tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301516172024-03-07T06:12:27.734-03:00A Year in UruguayChuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.comBlogger409125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-15878513772389334432023-04-07T10:59:00.004-03:002023-04-07T10:59:56.788-03:00Argentine pesos<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0xowl7GlDlzNi2DZBn-cuF6OuNdtAiv8EdvLxTZjQs_mi5ATHaM2iS56H9az8VITqX8gV5JaXRfC9r_zbrXImAvbkH7ttsyDK74DdefaYhAGtDu3xBnOV8LhuU2pDw3yQ_u-720Y9plLwZnIcF7KIxFa-kUE208HEKIvtQNBcavFmKEVSM4/s4032/IMG_8796.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0xowl7GlDlzNi2DZBn-cuF6OuNdtAiv8EdvLxTZjQs_mi5ATHaM2iS56H9az8VITqX8gV5JaXRfC9r_zbrXImAvbkH7ttsyDK74DdefaYhAGtDu3xBnOV8LhuU2pDw3yQ_u-720Y9plLwZnIcF7KIxFa-kUE208HEKIvtQNBcavFmKEVSM4/w300-h400/IMG_8796.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>We are in Buenos Aires now, enjoying great food, interesting museums, and big city life. At the moment, Argentina is much cheaper than Uruguay-- something almost every Uruguayan told us. A small bag of potato chips cost over $5 US in Montevideo is about $1 here. Our Uruguayan friends talked about shoes costing 1/5 the price on this side of the Río de la Plata, so loved coming her to shop. Restaurants, groceries, taxicabs are all much, much cheaper.<p></p><p>It's not always this way, but the value of the Argentine peso is falling faster than prices inflate so nearly everything here is a bargain for anyone with foreign currency. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUAdmfcpDf3q4RS2ck5OfooIfbaf3dvBU51-AUjbK-K3HRWzk1fK6U0ijR6qvfu-egOJ-VJQ13edJ5K8_6KrScL_DPW0RAW_C8qkOobm9krQ7eHl56J-JbUmC_n_bVLcGY-9JXbB8IFdSmY_ISMW4WTsfEAlzL1AONZ2CHn_kywoeXpLJVjo/s844/Screenshot%202023-04-07%20at%208.47.35%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="844" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUAdmfcpDf3q4RS2ck5OfooIfbaf3dvBU51-AUjbK-K3HRWzk1fK6U0ijR6qvfu-egOJ-VJQ13edJ5K8_6KrScL_DPW0RAW_C8qkOobm9krQ7eHl56J-JbUmC_n_bVLcGY-9JXbB8IFdSmY_ISMW4WTsfEAlzL1AONZ2CHn_kywoeXpLJVjo/w400-h230/Screenshot%202023-04-07%20at%208.47.35%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>Graphs like this are unusual in financial markets, since the future is too easy to predict... everyone expects the peso to continue falling in value, so no one wants to hold pesos. The actual market value of the peso is much lower than this picture shows. This is the official rate, currently $1 = 210 pesos, controlled by the Argentine government. The black market rate (called the Blue market here) is nearly 400 pesos to the dollar. Exchanging at the black market rate cuts the price of everything in half.<p></p><p>In Uruguay, everyone had their trusted exchange guy in Buenos Aires-- a taxi driver, a white-haired man operating next to a florist, a guy who would deliver pesos to your door-- and they were happy to share their contacts. We have been changing money at the black market rate in an office on a big commercial street-- complete with two teller windows, marble floors, frosted glass dividers, velvet ropes between chromed stanchions, and bill-counting machines. It's not secret-- there is a big lighted sign above the entrance and the name is etched on the glass double doors. Apparently the black market is fairly grey.</p><p>The biggest bill in circulation is 1000 pesos-- only worth $2.50 US-- so paying for a hotel requires bundles of bills. Even buying dinner means counting stacks of dozens of notes. The smaller bills (10, 20 pesos) have so little value that they are often ignored at cash registers. Western Union was running short of 1000 peso bills, so customers were stuffing thick wads of 100 peso and 500 peso notes into pockets, purses, and paper bags that held the croissants they ate while waiting in line. An inch thick stack of 100 peso bills makes you feel rich, but its only worth about $25.</p><p>While Argentine products are super-cheap now, imports are really expensive here. A bottle of maple syrup cost over $70 at the official exchange rate. Ordinary salmon from Chile costs 4 times as much as prime Argentine streak. My wife is particular about coffee and much of the South American coffee doesn't meet her standards (wrong beans, processed with sugar) so she looked for imported coffee in the supermarket but it was simply unavailable. The same exchange rate that makes Argentina a bargain for us, makes imported good prohibitively costly.<br /></p><p>Inflation is currently running over 100% annually. Many restaurants cover the old prices with stickers rather than re-print the entire menu. We ate a Don Julio, a famous steakhouse, and received menus with two different prices-- one was from last week and prices had already changed. We took the Mitre train to Tigre (about an hour's ride)-- a comfortable modern train-- and it cost 25 pesos, about 6 cents. Apparently government-set prices don't adjust as quickly as restaurants.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ihmLotE_FrBmU9-e8gnX-VAnRbOd6aCvuR7inb5hQu4IUBfI9cE0xYKhXAmeDCp7X5YgmxrDSOWw6vcWPVRW2qn-AKH4J0NvCUQJCGMYiSMX0tQ23IpoSk4tsejg6R9TC3LPPrAvlO4i8YwSvkbz4BxhuzS1ZZobxStmo19nz_LMu4Jg2wo/s4032/IMG_8807.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ihmLotE_FrBmU9-e8gnX-VAnRbOd6aCvuR7inb5hQu4IUBfI9cE0xYKhXAmeDCp7X5YgmxrDSOWw6vcWPVRW2qn-AKH4J0NvCUQJCGMYiSMX0tQ23IpoSk4tsejg6R9TC3LPPrAvlO4i8YwSvkbz4BxhuzS1ZZobxStmo19nz_LMu4Jg2wo/w400-h300/IMG_8807.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>As a traveler, the huge difference between the black market and official exchange rates means you need to manage your cash carefully. Withdrawing from an ATM is at the official rate-- doubling your costs. Credit cards may exchange at the official rate or at a special tourist rate (close to the black market rate) but it's impossible to know at the time of a purchase. There isn't much dollarization (it may be illegal) so cash transactions in pesos are the norm. This means regular trips to a change dollars. There is a strong preference for crisp, clean US $100 bills. Worn currency or smaller bills may trade at a discount or be rejected entirely.