Buen Dia Montevideo Uruguay! This is a great time to visit Uruguay
The South American travel scene is hot with 2014 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, and Uruguay as a travel destination is super hot. Uruguay is a hot topic, with its progressive government, its informal president and its social society. Its football team gearing up for 2014 FIFA World Cup in South America, hot. And its climate, beaches and scenery, hot. Those embers under the parrilla grill, loaded with masses of Uruguayan Beef Asado, hot! Palacio Salvo at Plaza Independencia. For decades it was the tallest building in South America.
It’s Small, It’s Far and It’s Uncrowded!
Roughly the area of the state of Washington, and a population of approximately 3.3 million, Uruguay averages around 3 million visitor per year, mostly from Brazil and Argentina. I flew from Vancouver, Canada. Travel times one-way from YVR to Montevideo, Uruguay are anywhere from 24 hours to 44 hours, depending on the number of stop (minimum of two) and duration of stops. Most flights to Montevideo have at least two stops, and are routed either via Santiago (SCL) or Sao Paulo (GRU). It is a bit of a long and gruelling journey, especially if you’re in economy (as I was). The good news is that Uruguay is only four hours ahead of Vancouver (PST) time during our summer, and six hours ahead in our winter, so the jet lag is minimal! Graffiti Street Art (Photo Credit: BernieFromYVR)Stroll the streets of Ciudad Vieja Montevideo, this barrio is filled with crumbling spanish colonial structures and beautifully vibrant graffiti street art.
Charms of the City – Playas, Plazas, Ramblas, y Ciudad Vieja
Montevideo is best appreciated on foot. It has a climate that is temperate, and the city offers excellent foot paths and quiet streets to enjoy strolling. Beautiful caramel coloured sea along the coast of Montevideo UruguayPlaza Matriz, Antique Vendors, Ciudad Viejo Montevideo Uruguay
Enjoy a Yerba Mate or stroll the plaza and browse the antique vendors at Plaza Matize, Ciudad Viejo, Montevideo, Uruguay. Walk off all that beef steak with a stroll along the Rambla and free use of exercise equipment.
Asado, Dulce de Leche, y Mate
Mercado del Puerto, Montevideo Uruguay.
If you like beef, you’ll love the Mercado Del Puerto in Montevideo’s Ciudad Viejo near the Port and Ferry Terminal. Open daily for lunch, you’re guaranteed an excellent beef Asado eating experience here. In Uruguay, there are 3 cows to every Uruguayan. Uruguayans eat beef on average 10-12 times a week. Grilled in Asado Style on the Parraillo Uruguayan Grill. Meats often come with Chimichurri, a fresh salsa made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar. Baby Squid. Uruguayan Seafood.
If it’s not meat, the seafood is excellent, from fresh local fish to an abundance of squid and octopus. And then there is the Dulce de Leche, a caramelly distillation of milk. Dulce de leche, mmm.
It’s spread and poured on everything. Can’t have breakfast without a quantitiy of Dulce de Leche on some bread. The home style flan, lovely, comes with a healthy drizzling of Dulch de Leche. Is Nice! Flan con Dulce de Leche. The colours of the Uruguayan Coast. Montevideo.
And then there’s the ever present Yerba Mate, or just Mate. Learn about Mate, the drink of Uruguayans. Enjoying the Yerba Mate in Plaza Matriz, Antique Vendors, Ciudad Viejo Montevideo Uruguay
Montevideo, For the Dogs
Amour on the beach, Mate, a thermos and best friends.Montevidean Dog Walker. Abundance of dogs.
Whether the narrow street of Ciudad Vieja or surrounding the apartment blocks of Pocitos, dogs were ever present. As was the care necessary to side step some deposits along the pathways and back streets. Is this how the Tango was invented? Sleeping dog in Ciudad Vieja Montevideo Uruguay
Football!
Tiny Uruguay, 3.3 million people, and they have a giant of a football club. When they have games, it is rumoured that a third of the entire population attend. I wish them well in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, South America. Football fans 2010, Plaza Independencia Montevideo Uruguay. (Photo credit : Sam Kelly Flickr https://flic.kr/p/8h4hg7)
Tourist Office at Montevideo Airport
Drop by the Uruguayan Tourist Office at Montevideo Airport, if only to say Hi to the poor guy who sits there all day. There are a lot of great brochures and maps in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Tourist Office at Montevideo Airport
Links: Turismo Uruguay 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Uruguay Profile