Jose Mujica - Presidential Election October

Not the poster-child of youth, Jose Mujica is vying for the head hancho post this coming October.

He was a member of the Tupamaros guerilla group of the yester-years, and now hopes to help his country out within the Frente Amplio political group.

Where Bars are Post Offices and More

Uruguay is a land where in a small town, like Canelone' Estacion Pedrera, its grocery store acts as the town's post office and bar/saloon at the same time. Time has stood still here it feels...or maybe progressed - but from what I don't know.

My friend (female) and I walked toward the building. "We" walked in, then noticed that I no longer had a buddy with me. I hopped out of the grocery store/bar/post office and she let me know that it's not thought of as very womanly to enter the establishment. Whoa, or 'doh' (as I have newly learned to write).

Anthony Bourdain's take on the Chivito

As always, Mr. Bourdain is his classic self...and now he meets more meat (sounds kind of strange) in Uruguay. But this time in the form of The Chivito. The Chivito was mentioned briefly on this site earlier, and now the master chef puts his touch on it as well.

Walking Street - Peatonal Sarandi Montevideo

This is my friend, Fabian, smoking his many cigarettes and sipping from his mate gourd on Peatonal Sarandi. He sells books and articles (dating back to the seventies and many times focused on the dictatorship times) on Ciudad Vieja's walking street.

Many a minute/hour was spent in the summer days here with Fabian - talking about daily life, drinking mate, laughing, sharing a silence, or learning about the dictatorship via his articles on sale.

If you pass by him on the Peatonal Sarandi, he would love to talk with you (in Spanish mostly).