</p><p>But, it's important not to exchange more than you will spend, since you can't change the pesos back into dollars. (Everyone wants dollars and no one wants to hold pesos.) The value of the peso is dropping quickly so they are likely to be worthless for travel in future years. Pretty much use it or lose it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOm1aLSmgBoa-zEilz6Iz8Q5z2ENW0a1TO_pccx1ZDenPpveOZmwFsTy5rXOxT--teMT0ib3MkYjE7T0fMGwBF4iJlTHjXcz2jm34tqdK3KH_5q7OpII3pu0dZiqt09N2r2RGagCsZPSFmB7Uij6UsUX7WYHa7lpLdRpTtdqwzZ3rksyHWlU/s4032/IMG_8206.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOm1aLSmgBoa-zEilz6Iz8Q5z2ENW0a1TO_pccx1ZDenPpveOZmwFsTy5rXOxT--teMT0ib3MkYjE7T0fMGwBF4iJlTHjXcz2jm34tqdK3KH_5q7OpII3pu0dZiqt09N2r2RGagCsZPSFmB7Uij6UsUX7WYHa7lpLdRpTtdqwzZ3rksyHWlU/w300-h400/IMG_8206.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrnlwSgSS1soCXYov5ihcSjR3DP94aUsCx3cILm9yX29lclQv0ESFkmPWQCwmvjId1yW6Z9oZW_xjqRrbJdGP_FRs4EjTlNUA3o8UkKssmh1ICEOZyoFHe0xfA6AlxFNSm_bUoeKalscSRz-WmXYzG4TlxdPW4hMyvm_heOkL41TDT67Porg/s4032/IMG_8207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrnlwSgSS1soCXYov5ihcSjR3DP94aUsCx3cILm9yX29lclQv0ESFkmPWQCwmvjId1yW6Z9oZW_xjqRrbJdGP_FRs4EjTlNUA3o8UkKssmh1ICEOZyoFHe0xfA6AlxFNSm_bUoeKalscSRz-WmXYzG4TlxdPW4hMyvm_heOkL41TDT67Porg/w300-h400/IMG_8207.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzB1AvQNbklA_Ay927imCXVR7NtnNph6Ug1x6VA0Sx3Q7I2A63qPVaHQEaI4hmK_lUmWgqDSLHCXCHhF6JgFaaZGt_PiMURbCftyA1eK5v-W6jXgQRoEGzibxwUcyg0pMrDOryXhPOrukv4Jb77pIQvqSATwyHZoVpTWwM_C9ymYmGWZaZp8/s4032/IMG_8210.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzB1AvQNbklA_Ay927imCXVR7NtnNph6Ug1x6VA0Sx3Q7I2A63qPVaHQEaI4hmK_lUmWgqDSLHCXCHhF6JgFaaZGt_PiMURbCftyA1eK5v-W6jXgQRoEGzibxwUcyg0pMrDOryXhPOrukv4Jb77pIQvqSATwyHZoVpTWwM_C9ymYmGWZaZp8/w300-h400/IMG_8210.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-68285714149156483872023-03-12T14:11:00.002-03:002023-03-12T14:21:34.675-03:00Carnaval a de Pie <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bnDzpE5pjA5hDW7guqICUT8ZbPSKdrQP9QnrmKyiRsvhIqAc0Gpn2-uJNTw9YmS1YqGrki9xuHNjowvKl_avt9iM4IIVelIGo57uxT8BbeFEa-R7YmmK9Qv8MSuRLpMTS1BavcD5cf5Q3iO6JHL49X0DT5UE7UwjjO_KHpC3fh3myn1uWBg/s6000/IMG_7438.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bnDzpE5pjA5hDW7guqICUT8ZbPSKdrQP9QnrmKyiRsvhIqAc0Gpn2-uJNTw9YmS1YqGrki9xuHNjowvKl_avt9iM4IIVelIGo57uxT8BbeFEa-R7YmmK9Qv8MSuRLpMTS1BavcD5cf5Q3iO6JHL49X0DT5UE7UwjjO_KHpC3fh3myn1uWBg/w266-h400/IMG_7438.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>I enjoyed the carnaval show so much on Thursday night, that I went back on Saturday. This time I bought my ticket at the Teatro de Verano just before show time. Excellent seats were still available.</p><p>I brought a bigger camera to this show and made several videos. </p><p> Doña Bastarda<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DP7v57-A3V4" width="320" youtube-src-id="DP7v57-A3V4"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p>La Gran Muñeca<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XpAzbYxk0P4" width="320" youtube-src-id="XpAzbYxk0P4"></iframe></div><p></p><p><a href=" https://youtu.be/Bq5G5nZLqz4 ">Carnaval a de Pie Saturday</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bq5G5nZLqz4" width="320" youtube-src-id="Bq5G5nZLqz4"></iframe></div><br /><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK6f7K8CWIG8qMQ6usZPLbTwWrH_pLNkub8-Mee9MifQSYSDhcp4XI4vuAM5LFSz94B3oXjKxJX6j2ow56BvS7eQ6iZKh3Ipj7OuOWYj3B3lwnPqTwbuFr7sYQq3gLDU4cLTPTk_WyIxpLqtNnYr9Ao8rPV5RvFnZQEX4iUPbJ2dfigmp_XU/s6000/IMG_7105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK6f7K8CWIG8qMQ6usZPLbTwWrH_pLNkub8-Mee9MifQSYSDhcp4XI4vuAM5LFSz94B3oXjKxJX6j2ow56BvS7eQ6iZKh3Ipj7OuOWYj3B3lwnPqTwbuFr7sYQq3gLDU4cLTPTk_WyIxpLqtNnYr9Ao8rPV5RvFnZQEX4iUPbJ2dfigmp_XU/w266-h400/IMG_7105.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DsBxWET38uNjJMy3UvzrzhrSnE1cgJYJj2DNGF6N-iiQV6-UD5ISyi4IRz_gSalLFyCq8TIatjIy3rk-gQgn4VlwVCnnFYVDJ1V6DZV34z5shm3iHGPBfRD0QY8z9cF4ZXQFuwI8JT0cBf67wsUdmr3UTRUb7RhXg7DFe_Ey5FduyDSk44I/s4032/IMG_6723.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DsBxWET38uNjJMy3UvzrzhrSnE1cgJYJj2DNGF6N-iiQV6-UD5ISyi4IRz_gSalLFyCq8TIatjIy3rk-gQgn4VlwVCnnFYVDJ1V6DZV34z5shm3iHGPBfRD0QY8z9cF4ZXQFuwI8JT0cBf67wsUdmr3UTRUb7RhXg7DFe_Ey5FduyDSk44I/w300-h400/IMG_6723.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-29541894508111141922023-03-12T12:49:00.000-03:002023-03-12T12:49:09.723-03:00Carnaval 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMDECNef4yo72d1sFXc5cXJoSp2qOb9R7jHSIa10DdXc-O8CMOkP1xuE3AmvvlIDDfi7hwVjyFsspSmLzjsEKrOvma0Gv08bezI4aEQcBDI6wz3sKH2iFJ4M9zUn2nVgULXgFwcqUacZt92McTGH9umcLExanfi3qYv1n6B9dpjvQ89tFAto/s4032/IMG_6564.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMDECNef4yo72d1sFXc5cXJoSp2qOb9R7jHSIa10DdXc-O8CMOkP1xuE3AmvvlIDDfi7hwVjyFsspSmLzjsEKrOvma0Gv08bezI4aEQcBDI6wz3sKH2iFJ4M9zUn2nVgULXgFwcqUacZt92McTGH9umcLExanfi3qYv1n6B9dpjvQ89tFAto/w300-h400/IMG_6564.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Carnaval is one of my favorite parts of Uruguay. The costumes, the music, the drumming, and the dancing are almost overwhelming. When we lived here, many of my February nights were devoted to visiting the <i>tablados</i>.<br /><p></p><p>This year, when we were making our travel arrangements for our trip, I was afraid we would miss carnaval since we wouldn't leave the US until after Ash Wednesday (the end of carnival season in most countries.) I knew that Uruguay's carnaval continued, but it was difficult to find information about its actual end. When we arrived in early March, the competition part of carnaval was over and the winners announced, but there was still a week of performances scheduled in the Teatro de Verano.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpjL0yi4a_wNnewFzT-oI48f__W0o7-2YNBiT_hivLQaWyaW5hw95YijuyIEdeZKy1bedWURP_HSUXYqrTiyF78BFuUe4FWqwjd2onH5V3fsX6lBsieJJovCfeSyEoRcnZE2J0HJqq2UmaFRR0xRI8QDiFGCzm6MH6i3P6EGnXC_fbEMbuG0/s4032/IMG_6557.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpjL0yi4a_wNnewFzT-oI48f__W0o7-2YNBiT_hivLQaWyaW5hw95YijuyIEdeZKy1bedWURP_HSUXYqrTiyF78BFuUe4FWqwjd2onH5V3fsX6lBsieJJovCfeSyEoRcnZE2J0HJqq2UmaFRR0xRI8QDiFGCzm6MH6i3P6EGnXC_fbEMbuG0/w400-h300/IMG_6557.