Time to chill

From Buenos Aires we got on the ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, a beautiful, old town in Uruguay. It is a perfect place to get lost and just enjoy the day. Perfect for a day trip of why not longer. Lazy traffic, cute cobblestone streets, beautiful plants, colourful houses and a lighthouse keep you busy just wandering around. We were so amazed by the calmness of Uruguay, that instead of returning to Buenos Aires like originally planned, we decided to keep travelling north.

Because not having planned anything, we decided to take a few days in Montevideo to figure out what we wanted to see in Uruguay. Montevideo was an alright city, the "old town" was not really that old, but it was nice just to sit there and watch the fishermen at work. We were still getting used to South American way of life, food and language. After studying our bible, the Lonely Planet book, we were ready to move on to a next destination.

Our next two days we spent without any connection to the world outside in the tiny hippie town called Cabo Polonio. Cabo Polonio consists mostly of sand. And maybe a bit more sand. Getting there sounded more tricky than it actually was. The normal bus drops you off in the right intersection (if you asked the driver to do so), and you just wait until someone comes and takes you there in a kind of truck on the sandy "road" (path?), not suitable for any other than heavy 4WD's. In South America these things just work somehow. No schedules, no price lists, no information of any kind, but if you talk to people and trust your luck, things seem to work in your favor.

Cabo Colonio was a fun experience, but it surely would have been even nicer in the summer, when restaurants are actually open and the weather is better and you could really enjoy being on the beach. It was nice and warm during the day, but the nights are a bit too chilly and windy (which does not stop the mosquitoes). It is a perfect place for a campfire, food and friends. Days there we spent walking around the beach, sandboarding, spotting the sea lion colony that lives there and enjoying the calming sound of crashing waves.

Since there was no internet, most electricity comes from sunlight and the use of water is very limited, so after a few days it felt good to get to Punta del Diablo, a relaxed surfer town on the coast, and just have a nice hot shower. Very much recommended, if you are into doing nothing and relaxing.

Now we are back on track along the east coast heading north, two days before (hopefully) entering Brazil. Crossing the border sounds like a bit of a adventure or a pain in he ass, but we are sure we'll get on the other side somehow.

Uruguay has been absolutely beautiful with cute little towns, changing landscapes and relaxed attitude towards everything. Tranquilo!