When we arrived back to the room, we had received our disembarkation tags and instructions about the tour we would be on that morning. They had not given me enough luggage tags as I like to put two on each large piece of luggage in case one comes off during the handling. I went straight to Guest Services to get more tags because I knew if I waited until Buenos Aires and people started looking at their statement, there would be long lines again.
Your statement is always available on the phone app and on the interactive TV. HAL doesn’t give out a paper statement anymore unless you go to Guest Services and request one. There are still a lot of people who wanted that printed copy. I like to keep up with the statement as we progress with the trip and take care of any issue immediately instead of waiting until the end. The app and TV help me keep track easily. At the end of the cruise, the statement is available as a PDF document if I wanted to print it when I got home.
Getting the luggage tags just reminded me that there is more packing to do after lunch. Ugh. The large bags will have to be ready to go out for pick-up tomorrow night. I’ll also send out one carry-on. We’ll keep one carry-on and our backpacks to take on the tour bus that Thursday morning.
We went to the Lido for lunch and noticed that it was sponsoring another themed night tonight – Asado de Montevideo (Montevideo Barbeque). We decided that we would eat here for dinner.
After some packing, I met up with Chuck on the Sea View deck. He was chatting with his poker buddies. We had all decided to eat in the Lido, so we got a large table for us all. While I was out on the deck, I snapped a photo of the ship graveyard (big controversy in Uruguay about what to do with and who is going to pay for all the abandoned boats), and the Costa ship we were docked by.
Quite a few people selected this theme dinner tonight. It’s usually not that busy in here around 7:00 but it was tonight. Since we were at a big table, I was seated too far away from Chuck to get a photo of his dinner, but I had selected the chorizo sausage and the morcilla sausage with the grilled zucchini, red peppers and rice with melted provolone cheese. Enjoyed it all.
Because we are docking in Buenos Aires overnight tomorrow, tonight is the last night for the Casino to be open. The gang was anxious to get to the tables. However, Chuck had agreed to go with me to tonight’s show: “Pampas Devils Gauchos” – Fiery Horsemen of the Plains
Kevin the Cruise Director
Two women and one man put on a very good show of tango and other rhythmic dancing. During one segment they swirled two wooden balls on long whips so fast, you lost sight of the balls. All you could hear was the clacking on the balls as they hit the floor. How they managed not to knock themselves out is a testament to their talent.
Can you see the whips he is holding? – just a blur
Before he left for the Casino, Chuck got his photo made with the group.
Woke up at 6:00. Breakfast was delivered at 6:15. Ship was docked by 7:00 so there would be no tender today. As a matter of fact, yesterday was the last tender port of the trip. We left the ship at 8:30 to walk to our second independent excursion – another Shore Excursion Group one called “Highlights of Montevideo”.
The tour description states “Experience personal attention, away from the large group tours offered by the cruise lines, when you book the Highlights of Montevideo City tour. This comprehensive tour includes visiting the Old Town (Ciudad Vieja), Port Market, Parliament Palace and much more.
Begin directly at the pier and board your comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle and be provided with excellent local, knowledgeable guides. The eclectic city of Montevideo is also the capital of Uruguay and the 8th city on the 2013 MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index for Latin America.
Your first stop is in the historic Old Town, where you can view beautiful buildings from colonial times. The old part of the town is held by Spanish military fortifications whose stone walls set the boundaries of the fortified San Felipe y Santiago city by the guarded fortress named Ciudadela. See also the Solis Theatre, The Cabildo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Museo Torres Garcia and other museums. There are also many galleries, cafes and antique shops in the area.
Next you will see Plaza Independencia (Independence Square) close to the city center. On this square you will see the statue and the Mausoleum of General Artigas, a Uruguayan national hero. Also view the Presidential offices, Palacio Estevez, Palacio Salvo and the Ciudadela Gate. Continuing you will see the Parliament Palace, inaugurated in 1925. The symbolism and neoclassical architectural style represents the democratic values of the country.
From the Parliament area, you will take a scenic ride to Mercado Agricola Montevideo (MAM), one of the last iron-built markets in the Montevideo. What began as a humble fruit and vegetable stand in 1913 has since expanded twice into a shopping mall a city block in length offering a variety of goods. You will find today there are still vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2006 the building was refurbished and helped to revitalize the entire neighborhood.
After your introduction to some of the history of Montevideo you will next travel to the Obelisco De Los Constituyentes. This bronze and granite obelisk was inaugurated in 1938 as a tribute to the writers of the nation’s first constitution, dating to 1830. The sculptor of this work of art is the famous Jose Luis Zorrilla de San Martin.
Continue to the area named Parque Batlle, or Battle Park, where you can stroll through the largest public park and green space in the city. While here, pause at La Carreta, a stunning bronze monument depicting oxen pulling a covered wagon that was created in 1934 by Jose Belloni. Next to the monument you will also see the famous Estadio Centenario, the soccer stadium inaugurated in 1930 for the World Cup in which Uruguay was victorious. On July 18, 1983 it was declared by FIFA as a World Football Historical Monument, being the only construction of its kind in the world.
