Goodbye My Gorra

It was my favorite hat, so I feel the need to give him (my hat) a proper farewell. This really has nothing to do with Uruguayan (or Montevidean) culture or food, but it happened here.

This is a nephew of a good friend of mine. When he asked to try on the hat, and I saw that it looked much better on him than it ever did on me (by far), I had to let him go. Goodbye my gorra, may you live a happy life listening to the beautiful Uruguayan Spanish around you.

Carnival Montevideo 2009 Finished...Sort Of

One quick note: if you are in Uruguay and looking to find the latest Carnaval celebrations, don't wait until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. I.E. when I arrived to La Pedrera on Tuesday expecting to see a Carnaval send-off for the night, I saw group after group of people leaving the beach town headed back to Montevideo.

The town was dead, the streets were completely empty (save the remnants of the previous night's fiesta), and the last Carnaval celebrations are on the Monday night before Ash Wednesday. Oh well, some other year I will return.

But then again, I am in Montevideo and their Carnaval times continue with the Tablados showcasing Murga, Humoristas, Pariodistas, and more continuing into March. Vamos adelante...

Carnival Montevideo 2009 Still Going

OK, this is a long time to be "partying" with Carnival's rhythms right? But truth be told, all of the big parades are early in February. On the day that the official Carnival is at its peak (today), and yesterday when everyone was on vacation as well due to Carnival, there is NOTHING going on (kind of like the excitement in this girl's face when I took a picture in one of the little neighborhood parades). Businesses are closed, the streets are quiet, there are no huge parades or crazy spectacles. It's an odd silence. Then I found out that people go to the beach and have make-do Carnivals there.



So off I go to La Pedrera for a night (because I need to be back in town tomorrow). I don't have a place to stay, I don't know anyone, and I don't really have a plan yet. Should be interesting. If you are reading this, live in La Pedrera, and would like to offer your couch, please don't delay in texting me at 099 654 905. Si vives en La Pedrera y no te molestaria si me quedaria en tu casa hoy, por favor hagame un texto al numero arriba.

Spanish Phonetics

No, I am not talking (or writing) about my Gringo accent that will not leave me. In Spanish speaking countries it is not uncommon to see signs for "ceviche" at one restaurant but at another they serve "cebiche". The reason for this is that the "v" and "b" sounds in Spanish are so similar that many people confuse them. In fact, in many conversations I have been part of, a native speaker asked, "Is that with a large or small b/v?"

Also, the "s" and the "z" sound freakishly identical. My primary question: why have two letters that have the same sound ALL the time. Sure, in English the "s" and "c" sound the same depending on what follows the "c" (as in 'cell'). But not always is the sound like the "s".

Am I missing something here (like I felt when watching these two guys at the table next to me at Los Yuyos restaurant...until I learned this is the custom followed for a soon-to-be-husband)

Back to Rio

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Late Night Urges

I had to do it. It was 2AM. I was a bit inebriated. I was very hungry. It was open: I entered, ordered, and I ate. Wow, what a cheeseburger.

It's been over five years since I have eaten at a McDonald's. So I am not sure if it was due to my state of mind, my hunger level, or the beef here in Uruguay, but it was one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever eaten.

More Time Orientation Talk #1

I am not going to say anything...I will merely try to paint the picture. I am in a housing material store. I mention to one of the workers, upon leaving, that the ticket dispenser they have nailed to the wall could hurt someone passing by (it extended about 1.5 feet with a sharp metal pad and was located at eye level on a corner of the wall where people enter the office...just waiting for someone in a rush cutting the corner to tightly).

He agreed, somewhat, then two other workers came over. The group stood there looking at the ominous gadget beckoning to poke someone's vision out for 20 minutes. Discussing where it should go, what would happen if a client were hurt, should they put signs around, etc. After these twenty minutes (which is about how long it would have taken to remove the four nails in the wail with the dispenser, and then nail it on the other side of the door frame in a completely safe area), we said our goodbyes. I left, they returned to work, and the dispenser held its ground.

And I laughed. This is Uruguay. I arrive at appointments/meetings at least ten minutes late. I don't expect to make plans week's ahead of time...or even days for that matter. I am Uruguayanizing myself as best I can.

