Montevideo, Uruguay is the capital city and consistently wins the award for the highest quality of life in Latin America. Located on the southern coast of the country, Montevideo is known for its rich cultural lifestyle and tech-focused industry that allows for small business growth.
Fuente de Los Candados (Locks Fountain)
While exploring the city of Montevideo, we came across Locks Fountain. The tradition is that those in love are supposed to attach a lock that has their name or initials on it to the gate around the fountain and then throws away the key, thus cementing their love between one another. Typically my husband and I do not carry a spare lock in either of our back pockets nor were anyone in the vicinity selling a lock so needless to say, we did not “lock our love” in Montevideo.
The fountain itself was not that glamorous and we know that this idea is not original (these “locks of love” can be seen all over the world; Algeria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, UK, US and so on), but I do love this idea. Note to self: bring a spare lock when going to the aforementioned countries if you want to “lock your love”.
Mercado del Puerto (Meat Market)
There are piles of hardwood that are being smoked, coals sizzling from the dripping fat of the meat, and piles of meat being slow cooked alongside peppers and onions in a huge open parrilla (grill). We chose to go to the Estancia del Puerto, one of the many shops inside. You can choose from the pork loin, pork chops, sausage, beef, chicken, and a plethora of other grilled meats. The meats are then seasoned with salt, salsa, chimichurri, parsley, olive oil, oregano, and other herbs. In addition to meats, there are also kinds of pasta and grilled vegetables for the non-meat eaters, like me. The portions are very large so come with a big appetite.
Travel Tip: Reading on during travels is a great way to pass the time on flights and when trying to chill out a bit on the beach or in the room. Turn the TV off and lose yourself in a good book! I love my Kindle because it saves so much room in the backpack and allows me to get any English book no matter where I am in the world. Find this and other tips on our Travel Tools page.
Rambla de Montevideo (water walkway)
The Rambla is the pedestrian and cycling path that aligns the shore of the Rio de La Plata for an entire 13.5 miles. The side of the Rambla across from the beach is state-owned, building on this side is regulated so that the views are uninterrupted and the Rambla itself been proposed as a World Heritage site. The Rambla provides an extensive space for residents and visitors of Montevideo to walk along the water’s edge, run, cycle, and partake in a variety of other outdoor activities.
Traveled August 2015