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After visiting Punta del Este and relaxing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, we decided to go searching for a genuine colonial colour that we missed in Montevideo so much. We heard a lot about a special place called Colonia del Sacramento, which is probably even more famous than Montevideo. We wanted to see this small old town with our own eyes. Colonia Suiza (Nueva Helvecia) We were driving to the west of Montevideo and decided to drop into another interesting place—Colonia Suiza that was renamed Nueva Helvecia (New Switzerland) some time ago—on our way to Colonia del Sacramento. The [...]

Montevideo is a city with nice beaches, but the water there is dirty, which makes it totally unfit for bathing and water amusements. We started to miss classic seaside holidays, so we decided to go to Punta del Este, the most popular resort in Uruguay. According to tourists’ reviews, fabulous beaches, warm ocean waters, and a peaceful atmosphere were awaiting us there, so we rented a car and went exploring a new city. Punta del Este: History and Geography Punta del Este is a resort city located 140 km away from Montevideo. It’s Uruguay’s easternmost point whose long spit projects right [...]

Carnivals in Uruguay We arrived in Montevideo right in the heat of the carnival that is, by the way, the longest one in the world and lasts 45 days. First street performances started to be organized in the country in the 19th century. Dark-skinned slaves were given a few days off in the middle of February, so Africans dressed in colourful clothes, went out to the city streets, and danced to rhythmic drum beats. https://youtu.be/oaMfZlXGHuw The citizens often joined the slaves’ processions—first, as spectators, then as active participants. The Uruguayan carnival gradually became a mix of African culture and Spanish [...]

Montevideo Beaches Montevideo is located near the place where the La Plata River flows into the ocean. A beach line of over 20 km stretches along the estuary. The nearest beach was just a five-minute walk from our house, so we often spent time there. https://youtu.be/80IoQQxceAs By the way, the river waters were not suitable for swimming. The water was murky, thick, and full of seaweed and sand lifted from the bed by river currents. However, the beaches themselves were clean and had soft, yellow sand that the boys adored so much. Equipped with sticks, spades, and toys, Michael Jr [...]

It was still warm in Buenos Aires, but winter was coming, bringing the first cold days in early February, so we decided to go further. The capital of Uruguay was chosen for a reason. Travelling around Malaysia, we noticed that wealthy citizens often move to Singapore. The same goes for Latin America. Many rich people living in Buenos Aires move to Montevideo. So going to Uruguay, we knew we were going to stay in a city with a high—at least for Latin America—quality of life. Ships regularly sail from the capital of Argentina to Montevideo, so we bought tickets to one [...]