Uruguay travels: Party in Punta Del Este, get culture in Montevideo and history in Colonia Del Sacramento

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Overview of Uruguay

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Uruguay is one of South America's hidden treasures. The most famous location is likely to be the capital, Montevideo. However, many South Americans will associate Uruguay with being a playground of the rich and famous. The coastal resorts of Punta Del Este are very exclusive and expensive, and during the summer months much of the wealthy in Argentina make their holiday here.

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Food in Uruguay - Decidely Argentinean

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The food and drinks in Uruguay is very similar to Argentina, you will find steaks, malbec wine, Argentinian style coffee and medialunas. The accent is very similar to the Porteno accent (Buenos Aires) and for a foreigner it is difficult to tell apart.



PUNTA DEL ESTE - Author Summ and Image courtesy of Wikipedia

 

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Places to see in Uruguay

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Key places to visit when in Uruguay; Punta Del Este, Colonia and Montevideo. Punta Del Este is a very tourist oriented summer beach town. Well heeled South Americans, particularly from Argentina, will often own summer houses here. It is surprisingly expensive in the peak season. Drinks and meals can often be at more European prices and the hotels can be more expensive, as well. The town is around 1 hour north of Montevideo, which ensures that the water is clear of the brown colour that the mouth of the Pirana river creates. If you are in South America in January and February, Punta Del Este, will be alive. There will be plenty of nightlife, meanwhile all the restaurants and bars will be busy.

Montevideo is Uruguay's capital, it is approximately 90 minutes from Colonia (the first stop in Uruguay from the Hovercraft from Buenos Aires). The City has a few modern indoor malls and some great eats around the town. The old town has some great nightlife and restaurants, culminating in mercado del puerto. The mercado del puerto is a feast for all the senses. It is an old covered market place full of fresh parrillas cooking a wide range of meats.

A Parrilla in Montevideo at the Mercado Del Puerto - Image courtesy of Wikipedia / Author Gonzalo Velasco.

Colonia is the first town from the Hovercraft from Buenos Aires, which takes 30-40 mins. It has a great river view, but is also quite an old and quaint town. The majority of the centre of the town is cobbled. It is an old Spanish colonial town and one of the oldest settlements in that part of the continent. The town is quite touristic due to its proximity to Buenos Aires, therefore there are lots of places to eat on the river, art and craft shops and the like. Altogether the town has a lovely atmosphere and somewhat of an old European feel.

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Summary

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All in all, Uruguay has much to offer and is easily accessible from Buenos Aires. Here 3 places have been highlighted but there is much more to see

Travel Brazil: Rio De Janeiro and surroundings

Rio De Janeiro is a truly beautiful and unique city. It is a cultural centre for Brazil and South America and plays host to the world famous Rio Carnaval. From a tourist’s point of view, the Zona Sul is the most important.

The Beaches

This part of the city revolves around three famous beaches; Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. Each of these beaches are surrounded by fashionable and usually expensive districts. The beaches are a centre focus for socialising and entertainment, during any major event in the city. For a visitor to Brazil, these beaches can be a great place to people watch and take in ‘Carioca’ life.

                                     Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Artyominc

Christ the Redeemer

However, there are many more great sites that are world renowned. One such site is statue of Christ the Redeemer which sits on top of one of the numerous steep hills that surround the coastal parts of the city. From this statue, the views are spectacular, with a panoramic view of the cities primary beaches.

Other sites of  interest

Sugar Loaf Mountain with its impressive cable car are a must for any tourist. Again the views are spectacular from this beautiful location. Maracana stadium is also a very popular place to visit in the northern part of Rio De Janeiro.

 

Favelas and Social Issues

                                         Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Chensiyuan

Brazil and Rio are famous for a high crime rate and social inequality. You will notice in parts of Rio, many million dollar apartments, which are overlooked by favelas (slums) on the hillside. Many famous Brazilian moves like City of God and Elite Squad have illustrated this issue. However, Brazil has witnessed a period of extended economic growth. This has led to an improvement in the living standards of many people. Furthermore, with the onset of the Olympics and World Cup in Rio De Janeiro, the authorities are actively improving these issues in Brazil.

