if montevideo, uruguay were to have any parallel, it would be your first college apartment. that apartment had a sofa from one relative, a chair from your roommates girlfriends' parents, plates and silverware from the restaurant you worked at, and an entertainment center that had been rescued from someone else's curb. you weren't quite ready to host a state dinner, but everything was functional and definitely comfortable. such is montevideo or, at least, my impression of it after a 40 hour weekend visit.
montevideo is beautiful in an urban-decay sort of way. there are a handful of beautiful art deco buildings, a few gorgeous gothic, which along with red brick apartment towers, ominous socialist-influenced behemoths, and decaying stucco edifices give the city an inconsistent appearance. but everything about it is gorgeous. there are plenty of open plazas, tree-lined streets, and a beautiful waterfront promenade that make it a charming destination.
beyond urban design and architecture, i found it to be the perfect weekend destination to escape the hustle of buenos aires and frustrating conclusion to the work week. it is in every way a city, but seemed to have about a tenth of its population capacity actually living there. most streets were empty, traffic strolled by slowly, and an overwhelming majority of apartment windows were unlit. it did not have an eerie vibe, just a quiet one. this fine-lined difference was provided by all the fishermen along the promenade, the dogs playing in the river, and lots of bongo players lending their hands to fill the city with their sound.
if there is one image that may linger a little longer from this trip, it has to be the mate. this herbal concoction, though also prevalent in buenos aires, was ubiquitous along the streets of montevideo. it is really nothing more than finely grained mate leaves soaked in hot water, providing a stimulation somewhat milder than that of coffee. what's so remarkable is just how prevalent it is. nearly everybody was either carrying their mate (gourd) in one hand and a thermos under the arm to reload, or carrying their gourd with a leather mate carrying case slung around their shoulder. interesting, sure, but it was usually the only thing they would carry. i usually walk the streets of new york (and buenos aires) with a couple books, a magazine, an umbrella, and perhaps a few other small items. there's definitely something liberating about just having your beverage on hand. and a thermos to keep it fresh, of course.
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