Of colonial towns and saying goodbye
Day 134 Tues 12/1 Colonia del Sacramento
After a day of rest, it is time to be on the road again. Colonia del Sacramento is a place most tourists head towardand it is recommended for its history as well. On the Rio de la Plata, it is a charming little town, but it is small and after about 4 hours of walking, I had seen most of the sights! The buildings were nice, but I thought that the buildings in Monteideo were more interesting and more architecturally appealing. To me, the buildings in Colonia were bland, while colourful.
By the time I headed to the hostel to prepare a salad for lunch/dinner, it started to rain! Boy, did it rain. Summer rain. Downpour the likes of which I hadnt enjoyed in ages. Nothng to do but sit inside and chat to a couple of pretty girls in my room. Travel can be oh so so hard!
Day 135 Wed 13/1 Carmeo & Colonia
I asked for recommendations for a day trip and someone suggested Carmelo. Another small town about two hours from Colonia.
Again, a pretty town, but less interesting than Colonia and way smaller. After an hour, I was back at the plaza where I started. Hopped on the next bus back to Colonia.
3 of my Brasilian room-mates and I rented bikes and spent a pleasant couple of hours biking along the coast of the river. We went to the beach and Plaza de Torro. The old bull-fighting ring is closed to the public and isnt being used at all. Wonder why they dont restore it and use it as a museum.
Day 136 Thu 14/1 Montevideo
Montevideo is a welcome change after two days of self-imposed exile. The bus ride from Colonia was pleasant, but not overly scenic. Nodded off on quite a few occasions.
Went for a long walk to explore areas previously not visited and returned to the hostel extremely hungry! Prepared a salad and headed to bed.
Day 137 Fri 15/1 Montevideo
A local took me with him to a local street market. Pedro regaled me with how stories from his childhood in Montevideo. He also spoke of some of the history of the city. He has had quite a life, having lived in Italy, Spain, US. He now runs a business based on an invention of his that helps speed up the process of making bricks.
The rest of the day was spent in long aimless walks, enjoying some of the old buildings. Also visited the cemetery, which had some interesting sculptures.
Headed over to the Rambla to watch the sunset once more. There was also a fair on the Rambla, with some live music.
Day 138 Sat 16/1 Montevideo
The bus to BA doesnt leave till late at night. I decided again to head out into areas I hadnt seen before. I ended up in a street full of bookshops, and spent most of the afternoon browsing.
The bus left on time and was quite a pleasant ride. The border crossing was again uneventful, as I didnt even have to leave the bus!
Tags: Travel
Damu