A very, very small thing

My favorite note-taking pen broke the other day – sad! 🙂 But wait—it broke exactly as it ran out of ink! Hmmm.

It says “Courtyard” (by Marriott). I remember them as a nice place, but having gone nowhere in over 5-1/2 years, we haven’t been near one. And before that, we didn’t stay in one after what, early 2000s? I have no idea.

In September 2012 we traveled to Connecticut for my niece’s wedding. Since freebie pens were not a thing in Uruguay (and still aren’t really), I noticed the “junk drawer” in my sister’s kitchen, and asked if she could spare some pens. We came back to Uruguay with a handful, secured with a couple rubber bands.

Which gives me an idea. Yes! Some of those pens from 2012 are still in my collection. Grab a sheet of paper to test, and results:

  • 3 put into service;
  • 5 retired.

The cute little plastic container was one of several gifted by our neighbors Wayne and Janet, who left Uruguay for British Columbia in May 2023.

Small things.

Peluche’s perch

Peluche, a friendly neighborhood dog, enjoying a day at the beach courtesy of the ever-remodelling neighbor’s sand pile. Or is that he has already staked himself as King of the Mountain with a child’s shoe?

As for figuring out what a dog is thinking, just let it go 🙂 .

When I first asked his name, the owner told me with a sheepish smile.

Parque Francisco Lecocg

A house guest wanted to see local fauna , which presented a challenge until I discovered Parque Francisco Lecocg. At the edge of protected wetlands northwest of Montevideo, it has a number of species, including peacocks who crowd the entrance road as if looking for handouts (I wonder why), and freely-wandering llamas. Neither is native, but hey.

The park consists of large enclosures. Apparently the idea of rheas and monkeys wandering around freely isn’t as visitor-friendly, so sorry guys: fences.

For some reason, there is a grassy enclosure with a few capybaras (largest living rodents, native to South America) next to one packed with them. They were to the right of this photo; note the absolute lack of vegetation if you don’t believe me.

A substantial aviary unfortunately appears to be uninhabited.

You can also find, somewhat inexplicably, several zebras. A couple of boys did their best to get a reaction from one of the three we saw.

Alas, it just stood there, doing absolutely nothing.

Though not necessarily a tourist attraction, this is the kind of place I’m glad to know exists. It was full of families, active barbecue grills, and kids playing futbol. Atlántida had a small and unexciting zoo until “animal rights activists” “liberated” the inhabitants, many of whom apparently succumbed to vehicular traffic (but for a good cause—?). I don’t know the details. Our local is now part gardening center and part playground, where it is equally popular with families.