Make your way to the beautiful sands of Pocitos Beach and pose for a photo at the Montevideo sign. Admire the picturesque view from here as you look upon Pocitos Bay.
Conclude your tour traveling to the Punta Carretas neighborhood and make a stop at the 62-foot tall Punta Brava Lighthouse, also known as the Punta Carretas Lighthouse. If time allows you may be able to enter the lighthouse and climb to the top if you like.
Make a stop for a brief look at the Port Market, (Mercado del Puerto) and admire the iron structure that was built in Liverpool. At present, this area is one of the most typical gastronomic centers of the city where locals and visitors can taste the delicious Uruguayan meat which is cooked on the big barbecues. A great number of artists also perform in the surrounding area turning the streets into large theaters. Return along the River Plate enjoying city views back to port area and your ship.
This tour is perfect for those who are short on time but want to gain a great overview of the city. Reserve your seat on this special tour today.“
I expected it to be very similar to the one yesterday and it was to a certain extent. However, they divided our group into vans instead of one big bus. Those of us who arrived early were ushered into the first van to arrive and our tour started. The van was not as comfortable as the bus but we were able to swing into crowded parking areas much easier. I expect that the ones who arrived closer to the final time were put in another van.
Because of the early time, the guide wanted us to get to Old Town later in the tour when there would be more activity so we didn’t follow the tour description exactly. She spoke English well and kept us entertained and informed as we made our way around Montevideo.
Pocitos Beach & Sign
La Carretta
Independence Square
Estadio Centenario
Old Town
Mercado Agricola Montevideo
We did not stop at the Lighthouse, but we did make a brief stop at the University.
I was not able to get a good photo of the obelisk but there was an interesting building. The guide said the builder believed he was a wizard, so he wanted to live in an appropriate dwelling.
Also, as we were driving around, I noticed how many Coca-cola signs there were along with street art. There was also a lot of what I would call graffiti. But I guess art can be in the eye of the beholder.
The last stop was the Port Market. You could get out here and then walk back to the ship at your leisure, or go on back to the ship. Since Chuck had already gotten his Mate cup and Mate tea (very popular drink in Uruguay), we opted to go back to the ship.
I was looking forward to getting some lunch.
Flowers of Uruguay
Travel Trivia
Montevideo, Uruguay
Pronounced “Mon-teh-vi-DAY-oh”
There are at least two explanations for the name Montevideo. The first states that it comes from the Portuguese Monte vide eu, which means, “I see a mountain.” The second is that the Spaniards recorded the location of a mountain in a map as “Monte VI De Este a Oeste” meaning “The sixth mountain from east to west.”
Montevideo is the commercial, political, and intellectual center of Uruguay and is considered one of the continent’s most important centers for learning and the arts.
Tourism in Montevideo is centered in the Ciudad Vieja area, which includes the city’s oldest buildings, several museums, art galleries, and nightclubs.
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.
Google photo
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.
Our guide spoke English well and she had a lot of information about Uruguay in general and Punta del Este in particular. She confirmed that it is a resort and vacation town. It looked a lot like Ft. Lauderdale to me.
Our first stop was the lighthouse. We were not allowed to go inside but it was impressive. She said that the lighthouse was built in 1860 using various materials, including volcanic soil brought from Rome. It still serves to navigate sailors passing between the ocean and river. The light, which has a reach of 8.8 nautical miles (16 kilometers). At night, watch as the light emits two flashes at intervals of eight seconds.
We could also walk across the street and view the Candelaria Church. We were allowed inside it. We did what we always do when allowed to visit a church. Make a small donation and sit down for a moment of thanks. The guide said it was inaugurated in the early 1900s and honors the Virgin of Candelaria. It is one of the town’s most important places of worship. The present-day Candelaria Church is the result of an expansion in 1941 using money donated by 100 of the area’s most affluent local families.
We went by a few of the local beaches. Some of the beaches were for surfing and others were for swimming.
It was at one of these beaches that we saw the famous sculpture – The Hand. According to Wikipedia, La Mano (The Hand) is a sculpture by Chilean artist Mario Irarrazabal. It depicts five human fingers partially emerging from sand. It is also known as Los Dedos (The Fingers) and Hombre emergiendo a la vida (Man Emerging into Life). It has become a symbol for Punta del Este since its completion in February 1982 and in turn has become one of Uruguay’s most recognizable landmarks.
The area was so crowded I could not get a photo of the entire hand. There was also other artwork around the area.
Google Photo
On our way to and from the Beverly Hills area to look at the fancy homes we passed over the wavy bridge. Kind of disconcerting that it was created and built by an artist and not an engineer.
We stopped by the museum but didn’t really have enough time to go through it.
Our next stop was the Hotel Casapueblo. According to the guide, the hotel began to be built in 1958 by Carlos Páez Vilaró as his residence and art studio.
Casapueblo was designed with a style that can be compared to the houses on the Mediterranean coast of Santorini. The building, which took 36 years to complete, has thirteen floors with terraces that allow an optimal view of the sunset over the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
The building was built of whitewashed cement and stucco. It was built in an artisanal way and without previous plans, in the form of a maze, does not have straight lines inside and the color white predominates. It was expanded and modified from year to year as a residence in unpredictable ways.
