One Fateful Afternoon - 9/11
On the afternoon of September 11, 2001 I stood on the back deck of our Raleigh, NC home and told my wife "we're not going to New York for Thanksgiving". Our plan had been to go up for the parade. Michelle had never been to NYC before, and I thought it would be an adventure, but on that sunny afternoon that we all remember so well, I knew that it was not going to be the New York City of old, not this year.
Instead, we decided to go on a search for property somewhere safe - just in case things really started coming apart at home. I searched, thought, and studied. Where to go? Where to look? Somehow I was attracted to Uruguay. A small South American country nestled between Argentina to the south, and Brazil to the north. A country about the size of the combined area of North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia - but with a population of a little over 3,000,000 (way less than metro Atlanta) - half of which live in the capital city of Montevideo. A rural country full of open spaces and livestock. Like Montana - but with much better weather.
Not your typical vacation
Uruguay is not your typical vacation spot, and this was not your typical vacation. This was a tour to look for property - to look for a place to hide if necessary. I would be interested to go back today to spend some time in a more normal situation.
Uruguay was in the midst of a severe recession. Times were tough there then, but we really didn't feel it much. Maybe in contrast to being attacked by terrorists both foreign and domestic (remember the anthrax ?), a little recession didn't seem so bad.
What is normal?
That looks pretty normal - a local artisan selling their wares at an indoor "flea market" - sorry can't recall the name...something Spanish though :)
Here's another picture or normal - a typical street on a typical Sunday
Like Europe on a budget
I really liked Uruguay - eventhough I don't have any publish quality photos of Punta Del Este - never did get a good shot there.
It was weird - we we're thinking of going expat (haven't yet), so we were looking at life - could we LIVE here? The answer for me was a resounding YES! This place was definitely Europe on a budget. Good food - nearly every restaurant with a parilla (pictured below), smiling people, safe, clean, quiet - but yet full of life everywhere.
We had a British friend (who was married to a Uruguayan wife) showing us around. I asked him 6 million questions about life there, how about this...what about that? I will never forget one day, while driving back to Montevideo from Colonia I asked about insurance costs. It went something like this-
Me- What does vehicle insurance cost?
Richard- Why would you need that?
Me- In case I got into an accident and someone decided to sue me.
Richard - Why would they do that?
I will never be certain if he was serious, or simply illustrating the point that they, unlike us here in the states, are not a litigious society. Point taken.
I also remember driving along one day, about 30 Km outside of Montevideo - still out in the country. There was a well dressed man standing beside the road. I wondered for a moment, what was he waiting on - then I realized - The bus. I just wasn't accustomed to seeing that sort of thing, and I still wish that I could see that here - dare to dream!
Favorite bartender ... EVER!
I can't leave this post without letting everyone know about my favorite bartender - maybe ever. Pretty stiff competition there - been more than a couple! I don't remember her name, but Michelle and I had drinks "with" her at the bar every afternoon after our daily expeditions.
I'm not sure if our Spanish was worse than her English - probably about a tie - but we adored her. Holiday Inn - Montevideo - gotta go see if that adorable bartender is still there.
We also had a pretty cool waiter at one of the local Pizzerias - he usually was smiling - oh well - not this day.
We haven't moved to Uruguay yet, but for now - as they say on HGTV's House Hunters International - We'll keep it on our list.
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