Next week I’ll be embarking on another intense work trip beginning with two solid weeks of guidebook research for Rick Steves. A few readers might think: “oooh, how exciting! what a glamorous job!” Fun moments will happen as always, but overall the schedule is so tight that there’s little room for glamour :-)

In June 2006, I posted the following… all the events that took place on a typical research day. While I can’t vouch for every guidebook company, we all train with Rick Steves personally & get good, solid advice about how to approach verifying/updating every bit of info in print. Some items below don’t apply to a normal day, but my laptop died mid-trip & Varig had just gone bankrupt so I wasn’t sure how I’d return home… still, these are things that can happen & work must go on.

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This is another reason why I haven’t been posting much. Even I don’t believe I did all of this in one day:

• Get up at 07:30.
• Write down my list of to-do stuff so I can bring everything with me without having to return to the hotel.
• Get breakfast somewhere & order the list I made.
• Get on the internet while it isn’t crowded—check email, comments on posts, get info on LG & Toshiba laptops that I saw yesterday at fnac, get Ibis Hotel rates.
• Go to TI to get the new June edition of Agenda LX & ask a couple questions.
• Renew my transport pass for the day.
• Meet the Lisbon Walker guide at 10:00, chat, tell them about Rick Steves & get more info about their services.
• Take walking tour for 40 minutes.
• Go to Varig ticket office to confirm new flight. Now I’m flying back on TAP. Bummer—no upgrade for me.
• Buy ticket for Mísia concert on Saturday night (my end of work treat).
• Look at laptops again while at fnac.
• Check rates at final hotels.
• Visit fado museum.
• Stop by Lisbon Walker office at 12:30 in Alfama to talk with owners.
• Eat lunch, figure out ferry terminal info while waiting on food.
• Take bus to Santa Apolónia station to get train info.
• Visit tile museum, search book shop for something about my fave tile artists (especially Maria Keil).
• Make way back to downtown, take Metro out to Colombo shopping center to look at laptops.
• Stop at El Corte Inglés to look at laptops too.
• Make reservation for fado.
• Rest for 30 minutes at hotel.
• Head up to Alfama for fado show & dinner. What I thought to be a reliable tip turned out to be bogus. At least now I know.
• Walk back to hotel at midnight.
• Go to bed at 00:30.

Now imagine that for five weeks & you know why I’ll be glad to get back home! To relax!

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Again, not sure how other companies operate, but it’s stressed that we input as much of our day’s work that same evening. Makes perfect sense… the info is still fresh, notes are easier to decipher, & the next day we just add more to the list. I try to order my hotels to minimize backtracking, use a pencil & prefer writing down changes instead of compiling a stack of business cards. Every little bit weighs you down!

The evening is also perfect to confirm each & every point on maps. Often I start with the easy stuff: street names, monument/church locations, etc. Then it’s on to hotel & resto listings… as you can see, I like to nitpick. But that’s a good thing since so many people use the guidebook for their vacation. Errors can make their way in, but we do everything humanly possible to minimize them!

Later that year, I posted the following… sums up my feelings well. Updating guidebooks is hard on the body & mind, but I love knowing that I’ve helped countless people have a better vacation as well as developed good contacts with service providers. Most of them turn out to be friends as well. Definitely a benefit for such a crazy lifestyle.

My research & writing for Rick Steves was lots of fun this year. Submissions for sidebars on Portuguese university graduation practices as well as another on my favorite poet, Fernando Pessoa, were accepted. More of my photos were published, & one pic even made the cover of the Portugal guidebook. Looking forward to doing it all again next year!

If anyone’s interested, I’ll post more during the next few weeks about my research trip beginning soon. I hope I remember how to do this. It’s been awhile!

I’m what might be termed a repeat traveler. Not sure if it’s fate or (un)intentional acts on my part, but I seem to return to the same places over & over. Whether for work or play, I always go back for more.

Guess my underlying belief is that there is always more to see, & after returning home & researching, I usually find something else that merits another visit. A little over a year had passed since my first visit to Glasgow, so when Darío spoke at the 46th IATEFL Conference in 2012 the opportunity proved irresistible. I even saw the sun in Scotland!

