Beaches/Playas

Since Montevideo is just another city and Carnival events were nowhere to be found, we spent Spring Break doing what any other American college student would do: head to the beaches.


Montevideo is located on the Rio del Plata and the Atlantic Ocean.  Rio del Plata is pretty much just a gulf between Argentina and Uruguay, but it's called a river since it's made of freshwater (agua dulce).  The first two days, we just wanted to spend as much time as possible on the beach instead of planning elaborate trips.  We took a bus from the hostel about 20 minutes to Playa Pocitos in still Montevideo.  It was not the prettiest beach in the world, but it was sand, water, and sun.  What else do you need?  Even with SPF 45 applied multiple times a day, I still managed to fry like bacon. Fortunately, thanks to obsessive bathing in aloe, I didn't peel.  However, I'm sure I'll have aged 50 years by the time I start school again in the fall with all the skin damage I'm accumulating.  To our surprise, there were few restaurants, bars, or an beach related businesses along the sand.  I couldn't decide if I missed it or appreciated that Uruguay didn't feel the need to exploit their beaches for capitalization.  In America, where there is a beach, there's someone selling sunscreen, lifejackets, alcohol, cameras, pretty much anything (and usually for an outrageous amount).

Since it was the official holiday of Carnival, there were really no people out.  Of the people that were there, we were definitely the whitest ones.  One man walked past taking pictures accompanied by the usual catcalls, only to return and take more pictures a few minutes later.  I really had no idea how to react.  Part of me was disgusted, part of me wanted to go about my business, and part of me wanted to pose just to surprise him.

Wednesday, we took an hour and a half bus ride to Piriápolis.  It had Spanish style buildings and houses with names.  The sand was whiter, the water was bluer, and the whole town just seemed more of what we had in mind.  The water was freezing but fun to play in nonetheless.  I saw about 30 dead jellyfish on the beach in 150 meter stretch.  I have never seen so many in one place!

We finished the day off at an ice cream buffet. MMM. Sadly, we had to leave pretty early because we went to the soccer game that night.  The trip affirmed what everyone else had already told us; you have to leave Montevideo to enjoy the beauty of Uruguay.  Piriápolis was a more tranquil town before Punto del Este, the famous touristy spring break beach.  Other recommended places were La Bata.