And back to Brazil...

Caipirinhas were calling so I headed back over the border with Jim this time to Brazil. The rain sadly was there waiting for me again (why is Brazil so wet?) leaving us only one option… to eat.

Couchsurfing with friends Juliana and Daniel they suggested we head up to visit one of the old European settlements on the mountainside. Our plans were almost scuppered by floods making one road impassable covered in water and people outside the flooded beer factory collecting the vagabond floating cans.
However taking a tip from a watermelon dealer (as we stopped for some energy-fuelled sugar cane drink) Daniel navigated us there through another route where we arrived at the picture perfect town.
Created by German and Italian immigrants who evidently wished they were Swiss, Canela looked like it belonged on a box of chocolates rather than Brazil.
Oddly enough, it was still Christmas in Canela (despite the heat of mid-January) so we wandered around the Christmas stalls watching people ice-skate and listening to Christmas stories told by albinos dressed as Santa’s helpers.
As the rain poured again we headed to a restaurant for the real reason that we came… a Café Colonial. Cake, cheese, meat, jam, wine, all you can eat – need I say more?
Five pounds heavier we descended back down to Porto Alegre where we enjoyed the rest of our weekend of gluttony with charruscaria (BBQ), frozen acai, my beloved farofa and, of course, many caipirinhas. I love Brazil.

Punta del Este, Uruguay: The official line

And finally for Punta del Este...

Long sandy beaches, pretty plazas, designer shops and tantalisingly wealthy young things all sizzle in the summer sun of Punta del Este but come with a hefty price tag.

A beer at a bar in Punta can cost more than a night’s accommodation in any other South American country and during high season (December to March) prices are at a premium.

A black hole in the credit crunch universe, luxury apartments are still being built across the peninsular and with demand increasing the popularity of the city doesn’t look set to wane anytime soon.

Full of rich Argentineans, blinging Brazilians, moneyed Mexicans, wealthy Europeans and the occasional lost Uruguayan, Punta del Este is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the continent.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about but can’t afford the bar bill stay in neighbouring Maldonado, fill up on the cheap chivitos and enjoy the pretty beaches while splashing out on the odd party.

The city

Punta del Este sits on a peninsular where the Atlantic Ocean and Rio de la Plata meet. The river side on the west provides tranquil bathing beaches of Playa Mansa and the sea side on the east creates attractive surf and party beaches of Playa Brava and infamous Bikini Beach.

Filled in between the two coasts are trendy boutiques, over-priced restaurants, outrageous apartments and possibly the most beautiful McDonalds in the world.

Famed for its nightlife, most of the action in Punta happens in La Barra – a neighbourhood joined by an attractive bridge just off the peninsula. La Barra’s restaurants, bars and clubs pull in thousands of young people every night and make it popular with travellers who fancy an indulgent and expensive break from the usual cheap lager and table wine.

If you want to see Punta in its full ‘glory’ (and for free) visit the Conrad. This huge zoo-like hotel is full of minor celebrities, surgery sculpted oldies, tasteless tourists and serious gamblers who come for the fashion shows, free toilets and large casino. Sit wide-eyed in the Casino watching men hand over thousands of dollars for a few plastic chips while their wives (or otherwise) kick back mulling over a drink and their new diamond from neighbouring Tiffany’s.

Beyond the bling

There are however some real gems in Punta del Este. This is still Uruguay and rich culture and interesting architecture are just about visible under the big signs and multicoloured lights.

The large hand buried in the sand on Playa Brava is one of the most recognisable images of the city but nearby Casapueblo on Punta Ballena is one of the biggest architectural draws. This hotel/restaurant/gallery was designed by local artist Carlos Paez Vilaro and is a surrealist’s wet dream with curvy, white, labyrinthine hotel rooms dripping over the cliff side. The night view from Punta Ballena looking at the bright lights of Punta del Este is also worth the trip.

Back in the city the harbour is a nice spot to visit so long as you can handle boat envy. Luxury yachts and boats bobbing along at sunset make great photos but make sure you cast your eye over the dry land beside the harbour where local fisherman sell their catch at bargain prices.

