Exploring Uruguay

Expat & Travel Resource Guide

Entertainment

Carnaval in Uruguay

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Did you know that Uruguay claims to have the longest Carnaval in the world? It starts in late January and ends in early March, with a total of 40 days of festivities each year. Uruguayans definitely know how to celebrate and throw a party.

We didn’t get to experience Carnaval in Uruguay this year with Chrystal being at the end of her pregnancy and then having Kaylee during the celebration.

However, we found a great article about Carnaval in Uruguay that we wanted to share. It’s on Global Voices and it includes information, pictures and video of this year’s Carnaval.

If you missed Carnaval this year, you can check out the Museo de Carnaval (Carnaval Museum) in Ciudad Vieja. We went several months back to check it out. It’s small, but it’s a neat little place to stop in. And, it’s free on Tuesdays so you can’t beat that.

Entrance fees:
With discount – Residents UY$15
Con discount – mercosur UY$30
General – UY$60
Under 12 years Free
Admission Free on Tuesdays

The Carnaval Museum is located at Rambla 25 de Agosto de 1825 Nº 218, esq. Maciel in the Ciudad Vieja area of Montevideo. Their phone number is (+598 02) 916 5493.

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The Couples Retreat Controversy

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Have you seen Couples Retreat yet? It’s really a pretty funny movie.

When we watched it, we weren’t aware of the big controversy surrounding the movie poster that was used to promote Couples Retreat in the UK. For whatever reason, the studio decided it was a good idea to alter the original movie poster, seen here:

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The black couple was removed from the poster used in the UK. It caused quite a stir and cries of racism in the media. It was all over the Internet – you can check out the article on Yahoo Movies, the Huffington Post and Mail Online if you want to read more about it.

In these articles, you’ll see this quote from the studio:
“The studio said it regretted causing offense and has abandoned plans to use the revised poster in other countries…”

Hmm… that’s interesting because we were just at Montevideo Shopping last week and this is the poster we saw at the movie theater for Couples Retreat:

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I don’t think the studio was being exactly forthright with the public about their plans to use the revised poster in other countries…

What do you think about this controversy? Does it affect your interest in seeing Couples Retreat?



What You’ll Find at the Feria de Tristan Narvaja

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The Feria de Tristan Narvaja is the largest open-air market in Montevideo, Uruguay. We’ve visited several times and are always amazed at the wide assortment of goods available there.

You can purchase many different types of animals at one vendor, including chickens, rabbits, birds, puppies…

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…and even peacocks!

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You’ll find row upon row upon row of used books (in Spanish). If you search through long enough, I’m sure you can find a few gems.

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There is also a large section of new items that you would see at a traditional swap meet in the US, like household goods, clothes, shoes, toys, bootlegged video games and computer software, CDs and more.

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Then, of course, there is a large flea market section of used goods that fill so many streets I can’t count. This is what the Feria de Tristan Narvaja is famous for.

You can find things like antiques, old engine parts, guns, records, household items, collectibles and more. You can literally wander this section of the Feria de Tristan Narvaja for hours without running out of things to look at.

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The produce is about 20-25% less expensive at the Feria de Tristan Narvaja than the produce at the Villa Biarritz feria in Pocitos. I think we paid less than UY$300 for the produce, pasta and dried garlic shown in this picture:

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If you’re looking for something to do in Montevideo on a Sunday morning/afternoon, check out the Feria de Tristan Narvaja, located at Tristan Narvaja and 18 de Julio.

For a list of other Montevideo ferias, click here.



Thanksgiving for Expats in Uruguay

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Turkey
If you’re currently an expat living in Uruguay, or will be visiting for the holidays, you may be thinking about where to celebrate Thanksgiving this year.

The 4th Annual Thanksgiving Feast, hosted by Southron, will be held on November 26 at Club 27 de Diciembre de 1911. Turkey, meat and beverages will be provided. You’ll need to bring a side dish with you (coordinate that with Clara, who can be found on either of the pages below).

Visit the event page on Facebook for more information. Or you can read more on the Southron Forum. You must confirm your attendance this weekend.

Hope to see you there.



Halloween in Uruguay!

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Someone once told us that the closest thing to Halloween in Uruguay was dressing up in costume for Noche de la Nostalgia. We were very pleased to discover that this statement is completely untrue!

While out and about in Centro last week we discovered Superfiestas, a store jam-packed with Halloween attire. From wigs, to “mad hatter” hats to masks to make-up, they had a pretty good selection of Halloween attire.

While Halloween isn’t quite the same in Uruguay as it is in the States, we’re excited that it is celebrated here. So if you’re looking for a Halloween costume in Uruguay, check out Superfiestas. The location we visited was on Colonia 921, but there are also locations at:
 
18 de Julio 1527
Justicia 2373
Arenal Grande 2425
Colonia 1348
8 de Octubre 3694
Punta Carretas Shopping, L. 322
Maldonado Sarandi 965

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Yesterday, we also came across Party Center, another store with Halloween decorations in the windows. Party Center is located at 1717 Constituyente.

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If you like Halloween, you should also be aware that Dia de los Muertos (aka Day of the Dead or All Souls Day) is also celebrated in Uruguay on November 2. Most businesses, including banks, shops, the post office and even schools close for the day. Rather than a vibrant celebration, Dia de los Muertos is more of a day of quiet respect for the dead. Typical activities include remembering relatives who have passed or visiting cemeteries.

