The trip crossing the Rio de la Plata was fast. That ‘Francisco’ speed boat (with the Pope hanging in the main hall…) just took over two hours to cross the nearly 200 km to Montevideo. Impressive. Miraculous even.

We had to wear these ridiculous things over our shoes. The boat is new, the carpet thick, and Buquebus wants it to stay clean. And clean it was, actually a really nice, comfy trip, with seats you’d wish for on any plane. I’ll have to get back to them though, as they charged my credit card twice…

So I got my Argentinian exit stamp into my passport, and my Uruguayan entry stamp, from two guys sitting in the same booth on the Argentinian side. I got some weird Mercosur entry and exit paper, showing me as Argentinian national (?), but the whole precess was smooth, including Uruguayan customs.

My hostess in Montevideo, Rosanna, was fantastic. She organized me a cab, and helped me pay for it. I had no Uruguayan Pesos and was counting on an ATM being available somewhere in the terminal or around, but there was none.

 

She had organized the taxi as today was Uruguay’s national taxi day. And to celebrate this occasion, the taxi drivers went on strike. But Rosanna had it all under control and soon I was in my lovely new home away from home, in the Pocitos neighborhood of Montevideo.

The city is bigger than I though, the cab took some time, even at full speed. It’s mostly based on a rectangular grid, with a few major axes cutting through or winding their way at weird angles Streets are lined with lots of architectural gems, mostly old, low, painted brick buildings I hardly had time to make out. I will have to do a lot of walking.

My neighborhood is quiet, safe, and close to the beach. I went down to the promenade just after nightfall, to see the Uruguayans jog along the beach in the dark, skate and bike and sweat it all out. They all look like compact football players, somehow.

A quick visit to the Supermarket across the street and I felt completely at home. German products all over, from the huge German beer selection to Rote Beete and Kühnle’s Carrot salad….  and something that looked like Spätzle!!

I think this will be a nice, quiet change from the speed in Buenos Aires.