For culture, the city hosts regular free exhibitions and artisan fairs (visit the cultural centre and Plaza Artigas).

Maldonado

To escape the inflated prices and see how the real locals live, visit Maldonado. A city tucked closely behind Punta with an attractive square (Plaza Maldonado), affordable bars and restaurants, a humble cathedral and full of normal looking people, Maldonado makes for a nice change.

It has a small town feel and hosts a big Sunday market and also South America’s most popular red light district.

A world away

Punta del Este comes as a complete shock travelling from any direction. It is a world away from some of its less developed neighbours and more closely resembles St Tropez than any other coast destination in Uruguay. It will cost you, but if you want a peek into South America’s playboy playground, Punta is worth every penny.

Montevideo, Uruguay: The official line

And here´s my article on Montevideo...

Quirky architecture, the longest Carnival in the world and cider throwing fights; it is surprising that Montevideo does not figure its way onto more travellers’ itineraries. The capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is probably the most relaxed capital in South America and with minimal crime and special tourist police, probably the safest. Sadly it also the most expensive. The capital is sure to pull at the purse strings although this is no reason to skip out it completely just budget along the way.

The city

Snuggled between South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is still relatively untapped by tourists and a haven for those who want to escape any hassle.
Montevideo houses almost half of Uruguay’s population but still retains a small city feel with people greeting each other in the streets and cars stopping for you to cross the road. It is a pleasure to walk around with traffic at a minimum (rush hour is laughable compared to nearby Buenos Aires) and the centre is reasonably compact.
Cuidad Vieja is usually the first port of call for visitors and its dilapidated colonial houses lack the charm of Colonia but still warrant a stroll around and are pleasantly punctuated by leafy green plazas and interesting museums.
Nearby Mercado del Puerto is no longer used as a market but instead boasts a handful of restaurants with steaming parillas (BBQs) and a lively crowd of tourists and locals.
‘Centro’, a busy commercial district, is dominated by bustling Avenida 18 de Julio and feels like a real smoggy city (at least for a block or two) but there are still little gems on the Avenida including the Fuente de los Candados (fountain of locks) where lovers inscribe their initials on padlocks and symbolically secure them and their love to the fountain.
Most people visit Centro for its discount shops and bookstores (although discount in Uruguay can be reasonably pricey). However if you are in need of some cheaper retail therapy look no further than the Sunday market on Tristan Narvaja Street (the largest flea market in South America) where they flog everything from clothes to thermos flasks. The twice-weekly food markets can also make your peso stretch a bit further.
A visit into the city centre is not complete without admiring the eclectic mix of architecture. With influences from all parts of Europe the architecture varies from neoclassical mansions to obscure art deco office blocks. Building regulations are minimal in Uruguay and even in rural areas you will see a diverse mix of houses with each owner creating their own wild architectural fantasy. In the centre you are unlikely to miss Palacio Salvo, a quirky skyscraper in Plaza Independencia that still dominates the skyline.
Rio de la Plata has a strong presence in the city and one of the most popular pastimes is strolling down the Ramblas with mate (herb tea) and thermos flask in hand. The beach at middle-class barrio Pocitos is the best in the city with picturesque palm trees and nice bars more closely resembling Miami or Rio than the rather less tasteful city beach set against the backdrop of a run-down fairground.
However for lazing about in the sun some of the parks are more tranquil. Parque Rodo is worth a visit, and if not for its landscaping for the occasional late night raves.

The culture

Montevideans enjoy a high quality of life (comparative to the rest of the continent) and the rich culture reflects this. With hundreds of theatres (including world renowned Teatro Solis), uncountable live music venues and the longest carnival in the world (lasting over a month) you are never short of something to do in Montevideo.
During Carnival the city really kicks into cultural sixth gear with daily candombe (an African drum-based music) and murga (musical theatre) shows.
Locals say tango originated on the streets of Montevideo (visit legendary Baar Fun Fun which has free entrance some nights) and music and dance are integral to the fabric of the city all year long.

