Posada de la Flor Colonia del Sacramento

This day started off somewhat more exciting than anticipated. Having arranged with the concierge a boat trip with "Buquebus" to Uruguay, a little late as usual we got into the taxi believing everything was going swimmingly. Then, just as we were turning up to the port, the concierge was on the intercom of the taxi driver telling us we had forgotten the tickets. The next 20 minutes was like being on a roller coaster at Alton towers. The taxi driver, the star of the ...

... reused to make a lighthouse in 1854. The next house we visited dated from 1790 and has been furnished with reproduction period furniture. We went around a few other houses and museums before reaching the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament. This is another Portuguese building with just one nave and very thick fortress style walls. We eventually ended up in a building dating from 1880 that was originally a glue and soap factory before finally becoming a ...

... and then as soon as their heads hit the pillows, one was snoring. He sounded like a dying cow being slaughtered and then shagged back to life again (not that I actually know what that sounds like, but if I had to guess, then this is it!). This is where the iPod became of use again, although I had to have it on full volume to drown out the aforementioned animal antics! I couldn't actually send out a few f@rts in retaliation as I had the imminent fear of following through!! Oh, woe is me!

... hands, breathing in the fresh air, admiring the colonial architecture and listening to the water lapping against the rocky shores of the coast. The ferry back may just have convinced us that cruise holidays could be enjoyable (if not too long). The boat was beautiful, the sunset spectacular, the food tasty, and - importantly - the chairs were comfortable. Love and Peace from the Bek and Jesse train

... of Colonia is the only UNESCO world heritage site in Uruguay. The town definitely justifies it's world heritage status, I feel like staying here for days, but I must push on north tomorrow to the capital, Montevideo. I want to see some more of Uruguay before heading to carnival in Brazil. Went out for another stroll in the evening. Sat by the water and watched the sunset over the muddy waters of the Rio de la Plata. A nice way to end the day in Colonia.

... and the bartender was a great guy - he had spent a good hour earlier in the evening cutting up papayas and melons, and I wondered what they were for. Turns out they were for some wicked fruit-based shots! He kept serving them, even though we never ordered them. I thought that he would charge us, but they ended up being on the house. It was a cool night, since pretty much every person staying at Timbo Posada was sitting in the bar!

Got the Buquebus hydrofoil to Colonia, Uruguay, and were sat in a leafy, shady square surrounded by Portuguese-Spanish style buildings within a few hours, Phill tucking into the local speciality, chivito (steak sandwich with bacon, ham, egg and cheese!). Colonia is a very peaceful and beautiful town, on the coast (although more estuarine brown than turquoise sea). We´ve been up the lighthouse and visited six museums (they ...