Sunday February 9th, 2025 Montevideo, Uruguay
Updated: Feb 13
Another Sunday port day and another country, Uruguay – sandwiched between Brazil to the north and Argentina, across the River Plate to the south. Viewing the city from our balcony, before the ship docked, I could tell that Montevideo was going to be quite different from Rio: less run down, more European and less chaotic. A while back I read an historical novel in which the captain of a sailing ship during the Napoleonic times described the waters of the River Plate to be as brown as the color of cow tongue soup – he wasn’t wrong, not that I’ve had cow tongue soup, but I’ve had ox tail and it’s pretty brown.
We are on our own today and with lots to see right in the port area it feels like an easy stop. Even as we exited the cruise pier we were greeted with some amazing artifacts. In September 1939 the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled in the River Plate off Montevideo; the ship had been damaged in a sea battle with three British ships and was seeking shelter in Montevideo but without aid and believing he could not escape from the river due to the blockading British ships, the captain of the Graf Spee decided to sink her in the river. Several items have been recovered from the Graf Spee and one, the range finder turret, was sitting on the dockside in Montevideo and looking good considering it has been exposed to the elements for 86 years.
A short Uber ride took to Plaza Independencia, the most important city square in Montevideo. In its center we saw the monument to General José Gervasio Artigas, founder of the country, and below it, his mausoleum. The monument is a bit unusual as it is made from metal, probably bronze, and shows the general straight-backed with his grand cape and stout riding boots, looking into the battlefield with his sword ready and his horse raring to go. It was a warm day but nowhere near as hot as Rio, quite nice exploring and walking weather. One side of the square is dominated by Palacio Salvo, finished in 1928 it stands 100 m high with the antenna included. It was the tallest building in Latin America for a brief period (closed on Sundays). The city has a beautiful blending of neoclassical and modern building, very reminiscent of European capitals – lots of wrought iron balconies in the French style. Some graffiti but probably middling on the graffiti hit parade of cities. A small piece of the original citadel that was located in this area had been reinforced and supported by concrete blocks, not the most imaginative restoration but nice to see a bit of the old history preserved in the plaza.
Wandering down one of the side streets we stumbled upon the J. Torres-Garcia Museum; Joaquín Torres-García (28 July 1874 – 8 August 1949) was a prominent Uruguayan-Spanish artist, theorist, and author, renowned for his international impact in the modern art world. To be honest neither of us are fans of modern art, we had an interesting encounter with a Kandinsky exhibit a few years ago that scared us for life. However the museum was one of the few places we found open today and so we decided to risk the gift shop and bought some interesting wooden block figures, and Sandra got some earrings.
Constitution Square was very different from Independence Plaza; smaller, more park-like, with some market stalls and a beautiful central fountain. Some of the pathways used, what looked to me like, Napoleonic era canon shells to restrict traffic access – an interesting reuse, if true. A large church, the Iglesia San Juan, dominated one side of the square, but with a Sunday mass in progress we were denied entry – which I think is quite unusual, but I was not going to argue with the burly guy guarding the door.
It was only a short walk from the square back down to the river. Montevideo boasts a beautiful 22km long promenade that runs from the port and passes rocky coasts and nice beaches. As we emerged from the city and onto the promenade we were met by a slight breeze, very refreshing and cooling. An old military gun emplacement, one of many along the prom, was being used as a fishing spot by a local family and we wandered over to take in the views. With its low wall and long concrete walkway I was reminded of the Ocean Beach waterfront in San Francisco, the Montevideo version with its pink coloring, although a bit worn, is very beautiful.
Back at the port we visited the Mercado del Puerto located in an 19th century former warehouse. The market is quite small and dominated by dining establishments, with only a few shops selling mostly tourist items. On the recommendation of friends from the ship we ate lunch at El Palenque, and it was probably one of the best we’ve had on our travels. Located inside the market, but with outdoor seating, Palenque served classic barbequed meats cooked on an open fire. The excellent wait staff guided us to an outdoor table, and I noticed a light mist was drifting down from overhead piping to provide an excellent cooling effect. Gazpacho, steak, chicken, fries and a baked potato covered in an unbelievable roquefort sauce was followed by classic flan with dolce de leche. OMG.
After lunch we wandered through the small market, by now the lunch period was in full swing with all of the restaurant very busy – the smell of barbequed meat and the noise from the chattering diners permeated the air, it all created a very exciting atmosphere. Sandra has been on the hunt for the perfect hat since we left home; protection from the sun is so important in these hot climates. The hunt finally came to an end today as she was able to find a classic Panama Hat, it suits her just right.
The Museum of the Carnivale was located just along the dock from the market, and for a very small entry fee, about 4USD I think, it was a bargain. Also housed in a former dock warehouse the museum displays some of the most amazing costumes from the Carnival parades of the past, along with some historical background on the annual mega-party – though it was all in Spanish which was a bit disappointing.
We highly recommend a visit to Montevideo, it’s a proper big capital city in the European style, blending with some of the best aspects of South American culture.
Comments