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Unexpected Gifts

There I was walking down a small street near the Plaza de Independencia in Montevideo, and I saw it. What a gem. So beautiful.

I spoke with the owner of this book store for awhile about what I wanted to read (in Spanish) - my level, what I was interested in learning about the culture, and stories that I should read. H

e told me to come back in a few days. Clearly, he had some searching to do...but it seemed like he knew he had the goods...somewhere. I am pumped.

Food Handling #2

Here in Uruguay, and in some other parts of the world, meats (salted sometimes) hang freely in kitchens, deli's, etc. No refrigeration, no covering...just hanging out.

But I was raised to believe that if a food item is left outside of the fridge for more than a few hours it is no longer fit for consumption. I.E. with eggs, milk, or meats. My boundaries have been stretched and I am no longer so overly concerned with the refrigeration rule. Although I am still a strict follower of the five second rule with the floor.

But I was stretched further yesterday. I was at my friend's house when I noticed an uncooked dish on their stove counter. It was raw meat soaking in milk, and would remain soaking in this milk for the whole night until it entered the stove the following day. No way, this can't be. You are just asking for a mean session involving a toilet after this (were saying my thoughts).


Final verdict: It was an absolute delicious lunch...and was not accompanied with any uncomfortable bathroom breaks.

Montevideo Samba Parade 2009 Quick Review

I'm not going to lie: the parade wasn't amazing and I felt a little strange at times.

1) Because I was using my Nikon D40x camera and I was overly conscious of people eyeing the gear (which I don't think they were but I am paranoid at times)
2) I think I arrived about 30 minutes late and didn't see the beginning of the parade
3 and 4) Young girls were doing the dirty dance in g-strings while fathers and families were applauding; older ladies, adorned in their 30 year old costumes, stood on floats and passively looked at the crowd

But it was a good time overall. Samba music rocks - no other way to describe it. Happy, rhythmic sounds combine for a festive atmosphere.

The Dictatorship (Dictadura) in Uruguay

Officially beginning in 1973 and lasting until 1985, the Uruguayan dictatorship existed. There was murdering, torturing, political imprisonment, and an ugly life experienced for the normal citizen. This wasn't 60 years ago removed by multiple generations. It wasn't even a generation ago, depending on how you calculate generations.

I don't pretend to know 10% of this history, as I am just beginning to learn of the Uruguayan regime. For me, it is absolutely horrifying and selfishly intriguing to learn of Uruguay's dictatorship and its affects on today's society.

I saw El Circulo last night (the picture above is showing Henry Engler, the ex prisoner that the documentary follows). It was moving. It was real. It was just a few years ago that this nasty life existed with throwing prisoners into wells until they were pulled up to be tortured. After the ending credits rolled, and the lights of the movie theatre came on, I looked around at the audience. They did not get up. All of them, all of them, sat there for a good few moments with their respective thoughts. It was sincerely a moving moment.

Carnival: Samba Parade (Desfile de Samba)

I have been looking forward to this Montevideo Carnival parade after seeing the Inaugural and the Las Llamadas. It was scheduled for tonight at 20:30 on 8 de Octubre starting at Carlos Croker street.

**But it has been changed to tomorrow night, February 13th according to this site...I will post any other updates should I find the parade still a go for tonight.

Time Orientation and Politics

My friend invited me to their neighborhood's rally for one of the three candidates of the Frente Amplio political party. This is one of the 3 major political parties in Uruguay (the party of the current president as well), so I figured that the turnout would be an interesting one in a small barrio. It was. The rally was set for 6PM. The above picture was taken at 6:15PM. Classic.

But Astori came and spoke...about how he was for the normal Joe. He was for the people and he really liked talking and connecting with people. Clearly this has been his criticism so far.

And yes, that is a picture of Che on the flag in the background.

Food Handling #1

I have seen this in Europe and other parts of South America...namely Argentina. The bag of juice or milk is bought, cut on the corner, and placed into a handled container. It works beautifully. Not sure if it is a question of economics or environmental concerns, but the whole milk-in-its-premaid-carton idea is not so popular here.

Uruguayan Cows

"What are you looking at?"

It was as if they knew that my appetite for meat has increased over the past three months. They were upset with me for looking at them like a piece of meat. And these Uruguayan cows had good reason.

