My goal is to have less injustice,
to fight for the common good
and progress.
Life slips away.
The way to prolong it is that
other people will continue your work.
My lifestyle is a consequence
of my wounds,
I’m a child of my history.
There were years when I would have been happy
just by having a mattress.”
cit. José Pepe Mujica
Cagliari and Uruguay have a historical bond, written in football stadiums.
In fact, more than 20 Uruguayan players have defended the Rossoblu jersey, including Enzo Francescoli, Fabian O’Neill, Nelson Abeijon, Pepe Herrera, Dario Silva, Diego Lopez, Nahitan Nandez and Diego Godin.
To which are added the coaches: Oscar Tabarez, Gregorio Perez, and again ex captain Diego Lopez.
Going to Uruguay is for me a tribute to all of them.
I’m accustomed to visiting multiple countries during my travels, so when I booked flight to Argentina, Uruguay immediately entered the list.
Better yet, as I studied the fits and starts of the various days, it jumped straight to the top of the schedule.
As soon as I landed in Buenos Aires, I went immediately to the port to embark for Colonia and then by bus to Montevideo.
Flights connecting Madrid with Carrasco Montevideo International Airport are usually operated by Iberia or Air Europa.
Other direct flights arrive from Miami but, whether from Europe or North America, it is often cheaper to make a stopover in Buenos Aires or São Paulo.
Punta del Este International Airport has several direct flight to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.
There are several daily connections with Buenos Aires, thanks to the ferry companies Colonia Express and Buquebus.
These arrive directly in Montevideo or Colonia, from where you can then travel to the capital by bus with a service included in the ferry ticket.
In addition to these there are, of course, cruise ships.
Tres Cruces Station is located about trova a circa 2 miles from the centre of Montevideo.
Three road bridges over the Rio Uruguay connect Uruguay with Argentina.
Buses are generally slower and less comfortable than ferries crossing the Rio de la Plata.
There are six official border points with Brazil.
Domestic buses are comfortable and the fares, regulated by the state, are cheap.
It often happens that several buses of the same company depart for the same route at the same time. In this case the bus number is written on the ticket.
Surrounded by giants Argentina and Brazil, the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, the smallest country in South America, maintains its independence and identity.
The first inhabitants were the Charrùa, a population that kept away Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors for over a century.
Almost 2 million people live in the capital San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo approximately 60% of Uruguay‘s 3.3 million inhabitants.
La Rambla is the capital’s promenade, a characteristic place and meeting point, especially on Saturdays.
It’s very nice to walk here, perhaps as far as the touristy ‘Montevideo’ sign.
The city center is Plaza Independencia, where you will find the monument and mausoleum of General José Artigas, the Palazzo Salvo, the Torre Ejecutiva, the Edificio and the Puerta de la Ciudadela.
Very close, on the road to the Cathedral in Plaza de la Constitución, I recommend a visit to the Museo de los Andes.
With the help of photos and original objects, the incredible story of the Fairchild 227 plane crash in the Andes on 13 October 1972 with 45 people on board is revealed.
At more than 13,000 ft, in temperatures reaching -22°F, without food, without water and without adequate clothing, 16 survivors returned home alone after 72 days, leaving everyone incredulous and speechless.
The most popular sport in Uruguay is football. And it could not be otherwise for the nation that hosted, and won, the first World Cup in 1930.
The Celeste returned to the top of the world in 1950, silencing the Maracana in the final against Brazil, and have won 15 Copa America, the last in 2011.
The Centenario Stadium is the home of the national team and Club Nacional.
Inside, the Museo del Futbol tells Uruguayan and world football history, with memorabilia of Maradona, Pelé, Gigi Riva, Enzo Francescoli etc.
In short, I really liked Montevideo both for the quality of life and for the beauty of the city itself, where the remains of the original fortifications are mixed harmoniously with neo-Gothic, Spanish, Italian, French and modern style buildings.
110 miles from Montevideo and 30 iles by ferry from Buenos Aires, this city on the Rio de la Plata is not only a connecting point between Uruguany and Argentina.
Founded in 1680 by Manuel Lobo, the Portuguese governor of Rio de Janeiro, it became an important place for trade, undermining the spanish monopoly.
There were numerous battles between the two colonial powers, until the Spanish crown controlled the city in 1777.
This led to the decline of Colonia, with the arrival of foreign trade shifted totally to Buenos Aires.
In the Barrio Historico one strolls among cobbled streets and 18th century colonial houses.
The most spectacular entrance is the 1745 gate, Porton de Campo.
The 19th-century lighthouse is one of the symbols of Colonia, and from here you can see the Rio de la Plata and the old town.
The increasing influx of tourists is not disrupting this region, which was declared a national park in 2009 and is therefore under protection.
In this wild area, between sand dunes and a rustic fishing village, sea lions inhabit the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse.
In certain seasons, whales, penguins and a few elephant seals can also be observed.
Street lighting is non-existent and homes without their own generator, have no electricity.
On clear nights, this gives the opportunity to see a spectacular sky as in few other coastal locations.
Reaching Cabo Polonio is not easy: you have to walk, off-road or on horseback, 5 miles through forests and 0.02 m high sand dunes.
“La mano en la arena”, an enormous sculpture of a hand emerging from the sand at Playa Brava, has become the city’s most famous photographic symbol.
I have read that the main activities in Punta del Este are spending hours in the gym, getting beautiful, showing off your tan on the beach and then spending the night in luxury clubs and restaurants, perhaps in search of VIPs who create gossip in the most expensive city in the whole of Uruguay.
Given the few days available, this presentation kept me away from Punta del Este.
Perhaps in the future I’ll be able to confirm (but hopefully dispel) these words about the city being compared to Monaco, Miami Beach and St. Tropez.
The stable resident population is 12,400, but in high season it reaches 450,000 inhabitants.
5 miles off the beach of Punta del Este, on a rocky area of 40 hectares, is the largest colony of sea lions in South America.
When I visit a city, I always choose to sleep in the centre or near the attractions that interest me.
For my stay in Montevideo, the choice based on location/price ratio fell on Blanes Hostel.
I had a great time both for the general cleanliness of the hostel and for the proximity to points of interest, as well as for the tranquillity of the surrounding area, which is common in all the city.
Staying in an “estancia” is a must if you want to spend a few days in the peace and quiet of rural life, disconnecting from everything and everyone.
Estancias are large farms, a cultural symbol of Uruguay.
The Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism has also established tourist estancias, those that open their doors to tourists by organising daily activities, with a focus on horseback riding.
Some of these, fully functional traditional farms or old country hotels, are often very isolated and difficult to reach without your own transport.
Uruguay is an atypical nation in the continental scenario: it’s considered the most peaceful, safe and liveable nation in all of South America.
The population benefits from the reforms implemented mainly by President José ‘Pepe’ Mujica: the poverty rate is at 8%,literacy at 98%, the level of corruption is only higher than in Canada, it’s one of the countries with the most equal distribution of incomeand its citizens have a high life expectancy.
In addition, special attention is also paid to respect for nature.
The urban areas are being developed according to well-defined sustainable and territorial planning.
Another aspect that impressed me a lot are the many childre’s play areas, accessible to all types of disabilities.
Tanzania
