Colonia, Uruguay
34° 28' S 57° 50' W
Jan 08, 2007 13:00
Distance 69km

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Uruguay - Another Passport Stamp!

Text written in: English (US)

Uruguay is just across the river from Buenos Aires, so Sue and I decided to go on a little adventure to get another "passport" stamp and experience a little colonial Uruguay. You can take the Buquebus ferry from BA to Colonia or Montevideo (the capital). The ferry dock was heavily guarded by police due to some sort of strike or worker disagreement. We were told it was "political". We never felt unsafe nor saw any problems as we crossed the police line.

Anyway, we decided to take the slow ferry across (3 hours) to Colonia del Sacramento and return via the fast ferry (1 hour). It was a beautiful day, so we relaxed in the sun on the deck reading and dozing until we docked in Colonia.

Colonia went back and forth 7 times between the Spanish and the Portuguese, so in the old portion of the city, you see evidence of both colonies. The old colonial section of the city is what most people come to visit. It is beautiful with tree-lined cobblestone streets, colonial buildings, light houses and rocky shore.

The gate into the old city, Porton de Campo, was rebuilt from 1968-71. It is located in the city wall and is complete with a wooden drawbridge.

The Street of Sighs leads into the city gate. It is a Portuguese street with the original pavement with houses on each side that belong to the first colonial period.

The town also houses a couple of lighthouses. One is still operational and you can walk up the narrow, windy steps to the top for an incredible view of the surrounding city and river. The other lighthouse has been made into a restaurant right on the river. Sue and I relaxed there and attempted to cool off with a nice cold beer.

The trip to Colonia made for a nice day trip. It would have been fun to stay overnight there and experience a little more of colonial South America.

Besides Colonia and Montevideo, Uruguay has some of the best beaches in South America. They are along the Atlantic coast and are a hot vacation spot for Argentineans. One such place is Punta del Este. Next time, we'll make sure we have time for a little beach time!

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Photos / videos of "Uruguay - Another Passport Stamp!":

The Buquebus Ferry Sue on the Ferry Leaving Buenos Aires La Antigua Colonia del Sacramento Street Old Building in Colonia Old Street in Colonia Parradilla Restaurant Sue and Gail Old Lighthouse Restaurant View of the Coast Picturesque Street Sue and Gail New Lighthouse View from the Lighthouse Original Home Quaint Home Entrance Gate to La Antiqua Colonia del Sacramento
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