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p>Tickets weren't available at Abitab until the evening before the show, but we were able to get front row seats. Six different groups performed including two murgas. I made a short video with clips from the show.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_CQbL16CI14" width="320" youtube-src-id="_CQbL16CI14"></iframe></div><p>It was a really enjoyable night!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLXlLvJTorfbzA__UwgW7AN7hP5iq41kzdZ8hoTLhgn2dwzEQyMcIxQlcdzRndfoV09DbIA8BgXtaEyk_xO--5PpqOwAenQex1co8SoUznG0rBt6QcoOg7X2W1-G_P-rXc0Xq8MLdlrt90gzutPc1fn7rGljuNCkl6o4DE2g19EFV9UY4NSs/s4032/IMG_6657.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLXlLvJTorfbzA__UwgW7AN7hP5iq41kzdZ8hoTLhgn2dwzEQyMcIxQlcdzRndfoV09DbIA8BgXtaEyk_xO--5PpqOwAenQex1co8SoUznG0rBt6QcoOg7X2W1-G_P-rXc0Xq8MLdlrt90gzutPc1fn7rGljuNCkl6o4DE2g19EFV9UY4NSs/w400-h300/IMG_6657.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-47092135730200411792023-03-02T16:51:00.000-03:002023-03-02T16:51:04.470-03:00Return to Montevideo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UuBgqTLHpDNtqus8OJx30mi_MRHJ4L1LRelG8_bFo6Klqmh8E-r0ZLQSn1qSQITMMEDQIvIUwIuHS1CiMBe4O2UkS0j4S_UfULEO13lyPEfXYUp40muQcBMYxfuqT_4Ll4Sc6YVOdT0kLoRfRt3lZIdf7PgEN1lSmI0A29OLcHrf_cEZccc/s4032/E7CB6961-C9DC-4AFC-9CE7-DBA92AFCF924.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UuBgqTLHpDNtqus8OJx30mi_MRHJ4L1LRelG8_bFo6Klqmh8E-r0ZLQSn1qSQITMMEDQIvIUwIuHS1CiMBe4O2UkS0j4S_UfULEO13lyPEfXYUp40muQcBMYxfuqT_4Ll4Sc6YVOdT0kLoRfRt3lZIdf7PgEN1lSmI0A29OLcHrf_cEZccc/w400-h300/E7CB6961-C9DC-4AFC-9CE7-DBA92AFCF924.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> It’s been nearly 15 years since I was in Uruguay and I am back for a short visit this month. Our flight connected through Panamá City and we took advantage of Copa Airlines’ program to stay for a couple of days at no extra charge. Panama was interesting enough that I wished we had visited it earlier. <p></p><p>We landed in Montevideo early yesterday morning and we were surprised how easy entry into the country was. We were able to use their automated system, which scanned our passport, took a photo, and then we were done with immigration. Customs was just a quick baggage scan and disposal of a cheese from the US. </p><p>Uruguay felt very familiar. There has been a lot of new construction along the waterfront. The old Carrasco casino renovation was completed. The sidewalks in Pocitos were markedly cleaner (although still broken in places.) The grocery store has a wider variety of products— more gluten free foods, more imported items. But lots of the same businesses are still operating in the same locations. </p><p>While carnival in most of the world ends with Ash Wednesday, in Uruguay <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/search/label/carnival">carnaval</a> continues. The winners in the individual categories were announced last weekend but post-competition performances are scheduled every day this week. We were able to buy tickets from our neighborhood Abitab for tonight’s performance at the Teatro de Verano. </p>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-83837502113934088802012-02-28T22:22:00.003-02:002012-02-28T22:30:35.550-02:00Murga on NPRNational Public Radio ran a short story this evening on Uruguay's carnaval, "<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/02/28/147583213/carnaval-in-uruguay-choir-competitions-in-the-streets">Carnaval In Uruguay: Choir Competitions In The Streets</a>"<br /><br />The story focuses on murga which was my favorite part of carnaval.<br /><blockquote>"The tradition came to Uruguay via Cadíz, Spain, more than 100 years ago, where there is a similar choral music called chirigota. Today, a murga choir is made up of 13 voices singing complex harmonies, accompanied by three percussionists plus a choral director.<br /> <br />The performers wear elaborate, circus-like costumes and makeup, and compete every Carnaval. Now some choirs even have sponsors and CDs. But they still parody the talk of the town that year — be it corrupt politicians, a spike in violence or that annoying recording you get when you call for a taxi."</blockquote><br /><br />"Murga doesn't represent the masses; they are the masses."<br /><br />You can listen to the whole story at: <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/02/28/147583213/carnaval-in-uruguay-choir-competitions-in-the-streets">http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/02/28/147583213/carnaval-in-uruguay-choir-competitions-in-the-streets</a>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-59117128525546302192010-04-17T09:01:00.002-03:002010-04-17T09:03:50.224-03:00The Invisible Mountain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLAU-X8VRBCgKDc4a0XNhgJ9g6OW9KPozoEyVAUqxX-0Islweo-_eYWiu2E1j1UiFpEwCv8GlnohMCpf1Q2zsAJkiA8IO8viwIiKZaIeoBp_VfBJrJR41eOGJXQIpLDZ9A-zhag/s1600/invisiblemountain.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 219px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLAU-X8VRBCgKDc4a0XNhgJ9g6OW9KPozoEyVAUqxX-0Islweo-_eYWiu2E1j1UiFpEwCv8GlnohMCpf1Q2zsAJkiA8IO8viwIiKZaIeoBp_VfBJrJR41eOGJXQIpLDZ9A-zhag/s320/invisiblemountain.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461075649517723298" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Invisible Mountain<br /><a href="http://www.carolinaderobertis.com/bio">Carolina de Robertis</a><br />2009</span><br /><br /><blockquote>"There were strange things about this city. Amethysts used as doorstops, leather used for everything, a stone wall between Old City and New. An obsession with the president, a man called Batlle y Ordóñez, who had promised schools, and workers' rights, and hospitals (secular ones, scandalously so, with crucifixes banned from the walls). All the laborers Ignazio worked with-- even the immigrants, of which there were many-- spoke of Batlle the way Italians spoke of the pope. These men were also obsessed with <span style="font-style:italic;">mate</span>: a brew of shredded leaves and hot water, concocted in a hollow gourd, then drunk through a metal straw called a <span style="font-style:italic;">bombilla</span>. They drank it as if their lives depended on it, and maybe their lives did, sucking at the <span style="font-style:italic;">bombillas</span> on their high steel beams, pouring water while awaiting the next crate, passing the gourd from hand to calloused hand. The first time he was offered <span style="font-style:italic;">mate</span>, Ignazio was shocked by the assumption that he should share a cup. He was eighteen, after all, a grown man. He thought of refusing, but he didn't want the others to think him afraid of tea. The gourd felt warm against his palm. The wet green mass inside it gleamed. The drink flooded his mouth, bright and green and bitter, the taste, he thought, of Uruguay."