Uruguay

I arrived in the country through Colonia del Sacramento. This is a nice town on the coast with some Spanish and Portuguese houses and ruins. The weather was almost like Belgian summer, so I could eat in a terrace and have a good walk around.
I continued then the trip to Montevideo. On the way I saw lots of fields and thousands of cows. Farming is the first industry of the country, so this is not surprising.
About Montevideo, I'm staying with an uncle of my father (another Gallego emigrant). I've also been with his son and grand children, so this part of the trip is more of a family visit. But anyway, I also had the chance to see some things I wouldn't see otherwise. His house is somewhere out of the city centre, and the bad economic situation is very visible here. A number of houses for sale (locals are leaving the country), old businesses abandoned, roads and sidewalks in bad state, dirtiness, grilles in every window, and very old vehicles and donkey charriots together with some newer cars (we are very democratic here, said my cousin. We allow everybody to go on the road). I'm sure I'll see worse, but this is already a good introduction to the many problems of South America. I'll stay here until Sunday, as my family convinced me to stay a bit longer. The city doesn't have much to see, although hopefully I'll go again to the centre this afternoon. I say hopefully because the weather has changed and it's pouring here. I expect it will be better in Brazil, my next destination for next week.