Colonia de Sacramento

Colonia de Sacramento is a old smuggling town to bring goods to Buenos Aires. The old city is protected with the UNESCO label and has some caracter. When we arrived we strolled the old calles and the rambla at the Rio de Plata. Of course the proximity to Buenos Aires that used to be good for smuggling is now good for turism. So there are a lot of people visiting this tranquil city - even though it feels like a village - at all times. The next day we checked out all 5 museums, the lighthouse and the wine section of the menu.

Since Anna is a biochemist, has her own brewery back home and entertaining family history we had lots to talk about, while sipping the afternoon away.

But she then had to go on to BsAs to visit some more breweries, which she has on her list.

I then spent the evening with a Hillary from NY (jewish lawyer from Manhatten) and a swiss couple, trying to find a dirty bar between all these fine restaurants. We ended up going to the supermarket and buying Uruguayen wine (pretty good) and getting wasted while playing Janik (israeli card game).

And now I'm sitting and waiting in the internet cafe - while it is pouring outside - for my ferry across the Rio del Plata to Buenos Aires, where I'll be able to stay at Victorias appartment for a few days.

Montevideo

Uruguay, established as a puffer zone between Brazil and Argentina, is famous for winning the first world cup in 1930, beef and gauchos. Nowadays 95% of people live in cities and they try to modernize their economy. Heavily depending on the fortune of their major trade partners Argentina and Brazil. Culturally they are much closer to Argentina.

The city it self is nice, but not anything like a marvel. The old part of town has the atmosphere of a port town and is not particularly safe. Me and a New Zealander went out eating at the border of the green zone. When leaving the restaurant we passed some locals BBQ next to the sidewalk in the gutter. When asked for a cigarette I helped them out, but we didn't want to give them any money. I was once robbed in Switzerland and saw the same expression on this guys face as on the one in Switzerland shortly before we got into trouble. So I said to the New Zealander "run" and we ran towards the green zone. He was obviously out of shape so we lost him quickly.

In the hostel I also met Murray from Holland which I briefly met in La Paz 4 months ago. Afterwards we did the same thing as the last time and got drunk and went out.

Their was also a really strange German guy, who didn't speak any Spanish and a bad English who got on my nerves all the time. Talking about german politics and boring stuff about his life. And he did it really persistent. I had to write down all the spanish words needed to work an ATM. At least he played some chess.

I also visited the congress and senate of the Uruguayan goverment which was pretty impressive.

Then I met Anna from LA, who was born in Wisconsin and moved about 15 times in her live. But judging her personality, I would say she belongs to San Franciso. We spent a lot of time in museums together and also went to a soccer game in the famous peñarol stadium (graffiti in Montevideo: sex, dugs and peñarol), where the first World Cup was one. The german guy invited himself and talked about Hartz 4 and 1 Euro jobs. The fans were cool smoking weed all the time and shouting their team to a 1:0 win.

Then me and Anna went on to Colonia de Sacramento.