Day 1

No jetlag to overcome arriving from Lisbon, so I spent most of the day walking… covering familiar territory, doing some shopping & checking out a few buildings seen from afar on my last trip. Not many pics because it was grey & dark for most of the day. Found a number of hand-made Afghanistan war memorials Kelvingrove Park though, this one to Captain David Hicks.

I truly regretted not dining at Two Fat Ladies in 2010. But after a couple Weihenstephan at a local pub (Ursula had one too many it seems), we had one of the best meals of either trip. Darío ordered local, grass-fed beef, & I had a chorizo-scallop dish that packed in some powerful flavor. Wonderful service, fantastic food & being the last to leave, we had a nice chat with the staff. More than highly recommended.

Day 2

Buchanan St called out again for some quick shopping, but later I ended up exploring more of the West End & Kelvingrove. The Gothic Revival University of Glasgow attracts lots of attention, & the Hunterian Museum inside, with its mish-mash of topics & exhibits, turned out to be an unexpected highlight. Beautiful space + a 1674 world map by Ferdinand Verbiest, one of the few Jesuits at the Chinese court. Couldn’t resist a snapshot of my home:

Ursula wanted to enjoy the sun, so we opted for picnic in the park. What a great lunch option… find a place that offers take-away for local businesses, pick from their recently prepared items & save some cash. Chicken curry & ginger beer hit the spot.

Wandering around the monuments & spring blossoms of Kelvingrove Park, the Stewart memorial fountain stands out. Built in 1872 by James Sellars, the fountain commemorates Stewart’s work in establishing a permanent water supply for the city. Sellars took Sir Walter Scott’s poem “The Lady of the Lake” as inspiration… marvellous.

Ursula & I headed up the hill to Park Circle & Trinity College for some fantastic views plus a look at what was once an elite residential neighborhood. From there, it was a quick walk down to some of the most amazing red sandstone apartments I’d seen: St. George’s Mansions & Charing Cross Mansions. Plus a fountain dedicated to Sir Charles Cameron & Mitchell Library donated by Andrew Carnegie in 1907:

Day 3

How could I not return to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum? Twist my arm. Besides, Alice Kiai from Kenya, also studying at the University of Warwick with Darío, had never been. We had a great morning looking at the exhibits, & I even found a Dalí not seen on my previous visit. How had I missed that?!

The sun came out again, so Alice & Darío joined me for another picnic lunch. Later while wandering, I came upon the Kelvin Walkway… a narrow path following the River Kelvin. Magical. In what was once the second city of the UK & an industrial powerhouse, this nature stroll should not exist. Seemed like I had the walkway all to myself at times, with stunning views of the Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Parish Church & the North Woodside Flint Mill nearby.

After such a fantastic trip, the last dinner had to be something special. I’d read somewhere about Crabshakk being one of the more upscale places to dine & we made a reservation. Unfortunately it didn’t quite make the grade. We had a great table, service was fine but there was something stuffy & uptight about the experience… & the food was very good but not out of this world. Perhaps we expected too much.

Even if that last meal wasn’t all I’d hoped, Glasgow remains special to me. Somehow I knew I’d love the city even before my first visit. There’s still a lot to see: social housing projects, a trip down the River Clyde in summertime… I can’t wait to go back. Besides, Billy Boyd (Pippin of LOTR) sat next to us at Chippy Doon the Lane for lunch one day. I didn’t recognize him immediately, but Darío tipped me off. Why didn’t I get a photo?!

Hasta la próxima, Glasgow!

No denying it: I have a certain fondness for this piece of sculpture. Columbus was the subject of some of my first digital photos in 2002, he often wowed tourists when I began guiding locally ten years ago, & Plaza Colón was one of the few places my mom wanted to see during her first & only visit overseas (that’s a tiny her below!). But in addition to sentimental reasons, the Monumento a Cristóbal Colón remains one of the most remarkable pieces of public artwork in Buenos Aires… a city filled with hundreds of statues. That says something.

Some short history: The space adjacent to the Casa Rosada formerly housed the first port of Buenos Aires. When Puerto Madero replaced the original, the lot sat landlocked for several years until some landscaping took place & a French fountain filled the gap. During 1910 centennial celebrations, the fountain disappeared, scattered throughout the city, while the Italian community collected funds for a monument. Arnaldo Zocchi won the design competition, & by 1923 the Carrera marble statue had been built in Italy, disassembled, shipped to BA & put together again under the supervision of Zocchi himself.

