2026 Jan 6-9: Montevideo

Arrived on the bus mid-afternoon, walked the 10 blocks to the apt where we’re staying for 3 nights & checked in. I’d booked this place to be near the bus terminal, and since it’s a short 3 night stay, to be cheap. That strategy worked well in Colonia, ‘cause as a small, touristy place, the area around the ferry & bus terminals is still quite nice. Not so in the much bigger Montevideo. In a word, the area around the bus terminal is a shithole.

Took a pretty long walk through Parque Rodo out to Punta Carreras. The farther from our neighborhood, the nicer it got. Stumbled across this huge department & food store, Fresh Market or something, logo looks like Whole Foods, on Francisco Solano Garcia steeet:

Toured Solís Theater, a beautiful opera house in the city center:

lunch at Catarte, quite nice:

Strolled the historic center, including the city cathedral:

Toured Museo de Artes Decorativas, in Palacio Taranco:

And Mercado del Puerto:

Out the window of our apt, and the street scene outside:

Happened by a fantastic little independent bakery, Pantera on Calle Durazno. We’d go there every day were we staying in town:

The historic district has a nice pedestrian shopping zone:

And a square nearby:

There’s a photography exhibit with some cool historic photos (among other things):

Here’s the Uruguayan flag: