Montevideo, Uruguay!

We have made it to our 5th country!
Wow...5 countries in 5 months.
I remember when we made it to six weeks of traveling and congratulating myself...it was the longest I had ever traveled out of the country. And now it's been over five months. Unbelievable...

But back to what we've been doing all week!
We arrived in Montevideo via the ferry, which is how almost everyone travels between Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The boys loved the "big boat" and we loved how easy and affordable it was. The customs agents and process in BA was easy and efficient so when we arrived in Uruguay, all we had to do was pass our bags through an x-ray machine and board the bus from Colonia (where we docked) to the capital of Montevideo. It was almost a two hour ferry ride and about a 2 1/2 hour bus ride afterwards. All in all, for a little under $200 for all five of us, it was a real bargain.

We arrived to our condo, filled with antique furnishings and good views of the city, and after a few days of internet issues, we settled in quite nicely. The place is around three blocks to one of the best beaches in Montevideo and less than two blocks from a very nice playground, fair, and park. Even though it's winter here (temps peak in the afternoon in the low 60's), it doesn't stop us from getting out on the sunny days and exploring the city. There is a panaderia, confeteria (sweet shop), and a couple fresh produce markets all within a block. And a large supermarket for anything else very close-by as well. It's not in the ciudad vieja (the old city square and main plaza) but it's very easy to grab a bus or taxi and very local to many eateries and shopping centers.

Mike has toured farms, real estate, and properties all week and it rained a few days but we got to take a beach trip! The boys threw rocks off the pier and looked for shells while we strolled along. It was cold and windy but sunny and very enjoyable.

On the Fourth of July, we tried to celebrate the best we could with a USA flag in homeschool and a burger dinner! The burgers weren't traditional...we used baguettes (fresh from the bakery though!) instead of hamburger buns, mayo instead of ketchup (ketchup is $9 a bottle here!), and butternut squash fries instead of potato fries. But the beef was delicious! Uruguay beef rivals Texas and Wyoming for quality and we can't wait to enjoy some steak and parilla here!

On Sunday, we went to the huge feria downtown, which is an outdoor market that stretches over eight city blocks! They sell everything from parakeets, chickens, and mice to local cheeses to hand carved mates! They also have a huge selection of farm-fresh fruits and veggies so we loaded up, squeezed into a taxi, and headed home.

The next day was my birthday and I was treated to chocolate pancakes with melted dulce de leche on top for breakfast, homemade meatball subs for dinner, and a chocotorta for dessert! This cake is a specialty around here...you take crisp chocolate wafer cookies, dip them in coffee (or milk if you don't want your kids up all night!), and layer them in a cake dish with dulce de leche and cream cheese. You refrigerate the whole thing overnight and voila! a lovely, decadent cake that kinda reminds you of banana pudding but chocolate and caramel instead! We'll definitely be recreating this as soon as we get home! And the best part was that the birthday girl got the center slice...another tradition here!
We also got to walk around the ciudad vieja and see the Plaza Independencia, Plaza Constitucion, and the National Cathedral. All were very pretty and I got in a bit of artisan shopping as well! A quick trip to the fair down the street for hot churros and we called it a day. A pretty good birthday, I'd say!

prepping the cake the night before

11 months old in Uruguay!

baby Gabe obviously enjoyed the cathedral so much

Mike toured real estate for most of the rest of the week but after our morning homeschooling, we got in several park trips to the beautiful Parque Rodo. We are lucky that this beautiful park is only a couple of blocks away and the boys love feeding the geese, watching the paddle boats on the lake, and chasing the pigeons away. It's a great spot to relax on the grass and enjoy your mate while the afternoon sun warms you.

Another day, we took a trip to the Mercado de los Artesanos, which is a cool little artisan shop that sells goods from a variety of local artists and craftsmen. It's a bit pricey-er than what you'd find with the street vendors but an excellent activity for a rainy day. And don't forget to check right outside the back door...lots of vendors are usually set up and sometimes they are a bit cheaper!

We've really enjoyed our stay in Uruguay so far and at the end of this week, we get our next set of visitors...my parents are coming to stay until the end of the month! So, we'll be sampling alfajores for Nanny and preparing for Paw Paw's birthday celebrations!

*Can I just say something really quick? These boys. They have surpassed my expectations in every way. They find joy in even the hardest of situations. They are troopers in the utmost. They have traveled across five countries in four months which is more than some do in a lifetime. Sure they have a touch of homesickness now and then but love packing and unpacking their special backpacks and setting up in "the new house". They can't wait to "x'plore" the new city to find the best parks, tallest buildings, and best street food. They know just how to act and what to do in our countless plane, bus, and train rides. They know how to collect luggage from the belt and when to put the tray table away. They know when to hold tightly to hands in crowds and when to run free in a park. They can behave in a restaurant after bedtime or in a church that only speaks Spanish. They can fight like cats and dogs sometimes but can act well beyond their 4, 2, and 11 month ages. We say as we tuck them in at night that they are the best boys in the world...and we mean it.

As always, get daily updates on our instagram page (#dclandromomania) and our facebook (MikeandKatieDeSa) and stay tuned for more adventures next week!