Some current events: Access to the monument changed in 2007 during restoration of the Casa Rosada… former mayor Jorge Telerman ceded Plaza Colón to the national government. A fence went up, & the only time access has been granted was during Museum Night in 2011 & 2012. Can’t say I’m a big fan of no access, but a sidewalk curves around the entire plaza & the perspective can still be appreciated. I was always amazed at how close I used to be able to get to the President’s office… having the plaza as a security buffer makes sense.

Let’s take a closer look at Zocchi’s work. Columbus sits atop a column looking east, in the direction of the river… eventually out to the Atlantic Ocean. Scantily-clad figures help the boat on its way:

Hercules reclines on the right with a pair of Atlas figures on the left. Nice to see South America as the focal point of the globe:

A winged child/cherub/angel points to discovery as a female figure lights the way:

Lots of symbolism can be found on the reverse side & is most difficult to appreciate without access to the plaza. A blindfolded female figure represents Justice, & here she’s surrounded by symbols of Christianity: a palm frond, an anchor & the raising of the cross. Catholicism came with Columbus thanks to his royal sponsors. They probably never imagined an Argentine Pope!

Obviously Zocchi signed this fantastic work. The base of the statue also contains two historical scenes: Colón’s request for funding from the Reyes Católicos + the captured indigenous people who managed to survive the return trip to Spain.

An inscription reminds us of the departure of Columbus from Palos (Spain) on 03 Aug 1492. Finally, a small plaque from the pro-Italy Committee celebrates Italy Week in 1932. Virgil’s quotation in Latin seems appropriate: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”

But it seems as if that “memory of time” is currently being tampered with… the monument’s 100-year placement is about to change. Earlier this week, Clarín ran a story about plans for the national government to dismantle the entire piece & reassemble it in Mar del Plata. Another newspaper reported that Evo Morales donated USD 1 million for a statue of guerilla fighter-turned-army commander Juana Azurduy de Padilla. Evidently CFK prefers not to see Columbus from her office.

Should the monument be moved? Complex question. Technically, I wonder who has real jurisdiction over the monument. The plaza may be national, but supposedly the mayor of Buenos Aires has the final word about Colón. At least that’s the latest internet rumor… still waiting to confirm that. Probably another difficult issue like who controls each half of Plaza de Mayo.

Anyone can make the case that Columbus, in hindsight, does not deserve such commemoration (just read Chapter 1 of Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States“). I can’t argue with that. Does Azurduy deserve a statue in Argentina? Certainly. Isn’t there one other spot in the entire nation that would be just as appropriate? Without doubt.

For me at least, the Monumento a Colón has transcended its original purpose & acquired a meaning more complex than an homage to a single man. Italians were the largest immigrant group in Argentina, & Columbus was a gift—a visible reminder—of their Italian heritage. Revisionist history didn’t exist in 1910, but because of Italian immigration Argentines were inventing new slang, eating pizza & pasta, & creating an extension of Italy overseas. No other nation can claim such influence, & that’s what I see when viewing this monument… maybe because I am an immigrant in Argentina as well.

History & art come together in similar gifts to Argentina like the Torre de los Ingleses/Torre Monumental & the Monumento de los Españoles. They keep Columbus company as the few bits left from the 1910 centennial… maintaining an important moment in Argentine history alive as well as demonstrating an attempt by immigrants to build their own collective memory. Let him stay.

Side note: I was fortunate to go to Ruse/Rousse (Bulgaria) last year, & another Zocchi monument adorns their main square (pictured below). Comparing the only two works I’ve seen, Buenos Aires got the better deal! And after comparing photos of other Zocchi statues online, the BA monument is truly exceptional. Seems like a risky undertaking to dismantle the monument, as well as a waste of funds given the current economic situation in Argentina.

Sadly, a bit of the centennial may be leaving Buenos Aires soon… updates will be made here as events happen. I wholeheartedly support historical revisionism & rescuing important figures from the past in order to develop national identity. But I question if a new identity needs to be constructed at the expense of erasing an old one.

