Fruit - we love fresh fruit and vegetables and Uruguay grows tons and tons and so do Argentina, Chile, and Brazil - so there is no shortage and the price is always right. Our favorite place to buy is at the twice weekly "Feria" (street market). They setup the markets in the street before daylight and the selling continues on most all day. Every imaginable fresh food from fish to strawberries is sold.

Here Betty admires a cactus blossom on a stop at the river on our way to Colonia an early and important settlement Where the Portuguese and Spanish had it out before the Pope settled the matter.

Here is "Dr. Sanchez"- it seems odd to see Marcelo needing "cheaters" to read. Why, just the other day he was in my photography class with the eye of an eagle...

This is a marble cutting shop next to the cemetery in our neighborhood. Everything is covered in a white dust. Here one can choose the shape and design of a stone or sculpture. The old world crafts are alive and well here.

Here is the Queen Mary 2 cruising into Montevideo harbor. The Rio de la Plata river may be the widest in the world but it also has a deep channel.

The Carnival parades of drummers and dancers seem to last the whole night and all month. They start at 9 pm and this one was  broken up at 3 am because a girl died and it looked like the parade would continue until 6 am.

Night photography is a challenge for our little Optio especially with all the movement. An interesting element of their parades and celebrations are the "advertisements" Between each band, float or act is either a huge segment of silk flags with the sponsors information or a skit or lottery . We are told that this is to help pay for the costumes, floats etc.

Speaking of celebrations, There is an annual event where people who practice the religion of Umbanda gather at the beach to send lighted and flower filled little boats into the surf with sacrifices to the deities . We missed the actual event, but arrived to see the crowds and beach holes with candles glowing.

In Montevideo's many parks and walking streets there are lots of what I call street theatre. Dancers, mimes and scores of sidewalk vendors mix to make the whole an impromptu event. Here on a Sunday a troop from a dance school were demonstrating their large variety of moves and styles. Delightful !

This is Betty and Marcelo on the overlook high above the beach at Piriápolis. The same view of the painting that we brought at the street market.
 

Emi and I are seated here at the sidewalk cafe waiting for hotdogs to arrive.

This is a very social culture - much of it centered around the leisurely enjoyment of food and drink. Our Yankee style of "wolfing" our food is completely out of favor, as they say. And, we are learning to slow down. You are expected to occupy your table for at least an hour and up to three. Why- for well over a quarter century, we ate our school lunch in 10 minutes, had time to go to the loo , erase the board and get out the materials for the next class.  I like the Uruguayan way better !  

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