SCENES FROM AROUND SOUTH AMERICA IN 49 DAYS- SERIES #5

LUCES, CAMARA de la ACCION!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! (IN ENGLISH)

 

BIENVENIDOS A URUGUAY!

February 15,2013

Hola mi amigas!  Buenos dias! Another beautiful day from Uruguay.

 

This coming June 12, 2013 , my husband & I will be celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary. It seemed like only yesterday when we walked down the I Do Lane. Today, I still remember an English song w/ some Spanish words called "Que Sera Sera."  I am not a good soprano singer but while in the shower I could hummed the words pretty well......"When I was young, I fell in love......I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead.....Will we have rainbows, day after day.....Here's what my sweetheart said.......Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be....The future's not ours, to see........Que Sera, Sera......What will be, will be."

 

This year, traveling to South America was written on our future. Today we just arrived at the port of Montevideo Port, Uruguay. This was our first time to visit this small country. Poor small Uruguay, sandwiched between two giant countries, Brazil and Argentina.  Anyway, it was an interesting city in many ways. Very modern & developed.



MODERN MOTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

I wondered how it felt to be a small country. I am a petite woman. Honestly, being one had many obstacles. But I also thought that being small had some perks. I may be small, but we short people have great perspective on life. We are always looking up. As they said...."Good things come in small packages." "Dynamite comes in small packages too."

Behind every small country, there's a story worth telling. We were happy that we had decided to skip the city tour of Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay in favor of touring Colonia del Sacramento. We reached Colonia via our tour bus, about 2 hours drive from Montevideo port. The long drive was very relaxing. A great trip for anyone looking to escape the hustle & bustle of city life. The country  side drive was enjoyable. For us, it was not a different world. The familiar country side reconnected us of our childood days. A  landscape planted w/ coconut, banana, papaya, mango and acacia trees.  The Spanish architectures reminded us of our former homeland, the Philippines. Like Uruguay, the Philippines was colonized by Spain. Uruguay was at first a Spanish colony, but it was overtaken by Portugal into their Brazilian colony. So both Spain and Portugal colonized Uruguay.

STOPPED FOR LUNCH AT MESSON DE LA PLAZA INSIDE COLONIA

 

 

AT COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO

Colonia del Sacramento was Uruguay's oldest city.  A UNESCO  Heritage Site in 1995, which protects the structures from being ruined.

 

 

 

THE OLD CITY GATE WOODEN DRAWBRIDGE & WALLS OF COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO.  ENTRANCE TO THE ANCIENT VILLAGE.



The result was a picturesque ancient village that looked like something made in Hollywood. The ancient city reminded us what life was like hundred years ago w/ cobbled streets, beautiful homes and very humble historic buildings. Tiny streets lined w/ old trees and colorful bougainvillas. 

 

 

Colonial houses, built in Portuguese style of houses and cobble stoned streets. This historic portion of Colonia  was reminiscent of Lisbon, Portugal. It was the only Portuguese settlement along the Rio de la plata.

  

STREET OF SIGH

 

CHARMING ANCIENT COBBLED STONES STREET

We savored & strolled the old city w/ many charming cobbled streets, welcoming plaza and interesting National Museums filled w/ historic artifacts. The streets in the Barrio Historico closed off, only filled with little cafe tables here and there. You cannot take a bad picture here. It's just too perfect!

 

 

COLONIAL HOUSES 

 

 

PLAZA MAYOY 25 De MAYO

 



VISITED IGLESIA MATRIZ, CONIA DEL SACRARAMENTO
 

The Iglesia Matriz, Uruguay's oldest church dating back to 1610. It seemed strange to have so little art & decoration inside but that's part of it's charm.

POSING BESIDE RIO DE LA PLATA

Colonia was charmingly located right on the riverside. Nice boardwalk around the shores but it was too hot where we were there.

 

LIGHTHOUSE & RUINS

The lighthouse of colonia del sacramento was built in 1857, on the ruins of the convento De san francisco Javier. Climbing the stairs of the 19th-century light house to get great views of the town was a good exercise.



 

Ruins of St. Francis Xavier convent. The odest building in colonia del sacramento. dating back from th 7th century.

 "ADIOS" to Montevideo, Uruguay. Good to see you. Enjoyed you even for just a day.