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I See a Mountain: Montevideo, Uruguay

Wendy Yeh

Montevideo is the largest city and the capital of Uruguay. It was founded in 1726. The town was initially home to soldiers and some Spanish immigrants, but gradually grew into a vital trading base. Uruguay won independence from Brazil and Argentina in 1828 with Montevideo as the capital. Our tour guide told us, “The name Montevideo comes from the Portuguese ‘Monte vide eu’ which means ‘I see a mountain’.”

At the historic Sea Port Market in Montevideo’s Old City, I saw many stalls displaying delicious street food and handicrafts. This is an old-fashioned market. Just by strolling through the market I realized I was in the Ciudad Vieja, meaning Old City in English.

Crafts stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and other vendors give a permanent welcoming atmosphere to the old entrance to the market, which still looks onto the harbor area.

This market was opened in 1868. The European architecture took me back to those days in which everything was auctioned inside these buildings. Vegetables, fruits, meats, and other imports from old Europe were sold there.

After years of renovation efforts, today the market has been completely transformed. Thousands of visitors tour around the market everyday searching for antiques and souvenirs. The steak houses here attract lots of international visitors. Our tour guide told us, “Even the locals like to take their family to spend their weekends shopping and dining here.”

At different places in the Old City of Montevideo, I saw the original remains and reconstructions of what was the wall that defended the city during the colonial period.

The Uruguayan Carnival celebrations are the longest in the world, extending throughout the warm month of February and part of March. For 40 days, street parades and a multitude of spectacular shows full of color entertain locals and visitors mainly in the city of Montevideo. The carnival, through criticism, satire, parody, and humor, presents its vision of the country and the world. The performances, music, dance, and costumes, set the stage for the messages delivered every year.

The Parade of the Llamadas, named after the “call of the drum”, has been performed outside the walls of apartment buildings, neighborhoods, and areas of Montevideo since the end of the nineteenth century. During the Parade of the Llamadas, 2,000 drums ring in unison along the path it travels. This cannot be enjoyed at any other moment or in any other place in the world.
During my trip, I love to be entertained, educated, and engaged. Every experience should be one-of-a-kind. My visit to Montevideo allowed me to do just that.



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