</blockquote><br /><br />I would have missed this book, except a blog reader recommended it to me. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Invisible Mountain</span> is a novel about a Uruguayan family. Crossing four generations, the story personalizes many aspects of Uruguay's history: immigration, the growth of Montevideo, economic boom & bust, the dictatorship. At times, it's harsh-- not suitable for kids-- and in places it's strange, but overall it added a dimension to my understanding of the country.<br /><br />I read a library copy, but it's also available from booksellers like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Mountain-Carolina-Robertis/dp/0307271633/">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Invisible-Mountain/Carolina-De-Robertis/e/9780307271631/?itm=1">Barnes & Noble</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Michael for the recommendation.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-5183861214490175652010-04-03T10:22:00.003-03:002010-04-03T10:33:07.935-03:00More Uruguay resourcesMany of the Uruguay blogs I'd been reading have ended as expats moved from the country.<br /> <br />Recently, I've been following <a href="http://www.olauruguay.com/">Ola Uruguay Real Estate</a>-- not so much for the real estate propaganda, but for the posts on living in Uruguay by Suki and Syd.<br /><br />Another informative website is <a href="http://www.uruguaynow.com/index.php">Uruguay Now,</a> an up-to-date guide to the country, with an emphasis on Montevideo.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-87123786855165417612009-12-28T14:19:00.003-02:002009-12-28T14:30:27.824-02:00Gaucho music<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJExM_wGxgGcVRt5JYtEqgOmQHBvBnHnEtni_o2Vsi2T9ABhn6DTi_6LU_9Axh3mGVyFSQaQ-WmK4pxEdfIO1-ZhYvzoAQAgnlHAZXEC6VUsuKUxT3XyO2DLd-PEmCP-8UbCVlGw/s1600-h/IMG_0764.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJExM_wGxgGcVRt5JYtEqgOmQHBvBnHnEtni_o2Vsi2T9ABhn6DTi_6LU_9Axh3mGVyFSQaQ-WmK4pxEdfIO1-ZhYvzoAQAgnlHAZXEC6VUsuKUxT3XyO2DLd-PEmCP-8UbCVlGw/s320/IMG_0764.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420323391652922306" /></a><br />Here's a video from an evening of <span style="font-style:italic;">música folclórica</span> in homage to a gaucho poet. The performance was held in the <a href="http://cultura.montevideo.gub.uy/node/142">Cabildo de Montevideo</a>.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixY1qS_Rb9k&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixY1qS_Rb9k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-89618994203762196572009-12-21T19:26:00.003-02:002009-12-21T19:39:55.698-02:00Parque Rodó<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3UT2ef-mAGhpknYKmM-8kMZ5-kokkyF3G7p2D_n68wCTTWVNdyl4Y-taARC4r-7P8dRg7aUxcTpY_X4pPvxRIt0BHfO0mZUrB4lcfRdfwbGPWuz4VJNvDxXdV_MJgzcTOcmL5g/s1600-h/IMG_0693.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3UT2ef-mAGhpknYKmM-8kMZ5-kokkyF3G7p2D_n68wCTTWVNdyl4Y-taARC4r-7P8dRg7aUxcTpY_X4pPvxRIt0BHfO0mZUrB4lcfRdfwbGPWuz4VJNvDxXdV_MJgzcTOcmL5g/s320/IMG_0693.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417805023772796306" /></a><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qKiJLb7Xilc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qKiJLb7Xilc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Here's a belated video from my last trip to Uruguay.<br /><br />My earlier videos from the park are <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/01/night-at-parque-rod.html">here</a> and <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/10/parque-rod.html">here</a>. To me, the improvement in YouTube's definition is striking.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-54807117025422691142009-07-01T19:31:00.003-03:002009-12-14T16:58:59.561-02:00Uruguay in the newsBon Appétit has a <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/08/punta_del_este_uruguay">travel feature on Punta del Este</a> in their August issue. It features short reviews of several restaurants and as well as some nice pictures in a pdf file. Perhaps a nice romantic getaway for <a href="http://benjamingedan.blogspot.com/2009/06/sanfords-affair-started-in-punta-del.html">Governor Sanford</a>?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">update</span>: The New York Times had a nice <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/travel/25hours.html">article on visiting Montevideo</a>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-5393683524913477152009-04-30T23:01:00.004-03:002009-04-30T23:35:09.020-03:00Uruguayan jazz vocalist on public radioOur friend Maria Noel Taranto will be featured on the "<a href="http://www.jazzinspired.com/">Jazz Inspired</a>" radio show on public radio stations across the US and Canada during the first week of May. (<a href="http://www.jazzinspired.com/schedule.shtml">A list of stations and times is here</a>.)<br /><br />If you're interested, you can listen to several of Maria Noel's songs on her <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lataranto">La Taranto MySpace page</a>.<br /><br />There are also short clips from her performances in some of my <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/01/music-at-primuseum.html">earlier posts</a>.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-70516474951014719532009-02-18T23:42:00.002-02:002009-02-18T23:50:14.374-02:00Carnaval exhibit in Kalamazoo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOrnhLVZ-nov51t-6P5YY96KKJypTtZ0ggmOFoqN9yHijqD-_tLSGTTPRrZtcmCWfwsIdl4_3KcglM-JtNqJmnXPW7AAkrgjLvJyMPXAOLl_D2t2rpTlA0NAgKaPKaBuQQ4fctQ/s1600-h/carnaval+bw.