Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America, but still twice the size of Austria. It is located east of the large Rio Uruguay, which is the other big conflux of the Rio de la Plata. Uruguay is called the Switzerland of South America due to its stability, prosperity and wealthyness. A lot of banks are in its capital, Montevideo. The landscape is hilly, green and grassy with many cows. In addition Uruguay has nice coasts on the Atlantic Ocean, Rio Uruguay and Rio del la Plata.
We visited the west part of Uruguay on the shores of the big rivers between the second biggest city Salto and the ancient, picturesque town of Colonia del Sacramento. Colonia lies opposite of Buenos Aires on the Rio del la Plata. It is a good place to park the car if you fly from Buenos Aires to your home city.
The dam of the hydroelectric power plant Salto Grande is the most northern street between Argentina and Uruguay. The Uruguayan customs was very strict in terms of fresh fruits and vegetables, so we had to eat our bananas and tangerines before we could enter Uruguay. Unfortunately we had had a rich breakfast few minutes before, so we had to to scrap some food.
The first city Salto is a pleasant town with a nice main square named after the Uruguayan National hero Jose Gervasio Artigas. He had been the first in South America 1764 who had performed an agriculture reform to the advantage of the local people. He had been defeated by Argentine and Brazilian troops 1819 and he had to move to Paraguay into exile. His reform had been removed to the benefit of the European rich landowners, which had exploited the local people.
Plaza de Artigas of Salto
We got the best ice cream in South America in a parlor with a nice name:
Ice cream parlor ALFREDITO
We spent the night on the Meseta de Artigas a plateau 80 meters over the Rio Uruguay with a large monument of General Artigas, more than 30 meters high. There is a free of charge campsite with all facilities like hot showers and electricity!
Rio Uruguay from the Meseta de Artigas
General Artigas
The next city, Paysandu, has an old cemetry and the hot springs Termas de Guaviyu with acceptable campsites.
Monument in the cemetry of Paysandu
On the way to Colonia are the atmospheric ruins of the Jesuit Calera de las Huerfanas, situated in a lush forest.
Ancient church of the Jesuits
We found a nice campsite directly on the beach of Rio de la Plata, 8 km North of Colonia (GPS coordinates S 34° 24.958 W 057° 53.532, close to the Geocache El Castillo, which we did not find. But we found another one in a nice hacienda driven by Swiss people: Vineyard Cache - Wood and Wine.
This campground was free of charge but without facilities. Instead beer was available!
Shooting is not allowed on the beach
We enjoyed this marvelous and remote spot intensively. We stayed 3 nights there, also when we visited Colonia.
The beach of the Rio de la Plata
Islands in the Rio de la Plata
Colonia del Sacramento is one of the most popular touristic destination in Uruguay due to its quaint old town, founded by the Portugueses in 1680. It is located pretty on a tongue in the Rio de la Plata.
Main church of Colonia
Ancient car on the main square of the old city
Uruguay is famous for its old cars in stunning conditions. In Europe you can make a lot of money with these cars if you pass the security inspection.
Another beautiful car in Uruguay
Some are used a little bit strangely.
Car used as flowerpot
There is a good parking place in Colonia close to the sea port, secured 24 hours 7 days per week. It is well known by campers in South America; so we saw there several camping cars. We parked our car there and left Uruguay with the ferry to Buenos Aires on August 13th 2011 to visit our family and friends in Germany.
For more pictures, please click here
For a map of our itineraries, please click here
To download the GPS coordinates file of Uruguay, click here
Suppose you are in Germany now !
So bye till the next adventure !
Kisses