Roaming Through Retirement




Uruguay--Stepping through time for a day!

With Uruguay a stone's throw away from Buenos Aires, we decided to spend some time learning a bit more about this unique country. While it was once run by a military dictator as recent as the 1980s, today it is a model country, tagged by the Economists as the "Country of the Year." One day of touring did not do justice to this country but the time was well spent getting to know this one small community.

Each day, several ferries leave Buenos Aires to carry people and cargo over the Rio del la Plata (Silver River) separating Argentina from Uruguay.	It took an hour to cross over what seemed more like an ocean to the city of Colonia del Sacramento, that had done major restoration to recreate it as a colonial city.
This drawbridge is billed as the world's best example of early Spanish and Portuguese architecture.	This wall is a remnant of the fortified city built by the Portuguese in 1680 to protect its border from Spain.
Some of the buildings are used as actual residents for city dwellers.	While others have been converted into shops or museums filled with furnishings and items of the time.
This dwelling served multiple uses as the plaques on the doorway showed.	This street is lined with several pubs, coffee shops, restaurants and souvenir shops.
The restoration of the city led UNESCO to declare this city a "Cultural Heritage of Mankind" in 1995.	Lunch at a quaint outdoor restaurant included a Chivito, a dish unique to Uruguay. Yes, on top is a sunny side-up egg! Seemed liked everything was served with an egg and french fries.

Patagonia	Argentina	Chile	Peru	Ecuador

Uruguay's web page includes April 16 through April 16.