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOrnhLVZ-nov51t-6P5YY96KKJypTtZ0ggmOFoqN9yHijqD-_tLSGTTPRrZtcmCWfwsIdl4_3KcglM-JtNqJmnXPW7AAkrgjLvJyMPXAOLl_D2t2rpTlA0NAgKaPKaBuQQ4fctQ/s320/carnaval+bw.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304318164687768210" /></a>I have an exhibit of photos from Montevideo's <span style="font-style:italic;">carnaval</span> at my college's art gallery for the last two weeks in February. If you're in the area, please stop by.<br /><br />We'll be having a reception on Saturday February 21 from 4-7.<br /><br /><br />Light Fine Arts Building<br /><a href="http://www.kzoo.edu/">Kalamazoo College</a><br />Kalamazoo, MI<br />corner of Academy Street and Thompson Street<br /><a href="http://www.kzoo.edu/college/?p=campus">campus map</a><br />gallery hours Monday-Friday 9-5Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-59974706236667060182008-10-28T09:54:00.003-02:002008-10-30T11:27:56.743-02:00Uruguayan microbrew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5VD9ubldrYEBZ8vaypP9W3Xo4EcDsQAxEG3puY7D0Q1MT8zIRzpV-1372jJD_ZxLgR2TpzmAIc2_YfQXEg9eKDgbfVMzi5y_ckEALayIjX74qsXhcihb2KAPZvTNEewRaAN_GQ/s1600-h/cerveza.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5VD9ubldrYEBZ8vaypP9W3Xo4EcDsQAxEG3puY7D0Q1MT8zIRzpV-1372jJD_ZxLgR2TpzmAIc2_YfQXEg9eKDgbfVMzi5y_ckEALayIjX74qsXhcihb2KAPZvTNEewRaAN_GQ/s320/cerveza.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262172283094188018" /></a>One thing I missed when I lived in Montevideo was the complex flavor of craft beers. I didn't have any complaints about Pilsen or Patricia but there wasn't much variety. After I returned to the US, a new microbrewery opened in Montevideo and when I visited this August I was able to taste their product.<br /><br />Cervecería Artesanal del Uruguay brands its beer <a href="http://www.mastra.com.uy/">Mastra</a> and they brew three varieties: <span style="font-style:italic;">dorada</span> [gold], <span style="font-style:italic;">roja</span> [red], and <span style="font-style:italic;">negra</span> [black]. I enjoyed them. The <span style="font-style:italic;">negra</span> is a thick, hearty traditional stout, as opposed to a dark-colored but relatively light-tasting beer like <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/05/pilsen-stout.html">Pilsen Stout</a>. The <span style="font-style:italic;">roja</span> has a great malty taste; I could see it becoming my favorite. (I didn't have time to try the <span style="font-style:italic;">dorada</span>.)<br /><br />Is Uruguay ready for craft beers? No problem on the supply side-- these are high quality microbrews. On the demand side, it's questionable. Beer is certainly part of Uruguay's culture and I'm sure there are enough beer-drinkers with adventuresome tastes who would drink strongly flavored <span style="font-style:italic;">cervezas</span>. The problem is the price. A small single-serving bottle (12 oz/355 ml) costs more than a liter of Patricia, which is going to make it hard to survive in the marketplace. It's tough to launch a super-premium product in an economically-stressed market. That said, Argentina has several microbreweries so it's possible this one could succeed in Uruguay by tapping into the tourist trade. I wish them luck.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Suerte</span>.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-75948050468356231872008-10-20T00:02:00.002-02:002008-10-20T00:30:32.636-02:00Uruguay blogI've been meaning to recommend <a href="http://benjamingedan.blogspot.com/">A Small State of Mind</a> for some time. It's written by Benjamin Gedan, a Fulbright scholar and journalist studying the Uruguayan media. I've been enjoying it for several months.<br /><br />He writes on a broad array of Uruguayan topics from <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://benjamingedan.blogspot.com/2008/09/inspired-by-montevideos-historic-asado.html">chivitos</a> </span>to <a href="http://benjamingedan.blogspot.com/2008/09/hechoaca-wool-leather-and-supermodels.html">supermodels</a> to the <a href="http://benjamingedan.blogspot.com/2008/10/finally-facing-dark-past-uruguayan.html">dictatorship</a>. He's also published articles about <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/travel/31journeys.html?ei=5070">Uruguay in the New York Times<br /></a>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-45524954138962063132008-09-30T07:55:00.003-03:002008-09-30T10:46:40.152-03:00Monte de Ombúes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A3I2WbpINTTAnZOSDJ9S-qVL4DEvpgvShaiuy1yAsymQkAp_rT34Pr89RwaTsntMQAYKnxEjQ0bBmobz6MrtQywFICxHA0awUxpqRN2Av7YxL8RJBLstkKT9TkTbodemyc-ouQ/s1600-h/ombu.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A3I2WbpINTTAnZOSDJ9S-qVL4DEvpgvShaiuy1yAsymQkAp_rT34Pr89RwaTsntMQAYKnxEjQ0bBmobz6MrtQywFICxHA0awUxpqRN2Av7YxL8RJBLstkKT9TkTbodemyc-ouQ/s320/ombu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251766603734726530" /></a>After staying in <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2008/07/cabo-polonio.html">Cabo Polonio</a> this July, we visited the nearby Monte de Ombúes. <br /><br />An <span style="font-style:italic;">ombú</span> is a native tree closely associated with gaucho culture and Uruguay's history. My mental image of an <span style="font-style:italic;">ombú</span> has been a large, solitary tree surrounded by grasslands. (Not that I'd ever seen that; my actual experience with ombu trees was mostly of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=omb%C3%BA+bulevar+espa%C3%B1a&m=text">one particular tree</a> growing in the middle of Boulevard España in Montevideo and a few others growing in city parks.) Ombú trees can have peculiar shapes with multiple trunks, merging branches, and frequent hollows. <br /><br />The Monte de Ombúes promised something rare-- a forest of these unusual trees. The woods are on the shore of the <span style="font-style:italic;">Laguna de Castillos</span> and the only access is by boat. Regularly scheduled tours depart from the bridge where the highway crosses the <span style="font-style:italic;">arroyo Valizas</span>. Since July is the middle of winter in Uruguay, we were able to have a private tour.