This post describes the last few days of a 6 week trip through South America. I started in Peru with G Adventures on the Scenic Divide. (https://www.gadventures.com/trips/the-scenic-route-lima-to-buenos-aires/7584/) Leaving them in Buenos Aires I headed to Iguazu. That post is here: 3 days in Iguazú Falls. Is it as amazing as they say?

April 22, 2023 Now I’m headed to Uruguay

Uruguay is easily accessible from Buenos Aires. There are 2 ferry companies that go to Colonia leaving at 2 different ports. Buquebus and Colonia Express are similar so choose whatever times work best for you. You can do a day trip if it works for you. Buquebus worked for me. Just remember you’re crossing a border so need to have the usual paperwork in order.

Colonia isn’t very big so it’s easy to find a hotel close to the ferry. I walked to Hotel Romi and settled in for the night. The included breakfast wasn’t great but there was coffee. That’s all I need. The room was lovely, the bed comfortable and all was very clean.

Colonia del Sacramento is a Unesco world heritage sight and delightful city. Most say you can easily do it on a a day trip. I had 2 nights there and really enjoyed having a full day to just wander the city and fully enjoy it. Iiked being able to relax and not worry about catching the ferry back to BA. In the summer it would be even better as the beaches are really nice and you could enjoy some swimming. People watching is fun. I ended up chatting with several friendly locals and asked about the obsession with matte. It being Saturday many folks were walking around with a thermos and cups full of yerba herbs. Want to know more about it? Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(drink)

Mate. It’s everywhere!

Below: People drinking Mate (pronounce mah-tay) EVERYWHERE! They even bring it to restaurants with them. Look, a thermos in one hand and a cup of yerba herbs in the other. It became an activity for me to see how many I could spot.

Colonia was originally founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and passed between them and the Spanish several times after that. Now it’s a melting pot of both. It’s unique heritage, buildings and layout is now a Unesco world heritage site.
I spent the day wandering the streets, passing the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, the lighthouse, Calle de Portugal, lined with antique cars permanently parked along the cobbled street and enjoying the random artwork of graffiti in surprising places. Next I spent a couple hours walking the beach till I got hungry and found a cafe in the square where I could watch people while eating a tasty fish dinner.

Antique vehicles everywhere

Graffiti. And people drinking Mate in front of graffiti 😉

Cafes, cobblestone streets, an old wall and a lighthouse

The beach. And of course, mate on the beach.

Montevideo

The next day I boarded the bus to Montevideo. The capital of Uruguay is much bigger and busier than Colonia so the walk to the Ahiva Espacio Temporal was a good 20 minutes. On the way it started to POUR rain so I ducked into a cafe and enjoyed a leisurely coffee.

I spent the afternoon wandering, having a coffee and people watching, then enjoying another fish dinner before heading back to my room I shared with two other ladies, both from Australia.

The next morning I’d booked a walking tour of the old city. Guess what the guide was carrying when I arrived? Yep. A thermos and a cup of mate herbs. Of course! Uruguay is the biggest consumer of mate in the world.

It was a really good tour and I learned a lot, including where to get the best chivito which of course, I did. Although Chivito literally translates to “small goat”, chivito doesn’t actually include goat. I think mine was pork. Delicious!

The end of my South American journey

I’d love to come back and see more of Argentina. I’d like to visit the south and do some hiking in Patagonia. Uruguay was okay but pretty expensive compared to the rest of the continent.
So ends this trip as I flew home from Montevideo with a brief stop in Sao Paolo and New York. I don’t mind stopovers. They break up a long flight. Next time bring more snacks. Airport food is stupid expensive.

See you on the next trip!