South America: Uruguay

Montevideo

I planned a trip to Montevideo as part of an independent fellowship with Fund for Teachers (FFT) in August of 2023. August is winter in Uruguay, but mild. Temps stayed between 63F and 73F with occasional light showers. I was studying the history of the Cono Sur, or southern cone. I was impressed by Uruguay’s beautiful beaches and grilled cuisine, which easily rivals that of neighboring Argentina.

First Impressions Last a Lifetime

I had two and a half days to see all the things on my list (ambitious, right?). So I started at the Mercado Artesano craft market and bought a few gifts, but the next day, I found Feria Tristán Narvaja, a massive Sunday market, where I bought a mate gourd and bombilla (filter straw so the mate yerba leaves stay in the bottom). I walked La Rambla at the Río de Plata coastline and visited the nearby Pittamiglio Castle, where an Italian architect studied alchemy; his castle was also thought to be the location of the Holy Grail at one point. I went to the Independence Plaza, and took the stairs under the monument to find the guarded burial of Jorge Artigas, founding father of Uruguay. I ventured out to the Museo de Carnaval to show my LA students the flip side of Mardi Gras in the rest of the world. On both days, I visited the Mercado del Puerto, a collection of restaurants and shops. Jeff and BZ accompanied me, and we tried ALL the grilled meats: steak, chicken, sausage… and kidney, intestines, blood sausage, and some unidentified organs I chose not to think about. I loved them all.