Montevideo

Montevideo is Uruguay's largest city and capital, essentially the city has three regions that vary a lot depending on where you are. The areas of the city differ depending if you are in the port area, urban center or the beach suburbs. Since I am trying to sell the truck I am actually driving around the whole town with my "For Sale" sign on it for exposure. I did choose to stay in the beach suburbs so that I can enjoy the outdoors without ten trillion people breathing down my neck. As cities go, Montevideo has a more rundown feel and look about it. This is surprising considering how much revenue this tiny country gets from tourism. Well, maybe the majority of tourists actually stay at the beaches and is why the downtown has that neglected feel about it. Somethings I will never know, but for a place to visit I think Montevideo downtown is just so so. The beach community is your typical healthier, younger group of people so that is where I chose to stay.
   When I walked along the beach, which is really along the Rio Plata, I walked through plumes, no, dare I say a forest fire of marijuana smoke. Since I wasn't exactly sure what the pungent skunky aroma was I had to stand there for a while to make sure. And yes, it was what I thought and after a long while I went back to my hotel had two dinners and fell right to sleep. As it turns out, weed is legal here and is probably the reason why having a huge bonfire of cannabis was no big thing. And for the record, I did not inhale and was merely observing the frolicking, giggling crowd of happy carefree people from my vantage point downwind in the fog of their smoke.

The main center of Montevideo

The theater

Downtown walking district is filled with shops.

Nice fountains and parks in downtown but there are a lot of beggars and homeless here.

This city has a very European feel about it.

Nice buildings adorn the streets but there are a lot of not so nice buildings too.

The main beach road is a 4 lane road each way.

Islands just off the beach

The beach was not crowded.

Skyscrapers lined the street to capture the views of the water.

I like the walk ways along the main boulevard.

A German overlander enjoying South America's warmth as well.

About 3/4 of a pound of Cherries for $6 (.32 Kilo for 6 Euro).