Visiting the national congress was a challenge: internet said one thing, the TI said another & everyone in between had an opinion as to official visiting hours. After dragging Darío to the Cementerio Central, we took a bus there. I walked in to confirm the time & was comforted by the lack of security. Sure, I passed through a scanner but everyone was laid back & it seemed like we were all hanging out instead of me entering one of the most important buildings in the nation.

A little history: Vittorio Meano had already won the contest to build the National Congress in Buenos Aires. His designs impressed Uruguay in spite of local building constrictions… o sea, no dome. But it’s an interesting compromise. Meano was assassinated before completing the project, so other architects took over. Four sculpture groups were added outside in the late 1960′s/early 1970′s:

Vestíbulo de Honor

Whenever an important guest visits, they come here first. A couple of interesting paintings about the independence of Uruguay, plus a controversial version of the first encounter with Spanish… look for the centaur.

Salón de los Pasos Perdidos

The central hallway connects all points & ideas. We happened to run into the end of a session, & afterwards the Vice-President of Uruguay came out to answer questions from the press. No security other than a few guards at the door. Poco. I could have gone up & introduced myself… absolutely wonderful. Isn’t this how it should be? Add to this viewing the original, handwritten Uruguay constitution. Covered in plexiglass, the historian in me couldn’t help but get excited by being so close to such an important document.

Back to the central hall: Venetian mosaics representing Arts & Sciences decorate both ends of the hall. Most interesting are four reliefs representing the four sections of the Uruguay coat-of-arms: Liberty, Abundance, Strength & Justice:

Cámara de Senadores

The guide told us that seating is made of mahogany from Paraguay. Great. But realizing the somewhat small size of the Senate was a revelation. Geographically, Uruguay is no larger than the state of Washington. There’s no need to make a gigantic Congress, but what an incredible amount of decoration.

Biblioteca

Built in Italy, shipped over & reassembled piece by piece, all books published in Uruguay must have a copy here. Eagle heads are priceless. A copy of Venus de Milo isn’t half bad either.

Central patios

Anyone familiar with esgrafiado will love the interior patios. Similar etched designs are found from Segovia to Barcelona… many original colors survive.

Cámara de Representantes>

Equivalent of the House of Representatives in the US, the focus of this chamber is a quote by founding father Artigas: “Mi autoridad emana de vosotros y ella cesa ante vuestra presencia soberana”. A rough translation would be: “My authority emanates from you and it ends before your sovereign presence.” Fantastic.

Be sure to visit… the relaxed atmosphere will certainly change your opinion about big government.

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo

I hadn’t done any research about the oldest cemetery in Montevideo… odd for me. I didn’t even know its location since I was wandering around town mapless. But after a picnic lunch gazing out at the Río de la Plata, I walked past gigantic walls & thought, this must be a cemetery. It’s my destiny :-)

Stepping through the grand entrance, I couldn’t believe I was the only tourist in sight. What a gorgeous spot!

Dating from 1835, the original cemetery can be found in today’s version… just look at the walls filled with niches. The Cementerio Central received an Italian makeover in the 1860′s with construction of the Rotonda (above, home of the National Pantheon) & a lot more greenery. In fact, palm trees mixed with cypress transform the cemetery into an oasis.

The quantity of large, well-executed statuary surprised me even more than the amount of green. Breathtaking. I may not know that much about Uruguayan history, but I could certainly appreciate the art. A giant crucifixion immediately grabbed my attention…

…as did a husband grieving over the death of his wife.

Emotion was everywhere:

The need for expansion generated one addition in 1864 & another in 1921, each maintaining the central axis of the cemetery… all the way out to river views:

Being a fan of Art Nouveau, the tomb of Domingo Juansolo impressed me with its three angels absolutely swimming in flowers. I love Art Deco as well, & the sculpture by José Luis Zorilla de San Martín knocked my socks off. Not great photos, but you get the idea:

Less than a 10 minute walk from the town hall on Avenida 18 de Julio, the Cementerio Central is a wonderful way to connect with Montevideo’s past. Don’t miss it!

