Del Country Durazno

So we´ve been in Montevideo since Friday. Our main goal for our Uruguay excursion was to find some Tannat and Uruguyan wine. In Colonia we could get no information anywhere but we knew that the wineries were mostly located north of Montevideo. So on Friday we took the bus here in search of Tannat. When we arrived we went to two seperate tourist information centres (where no one spoke english,...very convienent for tourists) At both centres no one ...

I must apologize for the first few entries. Apparently they got lost. Our venture into <Montevideo was very enjoyable. The ever present taxis are, apparently, a part of the latin culture. Uruguay is a country of very literate people.. 98 % of the people can read and write. It is next to the smallest country in South America. A country of Socialism and the people enjoy a very high standard of ...

... who knows when I get home I might just dust off my bike in the garage and give this biking thing another chance! Next it was off to the fruit and vege shop where we picked up rockmelon, watermelon, pineapple, banana and yoghurt to make an awesome brunch...only managing to get about a 1/6 of the way through our huge watermelon but definitely getting our 5+ a day! Since then we have spent the day wandering around the town. We attempted reading books at the beach but it ...

... OK for swimming as evidenced by the loads of kids happily splashing about. It is late afternoon and as we sit with our beers listening for the umpteenth time to Dire Straits on the PA (why does everywhere in South America play music from the 80s??), the beach begins to fill up with the locals playing football soon the whole beach is covered with lots of different matches. What a great life these guys have - a few hours work in th morning, stop for lunch and a beer ...

... the afternoon. We saw a lovely fountain outside that had lots of padlocks around it. The story goes that if you and your partner fasten a padlock there you´re love will last forever, aaah. On Sunday we went to a market in the old town where I found a beautiful old bracelet and Rob bought the world´s smallest dictionary. The next day we headed to Salto. Sad to leave Montevideo in the end. Noise and dirt aside it´s very pleasant indeed!

I set off to seek my own small beach paradise. A kind friend told me to find La Pedrera while in Uruguay. Awaiting me was my own private beach-there was not a soul. Upon first sight of La Pedrera, it looks like a very small town and you get this idea that the town will come alive after dark. Reality is that it is the off season and everyone ...

Hi Guys,well Brazil was awesome, i loved Ilha Grande,a tropical island on a national park(still in Rio)no cars aloud on the island & great beaches. Went to a reggae party where a live band played bob marley & sang in Portuguese. I then spent 4 days in Paraty, a real nice little portuguese town with cobbled streets & no cars just horse & carts. Sao Paulo was just a big city. I then headed to Iguazu & the waterfalls were great,so many ...

Palacio Legislativo Through the auspices of our landlords we were put in touch with a guide from the National Legislative building. We were indeed fortunate in that not only did Mabel speak fluent English but she was also a delightful companion to have as a private guide to a wonderful building she is rightly so proud of. The Palacio Legislativo was built at the height of ...

After a few weeks in the capital, and not many boy activities to do, they threaten to start their own revolution. In BA, "la manifestacióna" is a daily occurrence so the garçons seemed to have picked up on style and technique. We left Buenos Aires to sail to Colonia Del Sacramento in Uruguay. Let me redefine the floating part of our excursion. It is the first trip at sea where I have actually experienced complete weightlessness. I realized during ...

... of this, we had great meals and really fun restaurants that parents always come in handy for attendance. After they left I went through a serious wine and meat withdrawl and realized that I have to enjoy all the meat and great Malbecs before I really have to go without back at home. I have about two weeks left in my program and this time will be devoted to finals and a little more traveling. This weekend I am going to the beach 5 hours south of Buenos Aires ...