The town of Tacuarembo is where the gaucho makes his last stand. Even now in the age of ipads and twitter the folks in Tacuarembo treasure the simpler times when the Gaucho roamed Uruguay. Tacuarembo’s commitment to history is embodied in their annual celebration Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha. Held every year since 1985, the first week of March is dedicated to the search of the quintessential Gaucho environment. Groups from all over the country arrive days earlier to set up their “towns”, complete with a general store, a blacksmith or a police station with a small town built around it. Everything is built with materials that would have been available at the time. Once the festival starts the Read more
For most of us, when we think of Uruguay what comes to mind is the party scene at Punta del Este and the capital, Montevideo. That is where most fellow expatriates are drawn and rarely venture out into the rest of the country. Some, however, have stepped of the beaten path and found treasures formerly enjoyed only by locals and savvy Argentinians. One such treasure is El Salto, a city located along the Rio Uruguay, across from the Argentinian city of Concordia.
While El Salto is the second largest city in Uruguay it still manages to keep a small town feel. One University, one mall, one movie theater. It may not sound too promising, but despite that small town feel Read more
Uruguay sleeps, eats and drinks football. Football of course is soccer, and the national football team is a major contender in the wold football scene. In 2010, Uruguayan player Diego Forlán was named the best player of the World Cup. During Uruguay’s 11 appearances in the world cup, Uruguay has secured two wins and most recently fourth place in the 2010 World Cup. Currently Uruguay ranks 7th in the world, a significant improvement over 2009 when they ranked 20th. They also rank 3rd in the continent.
Home of the national team is Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Finished in 1930 it was the site of the first World Cup in history, it has since been the site of Read more
We are one month away from celebrating the Declaration of Independence, a national, non working holiday observed in Uruguay yearly on the 25th of August. One of the best parts of not going to work on the 25th, means that on the 24th you have plenty of time to party! No need to think about waking up for work the next morning.
Rumor has it, over 20 years ago a local am radio DJ started “La Noche de la Nostalgia” (The Nostalgia Night), a party where only old hits would be played. Since that first famed night, year after year the country has grown to celebrate hold hits, with music, costumes, and celebrations on the night of August 24th, a day Read more
What is the cost of living in Uruguay? Well, for many it depends on where and how they live. What is for certain is that right now 1 US dollar is equal to about 23 Uruguayan pesos, which is better than it was last year.
The Big Gringo travels Central and South America trying out new things and reporting back to you – my faithful readers – so that you might enjoy your travels. Here is some information you might also find valuable:
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Hooray for Chinese food that is actually somewhat like Chinese food in South America!
As an extensive traveler I have found that Chinese food is actually a staple restaurant in most countries. In that statement, I use the term “Chinese food” quite loosely. What most restaurants serve up (even if you see a Chinese cook in the back) is what residents of the local country think Chinese food should taste like. You can imagine this is pretty frustrating for a Gringo who grew up pointing to items on the menu because the waiter didn’t speak any English.
Gran China, which is located on San Jose 1077 between Rio Negro and Paraguay in Centro actually does real Chinese food. The flavors Read more
If you are debating getting your residency in Uruguay I am here to tell you another benefit of being a resident: if you are working for a Uruguayan company and paying into BPS (social security) then you are entitled to receive health insurance via the government sponsored Health Insurance Plans.
Many who come to Uruguay, work for a Uruguayan company, and have their residency benefit from these plans. The health care is reliable, the insurance actually covers a good deal, and I think you’ll find you are way better taken care of than with some of the health insurance providers in the States.
The only issue with the arrangement of this health insurance is that the directors of Uruguayan corporations Read more
Today marks the arrival of numerous international Jazz musicians to Punta del Este for the 14th annual International Jazz Festival.
The two day festival at the open air amphitheater of La Pataia begins tomorrow, Monday the 19th of January and ends on Tuesday the 20th. The music starts at 8:00 pm and entrance costs 880 pesos.
The evening will be divided into two musical sets. The first set will have a large Latin influence. Argentine singer Sofia Rei Koutsovitis is scheduled to perform, and she will be accompanied by Columbian drummer Samuel Torres. Argentine guitarist Frederico Dannemann will be coming in from Chile to perform.
This is the last weekend of the 103rd annual Expo Prado rural fair. The agricultural trade show has been going on since Thursday, September the 11th, and runs until Sunday, September 21st. The fair is open everyday from 8 am to 8 pm, and gives an interesting look at the rural way of life in Uruguay.
Held in Montevideo, the cattle and agricultural fair draws people from across the country to the capital city. It is a general trades fair for capital and consumer goods.
The fair is being held at the Predio del Prado and has been organized by the Asociacion Rural del Uruguay.
Currently the three most popular destinations in Uruguay are the capital, Montevideo, the 17th century port of Colonia, and the beaches of Punta del Este.
Montevideo is the largest city in Uruguay, and is an important harbor town. It is alive with business, arts, and culture, with a number of museums and galleries. This historic destination is also considered to be the city with the highest quality of living in Latin America.
Colonia is found in southern Uruguay, right across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a World Heritage Site thanks to its historical quarter.
Punta del Este, as has already been mentioned on the blog, is the trendiest beach down Read more
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