A day in Uruguay. A night in Buenos Aires.
So I spent yesterday (being after midnight and all) in Colonia, Uruguay. It's a pretty little colonial town with cobbled streets (have you picked a theme yet?), boganvillia, museums and craft shops. Being a tourist spot and only a short ferry ride from Argentina all the stores (even the little deli's) accept three types of currency thus making it slightly confusing when you want to know the price of anything.
Anyhow got there about midday and went for a stroll around the old fort. There were several small museums (each with a guy dressed in colonial costumes out the front), plus some ruins. Then explored the rest of the town looking at the pretty buildings and also went down to the river. The weather wasn't the best today, overcast, a spot of rain, but still warm. The river, as a result, was rather choppy and rough but still nice to walk along. Did get some sun and a breeze later in the day that was nice as well. The rivers edge had some interesting rock pools and trees.
It's quiet simmilar to Olinda in that Colonia is a bit of a centre for arty people with several galleries and people selling handmade products. And there is an arts fair which is more touristy than the other areas, but still worth walking about.
After a extra long trip on the boat back. For reasons I could not understand (no really, I don't think they gave a reason, even in Spanish) we sat in the harbour for an extra 40 minutes with everyone getting more and more techy. I decided to go out to a nice little vegie place in the northern part of Buenos Aires. Which was open and still full of people at 2330 (makes noises about a city that doesn't die at 9pm). Asian food and cheery staff. I had seen it advertised that the staff sing to the patrons, but there was no singing tonight. On the ride back in the taxi I was treated to a great sight. We were heading towards the Obelisco (the giant, pointy, phallic monument) which was lit up (as giant, pointy, phallic monuments are at night) and the whole street down was alive. People walking around, places to eat still open, theatres, lights and just a touch of neon. Given that most of the nightclubs are currently closed here (due to a fire safety enquiry because of a fire 3 weeks ago that killed almost 200 people) it is nice to know that there is so much to do at the more ungodly hours and that there are people who do things other than club during this time. It was rather simply something special.
And the lights are pretty :P
(I think I have used a few too many brackets here)
Anyhow got there about midday and went for a stroll around the old fort. There were several small museums (each with a guy dressed in colonial costumes out the front), plus some ruins. Then explored the rest of the town looking at the pretty buildings and also went down to the river. The weather wasn't the best today, overcast, a spot of rain, but still warm. The river, as a result, was rather choppy and rough but still nice to walk along. Did get some sun and a breeze later in the day that was nice as well. The rivers edge had some interesting rock pools and trees.
It's quiet simmilar to Olinda in that Colonia is a bit of a centre for arty people with several galleries and people selling handmade products. And there is an arts fair which is more touristy than the other areas, but still worth walking about.
After a extra long trip on the boat back. For reasons I could not understand (no really, I don't think they gave a reason, even in Spanish) we sat in the harbour for an extra 40 minutes with everyone getting more and more techy. I decided to go out to a nice little vegie place in the northern part of Buenos Aires. Which was open and still full of people at 2330 (makes noises about a city that doesn't die at 9pm). Asian food and cheery staff. I had seen it advertised that the staff sing to the patrons, but there was no singing tonight. On the ride back in the taxi I was treated to a great sight. We were heading towards the Obelisco (the giant, pointy, phallic monument) which was lit up (as giant, pointy, phallic monuments are at night) and the whole street down was alive. People walking around, places to eat still open, theatres, lights and just a touch of neon. Given that most of the nightclubs are currently closed here (due to a fire safety enquiry because of a fire 3 weeks ago that killed almost 200 people) it is nice to know that there is so much to do at the more ungodly hours and that there are people who do things other than club during this time. It was rather simply something special.
And the lights are pretty :P
(I think I have used a few too many brackets here)
posted by moonbug @ Saturday, January 29, 2005
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