The people

Well educated and highly cultured, most Montevideans are friendly, easy going and can usually hold a pretty sophisticated conversation in English. A breeding place for writers, artists and musicians, the city attracts a bohemian crowd as well as thousands of workers and students from all over the country.
Although the city folk tend to work hard, they always play hard. Young Montevideans know how to party with the best of them, spilling out of the bars (visit Cuidadela street) and clubs until dawn before heading home for a shower, refill of mate and off to work.
Most young people here tend not to drink themselves to oblivion like some other nations (the relatively high prices might have something to do with it) but rather enjoy a few beers or glasses of tannat (the local red wine) interspersed with a sip from their physically conjoined holster of mate.
Not all past times are highly civilised though and at least twice a year you will see the Montevideans somewhat worse for wear - Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve being a prime example when the city gathers for the ‘Guerra del sidra’ at Mercado del Puerto. The ritualistic cider-throwing orgy sees thousands of locals (young and old) throw cheap cider and subsequently empty plastic bottles at each other for hours of childish fun.
On New Year’s Eve the white collared workers heighten the madness by throwing a shower of torn-up calendars out of office windows onto the sticky, steaming, cider-soaked crowds below. Don’t expect to leave without being completely drenched, drunk and enamoured.
In fact, don’t expect to leave Montevideo without feeling intoxicated by this culturally vibrant and fun city.

Colonia, Uruguay: The official line

My travel article on Colonia for www.catchthelingo.com

Change happens slowly in Colonia del Sacramento, which is certainly a good thing. The beautiful old town is well preserved and has deservedly earned its UNESCO World Heritage status. Wide cobbled streets, colonial-style colourful houses, a picturesque lighthouse and abandoned antique cars are sure to charm their way into your photo album but there is more to Colonia than the postcard image.

East of the old town (which juts out on a peninsular) is the main commercial part of the city where you will find more affordable prices, nice beaches, lots of houses and a sprinkling of shops and bars. Although this part may offer you a cheaper beer, the old town is really the star attraction and the best place to stay.

Quaint and sleepy in nature, the ‘barrio historico’ barely wakes from its complacent slumber even among the throngs of weekend tourists from nearby Buenos Aires. Men still fish off the rocks, old people sit outside their houses in the afternoon and bicycles still dominate the bumpy roads.

Despite being one of Uruguay’s top tourist destinations, the old town has retained its dignity and does not pander to cheap tourism, yet.

On the façade the town is still dreamily like it was in by-gone times although locals will reveal that the city has actually changed, even if it is at a typically laid-back Uruguayan pace.

Menus are now translated into English (you make have to ask for them though), hotels and hostels are now aplenty (although many are tastefully disguised in beautiful old houses), and prices are at a premium (sadly, unlikely to change).

Trendy bars and picturesque restaurants entice visitors and locals who sip cocktails and mate while looking over the river at sunset.

The beaches are also a main attraction, the best being by the commercial town, which continue to allure families to their shallow shores as they have done for centuries. New chill out bars along the waterfront bring an added attraction for young people in the area and thirsty tourists.

Colonia’s desirable location means it has been shuffled between the hands of Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Uruguay and back again; but now the city sits comfortably in the hands of a bohemian crowd, a change that it seems to agree with.

Other ‘changes’ aren’t so welcome. Take for example billionaire Nicolas Mihanovich’s dream to create a pleasure complex in nearby Real de San Carlos. Mihanovich spent a fortune in the early 20^th century building a casino with its own power plant, a bullring and a racecourse. This ‘change’ was firmly spat back in his face when bullfighting was outlawed shortly after its opening (and only 8 fights) and the casino failed to attract any foreign lucre when Argentina levied a new tax on boats crossing the river.

Even traffic has not quite caught up with the old smugglers’ port: locals still pootle about on pushbikes; polite and patient motorists invite you to cross the road first; and even the odd cart and horse makes its way across the cobbles. Visitors can travel about by golf cart, bus or the more affordable, but worryingly less roadworthy, hire bicycles.

Below the historical surface lies a cultural nucleus for dwellers of neighbouring towns and villages who all rely on the city for their nightlife and discos as well as their intellectual fix. The city keeps atop of national cultural initiatives, participating in museum nights and other events, and the picturesque old town is a haven for artists, amateur and professional, who come to capture the alluring street scenes.

Countless boutique galleries (often in restaurants and front rooms) are free to visit and there are a handful of small museums in town. The ‘Centro Cultural’ is worth a visit, if not for its local exhibitions, for the beautiful garden overlooking the harbour.

The relaxed pace of life, constant mate drinking and casinos that more closely resemble bingo halls mean that Colonia does not really match up to any of the hedonism found across the river in BA, however the city is still a hub of activity and an irresistible destination.

This is couchsurfing?

After a few days back with our family in El Pinar we moved onto glamourous/over-priced Punta del Este. Fortunately we were couchsurfing with someone so we didn't spend an arm and a leg on accomodation, although staying in Punta was no less 'pimp' than it should be.
Aldo shared with us his life of leather armchairs, fine wine, good whisky, nice cigars and steak. We even got a tour around the hotspots including local red light district and popped into the Conrad Casino to watch old ladies gamble away all their pension before we headed home for our own rendition of poker at a more affordable level (matchsticks and wine corks).
I didn't like Punta (too Miami dressed up in Uruguayan rags) but did enjoy the leather armchairs and Johnny Walker.

New Year in Montevideo

Apart from the relative sanity of our new host and old friend Santiago, the next few days in Montevideo weren't much less crazy.

A huge cider fight again which this time included shaving foam and torn up paper calenders thrown onto the steaming, cider-coated crowd; an outdoor electronica rave at a surreal park; a car pulled out of a safari in the 1950s; and a billion fireworks ensured that 2009 came to a fittingly bizarre end and 2010 off to an interesting start...

The great escape

In the morning Juan and his ‘girl’ were waiting with homemade dulce de leche cake and great plans for the four of us that day. That is the problem with couchsurfing, it is difficult to leave without feeling rude.

We made excuses to head into town to find our next couch and to dream up some excuses to leave. Booking a coach for the following day we returned to the crazy farm for a couple more days in which we went fishing, watched Juan light a BBQ on his kitchen floor and visited his parent’s house to see Juan’s collection of over 400 pencil sharpeners.

Mad House

Things at the farm didn't get any more normal, perhaps less scary but certainly no less wierd.
Juan took us into town the following day to explore the delights of his hometown, Juan Lacaze. Waving goodbye to the roof menders (who woke us with the noises that morning), the three crazy dogs (one like a donkey, one like a cat, and the other thankfully more representative of its own species), the two horse siblings with their lame inbred daughter, the peep of chickens and the crumbling farmhouse we set off as a three. Juan driving his moped, me on the back and Jim hanging off Juan's shoulder on a bicycle. I did worry about the safety of our journey until I saw everyone else doing the same thing. Either the village has created a new mode of transport or they/we are all just plain stupid.

We were on a mission to buy some lunch but Juan, despite his urgency to get going at 1.30pm precisely, forgot that between 1pm and 4pm the town shuts down for siesta time. So, we pootled around taking in the sights: the old abandoned paper factory, the new bigger and smellier paper factory, the empty harbour and the dirty river.
Juan, who decided only to wear his pants for the whole day, informed us that we should try not to breath all the paper fumes in too hard as they were thought to be poisonous and many townspeople had left after reporting illnesses and strange cancers. Although he had always felt fine he said. It was starting to make sense to me...
We sat by the river with a beer while Juan waded out to bathe, wave to his friends and take a piss (all worryingly at the same time). On his return we headed to the shops for food and cleaning products (I had to explain I was accustomed to washing my plate after using it and generally preferred to use toilet paper).
On returning to the farmhouse, Juan had drank all the cider we bought on route so decided to head back into town for more cider. Jim and I headed to the beach for some fresh air. On our return a few hours later we found Juan tucking into our wine explaining that he had given all his money to a girl instead.
Juan continued to get sloshed, insisting that we go out dancing. Hmmm, "where?" was the question that popped into my head but instead we politely said that perhaps it was difficult to travel anywhere from the abandoned farm at midnight. As if to prove us wrong 'Crazy Juan' jumped on his moped, still barefoot but fortunately popping a pair of shorts over his pants, to go out and 'see a girl'.
We started planning our prompt escape...