The statue of José Gervasio Artigas at Plaza Independencia. The plaza is the end of the old city and the beginning of Centro, the main commercial area. Artigas is the national hero, though he was in exile when independence was achieved and died in exile. He is entombed in a space under the statue. In the lower left of this picture you can see the flag at our embassy.
last Days in Montevideo
Artigas is facing Palacio Salvo, where I lived the last two weeks in Uruguay. Almost 90 years old, it was once the tallest building in South America and has a near-twin in Buenos Aires. It used to have a radio tower on top, and originally was going to be topped by a lighthouse. That would have worked, as you can see the top of the building from much of the city. I lived on the seventh floor (which was really the ninth) on the other side of the building. My view wasn't that good...
...though I had a great view of this parking garage, where the car alarms were going off all through the night. Of course, I could see the river, too.
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Before the building was erected there was a bar on this corner,
and it was there that the first tango was written. |
The elevator lobby on the seventh floor was bigger than my apartment.
A marker on the sidewalk at Palacio Salvo commemorates the role of the media in the fight against the CIA-installed dictatorship of 1973-85. I assume CX 30 broadcast from Palacio Salvo.
"The media and especially CX 30 radio had a prominent performance in the promotion of popular, civic and democratic resistance against the military dictatorship established on June 27, 1973." You wouldn't figure many burglars would make it to the seventh floor. Maybe the bars were to protect against the neighbours. Getting in required undoing three locks with a big key, and then using the key to re-lock them when you were inside. It was the same at our earlier apartment in the old city. |
Street musicians. The restaurant is offering canadians on a plate (as opposed to on a bun) with pop for 779 pesos. Servings in Uruguay are huge.
Ñoquis, my farewell meal in Montevideo, are a kind of gnocchi. Uruguayans don't eat a lot of fruit or vegetables, as is evidenced by a trip to a grocery store!
Wikipedia says: "Ñoquis is traditionally eaten on the 29th day of each month. This was the day before payday, when people were at their poorest. [Ñoquis] made a cheap and hearty meal. On these occasions, some people leave a coin or a banknote under the plate to attract prosperity." "The madnesses
of today are the great stories of tomorrow." |
These guys were playing at Plaza Independencia one day when a group of school kids (wearing the national young pupils' uniform) came by. They and their teacher joined in!