Does anyone know of any family-oriented Halloween events going on around Montevideo? 





4th Annual Expo Tattoo Uruguay

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The 4th annual Expo Tattoo Uruguay is happening today Oct. 9, tomorrow Oct. 10 and Sunday October 11.

Thank you to everyone who thought of me and told me about this tattoo convention when you heard about it. 

We just got back from the 4th Annual Expo Tattoo Uruguay tattoo convention. There are approximately 25-30 artists slinging ink. When we walked in at approx. 3pm this afternoon, almost every booth was buzzing away with people getting tattoos done. The place was packed.

There are some really good artists working this convention… I’m quite impressed. If you want to get a tattoo done or just want to see what a tattoo convention is all about, this would make a great stop. There’s art and piercing there too.  

Some tips:

  1. Be sure to look at the artist’s portfolio; if you don’t feel comfortable with the artist, find a new one.
  2. If you have an idea of what you want to get, take a picture with you.
  3. If you want something drawn up, go to the convention and pick an artist to work with, give him a deposit and make an appointment to come back later to get the work done. Don’t expect a tattoo artist to draw something up for you without a deposit.
  4. Small tattoos with lots of detail look great for about 10 months to a year, then they tend to blur because your skin stretches. If you want a tattoo with a lot of detail, make sure it’s large enough to see the detail. 
  5. If you are going to get a tattoo on your leg, be sure to wear underwear because you’ll probably have to take your pants off.
  6. If you are getting your 1st tattoo, it won’t be your last tattoo… no matter what you think right now. Try to keep a theme in mind in case you want to expand in the future.

The convention is being held at 18 de Julio 1865. Check out the Expo Tattoo Uruguay website for more information.

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Playing at the Park in Pocitos

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We often write about how we take Zoë to the park, which is just over a block from our apartment. The park we go to most often is called Parque de Juan Zorrilla de San Martin. It’s located on Ellauri and Vazquez Ledesma (where the Villa Biarritz feria is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays).

Yesterday I realized that we have never posted pictures from our trips to the park in Pocitos. So, I snapped a few pictures to share with you today.

Here’s a broad view of the park. Now that Spring is here, all of the trees are turning green and the park is looking much prettier.

There are two slides at the park. I don’t yet feel comfortable letting Zoë go down them alone (notice the “side rails”). But she loves when Brian takes her on them.

There are a bunch of swings at the park and Zoë absolutely loves to swing. When she wants to swing she starts yelling, “Wee!” and running over to the swings.

Zoë also loves these teeter-totters. However, it takes both Brian and I to put her on them, so we only occasionally use these. They’re mostly for the bigger kids.

This is Zoë’s favorite activity of all – playing in the sand. It’s funny, if she falls down and gets grass or dirt on her hands while she’s playing, I have to dust it off immediately or she freaks out. But she loves getting dirty in the sand. She usually requires a shower after a trip to the park just to get the sand out of her hair.


The Exploring Uruguay Forum is Now Live!

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Thank you to all of our blog readers for asking so many great questions about Uruguay. The number of questions we’ve been getting has increased significantly, so we decided it was time to create the Exploring Uruguay Forum.

We’ve been working hard on getting the forum ready over the past several days and we’re excited to announce that it’s finally live.

So, come by the Exploring Uruguay Forum today and post a question about Uruguay. Or, share your experiences with living in Uruguay, or visiting Uruguay.

Thanks in advance for contributing to the community!

Via Bar: Live Music in Montevideo

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One thing Uruguay is not known for is its nightlife. Overall, Montevideo is a very mellow city, but if you know where to look, you can find good spots for entertainment, including live music. One such place is Via Bar.

We were introduced to Via Bar by some good friends of ours, Ken and Jan. Shortly after moving to Montevideo, Ken joined up with a local Blues band, the Pablo Traberzo Trio. Pablo is an amazing guitarist… Brian says he’d put him up there with Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. However, no one knows who he is because he’s from Uruguay.

Ken is a well-known harmonica player that has played with all the Blues greats, and both him and Jan have awesome voices. Brian had seen them a couple of times prior (I was always too tired). This past Friday night was my first time at Via Bar. And, I’m sad to say it will be our last time seeing the same show since Jan and Ken just moved to Vilcabamba, Ecuador this morning (we’ll miss you!).

We had front row seats for the show, which meant loud music, but we got to see everything up close and personal. The show was great and we had a lot of fun. It was only the second time we’ve had a babysitter since moving to Montevideo in May.

Although Ken and Jan are gone, the Pablo Traberzo Trio will still be playing at Via Bar every Friday night. If you’re looking for live music in Montevideo, we highly recommend you go check them out. For a small taste of the type of live music you’ll get, check out this YouTube video:

Via Bar is a small, but lively place. They have a full bar and they serve “bar food.” The live music show with the Pablo Traberzo Trio sells out almost every Friday night, so make sure you reserve a table ahead of time.

Via Bar is located at Luis Alberto de Herrera 2751 esquina Monte Caseros. Their phone number is (598 2) 487.9630.

Via Bar:

Ken and Jan on stage:

Pablo the guitarist:


Moyi the bassist:

Martin the drummer: