Kristina Argentina

Uruguay (pt. 3 - Montevideo)

Arriving to Montevideo was interesting. The bus terminal was essentially the size and speed of a shopping mall, and decked out in Christmas too. We went to the Colonial Express desk to check on our return arrangements, only to find that there wasn’t a boat that left from Montevideo: it was actually a bus to a boat. Also, that the return tickets from Grandma and Brett were also messed up. Do not take Colonial Express!!!

Anyways, we took a cab to Pocitos, another little peninsula in Montevideo, and situated very close to the beach. Brett and Grandma stayed in a very nice hotel, and Caro and I stayed in a hostel. We arrived and they asked if we had gotten the email (ps - I never got an email, for the record). The booking.com had messed up, and there was no private room for us. So the manager was giving us his room. He gave us some sheets and towels, and led us up the smallest staircase I have seen, ironically since staying in the maid’s quarters in the mansion. 

There we were greeted with a very small room- the beds were unmade, there was someone else’s clothes in it, there was a toothbrush on the sink - it really was the manager’s room! The door handle even fell off. But what the hostel lacked in luxury, it made up for in charm. It really was like entering a family, and being invited right in. We ended up adopting a Peruvian girl, going out to dinner and taking her out with us. 

Now the real most exciting part about going to Montevideo - was seeing Fede!!! Fede was a “guest” or really a 7th roommate in the Leganitos 20 La Auberge Español apartment in Madrid. We hadn’t seen each other in 6 years!!

We met Fede at a parilla and had a few beers. Then he and his friends took us to a bar halfway across the city. Finally, we joined them at “Club”, located at the tip of Pocitos. We waited behind a chain, dressed in jeans in flip flops, with the rest of the 18 year olds in Uruguay dressed in miniskirts and high heels. I flashed my NY licence, and got a smile from the bouncer, who forgave our dress. We ended up dancing to crazy cumbia music [3 rounds of Wachiturros!!!]. Afterwards, foot long hotdogs with all sorts of things on it, like pringles and I don’t even know. Bedtime, cause Grandma wakes up early!!!

TBC with the next episode…