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo

Women washed laundry in the now-absent Arroyo de los Pocitos, but the upper class realized the potential of its pristine beach. Pocitos became part of the city in 1886, & soon after trolleys bought hundreds of visitors to the first beach restaurant & hotel. Elite summer vacation homes characterized the area during early stages of development, becoming a mini-Mar del Plata.

Eventually more permanent residences grew in number, thanks to construction efforts by construction firm Bello y Reborati in the 1920′s. Many of their houses remain standing in Pocitos, but modern times also brought modern buildings—lots of high-rise apartment towers along the beachfront.

Boulevard España shoots straight up the hill from the beach in Pocitos. The first time I saw this street I couldn’t believe how funky & how surprisingly well the houses work together. Tons of different styles on every block: Beaux-Arts, Art Nouveau herons, Art Deco, Neocolonial, tiled domes… a great mix:

Side streets seemed promising, & I happened upon more fantastic houses like the Villa Los Claveles (what a gate!), the Italian embassy (formerly Casa Towers) & some fantastic Art Nouveau tilework:

After reading so many rave reviews about one of Montevideo’s better restaurants, we checked out Tandory. I have mixed feelings about the overall experience, but the appetizer of kokotxas were just about as good as any I’ve had in the Basque Country. And the gigantic pork knuckle could not have been more perfectly cooked. That said, the barbecue sauce tasted too sweet/too commercial, & Darío’s gnocchi were wonderfully light but again the sauce lacked flavor. I’d certainly recommended it but can’t say it was one of my best ever dining experiences.

Finally, just next to Pocitos sits another natural inlet, Buceo, with the marina & its own mini-beach. Darío & I ate a picnic lunch in the grass here… absolute heaven:

One of the major shopping centers is nearby… super cramped & unremarkable. However, it has a giant Tienda Inglesa supermarket in the basement with lots of excellent prepared food for that beach picnic. And a women’s clothing store that got me in trouble with mall security for taking a photo. But how could I resist??

Tip: The best way to explore the expansive coastline of Montevideo as well as get a nice overview of the city’s architecture is to hop on the D1 bus. Running from the edge of the Ciudad Vieja all the way out to Carrasco, spend 30 pesos/USD 1.60 for some spectacular views. If leaving from Plaza Independencia, be sure to sit on the right side of the bus!

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo

When Buenos Aires declared independence for the entire Viceroyalty, Montevideo remained loyal to the Spanish crown. BA apparently didn’t consult their neighbors… some things never change! No matter. Montevideo grew as a result, but 18 years later they also broke away. What initially began as a small port town…

…eventually grew the only direction it could: inland. Fortress walls came down, & the grid expanded to add another 160 blocks to the city:

Officials wanted to connect the Ciudad Vieja to a primitive highway leading east to the Atlantic Ocean. Made perfect military sense. As years went by, improvement to the avenue became a priority, & modern times gave Montevideo some of its most iconic structures. Plaza de la Independencia bridges the gap between old & new. The Teatro Solís, presidential offices, a bit of Art Deco, a mausoleum to founding father Artigas & the Palacio Salvo—Mario Palanti’s twin to the Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires—make a grand, if somewhat overprotected, public space.

Just one block away the monstrosities begin. How can anyone think a non-descript office building like this is worthy of being next to the Palacio Salvo?!

At least many wonderful buildings have been preserved, like the 1933 Edificio Lapido. Awesome Racionalismo. Nearby Plaza Fabini provides an oasis of green with cooling fountains while the Edificio Rex & the Edificio London-Paris stand guard. Popular beer & hot dog joint La Pasiva—tucked into a former mod Banco de Londres building—is great for a quick break.

The Museo del Gaucho adds a touch of refined, French architecture built by Alfred Massüe. Other buildings along the avenue include the Palacio Brasil, Art Nouveau curves & tilework on the Edificio Café Montevideo, a fountain where couples place padlocks in the hope their love will be as bonding, & the Art Deco Palacio Díaz. Such variety is incredible to see.

Rising above all other buildings, the Palacio Municipal (town hall) is one of the most open & inviting public buildings I’ve seen. The exterior may not be anything special, but there’s a beautiful copy of the “Winged Victory of Samothrace” inside, rotating art exhibits & a mirador with 360º views of the city. No place better shows the balanced mix of green & grey that characterizes Montevideo.

