This is the result from the afternoon walk through sunny Montevideo, pretty much the same places as yesterday, just with blue skies.

The buildings in the centre are impressive, even in their run-down state. It wouldn’t need much to polish it up just a bit, without turning it into a fake Disneyland. However, it all shuts down pretty much around 5 pm, something I cannot understand in a culture that celebrates going out late.

In Europe these streets would be lined and filled with cafés until late. The Mercado del Puerto could be running late, entertaining and feeding tourists and making tons of dinero, but by 5 pm it’s pretty empty…

I walked into a cute little sandwicheria, Jacinto, that was just closing. They made me a yummy Advocado-Tomato-Cheese Sandwich anyway, and I asked if they close for a siesta and re-open at night, but they shook their heads. That’s it for the day.

The only new thing I saw on this day was the Parliament building on one of the hills, where I arrived in time to watch the Uruguayan army lowering the flags in a serene procedure, with saber, trumpet and very earnest faces.

Enjoy.