A Year in Uruguay

Several friends have asked me what Uruguay is like. I haven't had a concise answer for them.

In some ways it's easiest to say what Uruguay is not. It's not like Mexico; it's not like Ecuador; it's not like the Dominican Republic; it's not like Costa Rica. They don't serve tacos or burritos. They don't serve beans and rice. There's no tropical rainforest.

Culturally, Uruguay and Argentina are similar. They grill beef and drink mate. French fries are a common sidedish. Dinner is late-- after 10 pm. You can drink the water. Wine and beer are more common than rum, tequila, or aguardiente. Afternoon tea is popular.

Uruguay has winter-- although it's more like winter in New Orleans than Kalamazoo. The Atlantic Ocean tempers the weather-- both winter and summer are fairly mild. The coast is pretty, with a regionally famous beach at Punta del Este. We didn't travel to the interior on our last visit, although it's possible to stay at ranches and watch the gauchos in action.

We'll see if my description changes during this trip. It looks like we're going to leave Michigan on August 18.

Labels: customs, Uruguay