<br /><br />Our boat floated slowly past pastures dotted with butia palms while gulls and egrets flew overhead. It's a great trip for birdwatchers; our guide pointed out ibis, <a href="http://www.avesdelapatagonia.com.ar/terocotx1.htm">teru-teru</a>, <a href="http://www.damisela.com/zoo/ave/otros/anser/animidos/torquata/index.htm">chajá</a>, cormorants, ducks, herons, kingfishers, and even flamingos. After about an hour, we reached the woods-- two groves of <span style="font-style:italic;">ombúes</span>.<br /><br />The trees themselves were impressive. Since it was winter, they were nearly leafless, focusing our attention on the trunks. Some of the trees were over 30 feet around and many had openings big enough for a person, or even a whole family, to enter. It was almost surreal seeing two trunks emerge separately from the stump and then recombine 10 or 20 feet higher.<br /><br />This strange growth pattern is part of the ombu controversy: "Is it a tree or a shrub?" Until this visit, I'd always taken the tree side. The shrub argument seemed like it must be based on some obscure botanical definition. (Similar to the argument: "Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?") Based on everything I'd seen earlier, the ombú was a tree-- tall, solid, long-lived, trunk & branches, with leaves that dropped seasonally. How could it not be a tree?<br /><br />Now I'm less sure. In the forest, we saw fallen <span style="font-style:italic;">ombúes</span> and they weren't like fallen trees. Instead of being made of wood, the inside of an ombú looks like a cross between particle board and paper mache. Definitely not tree-like. New sprouts from the broken stumps furthered my confusion since they looked identical to the <a href="http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph24.htm">pokeweed</a> that grows in my backyard in Michigan. The shrub proponents do have a point.<br /><br />In any case, it was an interesting place to see. It's definitely a low-key trip-- something for nature-lovers; it would appeal to those Florida vacationers who choose <a href="http://www.fws.gov/dingdarling/">Ding Darling</a> over Miami Beach.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-60197318601356967582008-09-25T09:03:00.005-03:002008-09-25T10:14:57.561-03:00Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxuRe5DJfpCPvAhaiTPiSJnBhEaa1n6oxJ_6ne6OsN5VRi73d3S0DwldINXLilKTqxFhk1xnrl5cbqIoj8kO0kbTAxVe_OLnwcF1XqoGu8qZlweOiw9CF_3SGg95AfMJac5OSYQ/s1600-h/museoarte1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxuRe5DJfpCPvAhaiTPiSJnBhEaa1n6oxJ_6ne6OsN5VRi73d3S0DwldINXLilKTqxFhk1xnrl5cbqIoj8kO0kbTAxVe_OLnwcF1XqoGu8qZlweOiw9CF_3SGg95AfMJac5OSYQ/s320/museoarte1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249930423200506082" /></a> While I intended to visit Uruguay's National Museum of Art shortly after I went to the <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/12/museo-torres-garcia.html">Museo Torres-García</a>, I never made it during the entire year I lived in Montevideo. <br /><br />Partly because I didn't notice it. <br /><br />My mental image of an art museum is a grand classical building like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Institute_of_Chicago">Art Institute of Chicago</a> or the west wing of the <a href="http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/index.shtm">National Gallery of Art</a> or else I imagine something impressively modern like the National Gallery's east wing or the <a href="http://jya.com/bilbao.htm">Guggenheim in Bilbao</a>.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.mnav.gub.uy/">Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales</a> is located in Parque Rodó and I'd parked right next to it dozens of times without knowing it. The architecture reminded me of an elementary school. The courtyard was usually full of kids in their school <span style="font-style:italic;">tunicas</span> which reinforced the impression. I didn't realize it was a museum.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQe4bTU3ZCnFSeHlcOaSi-7ToXDqQU5rOrfzdC5q9Gy2-4BV6RGDudgDGONEL3hR_fwKoXDbiUTPscSgU7i1LSywSSRVxHOk4h69lr6nwXbw_qeFXsSSnPe9EoCVKPNXeefuR3w/s1600-h/museoarte.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQe4bTU3ZCnFSeHlcOaSi-7ToXDqQU5rOrfzdC5q9Gy2-4BV6RGDudgDGONEL3hR_fwKoXDbiUTPscSgU7i1LSywSSRVxHOk4h69lr6nwXbw_qeFXsSSnPe9EoCVKPNXeefuR3w/s320/museoarte.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249930027831574130" /></a><br />During our vacation in Uruguay this year, I made up for my past omission by making the museum a priority. <br /><br />The museum is small, about the size of my <a href="http://www.kiarts.org/">local art museum</a>, and all the exhibits can be seen in about an hour. When we visited in July, they had a visiting exhibit of works by Spanish artist Joan Miró and a large exhibit by a Uruguayan artist in the style of Torres-García, in addition to works from their permanent collection. <br /><br /> <br />Admission: free. <br />Tuesday-Sunday 12:00-6:00 pmChuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-58535296259703400002008-08-30T20:46:00.002-03:002008-08-30T21:27:39.071-03:00Museo del Carnaval<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCheBpfO7vljcug-7hL5gOZkdziGgHTA5P0an5F0vziX0B7qWYoBJS4o6En9jCpg3Sj-ebJGFMmcOdAt2ZtT19KZIiaV202dmltifUtI0vrgLTnXj5IlEBFWoA6hOHu8IxNd0B1Q/s1600-h/museo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCheBpfO7vljcug-7hL5gOZkdziGgHTA5P0an5F0vziX0B7qWYoBJS4o6En9jCpg3Sj-ebJGFMmcOdAt2ZtT19KZIiaV202dmltifUtI0vrgLTnXj5IlEBFWoA6hOHu8IxNd0B1Q/s320/museo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240461832898296018" /></a>I'd wanted to visit the <span style="font-style:italic;">Museo del Carnaval</span> before we left Montevideo in mid-2007 but its opening date kept getting postponed, so I was happy when we were able to see it on this trip. It has a great location right next to the <span style="font-style:italic;">Mercado del Puerto</span>, making it a very convenient stop for visitors. <br /><br />Like many of Montevideo's museums, it's small and it doesn't take more than a few minutes to see all of the exhibits. While it certainly isn't the same as hearing a <span style="font-style:italic;">murga</span> or <span style="font-style:italic;">candombe</span> group live, it brought back great <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2008/02/carnaval.html">memories of carnival</a>. The best part was the hall of colorful <a href="http://www.lasmurgas.com/html_07/museo_exposicionmasqueroni.htm">murga costumes</a>.