Last night!!
10pm into bed. 2am still awake, a young guy entertained us with a monotonous series of reverberating base noises from a Boom-Box in his car, maybe 100m away. A virtuoso performance of mind numbing repetition and simplicity. At about 2am he must have decided someone else would appreciate his music selection, as it faded to barely audible. Thank you god…:)
It was an idyllic camp site, under tree cover and with clean toilets, and it transpired, showers too, nearby. All free of charge. So we are not complaining, just reflecting..:)
An interesting day.
Uruguay is very, very different to all the other countries we have visited so far, in South America. It’s more like home, or Europe…in that it seems well structured. Road markings are relevant, not just somebody forgetting to turn the yellow overtaking road markings off on their machine. The road seal goes to the grassed verges, not leaving a dusty strip between the two. In the towns, no dusty parking spaces. Etc. etc. Life seems gentler. Farmland better utilised. Petrol stations appear to be government owed or regulated, though there are foreign owned franchises. Shades perhaps of Ecuador.
Sat-nav discretion!
After leaving Carmelo on the way south towards Montevideo for some unknown reason the sat-nav decided we should take a short cut to catch up with the main road Highway 21, it guided us across it onto a gravel road from which we should have turned back. However thinking we were onto another short cut, it proceded to take us all over the countryside adding perhaps 20k’s to the journey. Finally catching up with 21 just north of Colonia de Sacramento.
Colonia de Sacramento
After having lunch beside the river Plate, in the lovely old town of Colonia de Sacramento, under the shade of a tree, I recalled knowing about the Battle of the River Plate and New Zealand’s, and in fact the Allies first engagement of WW11. Three British ships, the heavy cruiser Exeter and light cruisers Ajax and Archillies were patrolling off the Atlantic coast looking for the Pocket Battleship Graf Spee which had sunk a number of allied ships. After a short engagement when it badly damaged the Exeter and being harrased by the other two ships, raced to the neutral port of Montivideo.
On 13th December 1939, being given an extention of time over the allowed 24hours to remain in port, Langsdorff, the German Captain, decided to scuttle his ship rather than be pummeled by a perceived larger British force waiting for him. After which, he shot himself in a hotel room in Buenos Aires.
The Archillies was on loan to the New Zealand navy and being manned by NZ sailors. It was later renamed HMNZS Archillies.
We could not see the Argentine coast across from our viewing point.
There is a memorial to the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan who landed here in 1520. 705 years ago!!
Tonights camp.
Our camp tonight is in the surrounds of a dairy processing plant. The owner, from his accent, is Germanic. The site has some trees for shade and a lovely springy grass covering. I doubt we will be bothered by inconsiderate youths, tonight. There’s not a cloud in the sky and it’s 33deg. We have Poki in the shade of a eucalypt, and the awning up.
Number plate modifications, nearly perfect..:)
Tomorrow we will visit Montevideo.
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