Near the end of my stay in Melo I was beginning to get restless. With about a month of relaxed, slow-moving, slow-living lifestyle I was being to become a bit bored. I needed a change I needed some independance and personal space. So I took all my stuff and hopped onto the next bus out to the coast looking for my nice period of beach relaxation and sun. With Uruguay said to be the safest country in South America as well as one of the smallest it made me really want to try Hitchhiking, something which had been on my mind more and more of late. Arriving in Rocha I was exhausted from the lack of sleep on the bus overnight so I waited for a short 20 minute bus ride out to the ocean to a point called La Paloma.
The entire coast of Uruguay is packed with seaside resorts every 20 kilometers at least. Seemingly endless beaches run up and down the coast. Uruguay, a small country of 3 million people only, with 50 % of the populace living in the capital, Montevideo, leaves the rest of the country extremely unpopulated. Although through January and February hundreds of thousands of Argentinians and Brazilians flock to their beaches, masses of Uruguayans leave Montevideo and rent houses on the beach and stay there for at least 1 month of their vacations. January, the heigth of summer is a constant beach party of youth while February is a month of Carnaval at each different stop offering more legendary parties and music. All of this is what I missed. I did not arrive to the coast until March. By this time everyone was leaving and going back home, to their towns or to Montevideo to start school or work once again. Depending on ones preferences, I have either missed out on a great deal or was lucky. While there was no great parties I still got to know some cool people very well because of how tranquil and quiet the beach towns were!
Anyway I arrived in La Paloma feeling quite alone. I headed to the nearest campsite which lay only a few hundred meters from the beach and set up my tent. Within about 30 minutes I struck up a conversation with the neighbouring tent. (Which I strategically set up beside) The tent belonged to a Uruguayan couple, who had been camping out there all summer and working. They were attempting to live cheaply, save money and travel thereafter although Even camping can be an expensive lifestyle, with the inflated food prices, along with making 25$ in a days work of 8 to 9 hours! Anyway along with this couple was a German tourist, also camped nearby named Lucas who had spent the last week or so with this couple and was now preparing to move on. I did not like Lucas at first, thinking him rather annoying and out spoken although. The next 2 days were spent here in La Paloma with these 3 people. Most of the weather was aweful, serious pouring rain throughout most of it leaving me wondering how long I would last this lifestyle if the weather persisted. Luckily it did not and last day there the sun came out in full and Lucas and I spent the day surfing. My first try surfing was very interesting but seemingly impossible. Seeing a glance into the surf life was great. Camping out nights. Waking up to the beach and often sun. Surfing, Swimming, Working, Playing music. So basic, so relaxing, no worries. The 2 nights in La Paloma were spent eating considerably good food, playing decent music until early in the morning, drinking wine and beer and smoking. Lucas had a mini travel guitar, I had my guitar and we had 2 harmonicas. We had all the ingredientes for goodness. On the 3rd day Lucas and I went onto Cabo Polonio, a bit earlier than I was expecting although I sacrificed my plans to have a companion. We took a bus to Cabo, which was only 40 kilometers up the highway. I postponed hitchhiking once again to my disappointment. While hitchhiking in Uruguay would be the best, the buses cost lots per kilometer although the distances are never far so the amounts are never a lot. Willpower is needed to hitchhike over turning down a 5 dollar bus. Although for me it is more about the experience and doing it rather than potential money saved.
Lucas and I arrived in Cabo after a short bus ride. Cabo is another point up the coast. Technically a national park although over time a small community has grown inside the park, probably numbering to be a few hundred permanent residents. There are no roads in the town, only dirt paths, no electricity other than rare solar panels. To get to the town, people pay to get a large 4 wheel drive truck to take them 7 kilometers out to the coast along a bumpy dirt road. Upon arrival I was smitten by the place. The place was absolute paradise. Sitting on a peninsula with spectacular beaches as far as the eye can see going north and south. In land there is only forest and sand dunes. The houses are small and basic. I was told before arriving that there would be not hot water, no place to buy food or anything although it was not this extreme it was still very interesting. With absolutely nothing to do throughout the day tourists are forced to relax about all day take in the sun and ride or attempt to ride the glorious waves that ride in all day from both sides. With nothing to do and trapped in a small hostel I met many cool people. The hostel was small and thus everyone got to know everyone, each night we would cook meals together and go outside and sit around the fire and just hang out. The age varied greatly me being the youngest, the oldest being around 50 but we all got on greatly no one pulling age or experience on anyone. I could have stayed another 4 nights there in Cabo or a week although I went into the place with little money and with no where to get out more had little option but to leave. On the way out Lucas went back south and I went north with a guy I met at the hostel, A guy from Belgium named Bram, a great guy who I knew was gonna be a good friend as soon as we met talking around the fire. Bram had come all the way from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires hitchhiking. Who better to break the curve with than with someone who has been doing it for the last several months.