Tip: get free tickets for the viewpoint in the TI just outside (although no one ever asked us for them!):

Next to the Palacio Municipal, a fantastic Racionalista apartment building competes for attention. Movistar does its best to distract as well, but the Monumento al Gaucho is the real star.

A few random buildings saved from demolition… many more to be discovered:

The Plaza de los Bomberos hides a surprise: a 1922 fire station. Other buildings with caryatids & domes can be found nearby.

Tired yet? Keep walking! The avenida doesn’t disappoint: statues, the national university, the Ministry of Health… it goes on & on.

The Avenida 18 de Julio is easily one of my favorite thoroughfares for its eclectic character, grandeur & surprising amount of preserved architectural heritage. So what happened on July 18th that was so important? Uruguay adopted its first constitution in 1830… a remarkable avenue for a remarkable event.

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo

Things have changed so often over the last three months that I couldn’t keep up. My apologies to friends who had trouble as well! It’s official: there will be no move to Montevideo… it’s Esquel for sure. Well, as sure as anything can be. Trips to Serbia & Poland are canceled, no time for Jordan & Israel either, but I get to go to Paris instead plus spend lots of time in the Basque Country. Can’t complain about that.

I’ve been busy the past week confirming dates & purchasing flights. While I’ve made progress, arranging three months of travel is always insane. Hopefully I’ll have time to write about my experiences along the way, but the reality is that work comes first. If I disappear from the internet from May to July, know I’m alive & well. Here’s where I’ll be…

Part 1: guidebook research

For anyone who thinks updating a guidebook is easy, just look at all the places I will check out in 2 weeks! Museum, hotels, restaurants, maps—everything… difficult but also lots of fun. After flying from Buenos Aires to Paris, I’ll have a day to adjust & hang out with my friend & expert in all things français, Kristen. Then take the TGV to Biarritz, a bus to Bilbao & work begins. Really looking forward to it.

Part 2: My Way: Spain, tour 1

I’m guiding tours again too! Well, this isn’t the fully-guided Spain tour… I’m basically along as a resource & coordinator for a bunch of independent travelers. Much like an old version of the Spain tour from way back when. It will be super nice to reconnect with everyone along the way.

Part 3: Conference with Darío + time off

Then it’s time to relax a bit. Off to Madrid to meet Darío at the airport & take a bus to Miraflores where he’s participating in a conference. Me, I’ll be sleeping :-) Then we’re both off to Lisboa… of course.

Part 4: My Way: Spain, tour 2

Repeat Part 2 but with a new group.

Part 5: Time off + UK

Darío’s final Ph.D. defense takes place in July. I’m going for moral support although, honestly, he doesn’t need it. He’s that good :-) But I get to spend a couple of weeks in the UK, hopefully meet friends in London & stock up on goodies at Sainsbury’s.

The way return flights worked out, we’ll have a single night to spend in Buenos Aires before heading to Esquel. That’s right: next month I’ll be packing everything before heading to Europe. More craziness. In September & October, I have two more tours & will head back to Spain again then. But put the next three months together & it looks like this!! Wish me luck.

The biggest dilemma though is: should I take Ursula along???

Although founded practically two centuries after Buenos Aires, early Montevideo followed the same city plan in 1724 as almost every other Spanish colonial town. Fitting snugly into a small outcrop & taking advantage of a natural port, the Ciudad Vieja consists only 100 blocks—give or take a few—arranged in an 8 x 13 grid. The establishment of Montevideo attempted to resist encroaching Portuguese settlements, namely Colonia del Sacramento founded in 1680. Montevideo’s population grew very slowly, but in 1829 city officials demolished fortress walls & the Old City took on its current character.

Hopping off the boat & walking into the Ciudad Vieja is easy, & the Mercado del Puerto, true to its name, is right there waiting. The 1923 customs house (just behind in the photo below) is sure to wow Art Deco fans. Love that glass dome!

