03/25/2001
  Punta del Este - URUGUAY
  S 34°55    W 54°53
  + 104

Hey, como te va? For us, this South American week-end was quite long and eventful !

On the last Journal, we were in Bariloche, close to the Argentine border, on the Andes Cordillera. But it's now time for the Team to head off to Buenos Aires. Our passports are full of stamps: but, about this, in a world considered as 'global', shouldn't we travel with no passport ? Anyway, this week-end, we crossed two countries, before arriving in Uruguay.

Our brief stop in the Argentine capital let us enough time to rest and cure our intestines problems. Indeed, after Marco and Theo, Nicole is now contaminated. She has to face the terrible effects of the disease: nausea, diarrhea, low tension. Our video maker is 'out of order', Marco is now our third eye.

Walking again in the streets of Buenos Aires after 1 month, we feel like being home again. The city's upside down: in the Plaza de Mayo, we assist to a big demonstration against the new Minister of Economy, Domingo Cavallo. In the past, he was also Minister under Carlos Menem, and his way of doing had been the source of violent critics.

As we had walked on our own during the afternoon, we all meet again to see together 'Traffic', a good American movie about drug traffic between USA and Mexico.

We're about to run out of money: we had to be in Rome for the 24th of March. But the Car@van's life is like this, written by the Virtual People. Instead of the Old Continent, we got to head off to Uruguay.

You are the Mind, We're the Body... the Team embarks to Montevideo.

We cross the Rio de la Plata on the 'Buquebus', a powerful catamaran. In two hours and a half, here we are in the Uruguayan capital.

And Magdalena is here to welcome us... Read the Anecdotes.

Click now on the picture and come with us !

MAGDA...

When we get down the ferry, one of my friends is waiting for us: Magdalena !

We met in Paris two years ago as she was doing a European tour. Magda, Uruguayan, is a really great South American young woman.

Smart, pretty, clever, the 28 years old girl is an educator for kids and handicapped children.

Magda invites us at her parents, one hour away from Montevideo, in a beautiful estancia.

at lunch, an excellent 'asado' (grilled meat on live embers) with a good vino tinto! Theo plays pool as we rest on the hammocks. In front of me, a peacock and nandous (small ostriches) peck about in the garden.

Later, Magda, Theo, Vale and I go for a ride with horses in the countryside...

But watch the video !

Aleko

Sometimes, virtual travelers ask us to look for friends or parents around the World.

During our Argentinean crossing, Renato asked us to visit one of his friends in Buenos Aires.

We wrote him, gave him a call... without success. A woman told us that Mariano was gone for two months.

So, dear, Renato, we write here your message on the Journal, waiting for the answer of the nomad, Mariano Tomalino.

"Best regards from your friend, radio amateur, IW2GUP" Renato. 

The Oriental Republic of Uruguay - one of the smallest states in South America - stands between two giants: in the North, Brazil, in the West, Argentina. In the South flows the Rio de la Plata, swelled by the Rio Uruguay and the Rio Negro, two major rivers, as the Atlantic Ocean runs along the Oriental coasts.

With 176.215 km2, Uruguay has about 3.350.000 inhabitants. One third of them live in the capital. 80% of the population has European roots, the country's religion is more than 70% catholic.

Montevideo is the Uruguayan capital, many Uruguayan cities knowing an increasing success amongst Europeans with their colonial architecture.

The inlands looks like southern Brazil, with its green hills.

But to know more, go on: WEB-Uruguay

We'll show you the best we can !


With a now  familiar suspense, we open the 'Results' page. The winners are: "A crazy night for the boys" and "Go on TV".

 

Ok, Virtual ! We'll go tomorrow to look for a TV, and when we're on air, we'll party on ! What do you think about this?

At the moment, we go to bed in Magdalena's house...

Hasta pronto

The Team!

 

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