Colonia del Sacremento to Colonia Suiza, days 1, 2 and 3

A ruminant, ruminating quietly as the Rollin´Dawgies roll past

Colonia del Sacremento
Saturday, 17 Feb. 2007. Colonia del Sacramento to Colonia Suiza; 50 km, 11-2:30pm

We had never been to Uruguay, had never met someone from Uruguay, and so had no expectations, but the country smelled to us like Wisconsin.

As soon as we lit for the road and rolled out of Colonia del Sacramento, it was there: The distinctive, unmistakable scent of manure.

There were cows and pastures and grain silos. There were fields of corn and potatoes and bales of hay, rolled tight as giant cigars. If the road signs weren´t in Uruguayan, we would´ve bet big money that we had returned to cheddar cheese country, U.S.A. But we were in Uruguay, for in the pastures were palm trees shading the drowsy cows, ruminating quietly in the heat, and the road signs for cheese were for queso and queseria, and everyone greeted us on the first day of the bike ride through the country with a "hola" and a "como esta?" and not with a "hey there, hoser..."


Deputy Dawg hangin´with a Pilsen in Colonia del Sacremento

Colonia del Sacramento is a sleepy town of rosy adobe structures and, as much as we could tell during the three days we were there, untouched by kitsch. Stone pathways wound through the town's center and there were crafts and things made by hand and not in China. We were enchanted and watched the sun set into the water as we drank cheap (but good) Uruguayan wine and hoped that there would be more such surprising delights in the days ahead.

Highlights: meeting Bob & Terri, fellow travellers and adventurers from Colorado; El Drugstore cafe for its strong espressos and live music. The morning before the bike ride, two musicians, one on an acoustic guitar and the other on an accordian, played strains of a haunting music that seemed from another place and time... so lovely.

-- Mad Dawg copyright 2007

Nuts and Bolts for Colonia de Sacremento
Food 4
Shops 4
Cute 4
People 4
Cost 4
Hostel: 4 ($26)
Hostel:La Casa de Teresa
Address: Domingo Baqué 571 ,Colonia del Sacramento ., Uruguay
Telephone: 00598-52-21856
Email: ter@adinet.com.uy
Website: http://www.hb-247.com/aff/hostelz/uruguay/colonia-del-sacramento/10353/
Located in the heart of the peaceful city of Colonia del Sacramento,
Hostel is only ten blocks from the city's Main Avenue.

Nuts and Bolts for the ride
Ride 60km to Colonia Suiza
Roads 2
Scenery 3
Facilities 1
Bathrooms 1
Traffic 3
Difficulty 2

Nuts and Bolts for Colonia de Suiza
Food 2
Shops 1
Cute 1
People 4
Cost 3
Hotel Prado: 2 ($26)