Anyway before long we got a ride up to the next stop to Punta del Diablo (Devils Point). We got in late in the evening and found that the camping place was far away and being both exhausted we looked for a free place to set the tents for the night behind some trees. Anyway beside a soccer field behind a private house that was currently unoccupied we set the tents. These places on the atlantic coast are practically ghost towns throughout the fall and winter, then for around 3 or 4 months in spring and summer they reopen and house the craziest parties of the area. Punta del diablo is full of nice houses for rent but by the time we were there it was practically deserted, many hostels and stores simply close down and leave for the long off-season. Anyway camped out behind this presently unoccupied cabin in a copse of trees we put the tents. Once done we greedily sat down next to the house, in a spot half seen from the road and began to eat and drink our frugal dinner. Within 10 minutes a police truck rolled up with a large spot-light shining around and next thing we know it was on us! They must have recieved a complaint from a neighbour about figures making noise in the dark and disturbing the dogs and what-not. So we casually stood up and approached them, Bram led the way and started the conversation explaining in feigned broken spanish (Bram speaks perfect spanish after living in Spain for 2 years) about how we were foreigners. ¨Hello, no . spanish . Belgium . Canada . Arrived Late . Cant find camping . I stood beside dumbfounded not sure what to do, probably ended up coming off as a normal stupid foreigner. To my suprise the cops were fine with it! ¨Tents over there . Dinner . Ham . Cheese . Bread ¨ The cop then replies in slow comprehensive spanish with a waggling of the finger ¨No Fi - re¨ We replied reassuringly that we were not planning on making a fire and they (3 police officers) contentedly squeezed back into their pick-up with a amiable ¨Chao Amigos¨ to finalize it all. As they pulled away I was not sure how to continue, I was absolutely shocked and disorriented as if a bright light had suddenly flashed on. We went back to the same spot, kept on drinking the beer and finshed the sandwiches laughing about the event. Bram asked why I had been scared, for in truth I was rattled. I explained to him the relation and perspective that is held towards police officers from where I live in Canada making me always a bit worried about police taking advantage of youth to back them into corners. We talked for the next hour about policing and our various experiences and run-ins with the law whatever they may be or wherever they may have taken place. We concluded that the Uruguayan police in general were extremely lax! That traffic police kick back in a chair and sip at their mate on the side of the highway. Not to mention this was off-season in Punta del Diablo, imagine what they deal with throughout the summer. Streets full of drunk or drugged-up youths stummbling all over the streets day and night. They absolute shit they deal with probably made this basic trespassing offence nothing. They didn´t check us for anything, or any of the luggage that we had with us. This was my first and hopefully only police encounter in south america and it was a good one. It could have been much worse had I been in another country down here. Chile police are famed to very strict, while Argentina are said to low class and corrupt. Thats not even to note upon sure corruption in countries such as Brazil or Venezuela where they will stop a bus and simply search you and take what they want with rifles at their hips (A true story I heard from Venezuela). Anyway the next day Bram and I awoke and took to the beach, we spent the day there, relaxing and the afternoon walked a few kilometers up the coast to a National Park right beside the town. Parque Nacional Santa Teresa is large and has a considerable length of beautiful beaches as well as free camping. Upon waking up and taking down the tent he hit the highway again to fail all day at getting a ride, nevertheless there was some good musical moments singing on the desolate highway expanse, another good thing to have the guitar for! We ended up taking a bus for mid-afternoon, Bram went all the way to Montevideo and I went to Punta del Este, all the way back south. The major resort, the Miami of Uruguay. The point where on one side of the peninsula is Rio de la Plata beach and the other side is the ocean waves. It was nice to see the change in context although I would not spend a summer there let alone a week. It is too crowded and way to expensive. After 2 nights more or less alone staying in a hostel (because there is no camping) I took to the highway and after a few hours of walking and resting I got a ride with some Argentines. I stopped halfway to my destination to see go to an art museum and chill on the beach then got back on the highway again. This time a couple who were staying in the same hostel as me in Punta del Este stopped and took me to Piriapolis where I stayed in good campsite for one night, more relaxing and beaches the next day and for the afternoon a fisherman picked me up and took me to Atlantida. All of these stops are around 30 to 40 kilometers away from each other.
