Punta Diary

Hey there guys!

It's been two days since my last post. Here go some news from my quick trip to Uruguay:

Yesterday, it also was a gloomy day. Lots of wind and light rain, though. In the morning, me and my stepdad went out for a walk. During our wet path, we saw a lot of imported cars, particularly some older ones. Uruguay has no automobile industry, so, the country imports all of the cars which ride in the nation. And the country is also dependant in other areas. There are very few industries here and the country's economy is severely based in the agricultural sector (beef is the main product for export).

Afterwards, we went to a great place to have lunch, called Lo de Tere. Yummy food! And some exquisite desserts too! I ordered a dish called "Más urugayo que nunca" (more Uruguayan than ever, in English), compound of tenderloin steak with green mashed potatoes and leek rolls, and for dessert, an apple cookie. We really had a great time!

During the afternoon, we went to a place called Conrad, which is the best hotel and casino in town. After having a little snack, we went to the casino to play a little. I went to a slot machine, just for fun (I'm not a compulsive player!). I won $27. Not bad...

At night, we went out to eat at a very good place called Bungalow Suizo (Swiss Bungalow). There was a yummy fondue, in three versions: cheese, beef and chocolate. A real temptation!

After that, everybody back to the hotel to get some sleep. On the next day, a ride to the stunning beach of José Ignacio, in the eastern edge of the peninsula.

Today, after breakfast, we took our SUV and drove all the way to José Ignacio. About 12.5 miles (20 km) away from our hotel. When we got there, there was a huge light, to guide the ships along the coast. And a huge cliff, with rocks that provide an espectacle when facing the coming waves. I took some pictures from there, and I'll be showing you on this post. After having lunch at a place called La Huella (the print), we returned to the city.

After some rest, I went myself to the downtown Punta del Este. I walked along the famous Gorlero Avenue, with stores and everything. There's a square, which hosts a handicraft market, where hundreds of local artisans sell their products.

And the best was yet to come: I took a cab to go back to the hotel and the car who drove me back was, none the less, a Mercedes Benz! Yeah, I was in a Mercedes for the first time in my life! It was a 1982 model, with diesel-fueled engine. The ride was smooth, despite the noise.

And that's all for now. Later tonight, we'll have dinner and tomorrow morning, our return trip to Brazil. See y'all later!