Punta del Este

We awoke moored in the river bay before Punta del Este. After breakfast we took a tender into the port where we negotiated a three-hour tour of the peninsula.

Our driver, Daniel, turned out to be a keeper. He took us all over Punta del Este, stopping at different paradas for us to explore or take pictures. We saw the lighthouse, the Church of La Candelaria, the neighborhoods with large mansions and velvety lawns and the plethora of sleek new apartment buildings.

 We crossed the roller coaster bridge to La Barra, stopped for empanadas at Rica y Famosa, had gelato in town, browsed some tourist shops, and then he took us back to the dock where we re-boarded the ship at 4:30. Our lasting impression of Punta del Este was that of a beautiful, clean, safe resort. At times it felt like the Baleares, especially with all the new construction on every open plot of rock or land, at others  almost the mirror image of our island –with a bit more temperate climate.  It never snows here. It is on a peninsula and from the “cerro” in the middle you can look down on the calm beaches of the river bayside or the waves of the Atlantic on the Brava side. Their seasons are a mirror of ours, so high season is just ending.  School started on March 1. They go from about 15,000 locals to millions of summer visitors from all over the world. Most of the houses are closed up during the low season, and many are rented out to vacationers.  All in all, a delightful place – to visit or for staying a while. Really, much nicer than I had expected.

We arrived back on board just in time for a nice rest, then the show at 7:00 and dinner at 8:30.


Farewell to Uruguay. 
We´re heading south – towards  the penguins.