beach bums

If Uruguayans had a Top Ten list of things to do while in Uruguay, taking a trip along the coast would almost be at the top, falling second only to "Drinking mate." I think locals began recommending that I visit the coast on my first day here back in March.

And it's not only the Uruguayans making the recommendation, either. It seems like every time I go to Buenos Aires I run into a Porteño who asks if I've been to Punta del Este. Hordes of Argentines flood Uruguay's beaches every summer, but they aren't alone. Even in Rio de Janeiro the locals asked me if I had been to Uruguay's beach resorts. They apparently had been there--Uruguayans tell me they can immediately spot who the Brazilians on the beach are, since the men are always wearing Speedos (or "sungas").

Since we experienced an especially long and harsh winter this year, people understood when I explained that I unfortunately hadn't been to the beaches, but I would go there before leaving. That excuse was acceptable in July. Now, spring is here, the weather is heating up, and people are heading to the beach. So when my roommate, Carolina, popped into my room and asked if I would like to take a road trip along the coast with her and a few of her relatives, I didn't have to think long before answering.

On this map you can trace our trip: on Friday we left from Montevideo and Las Piedras (where Carolina's family lives), and had lunch in Punta del Este. The next red dot to the right of Punta del Este is La Paloma, where we rented a bungalow and slept both Friday and Saturday nights. The dot farthest to the right was our final destination, Cabo Polonio, where we spent most of Saturday. On Sunday we drove back to Montevideo.



From this image of Uruguay and Buenos Aires, you can understand why people from Montevideo and Buenos Aires go to the beaches along Uruguay's coast. As you can see, the water near both Buenos Aires and Montevideo is brown freshwater, flowing into the Atlantic from the Rio de la Plata. Just past Montevideo, the muddy freshwater becomes clear as the salt water from the Atlantic mixes with it. Thus, by the time we arrived at Cabo Polonio (our final destination, which is the easternmost red dot on the image), the water was blue, crisp, and clear.



Carolina and I were joined by Carolina's cousin (Elisa), Elisa's son (Nacho), and a 16-year old exchange student from Germany who lives with Elisa and Nacho (Manuel). Here we all are eating lunch en route, in Punta del Este (from left to right is Elisa, Carolina, Nacho, and Manuel):



Departing from Montevideo, Punta del Este was our first stop. This beautiful city that slightly resembled a mix of Miami and Chile's Viña del Mar seemed to be entirely based around tourism--enourmous, glamorous hotels abound, as do nice restaurants and fancy cars. Interestingly, most Uruguayans I've talked to about Punta del Este claim it is owned by wealthy Argentines who have invested in these ritzy sites. Carolina and Elisa echoed these opinions and explained to me that Punta del Este is really for tourists, and doesn't reflect Uruguay or the Uruguayan way of life at all. It wasn't until later in the trip that I understood what they meant.

Several hours after leaving Punta del Este, we arrived at La Paloma, where we rented a bungalow and immediately headed out to the beach:



The feeling in La Paloma was completely different from Punta del Este. The town was much smaller, containing the local bakery and grocery store, and lots of modest but beautiful houses. Along the beach, fisherman rested and drank mate. Whereas in Punta del Este I felt as though I had been transported back to the United States, in La Paloma I felt like I was back in Uruguay. There were no enormous and gaudy hotels overlooking the sea, and scooters outnumbered sports cars.

Carolina, Elisa, Nacho, Manuel, and I had a good time resting and strolling along the beach in La Paloma:









As you can see from the pictures, Manuel and Nacho have become pretty good friends since Manuel arrived a few months ago. It was great getting to know these two; Manuel's ability to speak Spanish, English, German, and French was useful and entertaining, and I felt like Nacho was my little brother since we both share a passion for dangerous activities like motorcycle racing.

The next day, we hopped in the car and drove a few hours farther east, to Cabo Polonio. I had heard from many people that Cabo Polonio is a very unique place, and it definitely was. This beach town is not accessible by car--you must hire people with enormous 4x4 trucks to drive you through the sand dunes to get there. A couple pics from the ride:





Once I arrived in Cabo Polonio, I found myself in the middle of a community of colorful homes and a few shops selling groceries, food, and jewelry made of seashells. To me, Cabo Polonio felt like an entirely different world, and I find it difficult to explain exactly why. I felt unhurried, like time stood still. And it was inspiring to see a community that lived as if it existed outside time, as if all that mattered was family and the ocean.









Nacho found some dried "witch fish" being sold as decorations:



This boy was carefully painting a local store:



The magical feeling of Cabo Polonio was greatly enhanced by the presence of sea lions along its shores. I picked out a rock not far from them and sat for several hours reading and taking in the scenery.







One of the things that struck me most about Cabo Polonio was how the colors of the sea, the shore, and the houses contrasted. This effect was only amplified by a storm that arrived just as we were leaving.











Even with a sunburn, I arrived back to Montevideo refreshed and very impressed by the beautiful places I had visited. With only a week left, I'm very glad I was able to experience Uruguay's coast--I only wish I had more time to spend there!