Photo of the day, 5/29/2010: in case of emergency, business people are out of luck.

sign on the ferry back to Buenos Aires

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

Yesterday we did a large part of the old town walking tour in about an hour (we even stopped a few times and took some detours - it's a small, small town).

a lookout point along the shore

fortressing

Calle de los Suspiros ("Street of Sighs") - original Portuguese cobblestones and home fronts

modern lighthouse, ancient convent ruins

I really have no idea

In the afternoon we decided to wander along the river/beachfront.

At the end of our easterly wandering we came across the old bullfighting ring...

... then headed back west to town through side streets. The neighborhoods were fascinating - ranches next to concrete run-down structures next to colonial beauties next to architectural anomalies.

I never would have expected to see ranch homes. And in between the houses were auto shops, produce stands and frankfurter restaurants. (Why are hot dogs so big here? Inquiring minds want to know...) No neighborhood zoning requirements, apparently.

After a late lunch I headed back to my (blessedly empty!) dorm at the hostel and Kim went to her b&b (think sharing a bathroom with 14 grungy boys finally did her in).

Kim's lunch

Jen's lunch

It's been raining for about 12 hours with no end in sight. Really feels like fall and I am loving it - it will be so weird to go back to summer, sunrises before 7:30am, green trees and wildflowers blooming.

We'll try the museums this morning (which I am guessing might take all of 30 minutes) and then head to the ferry station for Jen's fifth and final take on Buenos Aires...

Photo of the day, 5/28/2010: file under "yum."

gorgeously colorful fruit stands in Colonia del Sacramento

It's like going from San Francisco to Alameda...

... only everyone is carrying mate mugs and thermoses of hot water instead of coffee mugs. That's what the transition from Montevideo to Colonia has been.

Mate. I don't get the big deal. I tried it on the Salinas Grandes trip outside of Salta. It tastes like slightly more bitter green tea. Not bad like I'd expected, but not great. It seems like a pain in the neck too - having to keep your thermos full and carry that plus a mug with no lid plus tea leaves - and heaven help you if you lose your straw. Nope, something else I won't be bringing back to the US with me.

These amazing biscuits they serve for breakfast, on the other hand... A kilo of those to go, please.

This morning I got up early (if 6:15am can be considered "early") to watch the sunrise from the hostel rooftop terrace, and ran across a full moon. A nice surprise.

I think there are still more of those nice surprises in what's left of my South American future...

Photo of the day, 5/27/2010: shunning subtlety.

a cigarette box in Colonia del Sacramento

Photo of the day, 5/24/2010: vino mas barato at the bus station.

1/2 litre for about $2... and pretty decent, I must say