The Big City of Montevideo, Uruguay
M got kicked out of the jacuzzi by some witch this evening. We’ll go elsewhere to bathe tomorrow night. I’m writing this out on the balcony. Alex just turned the lights off. “Hey! I’m out here!” They came back on. But the thing is I guess I’ll turn in. Buenos Noches. Tina was manning the front desk tonight. I asked her, in person, to give us a wake-up knock (because there’s no phone) at 8 a.m. I arranged for us to go to Montevideo at 9:30 for $450.00. At first, they wanted $500. Sr. Ruiz had asked for $580.00.
Uruguayan Countryside
I liked Lorelei, our guide. She lives alone with two dogs in a town 25 miles up the road. She was reading up on the places we visited in Montevideo today. It is 80 miles from Punta del Este. We drove through wide-open vistas. It’s wonderful how devoid of people the countryside is. There were very few farms; just hills and fields. The population of Uruguay is 3.4 million as of 2018. The population of Montevideo is 1.38 million. So almost half the country lives in the big city. It’s lonesome and exhilarating. You could walk these hills for days reveling in the sun, the breeze, and your thoughts. Freedom.
It was a cool, cloudy day in Monte. Oh, before I go any further. Would you visit this city if you knew that nothing here was a UNESCO World Heritage Site? We ate at a great restaurant. We sat at the counter and watched them prepare our food. Alex had tripe and kidney. He would.
Manos del Uruguay Revisited
We walked around the Old Town and bought handmade jewelry. Where is there NOT an “Old Town”? In an actual old town? After a short time of searching, we found the main “Manos del Uruguay” store with beautiful yarn. I bought some gorgeous stuff mixed with silk and a sweater and mitts for Maureen.
Freedom Fighter General Giuseppe Garibaldi
The highlight of our visit to Montevideo for Alex was to be the home of the great Italian freedom fighter General Giuseppe Garibaldi. History Alert. In 1842, Garibaldi fought for Uruguay and defended the city of Montevideo from the Argentine dictator, Manuel de Rosas. Alas, access to the great man’s personal quarters was not meant to be. When we got there, it was closed. Closed on Mondays. To make matters worse, it started to rain. I felt bad for him. For Alex, I mean. Well, for Garibaldi, too, because he’s dead.
Garibaldi’s house is on the right. It really is a shame to see how some people are dragged up without any sense of propriety. They think that their graffiti is art when, in reality, it looks like a 4-year-old scrawled on elegant, old beauties that really are works of art. I see it not just in Uruguay, of course.
Alex’s true calling is a freedom fighter. He almost became one once. All his finer sensibilities are in tune with independence. His whole being balks at the subjugation of anything. Alex didn’t feel like seeing anymore, and the fumes from the traffic were nauseating, so we made our way home.
Can Anybody say Equal pay for Equal Work?
We played twenty questions with Lorelei on the way home in the car. And we talked about our dogs. I gave her the $450.00 when we reached the resort. “He’s getting this?!” she blurted. She didn’t know. “How much are you getting?” I asked. “$80.00,” she said. I dug into my money belt and handed her $20.00. It was all the cash I had. She said I didn’t have to, but I said it was a tip. Bastard. I thought they would split it. She did just as much work, maybe more, than he did.
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