Montevideo Carnival 2009 Schedule (more)

Not mentioning the Murga/Humorista/etc. shows given nightly, here are the little neighborhood parades and candombe sessions for February:

- 14 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 8 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Zum Felde desde Flamarión hasta Caleras

- 16 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 11 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Gral. Flores desde Chimborazo hasta Santiago Sierra

- 17 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 1 de Montevideo
Recorrido: De Reconquista y Misiones hasta Pérez Castellano y por ésta hasta Piedras

- 18 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 14 de Montevideo
Recorrido: De Agraciada y Pilar Costa hasta Carlos María Ramírez y por ésta hasta Manuel Herrera y obes


- 19 de febrero, 20.30 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 4 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Ramón Anador desde Presidente Oribe hasta Navarra

- 20 de febrero, 20.30 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 13 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Bvar. Batlle y Ordoñez desde Pastor hasta Av. Sayago

- 21 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 10 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Av. José Belloni desde Bartolomé Vignale hasta Gral. Flores

- 25 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 16 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Agraciada desde Plaza Cuba hasta Raffo Arrosa

- 26 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corsos vecinal de la zona 7 de Montevideo.
Recorrido: Por Francisco Solano López desde Humberto 1º hasta Verdi

- 27 de febrero, 21.00 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 3 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por Gral. Flores desde Garibaldi hasta Domingo Aramburú

- 28 de febrero, 20.30 horas.
Corso vecinal de la zona 9 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por 8 de Octubre desde Camino Corrales hasta Smidel

- 1 de marzo, 18.30 horas
Corso vecinal de la zona 6 de Montevideo
Recorrido: Por 8 de Octubre desde Bvar. Batlle y Ordoñez hasta Pan de Azúcar

Carnival Carnaval Montevideo 2009 Schedule

Montevideo is the Ibero-American Capital of Carnival for 2009 and 2010 - there are a lot of shows, parties, and parades to see. I have been trying to figure out where to go, what to see, and when the Carnival shows will be taking place for too long now. After googling around for awhile I came to the conclusion that there isn't a good site for everything that is happening (in Spanish or English). So I thought breaking down the basics of Carnival in February and March would be nice (and hopefully with some comments from readers we can put this schedule to rest!):

Parades - there are three main parades given:

Inaugural Parade (already happened): Feb 2 along 18 de Julio
Las Llamadas (already happened): Feb 5,6 along street Isla de Flores
Samba School 2009: Februrary 12th at 20:30 along Avenida 8 de Octubre

Tablados (Stages)

These are the Murgas, Humoristas, Parodistas, Revistas, and Comparsa de Negros y Lubolos (Candombe) that give performances all around Montevideo. During the Carnival season these groups compete with one another. The winners/finalists of each group will ultimately perform in the Teatro de Verano in March. This date is unknown as of yet (either because they don't know it yet, I can't find it, or a combination of the two?).

Teatro de Verano, for example, has nightly shows comprised of four acts each night up until Feb 16th (at least). Other locations in the neighborhood of Prado and Tres Cruces give shows as well.

On the Road to Colonia, Uruguay

Colonia, Uruguay is a colonial (go figure) town on the southern side of Uruguay. It is a quick trip from Buenos Aires, Argentina; hence many Argentines choose this spot for a short weekend trip. I had heard a lot about Colonia - it's beauty, great location, etc. So I had to visit.

Colonial is a beautiful touristy town with rocky colonial streets...but nothing too special. It was a quick trip and I didn't have the chance to get a feel for the locals (although in a touristy town it is hard to do sometimes). And on top of that the prices in the town were obnoxiously high. More on Colonia later...

One of my favorite parts of the trip was visiting this ranch on the side of the highway. The owner quickly informed me that he had the biggest collection of pencils...in the world. I had to see it. Over 11,000 unique pencils are in this museum full of bottle openers, cans, matchboxes, old currencies, and more. I can now happily say that I have seen this magnificent masterpiece.

Smoking Culture

Some countries have a culture that smokes more than others. Some countries warn their citizens about the dangers of this smoking. Other countries, apparently, take it a step further with their warning tactics. The cigarette box reads: "Do you know what you are smoking?"

