Most of Uruguay is rural.
This is an excerpt from the January 2008 issue of Global Asset Strategist.
I visited Uruguay in March of 2007. Most travelers have never heard of it, or believe it is very poor and dangerous. In fact, Uruguay is quite safe – it has fewer assaults per capita than Germany, and fewer car thefts than Switzerland. The capital, Montevideo contains about 1.4 million inhabitants, but it’s much more relaxed than most large cities in the US. I saw very few police officers but also no real crime.
Some of my friends expected me to stick out in South America since I am blonde and fair skinned. That is true of some countries like Chile, but not others. Most Uruguayans have Spanish or Italian ancestry, and you see quite a few blondes on the street. The population isn’t very diverse at all, with very few people of African, Asian, or native South American ancestry.
I entered Uruguay not by plane but by boat. From Buenos Aires, Argentina I took the fast Buquebus ferry across the Plata River to the town of Colonia. It cost about US$31 one way for tourist class which is pretty expensive. There is no competing service since it’s a government monopoly.
Colonia is a place that you either love or don’t quite get, and I fall into the latter category. There are some old cars and cobblestone streets, and it’s full of antique shops. The town attracts mostly day trippers from other parts of Uruguay gawking at the quaint sights or Argentinian tourists snatching up bargains. In addition to small stores catering to tourists, the main street has plenty of restaurants. The one I chose had a waitress who snapped at me in frustration.
Maybe she thought we were Argentinians. The Uruguayan stereotype of Argentinians depicts them as conceited and superficial. These two countries have a contentious fútbol (soccer) rivalry which has persisted for decades. Since 2005, there have been repeated protests by Argentina over the Uruguayan pulp mills on a border river. One bridge across the Uruguay River was blocked for three years, leading to losses in trade and tourism.
On the bus from Colonia to the capital Montevideo, I saw a rolling pastoral landscape full of milk cows. It reminded me of the area between Dallas and Austin, except the livestock is mostly beef cattle in Texas. About half the population lives in the capital, and the rest is scattered through a country about the size of the state of Oklahoma. I’ve heard the country described as Iowa with beaches.
There was very little settlement until I got to the outskirts of Montevideo. I saw some shantytowns here, mostly shacks made of scavenged materials on land with uncertain ownership. These were not as extensive as in parts of Brazil for example, and gave way to proper suburbs quickly.
Montevideo has wide beaches which are free to the public and relatively uncrowded. The water is not very scenic however, as it’s muddy from the nearby estuary. The stunning beaches are located out east in the Punta del Este area, although I didn’t go there myself.
Following the coast through Montevideo is a road called the Rambla. It’s bordered by a wide, paved walkway next to the beach, like a cement boardwalk. A big social activity is to stroll around the Rambla with friends carrying a mate gourd and thermos, similar to Americans toting a Starbucks cup. While I was there, people were looking at an environmental photo exhibit sponsored by the French embassy.
While the Rambla is in great shape, unfortunately much of the infrastructure suffers from neglect. Many buildings are older and a bit shabby. There are a lot of grey concrete structures which remind me of Soviet architecture.
Most sidewalks are in poor condition, and there are few ramps for wheelchairs. There is no “pooper scooper” law or social pressure to clean up after your pet, so you must dodge dog feces as well as holes when you walk.
You can read Part 2 here.
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I was in Uruguay in 2007 as well! I ended up deciding to go last minute and didn’t stay too long, but I thoroughly enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. When I first arrived in Colonia there was a major annual festival taking place with live music in the streets and people dressed up in bizarre pink costumes dancing on every street corner each night. And for some reason when I was there, the town was virtually empty of tourists!
Hi Earl, what a coincidence! Unfortunately, nothing that interesting happened while I was in Uruguay. After failing to find much in the way of entertainment the first couple of days, my husband and I found the tourist office in the old port area of Montevideo. It was a comedy of errors as the tourist official kept asking us what we wanted to do, and we kept asking what there was to do. They gave us a map, but they have so few tourists that they don’t have pamphlets like you see in any hotel in the US.
I haven’t been to Uraguay yet. It actually sound pretty neat. I may have to add that to the list. Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for visiting! Have you traveled in South America before? Uruguay is safe and not very expensive by North American standards.
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I’m interested in the ex-pat communities. I’ve read before that Uruguay is a beautiful country and one of the more ex-pat friendly. Every now and again my husband and I think about moving to a Central or South American country, yet it’s usually a fleeting few sentences. I really don’t know if I could do it!
Hi Little House, I will be talking about the expats more next week. When I was there, I met with the Southron and his group: http://www.uruguayliving.com/. Uruguay had very low taxes for expats but it looks like international pressure is making them change many things. I agree, moving is a big step!
I love the Buquebus!!! Uruguay is an awesome country that deserves to be visited more. Punta del Este is divine.
Welcome Andi! The Buquebus was quite smooth and luxurious, although I almost missed mine due to language confusion. I haven’t been to Punta del Este but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.
The Uruguay is a beautiful place to explore and visit in South America and it has so much to do for visitors. It is famous for extremely rich culture and tradition and magnificent architecture and buildings. The Punta Del EST, Montevideo, Colonia, Mercado Del Puerto, Ciudad Vieja and Cabo Polonio are really worthwhile places to explore.
Hi VIBAB, you sound like an expert on Uruguay! What is your favorite place?
Fun to read your explorations in South America, Jen. The only place I’ve been there so far was Ecuador where I spent a month with 5 good friends…a great place with so many different ecosystems! Have you been there yet?
Hi Betsy, glad you’re enjoying them! I haven’t been to Ecuador but my folks went there last year as part of a tour. They also went to the Galapagos Islands. What brought you to Ecuador for a month?
The funny part for me was dodging for pet poops, lol. I guess Uruguay deserves a chance to be explored. And maybe when more tourist are pouring in it can help build up their country. The good news is its a safe place.
Hi Kathrynne, I missed this comment before somehow. Yeah, I wish people would clean up after their dogs! I think the tourist money is helping the economy, although with a lot of foreigners moving in, houses have gotten more expensive.