Minggu, 19 Februari 2012
Montevideo’s history began in 1723, when the Portuguese began to build a fort overlooking Montevideo Bay. But the Spanish would have none of it, sending an expedition from across the Rيo de la Plata just one month after the project had begun to drive the Portuguese away and settle the area themselves. It came to rival Buenos Aires as the dominant port city in the Rيo de la Plata, and in 1776, it became Spain’s main naval base for the South Atlantic.After fighting for independence from Spain, fighting for independence from the Junta Grande of Buenos Aires, then fighting for independence from the Empire of Brazil, Montevideo became the capital of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay in 1828. The fortified walls of the Old City were torn down and the New City was expanded into the barrio (neighborhood) now known as Centro.
However, the going was slow due to the civil war, during which Montevideo was under siege for eight years. It wasn’t until about 1853 when Montevideo finally began to flourish and grow, with the inauguration of the lovely Teatro Solيs, after 15 years of construction, representing the hopes and dreams of this promising time.Barrio Sur and Paloma became the home of many Afro-Uruguayans who were freed from slavery, evolving into an important cultural center for Carnival celebrations such as Candombe rhythm and the musical theater of Murga, as well as Uruguayan Tango and other unique cultural treasures.
The barrios of Aguada and Cordَn were among the next to be annexed as part of the New City. Although the region is filled with beautiful and amazing historical edifices, perhaps the most amazing institution is the colorful Sunday market of Tristلn Narvaja Street, which was established in Cordَn in 1870.
Beginning in second half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth, Montevideo experienced a tremendous population boom of Europeans immigrants mainly from Spain and Italy but also many Central Europeans, and the city grew by leaps and bounds. New neighborhoods were added to the city, large open spaces such as the Rodَ, Prado, and Batlle Parks, the Estadio Gran Parque Central, and the Rambla running along the entire waterfront of Montevideo were wisely engineered by city planners, greatly enhancing the outdoor environment of the city.
The growth spurt lasted through the two world wars, until stagnation hit in the 1950’s, which lead to social problems and ultimately, the dictatorship that came to its end in 1985. The city was sadly neglected during this time. But after democracy was restored, the Uruguayans got to rebuilding their beloved city. Today, the rejuvenated Montevideo is a city of cafés and restaurants, artisans and antique dealers selling their wares at outdoor markets, fishermen and strollers enjoying an afternoon along the Rambla. The charming Old City and the neighborhoods around it continue to serve as the beating heart of the nation, bohemian neighborhoods surround bustling universities, while mixed resident and shopping areas stretching along the waterfront in popular locations such as Pocitos and Punta Carretas or more upscale Buceo and Carrasco have a Mediterranean feel. Throughout the city, the bus system is efficient and easy to use, nothing is all that far away, and the rate of hustle in Montevideo’s bustle is surprisingly laid-back for such a lively capital city.[all photos by Jamie Douglas and Julie R Butler]Julie R Butler is a traveler, blogger, freelance writer, and editor who has authored several books, self-published as eBooks, including Nine Months In Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). To contact Julie about writing or editing work, email: julierbutler [at] yahoo.com.We would love to have your feedback on this post so leave your comments below.
