WE THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN TO MONTEVIDEO in 2012 when in fact we had taken the ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento, over one hundred miles away. No wonder we weren’t impressed!
Pedestrian only Sarandi Street
Street Art—I love my 'hood
Cathedral
Oosterdam is docked this morning in Montevideo’s busy harbor at the mouth of the muddy Rio de la Plata and we set off to explore. We more or less followed the Tourist Information walking tour, skipping Mercado del Puerto, once-upon-a-time a real market but now home to several upscale restaurants. Montevideo is a nice walking town with several pedestrian only streets.
Classical buildings
Artigas and Palacio Salvo, Independence Plaza
A study in contrasts—Artigas and Air-Con
We followed Peatonal Sarandi past the Cathedral to Plaza Independencia. A statue of Gervasio Artigas, hero of Uruguayan independence stands in juxtaposition to a glass apartment building studded with LG air-conditioning units and the eclectic Palacio Salvo, a mishmash of Art Deco, Renaissance and Gothic architecture.
Elaborate Costumes and elaborate make-up
Carnival in Black and White
We skipped Teatro Solis in favor of the non-descript Museo de Carnival back near the port. From what we understand—most explanations are in Spanish—Carnival in Montevideo is every bit as wonderful as Rio’s, let alone New Orleans. And forget Mardi Gras—this celebration begins in late January and runs until mid-February. Forty days of outlandish costumes, theatrical performances, street music and parades throughout the city’s barrios.
