A Weekend in Montevideo

This past weekend, I got the opportunity to visit one of my best friends, Natalie, who is studying abroad in Montevideo, Uruguay, and tour the city! I left right after class on Friday, but getting to Montevideo involves a 1 hour ferry ride and 2.5 hour bus ride, so I did not get into the bus depot until fairly late. I hadn’t eaten yet, so we grabbed food in the mall attached to the bus depot. I ordered patatas bravas and croquetas (fried rolls), but I did not realize that instead of ordering individual croquetas, I actually ordered two helpings plus the patatas bravas (instead of it being a side dish like I thought). The exchange rate is also different and I wasn’t used to it yet, so the price didn’t tip me off. That ended up being way more food than I thought I ordered, so I had enough for leftovers the next day too. We all had a good laugh about that!

About double the amount of food I meant to order— luckily, it was delicious!

Natalie also introduced me to a few of her friends, and we played pool. They taught me the Uruguayan rules for pool, which were hard to keep track of. I believe they involve the other team getting two chances after someone scratches (I learned that when I protested our opponents going twice in a row). My team lost, but we still had fun. 

On Saturday, Natalie and a few of her friends took me on a walking tour of Montevideo. Montevideo is situated on the Río de la Plata near where it meets the Atlantic, so it has many beaches. One of the main stretches near the water is called La Rambla. We walked along it watching the windsurfers and the waves. We also visited the Ciudad Vieja (Old City). It had fascinating architecture, including the only remaining part of a wall that once encircled the whole city. I also enjoyed seeing the murals in the art district and exploring different stands and stores for souvenirs. 

The wind slightly hampered my efforts to take a photo with the wall

La Plaza de Independencia in Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja

The following day, Natalie taught me how to properly make my own mate the Uruguayan way. Natalie had a really cute portable mate set, so I ended up buying my own as well. I already had a mate cup (see below), but it was a little more fragile due to being ceramic, so I was not about to take that to class. Mate is a traditional tea made from hot water and mate leaves. To make it, you fill your gourd (which is also called mate) about three-quarters of the way full with yerba mate leaves. Side note: these leaves are very common here. If you've ever been to Florida and seen the walls of orange juice in the grocery store, then you know what it looks like in Argentine grocery stores. Just replace orange juice with packs of yerba mate leaves. You then cover the top of the mate and shake it to get rid of any powder. Hold the cup sideways (still covering the top) to gather all the leaves to once side, then place it on the counter. The leaves should still be stacked on one side (this is known as a montañita, or little mountain). Add a bit of cool or lukewarm water between the leaves and the mate (the cup, not the drink itself). This helps preserve some flavor for later rounds and also keeps the montañita intact. Then insert the bombilla (filter straw) in the space between the mate and the leaves. Fill this space with hot water (make sure it does not reach the top and flood the mate, though) and enjoy! Be sure the water is not boiling, because that will burn the leaves. 

My favorite mate cup from the Feria San Telmo

In Argentina and other nearby South American countries like Uruguay, it is very common for mate to be shared. If you are having mate in a group, one person will be the designated cebador (server). In our case, this was Natalie’s friend, Sebastian. They will pour the water into the mate and then take a sip. Then they refill it and hand it to the first person, who will drink that portion and then pass it back to the cebador to refill. This process repeats, so everyone can have some mate, until they say thank you (if you thank the cebador, it means you are done with mate). Do not, under any circumstances, touch the bombilla. A guy in my class brought mate one day and was sharing it, but I couldn’t get any liquid out. I adjusted the bombilla to try to get the last bit of water and was promptly scolded by my professor for it. And I hadn’t even tried to stir the mate, which is really a cardinal sin in South America!

My wonderful host for the weekend!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Montevideo! It’s definitely a slower-paced, more laid-back city than Buenos Aires (of course, Buenos Aires also has 15 times the people), so Montevideo was just the escape I needed. It’s great to be back in Buenos Aires with all its hustle and bustle, but getting to explore another city is always a treat. Seeing Natalie was the highlight of the weekend for sure, and I am glad that we are both having amazing semesters so far! 10/10 would recommend studying abroad near your bestie.

Until next week!