The honeymoon's over. I've been in Argentina for 6 months, which means I don't have stars in my eyes about Buenos Aires anymore and I'm beginning to see what life here is really about.It also means that I had to go across the river to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, to celebrate (read: renew my visa.) Before I went I was thinking about it as more of an expensive chore than a nice daytrip, but that changed when I arrived. Sidenote: to get to Colonia, you take a Buquebus ferry from Puerto Madero - there is a fast one that takes less than an hour, and a slow one that takes three hours. I took the fast one and it was basically more like a posh airplane than a boat - there were television screens and a duty free shop and nothing to indicate you were on a boat - no deck or access to the outside, no bumps or waves either.
Once you arrive, the historical part of town is a short walk from the ferry terminal. You cross a medieval-ish wooden drawbridge into the old part of the city, which is adorable, cobblestoned
and picturesque. Even though it's totally touristy, it doesn't feel that way at all. It was quiet, uncrowded and serene. The perfect place to wander tiny winding streets, gaze out at the river and admire the brightly painted buildings - you could be anywhere in the Mediterranean.While I was in Colonia, I realized something. When you live in a big, crazy city - in the case of Buenos Aires, extra big and extra crazy - you sometimes forget what the real world is like. The real world outside of the insane video game that is life in a big city. I am, undeniably, a city girl: I feel much more comfortable surrounded by skyscrapers, noise, and pigeons than trees, hills, and grass. However, I have come to the conclusion that, although endearing, Buenos Aires could drive even the most sane person in the world completely crazy.
So Colonia was a welcome, and desperately needed, breath of fresh air. It was adorable, quaint, and calm. And, I got what I needed, a stamp in my passport and 90 more precious days of legal residence in Argentina.
More pictures of Colonia below...
Pretty!
Yes, the Río de la Plata is actually that color. Silver it is not. It looks like the chocolate river in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. I don't know why.
Mellowed out Uruguayan perros sleeping in the sun.
5 comentarios:
Some tips virtual friend of mine:
We, porteños, know this great truth you've spoken: "Buenos Aires could drive even the most sane person in the world completely crazy."
So it's very usual that everybody has a little secret place, somewhere where the nature is not hidden behind the skyscrapers. Called Luján, Cañuelas, Gualeguaychú, El Tigre, Colonia or Montevideo. It's our yang, necessary for living Buenos Aires Deep Ying. Me particularly have two. First one near Punta del Este and second one on the way to Mar del Plata, about 150 miles from here.
Second: the reason that the river is called Río de la Plata wasn't because it´s silver colour but because spanish conquerors suspected (erroneously) that it was full of silver on the mainland. It's first name in fact was nothing to do with "silver" but "Mar Dulce" cause they thought they were still in open sea. That funny colour comes from the Paraná cause Paraná and Uruguay rivers (which form Río de la Plata) "arrastran" (don't know the word in english) big mud concentrations through it's waters that give Río de la Plata such a beautiful colour. Was always like this. It´s not a matter of pollution (nevertheless the river is highly polluted). Here you have a poem that talks about the "río color de león":
Primogénita ilustre del Plata,
En solar apertura hacia el Este.
Donde atado a tu cinta celeste
Va el gran río color de león;
Bella sangre de prósperas razas
Esclarece tu altivo salvaje
Pinta su nombre sazón.
(Leopoldo Lugones)
Third: not only Colonia it deserves a visit but the whole Uruguay has such a beatiful, such an amazing way of living that I recommend you, if you're able, to take the time for visiting.
You have to check Montevideo, Punta del Este, José Ignacio, Cabo Polonio, La Paloma, La Pedrera, Valizas, Punta del Diablo and reach the brazilian border in the north.
Regards
Gilgalad
wow! mil gracias por tu comentario, muy interesante... I've been discovering this, that porteños do leave the city for little vacations pretty frequently - and now I know why, because it's necessary to survive! the problem is that as foreigners, without cars or generous relatives with country houses, our options outside of the city are limited and often out of my pobrecita english teacher salary.. c'est la vie. would love to see more of uruguay and I hope someday I will.
And, thanks to you for explaining why the rio de la plata has that name and that color, i've been wondering for a while.
and arrastrar, i think, is closest to "to drag"?
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thanks! um abraço
exactly. Drag... i should remembered it from "drag and drop".
Good Lord...
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