Crawling from my back-breaking bunk bed, I find Sarah lounging in front of the tv downstairs, map in hand, indicating a bunch of museums that might satisfy my cultural cravings. Downing more slices of watermelon, sandía, the only verifiable bargain around here, we set out into Ciudad Vieja once more.
This is the legendary Baar Fun Fun, open for over a hundred years, where Uruguayan / Argentine / French (delete as appropriate) Inventor of Tango Carlos Gardel wrote a few songs and drank a few jars. I feel more research is needed, as it is difficult to believe this monstrous carbuncle of a building could have been erected here in the late 19th century. Nonetheless, here it is. It had a few football scarves hanging up, and looked pretty crap. Exactly where a hallion like Gardel might have written a song, then.
Montevideo's Cathedral is pleasantly understated, but with lots of detail if you go looking, and certainly strikes a chord with you. Touché.
After the cathedral we are starving and, for variation, hit the California Burrito Company's big office for a meal for two. It is always easy to remember why Mexican food is so popular right now.
Swollen and feeling ill from over-eating, a common phenomenon that we don't like to talk about, we head into the old town once more, and find more things we didn't see every other day we were here. Something I like very much about a city is when it slowly reveals itself to the visit, thus rewarding one's attention.
We didn't make it to this little cervecería, and I regret it. The tiled exterior was exception for the area.
Sarah had marked the Museum Of Decorative Arts for a visit. I pointed out I hadn't considered it, what with it containing a load of auld furniture, and it not really being my thing. Good job that the museum was housed in a beautiful building, and it was free in, because it was superb.
You never see things like this in Downton Abbey, presumably because the place isn't full of late 19th Century French furniture.
Where did wallpaper - threaded, material wallpaper - go to?
A fine diversion. We accidentally stumble into La Casa De Garibaldi, another historic figure from Uruguay, and find some Garibaldi threaded wallpaper. No biscuits though (sorry, bit obvious?) A figure I know very little about, I leave needing to know more.
Our final stop is the Museo De Carnaval, a homage to all things African and fiesta-influenced that take place on the Atlantic Coast countries in the weeks leading up to Easter. Masks, costumes, and a little background information into 'who' has to make an appearance for Carnaval to be Carnaval.
That's right. "Meat Party".
The costumes signify different historical / mythological characters. I'm sure there's a word for it but I'm so full of steak right now I'm not sure what it is. Suffice to say, there's a method to it all. In the next room there was a timeline showing key events from the year, and the accompanying song that was performed at Carnaval here in Montevideo. A nice dark humour runs through it all.
Where's Sarah?
All out of museums, time to head back to the hostel, more or less. Better take a few more photos of the sights on the way.
Tried to make it back without buying a beer but we were unsuccessful. No cheap-ish Pilsen here, only nice flip-top bottles of Grolsch (imported and expensive) at La Ronda Bar. Good tunes too, and a man who looked an awful lot like Rodney Brunt sitting beside us.
What shall we do, with only a day in Montevideo left? Lets go to the Irish pub and have a laugh, I'm sure its terrible. Um, ok, its not, it has a lot of local craft beers and they were might tasty, including the pint of IPA Sarah had, and the Estacion De Cerveza ('Beer Station') that I had, a combination of an IPA and some delicious Indian spices.
This photo was taken before our barman recommended his preferred drink - half Hoegaarden, half English Pale Ale. It was the first time I feel a little "warm and fuzzy" since we have arrived here, what with it being impossible to get drunk on Uruguayan wine of fizzy golden lager.
The view down Calle 18 de Julio at 10pm, away from Plaza Independencia.
I seem to remember trying to show Sarah a video of a cat hugging a man later on, but its a little hazy.
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