It houses a tribute to Carlos Miguel, the artist’s son and one of the sixteen Uruguayan survivors of the of flight 571 of the Uruguayan Air Force plane crash, which crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972.
Now, in addition to hotel rooms, the building includes a museum, an art gallery, and a cafeteria.
Google Photo
Chuck found another hat that he really liked from one of the vendors near the hotel.
Very continental!
After the visit to the hotel, we headed back to the pier. The tour was a good overview of Punta del Este.
There was one thing I did notice about the tour company. Unlike the HAL tour guides who counted every person on the bus after every stop, this guide told us when to be back on the bus and at that time, the bus started rolling. No headcount. We almost left two people at the hotel stop. Luckily, the bus had to turn around in the hotel parking lot, so we picked them up on the way out. They were running.
Once we got back to the pier, we took the tender back to the ship. I was hungry but I didn’t run to the Lido. Tonight is dinner at the Canaletto again. Yay!
We ate in the main dining room tonight at a table for six. I ordered the duck breast and Chuck splurged on the upcharge ribeye. I don’t think the waiter understood that Chuck said medium well because he got medium rare. I always order medium and hope for the best. Chuck ate as much as he could, but some of it was just too red for him.
The main stage show was another BBC Planet Earth movie so we skipped it in favor of an early evening because of our early tour tomorrow.
We had a room service breakfast again today. It arrived 10 minutes earlier than the promised time. Everything was correct for this order.
Today was our first independent (non-HAL) excursion for this trip. I typically don’t like taking an independent tour when it is a tender port since the process of tendering can be problematic at times. But I didn’t see any HAL tour that I was particularly interested in, so I ended up finding one on the website Shore Excursions. I had read that they were a reputable company, so I took a chance on it.
Today’s tour was a 3-hour tour entitled “Punta del Este Highlights” and the tour description stated “The picturesque seaside city of Punta del Este in the Maldonado Department is fast becoming the Monte Carlo of South America.
Make like a local as you experience every corner of this majestic area, from its sandy beaches to busy city streets. Head to the 45-meter-high lighthouse, built in 1860 with volcanic sand from Rome.
Stroll past upscale shops and restaurants along the famed Avenida Gorlero and peruse the local handicrafts while at Plaza Artigas.
You’ll go across La Barra Bridge and experience the sensation of driving over the famous wave-like bridges. Created by Leonel Viera in 1965, this bridge served to expand the area of Punta del Este and helped pioneer the design of concrete segment bridges of this kind.
On this tour you will also see gleaming yachts at the Port, Brava Beach coast, stunning homes of the rich and famous in residential districts as San Rafael, the romantic Hotel L-Auberge, Beverly Hills, the iconic Casa Pueblo and Carlos Paez Vilaro Museum, and much more including the iconic La Mano sculpture. Throughout your journey your guide will share the history and culture of this popular tourist destination.”
The original itinerary had us arriving at 10:00 but the program indicated that we would be anchoring at 9:00. I hoped the tour company was aware of the change. The only instructions said that the tour would begin 2 hours after the ship arrived and please be on one of the first tenders.
The program also warned us to be aware of our possessions especially Apple products and watches. I switched my stuff from my backpack to my theft deterrent Travelon purse. Since there was a chance of rain today, Chuck took his backpack and put both of our rain jackets in them.
Once we heard the announcement that the tenders were available, we made our way to the gangway. First thing we noticed was that our tender was not one of HAL’s lifeboats, but a boat provided by the city of Punta del Este. The second thing we noticed was that it was really bobbing around and up and down. A number of people stumbled getting on the tender from the ship’s tender platform and had to grab railings to keep from falling down. I heard that not long after we left the ship that they moved the tender operation to the other side of the ship where there was less wave action.
We found the representative from the tour company, and she checked off our names. We waited with others from the ship at the end of the pier. We watched the gulls and sea lions wait for any fish scraps to come over the side. The smell of fish was pretty strong.
Eventually another guide walked us around the corner to the tour bus. We waited for our tour guide to come. I think they put us on the bus early because it was getting hotter outside and the bus was running with the air conditioner. I figured that we would not start until 11:00 because we had anchored at 9:00 and the instructions said that the tour would start 2 hours after anchoring. Our guide still had names of people on the list who had not yet made it over on the tender boats so they could not start earlier than 11:00 (another reason it is more complicated when you take an independent tour rather than a HAL tour on a tender port day).
But before 11:00 rolled around, one woman on the bus got impatient and declared that she was going to find our guide so we could get going because the people who had not yet shown up should have gotten on an earlier tender! She got off the bus and marched off around the corner. Okay.
I guess she and the guide must have passed each other at some point because right at 11:00, the guide got on the bus with the remaining passengers. The bus started to move. The husband of the woman who had gotten off started raising a fuss that his wife was not on. I wasn’t sure that the bus was going to stop. However, the woman came around the corner as the bus was at the stop sign and got on. She was mad that the bus seemed to be leaving her. Not a great start to her tour.
