I thought that I'd go back to some bits in Argentina that I missed out on talking about. To be precise its about my day trip across the Rio Plata to "Colonia del Sacramento" in Uruguay! A 2 hour ferry ride takes you there from Buenos Aires. One can also get to the Uruguay capital, Montevideo on a 5 - 6 hour ride.
View from the lighthouse
The transit involves the usual immigration formalities but in this case there was an immense amount of paperwork for just a day trip. Exit forms and customs declarations galore, and if you don't retain some slips, on your return you get a lovely surprise in the form of a fine.
The Rio Plata is enormous!
The town itself is very quiet, with each street uniformly lined with trees. The day I was there it was clear skies and the place was baking in the summer sun. After changing from Argentinian to Uruguayian Pesos, I struggled to figure out if things are cheaper round here. Since the town is touristy prices for meals fluctuate from street to street sometimes by 100%!!
I didn't even risk getting runover taking this photo op....
We were welcomed into the centre of Colonia by a colonial "soldier" at the gate, dishing out promo leaflets for restaurants. A very appropiate way to fall from grace from days of conquest and pillage. From the lighthouse (the narrowest tower I've ever been climbed up, by the way) one can gaze down the murky brown Rio Plata and see, beleive it or not, the skylines of Buenos Aires to the South and La Plata City to the South East!
The narrow lighthouse
The attendant at the lighthouse seemed to be there to prevent people from falling off as he wasn't doing much else. The tower was crammed but there wasn't the standard jostling you get at tourist spots. Speaking of which, at the immigration queue on the way back, someone was trying to jump the queue and an argument took off with a European who was having none of it. I overheard an Argentinian mumbling something about "Gringos" and "uptightedness".
And now for a treat! The most lasting impression this town that has imprinted in my memories is the random array of classic cars on every street corner. See the pics below and check out the link for more! Ciao!
K.
http://www.flickr.com/gp/15198453@N00/r95wv9
Who called the ambulance?
The humble Fiat Cinquecento.....
The Ford truck! They love American chunky classics here...
What lays behind those curtains, in the "Barrio de Tango"?
A little streetcar far away from home....pobresita (poor thing!)!
There's some paramilitary freak loose on the streets. Hope he ain't packin heat!
Look at the way the palm tree shadows bounce off that bonet, for shizzle!
The slickest pickup I've ever seen!
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