Welcome Maggi

With a slight delay, here are the remaining impressions of Montevideo.

During the waiting time, we visited Theatro del Sol, different beach sections, and explored our "neighborhood" including the football stadium. We also treated ourselves to an Asado meal.

On Tuesday, May 16th, it finally happened: 2:58 pm local time, the Grande San Paolo arrived at the port!!! We were, of course, there live 😊

The next day, it was time. Our customs adventure began. Please forgive us for not taking any photos of this odyssey. Sometimes we just weren't in the mood for souvenir photos. However, we are happy to tell you about this experience. The text has turned out to be a bit longer. You are welcome to scroll further.

It all started with the decision not to use a customs agent to clear Maggi and to invest the saved dollars in Uruguayan wine or beer (Pilsen). According to the shipping company Grimaldi, the customs formalities are no problem, as English is spoken and understood, and Maggi should be out of the port depot in a maximum of two hours. It took us eight hours. We shared our suffering with Lars, a very likeable Ruhrpottler, who wanted to free his blue Transit.

First stop: Customs building reception, our passports were scanned and a security guard took us to the relevant office. There we met Lars. The customs officer explained to us (in Spanish, he did not speak or understand English) that we needed copies of various documents. When asked, he explained to us that his authority could not make copies of the said documents and showed us the way to the nearest copy shop. Fortunately, we found a hostel with a very helpful receptionist who made copies of the documents we needed. Back at customs, we were told to come back at 1:00 pm. Because the required stock number was not yet in their system. The three of us waited quite confidently in front of the customs building. At 1:00 pm, we were informed (in Spanish) that the fabled stock number had not yet been entered into the system. It would be quicker (muy rapido) if we asked for the number at the port. So we left the customs building through the side entrance and stood right in front of the port gate. There we were told that we could only enter the port area if the shipping company registered us as visitors in the port system. We had to have this conversation in Spanish as well. The really nice reception ladies in their cash booth explained to us with hands and feet that we should call a telephone number and the person behind this number has the ability to put us in the said system. However, the ladies could not provide us with a telephone. So Silke called the number in her perfect Spanish and was firmly convinced that she had reached a hotline. Later it turned out that Brain from the shipping company was talking to her. For registration, Brain needed name and passport number. However, the receptionist could not find us in the system. Thank God Brain and his colleagues came to the entrance to the port and so we received a pass and the stock number (without entering the port) after two calls from Brain. Proudly, we handed our stock numbers to the customs officer and received our documents ten minutes later. Next stop was the port authority, whose office was across the street. There we had to have the port fee determined and then paid. Because it was so nice, we went back to customs. However, we were allowed to go one office further. There our data was entered into the computer and the officer sent us to the port. There we should go to the building "Recomar". Here we met Brain again. He had to enter our documents into the system again and then we would receive Maggi. After what felt like an eternity, Maggi was driven out of the warehouse, with various objects that were in the way being cleared away with a forklift, and we could finally receive him. He has survived the journey very well and nothing was missing. Unfortunately, our odyssey was not over yet. Next stop was the immigration office, where the really important document was created. This document allows us to leave Uruguay with Maggi. Afterwards, we were able to leave the port area and drove to our apartment, quite exhausted, in the rush hour.