In Uruguay - Montevideo and the coast

Due to some initial difficulties (we had to wait for our van, which we named Kalle, for 10 days longer than planned), we ended up staying in the capital of Uruguay much longer than planned. In Montevideo, we stayed in an upscale suburb with a pool. In a neighborhood where every house was guarded by an alarm system (and usually a guard dog). Not much here reminded us of South America. The food prices were the most noticeable for us. We spent about three times as much as in Germany on groceries at the supermarket. There is not much special to report about Montevideo. It is significantly smaller than Buenos Aires and overall much more European. We didn't find the city center particularly beautiful. If we hadn't been waiting for the bus, we probably wouldn't have stayed there for more than 2 days. But it was nice that we didn't spend this time alone, but received a visit from my friend Rebecca, who we originally planned to travel with to Brazil. We experienced the people of Uruguay as incredibly open-minded and friendly. It started with the ferry ride from Buenos Aires to Montevideo. We received countless compliments every day for baby Vincent, 'mira los ojos que tiene (look at his eyes)/ que divino/ que simpático el bebe (how cute/nice/friendly the baby is)/ es un muñeco (like a doll),…'. With the arrival of the bus on March 23rd, the actual journey along the dream beaches of Uruguay began: No 1: Punta del Este: In the high season, a tourist hub that also felt hectic to us in the off-season. For this reason, we looked for a deserted beach 20 km before the city. Next stops: La Paloma, Cabo Polonia, and Punta del Diabolo: All significantly smaller and nicer places, the beaches became more beautiful the closer we got to Brazil, and the people became more relaxed: huts with graffiti, more coffee instead of mate, more reggae music from the beach bars. The last stop before Brazil was a beautiful national park where we could park for free and use all facilities (hot showers, toilets, electricity). In the park, you were also allowed to make fires, and there was an animal enclosure with various exotic birds (parrots, a toucan), small animals (guinea pigs, rabbits), goats, sheep, and a family of monkeys with a baby. If there had not only been a small supermarket with a limited selection on the huge park grounds with access to the sea, and if we had had gas for cooking, we would probably have stayed a little longer; but we only stayed for 2 nights on our way north, towards the sun.

Vincent quickly got used to the time difference, the different weather, the new sounds, and smells. He immediately felt comfortable on the bus. At night, the three of us cuddle on the unfolded back seat. Luckily, he was already used to the tight cuddling in bed in Germany. Since our stay at Parque National Santa Teresa in Uruguay, he can sit by himself, and how proud he is J - time to unpack the high chair.