2013: Montevideo, Uruguay

Day 38 12 February

Last night we sailed at midnight. Ahead of us the channel of the River Plata was marked like an airport runway but with red and green lights lining the chanel into the distance. Although this is the widest river (estuary) in the world, the shallows on either side restrict the movement of shipping.

We sailed to the Atlantic then turned back and northward to Montevideo, arriving early but moving slowly. As we swung in toward the harbor we passed a tangle of abandoned vessels in all states of disrepair and flotation.

Another cruise ship was at the pier so we swung around and backed in between the concrete jetty jutting off the pier and the stern of the Seven Seas Mariner. Tight fit but very well executed. Today's view is of a few containers but we can see the city over the tops of the stacks. This is a very cruise ship friendly port, in part that one may walk off the ship and one block later be in town. Restaurants, shops and C-stores are convenient. Many attractions are within walking distance. This is especially important for our crew who do not have much time for shore leave.

By noon we were secured and shortly thereafter cleared by the authorities. Although we had originally planned to walk the town today, we ended up with tickets on a tour so we piled into a bus and headed up the hill to the Plaza Independence where we found the usual statue of the father of the country on a horse (in this case, the liberator Jose Artigas), a part of the original city wall, the Teatro Solìs (national theater,) the Presidential office bldg and the Palacio Salvo (dominating one corner) built in 1920's was once the tallest building in South America and remains the highest in the capitol. Not far from this stop was the Legislative Palace, or parliament building where we again got out for a view.

Independence Square

Teatro Solis

market street

Legislative Palace

A short way beyond his was the railroad station. Not many trains run from here now but it was a nice new terminal which we were ushered through and right to the platform where a shiny 1910 locomotive and railcars awaited us. Run by the Association of Uruguayan Railway Friends, this restored train wheezed steam, blew its whistle repeatedly and chugged along. The locomotive is on the national register. Anyway, we chugged through the industrial area between concrete walls then out into the 'burbs, smoke and steam rolling past, whistle going and kids running out to wave at us. This gave a view of the communities as we slowly rolled along on the 75 minute trip. In Colón we got off and boarded out bus again.

Through the city there were stops now and then to view sculptures in parks, the various types of housing and then to the Rambla, the main thoroughfare running along the coast. The people were out in mass to enjoy the beaches.

people on the beach

By 1800 we were back on the ship. A quick turn-around and we were ashore for a short walk into the nearby pedestrian street lined with shops, restaurants and street stalls. Quickly we found our target: the restaurant El Palenque, just a few feet into the Mercado del Puerto. Our bone in rib eye steaks must have weighed 2 1/2lbs apiece. (More than we could finish.) The whole squid (not frozen) appetizers were huge. The individual salad could feed the 2 of us. Best of all it was delicous. I washed mine down with a huge bottle of Patricia beer. By 1930 the streets were almost empty and we were the only people left in the restaurant. This was the time between end of work day/cocktail time and dinner time. The streets would fill again. We walked back, stopping to buy a bag of maté along the way. By the ship we examined the anchor and a range finder from the nearby sunken German cruiser Graf Spee.