Ceiling in patients’ bathroom. Much evidence elsewhere of delayed maintenance. But, for my friend, 33 days and zero cost. So.
(If you like this sort of thing, you’ll love my photo tour of the legendary Hotel Termas in Argentina!)
Public hospital
Tag: Montevideo
Géant — bargain shopping in Uruguay!
In case you hadn‘t guessed from my last post, I‘m being sarcastic. But that horrible restaurant‘s location in Carrasco does provide a key to bargain hunting: it‘s near the airport,* where you can catch a flight to Miami (or ironically cheaper, New York).
Though I don‘t normally talk about ridiculous prices in Uruguay (but yes, occasionally), even after five years I still find myself amazed by things like this (I trust you‘ll recognize the first as Amazon):
This is Géant, the French WalMart in Carrasco. I have pointed out the stupidity of their shopping cart system, then mistakenly praised them a few days ago(for something that was probably there all along, though I hadn‘t noticed it).
Yesterday I parked near the front end of the shopping-cart area, thinking I‘d be helpful and do as they say, taking a cart from the parking lot and returning it.
But no — apparently LIFO is still alive and well at Géant: you have to back a cart out from the other side. This is how people think here; people regularly “back out” carts at the local Tienda Inglesa, disrupting everyone in the store‘s worst checkpoint (on average; restocking employees regularly block aisles), rather than walk four meters further and take one from the front.
The good news: these carts with the chain through them will probably be in great condition ten years from now, having never been used!
* As we left the horrible “Chinese” restaurant, we saw the plane overhead carrying our friend to London, giving whom a ride to the airport was the reason for being there in the first place 😉
Drive UY: those pesky lines
“And no, everybody knows what to do in a rond [sic] about and everybody knows that you must use only one lane.” This comes from a comment on this post. Amongst the numerous examples I will show that the second half of this statement is false, I did go through the airport roundabout on this trip without someone turning right from the left lane. However, inevitably it will happen again and I’ll get it on video 😉
Chinese food in Uruguay! (just kidding)
I think some friends recommended this “Chinese“ restaurant in Carrasco. Well, the friendly purveyor appeared Chinese, and spoke Rioplatense Spanish so fluently that obviously she knew that real Chinese food would hold no appeal for the Uruguayan palate. Unfortunately, that expounded to no taste other than soy sauce, and food that seemed to be leftovers, especially believable considering we were the only diners.
Consider this a “must miss” when in Montevideo. Oh, did I mention ridiculously expensive?
I used to taunt expats in Uruguay: what‘s your favorite Thai restaurant in Montevideo? It was a Schrödinger‘s-cat kind of thing, except that the cat was metaphorically dead. In reality nonexistent. Ditto Chinese.
Drive UY: Montevideo’s Rambla
Wandering around Carrasco
After a delicious lunch inside this splendid pile of rock yesterday, we wandered around Carrasco.
I know what you’re thinking: Look at those buildings! We must be in South America!
Amazing dwellings seem to be the norm.
And look at this—a fixer-upper! Some paint, a little TLC, and …oh. Actually, I don’t like the look of the vertical steel “I” beam outside the front door. Maybe we’ll pass on this one.
Lunch in Carrasco
Lovely day to have lunch with friends at the refurbished casino in Carrasco, the closest part of Montevideo for us suburbanites. Also a lovely neighborhood, a place I’d find desirable if I had to live in the city. (And wanted to spend a lot more than I do.)
After seeing this building empty for several years, it does my heart good to see it alive again.
Delicious meal, and we got the full 22% tax knocked off when I used my US Visa card, and paid in USD as priced on the menu, so no need to exchange to pesos. Sweet! The little things ….
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Plus we got to see not one, but two, full-sized plastic horses. With lamps sticking out of their heads.
Tell me it gets any better than that.
After lunch in Montevideo
Cuartel General de Bomberos, on the Plaza de los Treinta y Tres Orientales. Fire Department Headquarters. Today was t-shirt weather, the way it should be in March.
Now this is cool (parking in Montevideo)
Unlike most subterranean parking in Montevideo, under the expanded and renovated Tres Cruces bus station and mall (yeah, world needs another mall…splendid), the parking features wide thoroughfares, generous lighting and…get this…ceiling lights showing available spaces (green) versus occupied (red).
The gap between the greens in my photo happens where no spaces exist, i.e., it’s a “cross street.”
The Wayback Machine
Cold this morning, but we didn’t light a fire since we were out the door to Carrasco, Montevideo, for blood work. The Montevideo airport’s name is Carrasco, but Carrasco is also quite a charming beachside community. Going to the clinic there is a satisfying experience in every way: civilized, professional, pleasant. A total contrast to the dreary clinics in the Ciudad de la Costa, closer to us.
If I had to live in Montevideo, Carrasco would be my choice. Whether or not I could afford it – another issue.
Bright, sunny blue-sky day. Almost home, we stop to get gas. No need to get out of the car. Attendant fills the tank, without asking does a thorough job of washing windshield and back window. I usually tip 10 pesos (half a buck). In this case I give him 20. Some attendants ask if you want the windshield done (because they don’t want to expend unnecessary effort); others don’t even bother.
One of my son’s friends worked as a gas attendant for a while. Interesting stories. I know the tips are appreciated, and not always forthcoming.
I ask about a bus company’s location – we know one but not another, and find it challenging to sort out which ones run when to Montevideo. The attendant asks me to pull forward, away from the pumps, and goes to ask another attendant. Comes back with no clearcut answer. But he’s happy to chat, and offer suggestions for ferreting out info I need.
For an American, it’s like going back in time. In a nice way.