<br /><br />The <a href="http://museodelcarnavaldeluruguay.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style:italic;">Museo del Carnaval</span> blog</a> is interesting (in Spanish with lots of photos) and on YouTube there's a<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wSSdvlhaZg"> comprehensive video</a> showing the creation of the museum. <br /><br />Open Tuesday-Sunday<br />Free admissionChuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-7410578596903050142008-08-12T12:20:00.003-03:002008-08-12T12:28:56.710-03:00Cabo Polonio photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pJc7rWtTWCfSRmpHq-P550RNeSBpZG10R-HlP9ubUOXL_OtOjPNnHvIxj55ifJHugth8GJW2bQlWMQofIqPOrleaBtZFj_aODmkY6xDJ1BOtpMfdFz6_tUDjGAMV0Auo8-sBUQ/s1600-h/IMG_1426.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pJc7rWtTWCfSRmpHq-P550RNeSBpZG10R-HlP9ubUOXL_OtOjPNnHvIxj55ifJHugth8GJW2bQlWMQofIqPOrleaBtZFj_aODmkY6xDJ1BOtpMfdFz6_tUDjGAMV0Auo8-sBUQ/s320/IMG_1426.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233653147390022578" /></a><br />I uploaded a few photos from our trip to <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2008/07/cabo-polonio.html">Cabo Polonio</a>. You can see them <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020688&l=249b6&id=40901830">here</a>.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-47533776488417862182008-07-30T10:14:00.003-03:002008-07-30T10:37:19.320-03:00Bourdain in Uruguay video<a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2008/03/chef-anthony-bourdain-visits-uruguay.html">Tony Bourdain's</a> show on Uruguay aired this week. Here's a Travel Channel video showing him eat <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/10/la-carne.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">carne </span></a>with his brother in the <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/08/mercado-del-puerto.html">Mercado del Puerto</a>.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/muAFU5KL5is&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/muAFU5KL5is&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-47723313369935592452008-07-28T15:56:00.005-03:002008-08-12T12:31:13.143-03:00Cabo Polonio<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4hrC49XSo96yNYzvmctcYdz7yxWeox3_J2GbxOeOtZsD28o1JH66rW1a_Qy1h1sSpP4at9Z9LE46toG1l6I-oGUOaZaXzqHGd9DfcRboc-cYyX59jBmvDZBhPZY2SkMh5pVH9g/s1600-h/IMG_1442.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4hrC49XSo96yNYzvmctcYdz7yxWeox3_J2GbxOeOtZsD28o1JH66rW1a_Qy1h1sSpP4at9Z9LE46toG1l6I-oGUOaZaXzqHGd9DfcRboc-cYyX59jBmvDZBhPZY2SkMh5pVH9g/s320/IMG_1442.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228141727445617282" /></a>We had a really nice time visiting Cabo Polonio, a beach settlement about 4 hours from Montevideo. In some ways, it´s similar to <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/11/punta-del-diablo.html">Punta del Diablo</a>. Cabo Polonio is harder to reach since there´s no road access. You can reach it by 4-wheel drive truck or horseback from Ruta 10.<br /><br />This is very much the off-season, so we needed reservations to ensure someone would open the hotel. We were the only tourists in the entire town. In the high season (January) every room in every building is filled with artists, hippies, and miscellaneous visitors. Most of the <span style="font-style:italic;">casitas </span>are very small-- merely beach shacks. A few are more substantial. We stayed at <a href="http://www.mayoral.com.uy/es/alojamiento/Cabo_Polonio/hosteria%20la%20perla/hosteria%20la%20perla.htm">La Perla del Cabo</a>, the nicest place in town. (Although it was still very simple-- 2 hours of electricty daily, hot water some days but none while we were there, and for winter a propane heater in the hallway and extra blankets for the beds.)<br /><br />The town itself was very quiet. All the little souvenir stands, shops and <span style="font-style:italic;">boliches </span>were closed for the season. One <span style="font-style:italic;">almacen </span>offered snacks, fruit, and staples like <span style="font-style:italic;">dulce de leche</span>. The restaurant attached to the hotel opened for us. Their fresh fish was great.<br /><br />We climbed the lighthouse, which gave great views of the coast. On the rocky point beneath the <span style="font-style:italic;">faro</span>, hundreds of sea lions bathed in the winter sun. We saw a lone penguin, apparently off-course from its annual migration to Brazil from southern Argentina. It´s whale season, but we didn´t happen to see any.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">update:</span>A <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020688&l=249b6&id=40901830">photo album from Cabo Polonio</a>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-66038713505135064442008-07-23T10:19:00.003-03:002008-07-23T10:34:03.971-03:00Back in UruguayIt´s been very comfortable returning to Montevideo and we´ve been busy visiting friends, watching soccer, going to shows, and eating great food. Too busy to write any blog posts, until now.<br /><br />Not much has changed in the city. A few businesses have closed and a few new ones opened. Some of the same graffiti is still on the walls.<br /><br />One noticeable change: the depreciation of the dollar makes everything more expensive. For example, I bought 2 tickets for the new Batman movie yesterday for 180 pesos, or $10 US. That´s the same price I paid for 2 tickets in Kalamazoo, earlier this month. In economic theory, purchasing power parity predicts this; in equilibrium, prices for traded goods should become equal. In this case, I´d guess it´s probably just coincidence.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-70710732935769880872008-07-14T22:38:00.003-03:002008-07-14T23:15:23.824-03:00VolvemosWe're returning to Uruguay this week for a short vacation. I'm looking forward to all the good food including: <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/08/chivito.