Short trip to Uruguay

Uruguay is called the "Switzerland of South America," and we wanted to see it with our own eyes. So on Saturday, 16.11.19, along with many other Argentinians, we boarded a ferry to Uruguay. This is the most popular and fastest means of transport to Uruguay and is also used by many locals for day trips or weekend getaways. We spent the first two nights in Montevideo. We had booked a hostel in the old town and were happy to be in the heart of the city. But on Saturday evening, we realized that everything was closed, including restaurants and cafes. We made assumptions that maybe there was a strike or even elections. But our friend Google could only answer the question that the elections would take place a week later. So by Sunday at the latest, we realized that it is normal in the capital for shops and restaurants to be closed on Saturday evening and Sunday. Unusual based on our previous experiences in South America, but maybe a bit like Switzerland after all.
Nevertheless, we managed to rent two bicycles and on Sunday we rode along the 20-kilometer-long promenade. The sun was scorching hot, so before heading back, we stopped at the beach and went swimming in the sea. We were even more delighted by the warmth when we received pictures of snow at home. :-)

We spent the other two nights in the UNESCO town of Colonia del Sacramento. It is a small, manageable town with an old town that has a Spanish influence. We felt much more comfortable there than in Montevideo and enjoyed the best pizza in Uruguay.

So is Uruguay really the "Switzerland of South America"? Well, when it comes to cleanliness on the streets, no. Uruguay is simply more expensive compared to the other countries in South America, and a dinner almost reaches the prices back home. Moreover, cars stop and let you cross the street, which is very unusual in South America. But maybe because we were already in Patagonia and were looking forward to our further journey, we did not give this country the same opportunities as others.