Principe Punta del Este

Today is my birthday, and we are happily ensconced in a luxury apartment overlooking the yacht basin in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Punta, as it's called here, is the most exclusive resort in South America, and a favorite of international jet-setters. Of course, high season in Punta is January and February, and ...

... we got up and went to the Puerto Mercado. La Mercado is a old fishing warehouse that has been converted into about 30 different Parilla restaurants. Parilla = cooked over an open flame right in from of your face. Uruguay is just as famous for it´s beef as Argentina. The difference is that it is illegal to use any sort of hormones in Uruguay, everything is all organic, the cuts of meat are bigger, and cheaper. We had an amazing lunch for I had an ...

Day 30 - 05/01/09 Caught the bus this morning to Montevideo. Was only a short 2 hour journey which cut through lush green agricultural land. When I arrived in the city, had to look around for a hostel, my first choice was fully booked so I a bit of a trek to another hostel which thankfully had a bed, the Hostel Montevideo. Spent most of the afternoon just wandering around the city. Visited the water front and the old town on this rather ...

... about 75 - a major project. Damo was put in charge of cooking 5 roast chickens for everyone (with a rubber glove of course, as he had a septic, manky thumb that repulsed everyone), it was a risky decision, especially as he managed to consume 2 bottles of cheap red wine during Christmas day, and risked a major outbreak of salmonella through the hostel. Int he end it all came off very well, even though we didn´t eat until 11pm. Buenos Aires was an amazing city, so laid back, and ...

... Malbec at on the of the many fantastic local restaurants. This of course could only by topped by my favourite Uruaguian lunch time treaty, the Chivitos! Let me tell you about this bad boy, rump steak that has been pulverised to sweet tenderness by a meat mallet, topped with bacon, ham, egg, picked vegtables, spicy mayonaise, all precariously heald together with a tooth pick on a big white burger bun! My Lord...a heart attack and dirty dream in every bite! Paco and I quickly ...

... it. Gonzalo is an architect and currently working on new condos here in Montevideo. Alejandra has her degree in International Affairs and works for a fuel and gas company. The next morning (Wednesday), Roxy and I walked around downtown and checked out this fabulous market that sold handicrafts made in Uruguay. It was here that I bought more in one afternoon than I have my whole entire trip combined thus far. Yes.. I love it here! I wish i could´ve purchased more even ...

... and we were scheduled to return to Chile the next day, stay over a day and head to Lima on the 28th for one final night before we headed home. Of course we had to engage in the national pastime again, once we got to the airport... Waiting...... Notice that all the agents are 'conferring' but not helping any passengers....we saw this alot. Well, we made our flight this time and arrived safely and happily in Santiago....

... a trip that promises much. Our spirit of adventure and excitement has not been dampened at all, although the irony of calling our latest blog "Chilling in Uruguay" should not be lost on anyone! GB has even said that if I can´t find the lead for the camera we can have a new one - maybe. I assume she´ll be dusting off her credit card then...but in fact I´m informed she doesn´t have one. Oh happier days are on the way. Love to one and all from the undeterred Pablo and Carmen xx

... could desire. So that's basically what we did through the first match, we had more fun people watching. For the second game everyone went into the real stadium. We were directly above the little bell dinger man. I don't know much about polo other than it appears to have 5 periods and includes 4 horses per team, and the little bell dinger man seemed to be the one keeping track of the time. It was all fun and games, an interesting experience but a little out of ...

... a great price, and a couple bottles of wine. Half way through the second bottle of wine Karyn became a lot more understanding, it was no longer my fault that we had to travel an extra couple of hundred Kilometers to find a hotel. The next day our wishes came true, it cooled off. Like my daddy always said, be careful what to wish for. It started to rain, lightly at first. We got lucky, at the time the ...