Yes, that is a dirty dead mouse/rat.

Las Llamadas (Candombe) Parade

The energy level at the inaugural parade for carnival (carnaval in Spanish) was sub par. Although I didn't stay late in the night so I assume (read: I know) the festivities continued. But last night's Las Llamadas Parade belted beats and flashed dances starting in the early evening and continued into the late night.

It wasn't uncommon to see someone from the crowd jump up and join in the parade to dance for a bit, or to see one of the glitzy dancers say hello to a friend on the sidelines.

The parade offered candombe beats, dancing and flag waving via 24 separate groups along Isla de Flores street. The best tambore (drum) section recieved the most money for the individual prizes. But closely following this sum of money was the winner for the girls (dancers) with the best bodies. Classic.

Las Llamadas has been showing its stuff for Carnival since 1956.
It has history , it has dancing and powerful percussion unity, it has a community feeling full of smiles and friends. And it also has this dude:

Backstreet Boys in Montevideo

And the above photo is not them - that is a great murga group. Last night I went to my first show featuring murga, humorista, and parodista groups. Carnival here is comprised of a few styles - each group competing for first place every year.

Some of the groups: Murga (singers), Humoristas (singers,dancers,jokesters), Parodistas (singers, dancers, based on parodies), Lubolos (Candombe players), Revistas (I haven't seen them yet), etc.

Back to the Backstreet Boys. The parodista groups are apparently known for having the best looking men/boys - chicks dig them here of course. I knew this before their act started, so I was expecting to see some dudes that lit up the stage. And I did see this on the stage, but in a flaming way. These boys/men were extremely feminine. I'm referring to the level you see with Madonna's male dancers surrounding her in videos...but without the professional moves or the dark skin. I was so surprised that I had my mouth open the whole act and forgot to take pictures. That last sentence is a bit too vague, but you know what I mean.

It was a night to learn a few of the styles of Montevideo's Carnival. It was a night of questioning the Uruguayan girls' tastes in men. And it was a night when I understood perhaps 10% of what the groups were singing or making jokes about - whether due to my Spanish or the fact that I am not caught up on politics, all of the traditions in Uruguay, or all of the slang sayings.

Diosa Del Mar

Every year on the 2nd of February, people of all religions here in Montevideo, in Brazil, and other parts of the world come to their respective beach and give offerings to the god of the ocean - Diosa del Mar.

Families walk hand in hand into the ocean to give their thoughts and tokens of appreciation. Candles are lit on the beach in makeshift mini-pits in the sand. The scene reminded me of a time long ago in Broom, Western Australia for their night of worship with lit candles on the beach.

But I was surprisingly more fascinated watching the visitors rid the bad spirits from their bodies. The way in which the evil-spirit-takers were touching the stomach, chest, and eregenous zone of their subjects surprised me...to say the least.

The Inaugural Montevideo Carnival Parade Results

Weren't expecting to see a Carnival parade vision like this right? Nor was I. I felt like Rick Sherman (a local old dude who plays music in Newport Beach, California) was walking in a hometown parade. But I still loved seeing this guy above.

The Montevideo Carnival parade was nothing spectacular, as a few friends warned me ahead of time. Perhaps it was because I wasn't at all inebriated? Or because it wasn't at night? Or, sad to say, Rick Sherman was cruising around.

But in the same note, it was great to get a glimpse of what will be thrown at Montevideo in the month of February. Seems like there is something going on every night or day - a Murga, a Llamada (Candombe drums), and many other types of acts and styles....like the disco dancers yesterday shaking their stuff. I was looking for a Travolta-like performer but couldn't locate him:

And Now Carnival Will Begin

Well, the day has finally arrived - the inaugural parade is on for today! Not only on Super Bowl Sunday, but also on my dad's 73rd birthday. Happy Bday dad!

As stated, Uruguayans don't mess around with their festivities during the longest Carnival in the world. At 6pm tonight, between Plaza Independencia and Minas street, the parade of 80 groups will strut their respective stuff. Here we go!!!

The center of town will shut down it's public transportation and streets at 4pm, and I am sure this will be a scene. Can't wait to show you guys what happens (with my Nikon D40x camera as well).