Monday, January 30, 2023
Because we were not leaving Punta del Este until 7:00, the Casino would not open until at least 7:30. We decided that we would play the Championship match in table shuffleboard before dinner. It was a hard-fought match. However, I prevailed and until the end of the cruise will be known as Table Shuffleboard Queen!
We made our way to the Canaletto restaurant. The restaurant was as crowded as the last time but we had a nice table in the back just in time to see the sun setting. Once again, we had an excellent dinner. A caprese salad and lamb chops for me. A meatball appetizer and osso busco meal for Chuck. We shared the gelato. Chuck also got an espresso. The cup was so tiny in his hands.
The Casino was open by the time we finished dinner, so we played a few slots. We called it a fairly early night as we had another early tour tomorrow.
Travel Trivia
Uruguay
The area that became Uruguay was first inhabited by groups of hunter–gatherers 13,000 years ago. The predominant tribe at the moment of the arrival of Europeans was the Charrúa people, when the Portuguese first established Colónia do Sacramento in 1680.
The country name of Uruguay derives from the namesake Río Uruguay, from the Indigenous Guaraní language.
Uruguay is comparable in size to Oklahoma.
Uruguay has the longest national anthem in the world in terms of duration of music (105 bars; almost six minutes.)
The name Uruguay, when translated, means “river of painted birds.”
In Uruguay, every house has its own name.
Uruguay is the origin of corned beef.
Uruguay is the only country in Latin America situated completely south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Uruguay is the only country whose name in English has the same letter three times in its first five letters.
The first-ever FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Uruguay defeated Argentina 4–2 and won the FIFA World Cup in the same year.
Punta del Este
Because of its beautiful beaches, turquoise waters, upscale boutiques, a thriving local art scene, and casinos, Punta del Este has been referred to as “the Monaco of the South”, “The Pearl of the Atlantic”, “the Hamptons of South America”, and “the St. Tropez of South America.” It’s the preferred getaway for wealthy Uruguayans and Argentines and many have second homes here.
The first Europeans to set foot in what is now Punta del Este were the Spanish at the beginning of the 16th century. However, the colonization of the area actually began at the end of the 18th century due to Portuguese expansionism.
It is an excellent place to view the southern right whales which are very large, rotund, bulky whales with broad backs and huge girth. The body is mostly black and typically features patches of white on the belly and chin. There is no dorsal fin. The head is extremely large, up to a third of the overall body length.
Punta del Estes is the home of the chivito sandwich. It is said to have been created by Antonio Carbonaro, the owner of the famous restaurant El Mejillón on December 31, 1944. The basic ingredients are a thin, tenderized beef steak, ham, melted cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise between two buttered buns. The most popular chivito adds Canadian bacon, egg, peppers, onions, and olives to the original ingredients.
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