South America in 10 days – part V

It’s well connected with sea lines to Argentina, with regular ships going to Montevieod to the west and Colonia, just opposite Buenos Aires.

We get breakfast at the bus stop, for there are very slim chances of finding an open restaurant at 6 in the morning. After breakfast I suggest a panoramic view of the shore, with miles of nicely arranged beaches and rich houses, just the other side of the road. We quickly notice, it’s one of better situated and developed countries of South America.

No wonder Montevideo is, according to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting study, the city which offers the highest living standard in Latin America.

After the beaches, which seem endless, it takes some six hours to see the center of Montevideo and naturally to have lunch at the harbor, with a dozen of excellent restaurants at a former fish market. If you still believed, while in Buenos Aires, Argentinean beef was world’s best, visiting these restaurants will seriously challenge that.

If time had allowed, I’d stay at one of the seven hostels in the city, unfortunately, time was not on my side.

You can see the city in the gallery »Montevideo«.

After lunch a short relaxation period hit the spot and for me that was a two hour direct bus drive to Colonia, on one of many lines connecting the two cities.

Leaving the capital at 3 in the afternoon we arrive to Colonia around five, so we had enough time to book a fast ship back to Buenos Aires leaving at 21:30 and arriving at 22.45.

Colonia, with the full name Colonia del Sacramento, is an old colonial town from the 17th century, settled by Portuguese, who traded it for the land further north. And it’s the Portuguese feel that makes the town special. It’s small and the old center even smaller. Walking from the bus station to all parts of the old town would take you just an hour, so the four hours before my ship leaves were just enough, to explore the town, get something good for diner and go souvenir hunting.

I could write more about this town, but I suggest you rather look at the photos, worth thousands of words, from this town placed on the UNESCO world heritage list in 1995.

See the Colonia photo gallery.

Taking our farewell from Colonia concludes our travels through South America. Five articles, five countries, ten days. A very short time, too short to really get to know a country, but enough to get a good feel about South America.

See you on the next journey.