Atlantida is a small cute community where flocks of people from Montevideo go for the weekend because of how close and accessible it is. I did not want to pay the night or pay a bus to Montevideo so I waited til sun went down and walked along the beach until I found a good spot to put the tent. Along a small trail between the beach and the road was a little protective grove, perfect for the tent and not easily seen from the beach. The full moon was out and I walked down the the beach with the guitar and ran into some fisherman set up on the beach. We chatted for some time before I took to sleep. That morning I awoke early and hit the road again and quickly got a ride to Montevideo, where I took a bus to Daniel´s apartment. Luckily he was there and awake and I was in and passed out on the couch without any problems. After 10 days of being on the road, changing places every day or 2 and walking kilometers carrying the heavy bag I was beat!
The coastal experience was very relaxing and enjoyable. I finally got my relaxing period on the beach that everyone including myself would be disappointed if I had not done. Got a bit of a tan which also is necissary in South American summer. I finally got into hitchhiking which was awesome, I may not have saved a huge amount of money although it was still fun! I spent several nights on end alone and was not abated by the lonliness which I had not expected would have been a problem for me throughout this trip but, to my surprise had a huge effect upon me throughout the beginning. I was becoming more independently capable. Being able to sleep, eat and get from point A to B without having to sleep in hostels eat in restaurants and take buses everywhere. This is what I have been working towards for the last 4 months straight with this outcome in mind. I was very satisfied with where I was at coming into Montevideo.
It was very cool seeing such a large amount of the coast and how much it changes from part to part. It seemed the Atlantic coast was much more frantic and full of youth similar to the crashing waves that hits all along the beaches of the east. While in the south, on the River the water is much calmer, and it is more communities or family abodes or vacation dwellings. At any rate I am surprised there are not more Americans and Canadians that travel down here for the summer the entire coast is beautiful beach all bays and peninsulas. Great spots for surfing and mild swimming. Warm ocean water. Extremely nice people and safe land. I believe people avoid South America in general because there is a general idea rather an ignorance to what South America really is. An idea is formulated, somehow, that South America is extremely dangerous everywhere, It is all underdevelopped and indigenous poverty, this simply is not the truth. Obviously if you have read any of the previous blogs regarding Chile or Argentina one would understand this to be the truth. That being said I have little doubt in saying these 3 countries of topic are the most developped and safest of the continent. I believe Brazil has its development (it is currently the highest currency in the continent) although the simple fact that crime is considerably higher there wards many people off, while that it is true that crime is higher in Brazil it is an enormous country and as always it depends on where you go and what you do. Everyone I have met has told me splendid things of Brazil, tales of falling in love with the land and the cities! At any rate I am presently falling in love with Uruguay in a way. It is a very nice country and very relaxed. There is large amount of field and farm land in land and the people only become nicer and nicer the further in you go! It is a flat country full of green palm trees and fields, rolling hills and farms. It is extremely similar to Argentina and thus famed arrogance of the Argentines naturally talk about Uruguay simply as apart of Argentina, nothing more. They do they same things, similar culture, practically the same accent yet I have noticed a difference. There is a different feel about this land and people than in Argentina, at least parts of Argentina for it is also an extremely large country.
Anyways I am growing tired here at my perch writing this endless blog... Long live Uruguay, Long live Forlan
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