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">chivitos</span></a>, <span style="font-style:italic;">parrilla </span>(at <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/10/favorites-parilla.html">La Otra </a>and the <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/08/mercado-del-puerto.html">Mercado del Puerto</a>), <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/06/empanadas.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">empanadas</span></a>, <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-posted-about-churros-during-uruguays.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">churros</span></a>, <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/10/favorites-confitera.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">masas finas</span></a>, and a simple <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/10/favorites-pizza.html">pizza </a>and beer. I'm sure we won't get to do everything on the "official" list of <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/09/discover-montevideo.html">visitors' activities</a> but I hope we have a chance to do some of them. We just missed <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/04/el-clsico.html"><span style="font-style:italic;">el clasico</span></a>, but we watched it on TV yesterday. If Copa Airlines gets us to Montevideo on time, we'll see a show at the <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/12/teatro-sols.html">Teatro Solis</a>. Most of all, I'm looking forward to seeing many of my friends in Uruguay.<br /><br />We're leaving a North American summer for a South American winter but the forecast shows the low temperatures in Montevideo will be the same as the low temperatures in Kalamazoo. I can't complain about that.<br /><br />And I'll have some fresh material to add to this blog, as well.Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-64505546785716634462008-05-17T23:34:00.004-03:002008-05-18T00:06:06.701-03:00Ushuaia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35kMiXqbjQa4AmGscgL6S_On-10slvCghOeOSxp5NeED11WtsZgoG-wT0TAVmP_Hyry9xiUBbWvqrWcAGB2tQHATU_HKrOXDFIMBdoW4t0QtvfNqIJ-7y4kujyblgiOF2s40Wpg/s1600-h/farol.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35kMiXqbjQa4AmGscgL6S_On-10slvCghOeOSxp5NeED11WtsZgoG-wT0TAVmP_Hyry9xiUBbWvqrWcAGB2tQHATU_HKrOXDFIMBdoW4t0QtvfNqIJ-7y4kujyblgiOF2s40Wpg/s320/farol.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201545077448766514" /></a>In February, 2007 at the height of the southern summer, we flew a few thousand kilometers south from Montevideo to visit <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2007/02/ushuaia.html">Ushuaia</a>, "<span style="font-style:italic;">el fin del mundo</span>" [The End of the World]. This Argentine city is further south than any other in South America. The end of the continent isn't abrupt; instead, the Beagle Channel runs through a series of mountainous islands. (There's a Chilean naval base on one that can claim the continent's southernmost habitation.) Whether in Chile or Argentina, the region is known as <span style="font-style:italic;">Tierra del Fuego</span>.<br /><br />It's a very interesting place and I'd like to go back again. Unfortunately, our summer is their winter and it must be pretty desolate then.<br /> <br />Between other destinations in Patagonia and <span style="font-style:italic;">carnaval</span> events back in Montevideo, I never posted more than a few photos. I finally had a chance to put together a video slideshow from that trip.<br /><br /><br /><br />You can see it here: <br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NkGmoyLZwZM"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NkGmoyLZwZM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-18431339919895801282008-05-12T00:24:00.002-03:002008-05-12T00:41:15.334-03:00BlogsHere are a few Uruguay blogs I've been following:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fotolog.com/elretobao">elretobao</a> posts interesting photos of Montevideo with short captions in Spanish, frequently accompanied by Uruguayan music.<br /><br /><br />The next two links are new addresses for authors I posted about earlier:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cooluruguay.com/">Cool Uruguay</a> has regular posts and a new forum in English and Spanish.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.campbellfamilyrocks.com/">Campbell Family</a> blog has interesting but infrequent posts about life with a family in Montevideo. <br /><br />And finally, a non-Uruguay blog for my friends who are interested in what's going on in Kalamazoo, I have a new blog, <a href="http://kalamazooseasons.blogspot.com/">Kalamazoo Seasons</a>, looking at nature's cycles in and around Kalmazoo, MIChuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30151617.post-10038323250611755372008-04-27T22:25:00.004-03:002008-04-27T22:41:52.973-03:00Buenos Aires<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh878gEl3uNPyC5byRJw6zNysCkA6JVjgnp-lyVKYNDOum1QO5nHw5xQB-VgsHpEb7RG-PdDUXmgEO7T69amZGAhh5-jW1QwXBUmjQebdix9q5xZiJiCyQexYDUash4bN8tJLdH4w/s1600-h/torre.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh878gEl3uNPyC5byRJw6zNysCkA6JVjgnp-lyVKYNDOum1QO5nHw5xQB-VgsHpEb7RG-PdDUXmgEO7T69amZGAhh5-jW1QwXBUmjQebdix9q5xZiJiCyQexYDUash4bN8tJLdH4w/s320/torre.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194102887112868770" /></a>Although Montevideo isn't far from <a href="http://chuckstull.blogspot.com/2006/12/buenos-aires-and-montevideo.html">Buenos Aires</a>, we didn't make the trip across the Rio as often as I expected. We did visit the bigger city a couple of times (and flew in and out a few more.) It's an interesting place.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's a video slideshow of some of my photos from Buenos Aires:<br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwjD_Zy-xHE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwjD_Zy-xHE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Chuck Stullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764698108162760118noreply@blogger.com4