRANCE, LUFTHANSA,
among other companies, depending on your schedule or travel plans,
all have connecting flights to Montevideo.
Being Uruguay a
regional financial centre, you will find that all major
international currencies are widely accepted in Bureaux de Changes -
Euros, British Pounds, or any other. US Dollars can be easily used
in many shops, hotels, restaurants, and even some taxis.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to use the Uruguayan Peso for the
majority of transactions, as the exchange rate reflects the market
value of the currency, and there is no differential price to your
advantage.
Not only are credit
cards widely accepted in Uruguay, and ATM's accept European,
American and other cards. In central Montevideo, as well as in Punta
del Este, and other main urban areas, ATM's are found on average
every 2 or 3 blocks.
Although railway
coverage is very good, passenger services are limited to some
stretches of the national network. This apparent drawback to
passenger travel is more than efficiently covered by the national
coach services on the extensive road network, on very comfortable
vehicles that can take you to practically any corner of the country.
There are no
compulsory vaccinations or other particular health precautions to be
taken by travellers to Uruguay. Tap water in Uruguay is classified
by the World Health Organization as one of the best quality in the
world, and is available in 94% of the territory.
English is widely
spoken in Uruguay even at the street level, so we gather you will
not find it difficult to either shop or see the sights.
The economy is in
the process of a steady recovery, after the financial crisis of
2001-2002. Inflation for the year 2003 stood well above 2001 levels
(3.6%), but the rate was slightly higher than 10%, which is rather
low, taking into account the severe crisis that affected our
country.
I will send you some
brochures, as promised, but in the meantime, I have enclosed what we
cal a Brief on Tourism, containing general information on things to
see and do in Uruguay that might take you a bit off the beaten
track. I hope it might be of your interest. (PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT)
[NEED TO INCLUDE DOC HERE]
As a final note on
the matter of safety, Montevideo is the safest city in the whole of
Latin America, a fact taken into account by the consultant firm
Mercer & Mercer. They have also considered Montevideo as the city
with the best quality of life in the Sub-continent, rating it 76th
in the world. Taking the same precautions that you might take in the
Soho or some other parts of London you would be safe. I will also
send you the standard brochures, on the assumption that this is only
a starter. Let me know if you find what you received useful whenever
you can.
