Womblekisses's travel blogs:
|
|
  | |  |
Periapolis
Entry 14 of 33 | show all | print this entry |
Peter is on the other machine blogging away so I have to do something to fill the time and thought it about time I spoke of the people.
Uruguayans tend to apologise for their country, saying it is small and poor ... true it is squashed between to massive neighbours and was originally a buffer zone, but this really rather understates the richness the population offers travellers by way of a genuine welcome in their land. Everywhere we go we are greeted with smiles and offers of help, patience with our lack of language skills and apolgogies for English which far surpasses our Spanish vocabulary.
At the bus terminal in Montevideo the other day I was sitting waiting for Peter who was bujying tickets somewhere when I felt a shadow behind me. We have warned to be wary of busy places so I looked round to see a plump, bulbous eyed man looking down at me, he smiled. "Buenos dias." he said.
I replied, "Buenos dias."
In slow careful English he said he was a student, something to do with American ... I couldn´t pick up all the words. He went on to say he loved the States. "I am sorry," he said, then hesitated, "I am sorry" .... pause .... "for September 11th ..." sigh. Light dawned. "I´m not American," I told him, "I´m English, Inglese."
"Oh," he grinned and displayed the one surviving yellow tooth. "Oh, Churchill."
"Ah, yes, that´s the one," I grinned back loving his knowledge of our politics.
He left taking the tooth and his smile but leaving a warm feeling and me smiling.
There is a bit of a spat going on at the moment between Uruguay and Argentina. (Not sure whether this will have hit world news or not). It seems Uruguay have gone into the paper pulping industry which the Argentians say is polluting the river which divides the two countries. A lovely lady in the tourist office yesterday told us that many tests have proved "No pollution." Problem is that Argentina have now closed a two of the three bridges which allow Argentians passage to this country for holidays ... they are comparatively big spenders. This is affecting the tourist industry here and this will make a considerable difference to the economy of this small country. I suspect the truth lies somewhere in the middle and as an outsider just hope it is settled soon.
Well, Peter´s finished now so you´re off the hook for today, but this is the best computer we´ve found for sometime so we may bore your socks off for the next few days, especially if it keeps raining.
Just before I go ... travellers, Carmello is worth a short trip if only to meet the enthusiastic lady at the Tourist Bureau which is housed in an old military building, a small barracks, she enthuses over her exhibits with such verve you get swept along with it all ... photos from the 50´s and a champion rowing boat ... not sure from when. Mostly though it is the tales she tells and the love she has for her job. The hotel there is dire ... we slept in a cell on nylon sheets which bunched uncomfortably in the night, it was quiet though. Breakfast is not worth waiting for, some of that pre-cooked toast they buy in packets and bread sticks, with a bit of jam and something which doubles up for butter. The other hotel mentioned in LP Guide was closed at the time, there was one other, but it may not be much better. Cheap and not very cheerful, giving a whole new meaning to ´De nada.´´
Bye for now,
Abracos,
xxx
|
|
If you like this entry, search for other entries by womblekisses, from Uruguay or try a new search. |
| |
Back to Entry - Back to Home
|
2 votes 
