Uruguay...

... it sounds so exotic doesn't it? In reality its only a 50 minute catamaran ride from BA but on choppy seas mind you so it felt like more.

Otherwise it doesn't feel that different, the money is different although you have your choice to pay in pesos uruguanos, pesos argentinos, o dollares estados unidos (they're very accomodating). Prices are harder to comprehend, instead of dividing by three you have to divide by 20, it should be easier but its harder. I paid $200 pesos for breakfast, and just about died, til I realized it was only $10. Still, a bit expensive but i was sitting at a table on the beach so what can you expect.

I did note that the coffee here is not as good, but the wine seems to be ok.

The weather has been ideal-- 80 and sunny with a pleasant breeze to keep away the bugs. I'm already on page 50 of my 200 page book I hope it lasts through tomorrow because the only english books available appear to be trashy romance novels... although, if you can't read a trashy romance novel on a somewhat dirty beach in uruguay where can you read one?

My hostel is very quiet and that's good because its giving me some good isolation and alone time to process my trip. And frankly after 21 days its nice to have my own bathroom and bed, even if a street dog has made my stoop his favorite napping place. The Hostel is really more of a guest house, complete with grandma sitting at the kitchen table. The english spoken is minimal and frankly i'm pretty proud of myself that the language hasn't really been an issue. My survival spanish has gotten downright impressive. We did have a bit of confusion about the word for trash an though, there aren't any anywhere, weird. Unfortunately I have now forgotten what she told me the name was and so we may have to repeat the exchange tomorrow.

So yeah, uruguay, its warm, its quiet, its cheap, its exactly what I need before going home.