Plaza Zabala sits at a 90-degree angle to the rest of the Ciudad Vieja—the only deviation of the grid. Trees make for welcome shade, but the 1910 Palacio Taranco gives a sense of how majestic Montevideo was. In fact, that’s one of the most pleasant aspects of the Ciudad Vieja… simple, older houses mix beautifually with palaces & even newer constructions. Buenos Aires often touts itself as the capital of eclectic architecture, but Montevideo must rank at the top as well:

The main square houses the cathedral & the colonial town hall, nicely maintained gardens plus a gorgeous fountain in the center. Picnic perfect. More Art Deco at the tomb of Mariano Soler inside the cathedral:

The Central Bank impresses with size, but Darío & I stumbled on something unexpected: the remains of a voodoo ritual on its steps. Not going to post a photo, but we found a dead rooster, straws for drinking its blood, popcorn, candles & apples. Bizarre but apparently not uncommon:

A few other bits & pieces:

One of the most interesting discoveries was the Edificio Pablo Ferrando, restored in 2006 & converted into a wonderful bookstore. The “zodiac building” also fascinated me… even though my sign hadn’t survived! And a boutique hotel inside a futuristic 50′s building alongside the Mercado del Puerto was an unexpected treat.

Just remember that even though the Ciudad Vieja remains the most touristy part of town, it is also connected to a very active port & all the activity associated with it. Certain areas are of dubious character, so be alert… by all means venture away from touristy pedestrian streets, explore nooks & crannies, & don’t be paranoid. Just keep an eye open!

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo

Note: Intro maps used for this series are taken from the Guía Arquitectónica y Urbanística de Montevideo (2010, Junta de Andalucía). Basic info but tons of listings in 13 walks with marvelous design. Definitely worth finding.

Living in Argentina’s capital city for 12 years, somehow I’d never been to the capital of Uruguay… just across the river. Ok, we all know the Río de la Plata is actually a super-wide delta, so the “quick” ferry takes 3 hours & a flight averages 50 minutes. Montevideo isn’t really as close as it appears on a map:

My only experience in Uruguay had been occasional passport-stamp runs to Colonia del Sacramento before obtaining residency plus a trip to Fray Bentos & Mercedes along the Río Uruguay… just couldn’t endure another ferry ride to Colonia. But the little I’d seen of the country, I loved. When Darío accepted a job last year that would take him there regularly, I had the perfect excuse to visit.

My first trip to Montevideo was a long weekend in October 2012. During those 3 days, I walked & walked & walked… much like I do in Buenos Aires. I had no map, no time to make a plan, no knowledge about the city at all. Taking a random bus that went to the city center, it didn’t take long for me to want to hop off. Beautiful architecture & gorgeous plazas begged to be photographed.

One thing I couldn’t understand: why didn’t I see more tourists? Spring may not be high season, but just look at this city… 18 km of coastline, several different beaches, trees everywhere, friendly people, a nicely preserved city center, & eclectic architecture to make even Buenos Aires jealous. In fact, Montevideo has everything Buenos Aires lacks with fewer people & a laid-back vibe that makes visiting even more enjoyable.

As soon as we hopped off the boat, Darío & I had lunch at the Mercado del Puerto. Unashamedly touristy, prices were reasonable. An empanadas place proved disappointing (seriously, avoid Carolina’s at all costs), but a sampling from one of the parrillas did the trick.

Darío’s hotel/home-away-from-home was located on the other end of the city. Ritzy & high-end with mansions & embassies on every corner, Carrasco also has a nice concentration of restaurants… and that fantastic beach, public & accessible to everyone. Whoever planned that feature should be given a national medal of honor. Ursula really enjoyed it!

The former casino held a lot of potential—at that time under renovation to reopen with a Sofitel inside. French architects Mallet & Dunant should be familiar to BsAs fans since they also designed the Centro Naval on Calle Florida as well as the former Caja Internacional building in Once.

A day before I arrived on my second visit (last week), the Sofitel opened. Lots of work remained to be done, but the casino was in full swing. Entry inside the Sofitel was reservation-only. Bastards. Why renovate without showing it off to the public? At least it’s nicely lit at night:

Future posts will be divided into areas I explored during my first & second trip. Stay tuned for more!

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Montevideo series: First impressions • Ciudad Vieja • Avenida 18 de Julio • Pocitos • Cementerio Central • Palacio Legislativo