This Way, That Way--Uruguay

This past weekend, we set off to add another stamp to our temporary passport  (if only to make it look real).  Yes, the immigration officers continue to scrape the picture since a temporary passport looks like a fake for sure.  Our destination:  Montevideo, Uruguay-- a City surrounded by water on 3 sides that once served as a fortress of the Spanish Empire. 

From Buenos Aires, you take the famous "Buque Bus" pronounced (boo-kee) a ferry like hydro-foil and 3 hour voyage across El Rio de la Plata.  Barry sprung an extra $10.00 for First Class, which felt better than First Class Airline travel,  with it's plush waiting rooms and upper deck lounge.  I have to say, we felt a bit like the elite first class passengers on Titanic as the regular passengers tried to get a peak at our VIP amenities.

More laid back than Buenos Aires, this sea-side town with it's extensive malecon tells the tale in it's architecture of  a more affluent time. 

Unlike the Dog Walkers of Argentina, the first thing we notice in Montevideo is everyone is walking around with a drink in a gourd --sipping the warm beverage through a silver straining straw.  Think of U.S streets with everyone bearing a Cup of Starbucks.  However in Uruguay, the drink and some call the "drug of choice" is Mate (shown above). 

We asked the first  cab-driver we find to drive us around the city and point out the sites.  Of course when I asked him, I didn't check to see if he had teeth.  Well, he didn't and so we tried to politiely pretend we understood what sounded like marbles in his mouth.  " Don't you teach how to recruit people?" Barry queried.  We enjoyed our tour of the town regardless.

One of our primary reasons for this excursion to Montevideo was to visit what has been billed the largest Flea Market in South America!  They do not exxagerate!  Street after street of vegetables, fruit, birds, some antiques and lots and lots of junk (1 man was selling a used-lightbulb).  Worth the cultural experience but we preferred the market in San Telmo, Buenos Aires.

However, having visited markets throughout the world, we did notice that there are commonalities of the Flea Market Experience.  Colorful Vendors build their reputation and brand and always stand out from their competitors building their loyal clientele.  In Pennsylvania there was "Jimmy the Watch Man"  Here it's "Sergio the Watch Man"   In South Philly, you find your special "Cheese Man"  No different, in a country more than 7.000 miles away.  As we bought from vendors, they reminded us that they are here every Sunday, a simple but effective approach to building brand and customer loyalty.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip was watching the "Men of the Grill" in Argentina.  Perhaps barbecuing is a guy thing....we have yet to find a female grill master in Argentina or Uruguay.  Yes, in this part of the world they eat their weight in meat each year and watching the grill masters is like watching Picasso. 

We ended our trip with a return on the Buque Bus, but were not prepared for incredibly rough seas!

Accordingly, we have renamed this Buque Buss, the Pukee Bus!  You get the drift!