25Jan Montevideo, Uruguay

First FIFA World cup soccer was held in this country which is the second smallest in South America.
Yes, they won the very first cup beating Argentina.
Remarkable achievement for a small country with 3.3 million populations!
Surely much less population, then 1930!
Majority of its people are descendants of Spanish and Italian migrants.
It is the only country in South America without any indigenous population.
The widest river in the world is found here!
River Plata in between Uruguay and Argentina.

We have been to this city 2 years ago so we took 8 hour tour ‘A day in Punta del Este’ provided by the ship.
We have met a couple from Argentina in Sydney last year and they did strongly recommend us to check this place out when they learnt that we were going to visit Uruguay.
Punta del Este translated in English as the East Point.
River Plata meets the Atlantic ocean at this point.
It takes about 2 hours drive to the east from country’s capital Montevideo.
According to our tour guide, this up-scale resort seaside is the place to be seen if you are rich and famous in Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.

View of Montevideo from the cruise deck

Town center

A beach in Montevideo


Art museum in Punta del Este

Inside the museum

Twin bridges resemble two humps of camel

Casino Conrad Punta del Este at the marina

This must be South American version of French Riviera with thousands of yachts and waterfront cafes and restaurants

Lunch stop at one of nice waterfront restaurants

Our table with couples from Florida and Holland all enjoyed beautiful 3 course meal.

Spinach and goat cheese quiche, the catch of the day fish with casserole baked with parmesan cheese and leek followed by almond and vanilla ice cream bar with raspberry and chocolate sauce. Yum!

One light house for murky river side channel and the other light house on island for the ocean side for ships sailing into the river

A local artist’s work ‘The three mermaids’ demonstrate mermaids emerging to escape from water because of international battle took place here long times ago

Famous art on the beach ‘buried hand’ became a landmark of Punta del Este

Thatched house can be seen a lot around here and it is made of Pompanos grass

Famous local artist Carlos Paez Vilaro found this spot and built unique house on this hillside with great ocean view

A view of ocean side of Punta del Este

24Jan Buenos Aires from HOHO Bus

We were given another full day in BA!
How wonderful!
Buenos Aires! Beautiful clearer air after the rain last night!
We went to Plaza San Martin and took Buenos Aires Tourist Bus which is Hop On Hop Off Bus.
It has a great route running for nearly 4 hours.
It is city circle covering Plaza de Mayo, Monserrat, San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Belgrano.

Torre de los Ingleses (Tower of English) near central station

Estacion Retiro (Retiro Station)

One of many towers and obelisk in city


Typical city apartment blocks

A man selling flowers to drivers in uptown Belgrano

An antique shop next to Starbucks coffee shop on street of Belgrano

Prestigious Polo Club

Monumento a los Espanoles

National Art Museum

Famous cemetery Recoleta is also very up-scale suburb

Opera House of BA Teatro Colon

Ave. 9 de Julio the widest road in the world with Obelisk

Casa Rosada the presidential palace from the other side of Plaza de Mayo

One of beautiful building near the parliament building

Right wing of the parliament building

Colorful neighborhood La Boca

Café 3 on Calle Florida we stopped for empanada and tapas

Strong real local espresso! Delicious!

On Calle Florida

23Jan Buenos Aires, Argentina

It was rainy Sunday morning when we arrived in Buenos Aires 2 years ago.
It was so quiet that I and my friend are the only ones on the street in city center.
Paris of South America!
I thought it well deserves the title with its magnificently decorated French and Spanish style architects around.
I was so excited to visit this beautiful city again.

The ship docked in heavy industrial pier surrounded by containers.
So every passenger has to be transferred to the terminal by shuttle bus.
Downtown is only 15 minutes away by foot from the terminal but our group took a courtesy shuttle bus provided by H. Stern the jewelry shop at Plaza San Martin.
It was fine day and soon the summer heat starts soaring up.
I was accidentally separated from the group of friends where Calle Florida begins.
Calle Florida is the main shopping thoroughfare and the busiest street in town.
There were a lot more crowds of locals and tourists jammed into the bustling street than last time.

The obelisk in city center of Plaza de Mayo

Look like a museum building but it is a catholic church Metropolitana at the Plaza de Mayo

Presidential palace Casa Rosada where Evita made it famous with her balcony appearance for speech

One of many beautiful church Monserrat

A street of San Telmo with cafés and restaurants

Whoever this smiling young lady is speaking to must be in love with her!
How San Telmo is that!


I decided to walk to San Telmo, the old and rustic part of the city where is many antique shops and cafes are scatted around.
I was glad that I still remember every street corners and big churches I have seen from the walking tour we have done last time.
But I also liked to try small streets and being lost in back alleys by myself.
I felt much more secured and safer this time with large crowd on the streets.

I came back to the ship with exhaustion of 5 hour non-stop but pleasant walk.
But I took my notebook computer and went out again to the internet café located inside the terminal.
First, I rang my parents for Lunar New Year.
Mom said that everything is fine at home and she is following the map of itinerary to see where about I am for the day and pray for us and the safe sailing.
I was also very happy that I was able to update few blogs that I was behind.
It has been more than 10 days since I gave up using ship’s internet service with frustration.
Internet café in the terminal was much faster than the ship’s.
4$ for an hour internet service was not too bad.

Many antique shops and clothing shops on street of San Temlo

San Telmo church

A couple is performing tango in a park surrounded by out-door cafés of San Telmo

On my way back to town center from San Telmo

One of many beautiful churches on streets

Main commercial mall Calle Florida stretches nearly 2 km

Diane and John practice their tango step

Main theater hall of Piazzolla

Dinner at Piazzolla

My steak was cooked to perfection!

I only managed to take one photo during the tango show as photography was strictly prohibited ^^

When I returned to the ship, I rejoined the group of friend who spent a day on tourists’ hop on hop off bus.
We were ready for the night out after short refreshment in the afternoon.
One of our table mates organized a private tango dinner show in town.
It is conveniently located on Calle Florida.
Two groups of us took 2 taxis to the theatre called Piazzolla.
It is on the basement of very nice old style arcade building.
We got there at 8:10 and greeted by a pair of tango dancers.
And soon we were told to come out to the center stage in a small hall.
Men and women were separated into two groups and we were taking a tango lesson!
After their short demonstration of basic step, the male dancer grabbed me and paired with a young girl who also could not find the partner.
She is from Norway and eager to practice the tango with me.
We were escorted into the main theater after 20 minutes of having fun of tango practice.
Dinner tables were nicely set up in the theater.
We were all overwhelmed by rather small, yet intimate enough and sophisticated interior décor.
Three course dinner was complete by spinach quiche, perfectly cooked Argentinian steak Chateau Briand and very nutty almond & raspberry ice cream.
Quality of wine and well trained waitress was also flawless.
It was wonderful show of tango dances and songs by 7 pairs for hour and a half.
No less than the show we have seen two years ago at Senor Tango which we though the best.
Diane and John who organized the night were also very happy that the rest of group was satisfied with the tango show and dinner.
It was raining quite heavy when we came out of the theater but we all know we will have better day tomorrow with clearer air!