Day Trips

Rio is surrounded by small and beautiful beaches and islands. These towns are definitely worth a visit. We will focus on the beautiful island of Ilha Grande, which is a piece of nature close to a large city. There are no roads or cars on the island and some beautiful scenes to witness.

Paraty is a nearby town on the mainland, with stylish Portuguese colonial architecture. Paraty is like a little Venice, as the central streets flood during the high tide and drain on low tide. The town is popular with foreigners and Brazilians. There are great restaurants and bars in the town and it even has a colourful and loud carnaval. The harbour is full of boats which can take you on memorable boat trips in the crystal clear inlets between the mainland and the numerous islands. There is also usually great fish barbeques available on board.

                                         Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Fontela01

Buenos Aires: Restaurants and Foods

Argentina is famous for lots of good quality beef, but actually there is much more to food in Buenos Aires. Nevertheless, on any visit to Argentina you must visit a good quality parrilla. A parrilla is a grill or steakhouse. A popular one in San Telmo, which is in Estados Unidos, is La Brigada. This restaurant possesses numerous cut of beef and the waiter will be able to present it to you by cutting large cuts of beef with a spoon. Not surprisingly, the meat melts in the mouth. Another great accompaniment is the Malbec wine list. All the fine wines (approximately AR$ 100+ a bottle) are decantered.

Argentinian Parrillas / Steak

However, Buenos Aires is full of parrillas and some of the cheaper end can make for a great night out. Be aware of some of the language; Bife de Chorizo is a Sirloin Steak, Entrana is a skirt steak, Bife de Lomo is a Fillet Steak and so on. However, parrillas also stock a great line in Pork (Cerdo) and Lamb (Cordero). Popular pork cuts are Bondiola (Tenderloin), Morceja (Sweetbreads) and Argentine Morcilla (Black Pudding) and Choripan (Argentina’s Chorizo). The desserts in a parrilla will focus around Dulce de Leche, Argentina’s pride, and ice cream. Starters and side dishes to be aware of are Empanadas, Humitas, Tamales, salad and papas fritas (french fries).

Italian Food

Buenos Aires is a centre for immigration from all over the world. Therefore, Spanish and Italian food is available, as is Peruvian from the more recent migration to Buenos Aires. Italian influence is apparent all over Argentina, but especially in Buenos Aires. This has led to some great ice cream parlour and coffee, all over Buenos Aires. However, fine Italian dining can be found at Sette Bacco in Aguero, Recoleta. This is a smaller, quaint restaurant with excellent carne, pasta and fish. There are more impressive Italian restaurants in Recoleta and in the other barrios. If you are self-catering in Argentina, you should visit Pasta Fresca shops for some fresh pasta. This is great quality, often produced by family recipes, and very cheap.

Spanish Food

Spanish immigration to Argentina was primarily from Galicia and Basque country, which are two regions with a strong food culture. Gallego (from Galicia) cuisine is famous for great fish. In Belgrano, there is a fantastic Gallego restaurant in the lovely tree lined street of Olleros. They have truly excellent fish. In fact, this street also has an excellent Greek restaurant and some delightful cafes.

 

 Peruvian Food

For me, Peru is one of the last great cuisines that have not been fully discovered by the world. Peruvian cuisine is a mix of influence from African slavery, Japanese and Chinese immigration, Spanish colonial influence and the indigenous cuisine of Peru. Therefore, there are flavours and ingredients to suit all people. Ceviche (citrus marinated fish), causa, tacu tacu and some excellent spicy dishes list only a few of the Peruvian delights. The alcoholic cocktails of Pisco Sour is also delicious, although can be quite strong and does contain egg white, in case you don’t like eggs. Astrid y Gaston is a premier restaurant in all South American Capitals and Madrid. In Buenos Aires, it is within a large 19^th century house in Palermo Chico and certainly worth a visit.