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
There’s a long-standing relationship between Cagliari and Uruguay, one that’s been 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.
And we can’t forget the coaches: Oscar Tabarez, Gregorio Perez, and, once again, ex captain Diego Lopez.
For me, going to Uruguay is a tribute to all of them.
I’m used to travelling to lots of different countries, so when I booked a flight to Argentina, I decided to add Uruguay to the list.
Even better, as I looked at the different stages of the project, it stood out as a priority.
As soon as I landed in Buenos Aires, I went straight to the port to catch the boat to Colonia, and then took a bus from there to Montevideo.
Iberia or Air Europa usually operates the flights connecting Madrid with Carrasco Montevideo International Airport.
There are other direct flights that arrive from Miami, but it’s often cheaper to make a stopover in Buenos Aires or São Paulo, whether you’re coming from Europe or North America.
Punta del Este International Airport has several direct flight to destinations in 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 take a bus to the capital, which is included in the ferry ticket.
And, of course, there are also cruise ships.
You’ll find the Tres Cruces Station about two miles from the centre of Montevideo.
There are three road bridges over the Rio Uruguay that connect Uruguay with Argentina.
Buses are usually slower and less comfortable than ferries crossing the Rio de la Plata.
There are six official border crossing with Brazil.
Domestic buses are comfortable and the fares are cheap, as they are regulated by the state.
It’s not uncommon for several buses from the same company to leave for the same route at the same time. If that’s the case, you’ll see the bus number on your ticket.
The Eastern Republic of Uruguay is the smallest country in South America, and it’s surrounded by giants like Argentina and Brazil.
Despite that, Uruguay has managed to maintain its independence and identity.
The first people to settle in the area were the Charrùa, a population that kept away Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors for over a century.
Around two million people live in the capital San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo, which is home to about 60% of Uruguay‘s 3.3 million inhabitants.
La Rambla is the city’s main promenade, a great place to hang out and meet up, especially on Saturdays. It’s a lovely walk, perhaps as far as the touristy ‘Montevideo’ sign.
The city center is Plaza Independencia, where you’ll find the monument and mausoleum of General José Artigas, the Palazzo Salvo, the Torre Ejecutiva, the Edificio and the Puerta de la Ciudadela.
Just a short distance away, on the road to the Cathedral in Plaza de la Constitución, I’d highly recommend a visit to the Museo de los Andes.
Thanks to photos and original objects, we can now learn the incredible story of the Fairchild 227 plane crash in the Andes on 13 October 1972, which involved 45 people on board.
At over 13,000 ft, with temperatures down to -22°F, and without food, water or appropriate clothing, 16 survivors made it home after 72 days, leaving everyone amazed and speechless.
Football is the most popular sport in Uruguay. And it’s no surprise, given that Uruguay was the nation that hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930.
The Celeste were back on 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 has all the history of Uruguayan and world football, with memorabilia of Maradona, Pelé, Gigi Riva, Enzo Francescoli and more.
In short, I really liked Montevideo for the quality of life and for the beauty of the city itself.
The remains of the original fortifications are mixed harmoniously with neo-Gothic, Spanish, Italian, French and modern style buildings.
Just 110 miles from Montevideo and 30 miles by ferry from Buenos Aires, this city on the Rio de la Plata is not only a connecting point between Uruguany and Argentina.
It was founded in 1680 by Manuel Lobo, the Portuguese governor of Rio de Janeiro, and it quickly became an important trading hub, challenging the spanish monopoly.
There were lots of battles between the two colonial powers, until the Spanish took control of the city in 1777.
This meant that Colonia started to decline, as foreign trade shifted totally to Buenos Aires.
The Barrio Historico is a great place to explore on foot, with its cobbled streets and 18th-century colonial houses.
The most impressive entrance is the 1745 gate, Porton de Campo.
The 19th-century lighthouse is one of Colonia’s most recognisable landmarks. It offers great views of the Rio de la Plata and the old town.
The increasing number of tourists isn’t having a negative impact on this region, which was declared a national park in 2009 and is therefore protected.
In this wild area, between sand dunes and a rustic fishing village, you’ll find sea lions inhabiting the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse.
At certain times of the year, you can also see whales, penguins and a few elephant seals.
There’s no street lighting and homes without their own generator don’t have electricity.
On clear nights, this offers the chance to see a truly spectacular sky, which is something you can’t really experience in many other coastal locations.
It’s not easy to get to Cabo Polonio: you have to walk, either off-road or on horseback, for 5 miles through forests and 0.02 m high sand dunes.
The city’s most famous photographic symbol is an enormous sculpture of a hand emerging from the sand at Playa Brava, called “La mano en la arena”
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.
Maybe I’ll be able to confirm (or maybe even dispel) these rumours about the city being compared to Monaco, Miami Beach and St. Tropez in the future.
The city’s population is 12,400, but in high season it reaches 450,000.
Just 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’m visiting a city, I always try to stay somewhere central or near the attractions that interest me.
For my stay in Montevideo, I opted for Blanes Hostel based on the location and price.
I had a great time at the hostel. It was clean and well located for the main attractions, and the area was quiet, which is typical of Montevideo.
If you want to spend a few days in the peace and quiet of rural life, disconnecting from everything and everyone, then staying in an “estancia” is a must.
Estancias are large farms, which is a cultural symbol of Uruguay.
The Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism has also set up some tourist estancias, which open their doors to offer daily activities, with a focus on horseback riding.
Some of these traditional farms or old country hotels are fully functional and often very isolated, so it’s best to have your own transport to get there.
Uruguay is an unusual country in the continental scenario: it’s considered the most peaceful, safe and liveable nation in South America.
The population is reaping the benefits of the reforms that were mainly implemented by President José ‘Pepe’ Mujica.
The poverty rate is down to 8%, literacy is at 98%, the level of corruption is only higher than in Canada, it’s one of the countries with the most equal distribution of income and its citizens have a high life expectancy.
On top of that, there’s a big focus on respecting nature.
The urban areas are being developed according to well-defined sustainable and territorial planning.
I was also really impressed by the number of childre’s play areas, which are accessible to all types of disabilities.
Tanzania