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The Mercosur meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay showed promise of having all the ingredients of the classical Latin “Telenovela” (a soap opera with high drama) even before the delegates sat down. The high drama outpaced even the most lurid expectations. I am stunned myself at how this event unfolded.A little history lesson here for those who have not been able to keep up with the fast-paced developments in the region:Mercosur, short for Mercado del Sur, or Market of the South, was formed in 1991 by the treaty of Asunción to promote the free trade and the movement of goods, people, and currency. Its member nations are (in order of economic power) Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. There are five nations with associate member status: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, while the Bolivarian dictatorship of Hugo Chávez signed a membership agreement in 2006. It was to become a South American version of the European Union with a common currency, the fictitious Gaucho.Now, more than twenty years later, the merry-go-round keeps going around, with the current Mercosur Summit having taken place in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, where the host, President José Mujica, Presidenta Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s new lapdog, has been pushing for the incorporation of Venezuela as a new member state, in spite of the legislature of Paraguay’s refusal to ratify its entry. Paraguay’s president, the virile Priest Father (really – 3 kids) Fernando Lugo, was trying to strike a side deal with Argentina’s Fernández, Brazil’s Presidenta Dilma Rousseff, and Uruguay’s José Mujica, which would have bypassed the unanimous requirement from the agreement. Hugo Chávez already announced the he will (and did) travel to Montevideo to announce Venezuela’s full membership, but something did not go according to plan. The President of Paraguay’s Congress, Senator Jorge Oviedo Matto, made three points very clear:1. The Paraguayan Constitution requires the approval of every international agreement and must be voted on and approved by congress before becoming law.2. If the membership of Venezuela will be approved against the objection of the opposition congress, President Lugo will be impeached.3. The Paraguayan position is not against the nation of Venezuela, but against its dictatorial despot, Hugo Chávez, under whose leadership the Venezuelan government has ceased to respect the freedom of the press or political freedom and is oppressing opposition politicians.In Montevideo meanwhile, Uruguay’s foreign minister announced that there is a formula on the table, the objective of which is to find a mechanism to assure a prompt entry of Venezuela into the crumbling union, while at the same time Paraguay’s threat to leave the Mercosur was described by Senator Oviedo Matto as being an event by which his country will not be losing much, “…and what have the advantages been so far? There will be no parting tears!”Meanwhile Chávez’s arrival in Montevideo to announce his country’s entry has been toned down a little bit by his public admission that Venezuela’s incorporation doesn’t have to be decided today. (Tuesday, December 20 2011).To add to the high drama, it was revealed during lunch that one high-ranking member of the Argentine Delegation, an Ultra-Kirchnerite Wunderkind, was found hanging from his shower in his luxury hotel suite at the Radisson Hotel. Iván Heyn, Argentina’s Under Secretary of Commerce, was one of the most promising Young Turks, best friends with former Minister of the Economy and current Vice President of Argentina Amado Boudou. He was one of the most prominent leaders of the young Kirchnerist organization La Campora, and his future as a political and economical leader was as assured as you can get in Argentina.His death brought shock and disbelief to the summit, which was temporarily suspended. To quote the headline from the Mercosur press release:“On hearing the news, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez suffered a decompensation and had to be taken for medical attention.”This of course will open his tragic death to all kinds of conspiracy theories, but regardless of the circumstances, the loss of such a promising young man is a tragedy. By 23:30 on Tuesday night, the delegates announced the formation of a working group to help smooth the entry of Venezuela and Ecuador into Mercosur. The member nations also signed a free trade agreement with Palestine and expressed their solidarity with Argentina’s effort to gain control over the disputed (by Argentina) Falkland Islands, also referred to as Las Islas Malvinas.U.S. Hopes for a Regional Free Trade AgreementNow that the U.S. finds itself playing second fiddle to China in Latin America, the Obama administration just suddenly rediscovered its old and exploited southern neighbors, with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk wanting to kick start a trade agreement with South America and calling for a greater opening of the Brazilian Economy to the United States. Since 2009, Brazil’s largest trading partner has been China, whose influence is spreading rapidly across the entire southern hemisphere.The Clown Prince of Venezuela of course could not resists the opportunity to go on State TV in Caracas on Monday, December 19, telling Obama to “leave us alone” and calling him a clown and an embarrassment as well as suggesting that he should focus on governing the U.S., which he turned into a disaster.Very interesting he should say that. He must have been practicing his speech in front of a mirror.[image: Mercosur Headquarters in Montevideo, Uruguay, via Wikipedia]I encourage you to write to me, jamie@expatdailynews.com with any questions or suggestions you may have, and if necessary, we can establish a voice communication via Skype. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel related business. My advice is based on my own experiences, and is free of charge. (Donations accepted). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments, email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com
