Summer In Punta Del Este

Returning to Punta Del Este, after being there during the winter, was like returning to a ghost-town and finding it filled with people laughing, drinking, sunning, and enjoying every moment.

The wealthy set from all over South America and the world descend on Punta Del Este immediately after Christmas and the party lasts for a few months. Continue Reading »

Punta Del Este, Uruguay is unlike any other beach town in Uruguay.

 Whereas most beaches in Uruguay are more laid-back and filled with actual Uruguayans, Punta Del Este during the South American summer is the hub of South America’s (and the worlds) elite.

My first exposure to Punta Del Este was not in the summer.  It was at the end of September, the beginning of the springtime in Uruguay, when winter is slowly releasing its grasp on the cold weather.  We were fortunate to have a good day at this time of the year and decided to take advantage of it with a visit to Punta Del Este. Continue Reading »

When I am asked, “What is your favorite place in Uruguay, the answer invariably is Cabo Polonio.”  It’s a little slice of Heaven on Earth.

Like Heaven, it is also very difficult to get to-you have to pay attention to what you are doing or you’ll miss it. Continue Reading »

Renting a car in Uruguay is a tremendous way to get around if you intend to see many places in a short amount of time.

  If you are simply going to one place (like Punta Del Este) for several days, it is better to travel by bus.  Continue Reading »

For those that are visiting Montevideo, Uruguay, and seeking to learn Spanish, I thought I would introduce you to my Spanish teacher Alejandra (Ale).  Ale helped me with many of my Spanish web site projects while I was here (see Spanish Pronunciation: Spanish Readings of Paulo Coelho Essays as an example) and she was also my private Spanish tutor for 6 months. Continue Reading »

If you read about my arrival in Uruguay, you know that I was greeted by warm people and cold weather. This ran counter to all my dim intuition which says travel south, get warmer. Well, thankfully, over time, the weather changes. Even better, the people don’t. Continue Reading »

A One Day Trip to Colonia, Uruguay

My Uruguayan friend Vicky and I took a trip to Colonia, Uruguay last week.  Colonia is town situated along the border between Argentina and Uruguay.  Most folks pass through here on their short journey to Buenos Aires (the quick boat gets you there in just an hour).  It’s well worth it to take the time to visit Colonia rather than just passing through.

Colonia is a strong mix of Spanish and Portuguese history.  The two empires fought endlessly over Colonia like she was a woman neither could live without.  Continue Reading »

Random Observations:  Bills, Bidets, Boundaries, Bicycles

There are 3 main cell phone companies:  Ancel, MovieStar, and CTIMovil.
Nobody here makes a phone call.  If you receive one, it’s important, or the person is rich and lazy. 

Continue Reading »

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Uruguayan Nightlife

I once read, when I travelled to Madrid, Spain many years back, that the Spaniards embrace nightlife unlike any other culture. I believe the exact statement was…”if you think New-Yorkers know night-life, you will quickly realize that the Spaniards know better”. Continue Reading »

Richard’s Freakonomics

Tattoos, Uruguay, and World Economics

I met a girl named Maria the other day which is not unusual because a large number of girls here bear that name.  What was unusual is that Maria had a tattoo, or as Vince Vaugh’s character in Wedding Crashers says, “might as well be a bullseye”. Continue Reading »