Cavorting by the Rivers: Colonia del Sacramento

The last place I visited in Uruguay before moving on was Colonia del Sacramento. This is a city with a historic Old Town, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I took a bus from Tres Cruces Bus Terminal in Montevideo, and a few hours later, I arrived in Colonia. It wasn't the most lively place, but later on I would see it is actually pretty.

Cavorting by the Rivers: Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales

As Montevideo is Uruguay's only large major city, I wanted to check out what cultural offerings it has. So I checked out the National Museum of Visual Arts. Uruguayan fine art is something of a black hole to me, so I wanted to see what it is about.

Cavorting by the Rivers: Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral

I suppose I end up visiting the major church every time I am in a city for the first time. It's just standard, perhaps, given that I have visited the main church of every Latin American city I have been to. Montevideo is no different, as I stumbled upon the Metropolitan Cathedral while I was spending a few days in the Uruguayan capital.

Cavorting by the Rivers: Montevideo's Open Spaces

Montevideo is not a pretty city. In fact, in some areas, it might even look ugly, to the point that it is deceptively dangerous. Mind you, Montevideo is not a dangerous city, it definitely does not follow the stereotype of a dangerous South American city, yet sometimes, there are areas where it looks like it is. Eventually I realised that the "dangerous look" is more because it was a weekend and therefore the area was deserted, but come one day after during the weekday and everyone is up and about, and the area totally feels safe. In any case, there are interesting open spaces that is worth taking a look at, and here are a few of them.

Cavorting by the Rivers: Casa Rivera in Montevideo

Eventually, I moved on from Punta del Este. I bought a bus ticket heading to Montevideo, and a couple of hours later, I was in Tres Cruces Bus Terminal in the Uruguayan capital. It is a big city, but nothing that I couldn't handle. I took an Uber to take me from the bus terminal to my hotel. I checked in, and after putting my belongings down, I explored the Old Town. The first thing that I stumbled upon was the Casa Rivera.

Cavorting by the Rivers: The Peninsula of Punta del Este

I had plenty of downtime in Punta del Este. It was after all, not the most happening place on earth, at least in May. So it was a great place to relax, walk around, and observe the surrounding scenery. So one morning, after breakfast, I decided to walk the entire length of the Peninsula.

Cavorting by the Rivers: Playa Brava in Punta del Este

Punta del Este was the first place I visited after landing in Montevideo. I landed early in the morning, and after withdrawing some money from the ATM in the airport, I found a bus that took me from the airport to this resort town.

Cavorting by the Rivers

Earlier this year, from the middle of May to the middle of June, I took a long three-and-a-half week vacation. I flew to South America and visited new countries! I increased my country count by visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. And it was fun!