We began the day by picking up some delicious pastries at La Coruñesa Confiteria, then ate them with some espresso drinks at The Lab Coffee Roasters. Our hotel buffet has brewed coffee, but I need my espresso!
Photography Center of Montevideo
Once sated, we headed to the Centro de Fotografía de Montevideo (Photography Center of Montevideo), which has photos of Montevideo through the years, a nice collection of photography books from the area, and an exhibit of photos from neighboring Brazil. It was a good exhibit, but rather small, so didn’t take much time.
Ciudad Vieja
After the photography exhibit, we walked to Ciudad Vieja – Montevideo’s historic old town district for some shopping, and eventually lunch. We found a beautiful bookstore, Feltrinelli, which is an Italian chain (and the first-ever foreign chain bookstore in Montevideo). The store was stunning. There’s a cafe upstairs (message from the future: we will return and eat at the cafe), and they have nice clean bathrooms.
After shopping, we relaxed for a bit in Plaza de la Constitución, which was very peaceful. One thing we’ve noticed is Uruguayans take full advantage of the numerous plazas throughout the city. Nearly every bench was in use, which has been the case often.
On our way to the Mercado for lunch, we found a store selling vinyl (+ CDs), t-shirts, and posters. The t-shirts and posters were all made in-house. The store name is Del Conde, but the big sign outside says “Discos & Remeras”, so you might think that was the name. They had a large photo of Woody Guthrie holding his guitar that says “This machine kills fascists”, which the store co-opted for their tote bags that say “This bolsita kills fascists”. I bought a t-shirt, but wished I had room for more.
Uruguayan BBQ at Mercado del Puerto
It was now time for lunch, and it would be a big one. Uruguayans love their grilled meats. There are 3 cows for every person in Uruguay (and countless pigs, sheep, and other animals). They grill meat and veggies over wood-fired embers using a special grill (parrilla) designed to allow them to cook things at the same time at different temperatures. The wood is burned in a firebox called a brasero, then the embers are raked beneath an adjustable grill that’s set at an angle. Meat and veggies are moved up or down the angled grill to adjust the amount of heat.
Inside the Mercado are several restaurants serving grilled meats. We ate at Estancia del Puerto, which is Daniel’s favorite, and a place his grandfather used to eat as well. It’s also where Anthony Bourdain ate on his first of two episodes in Montevideo. They offer a set meal (basically a sampler) depending on the number of people, but Daniel advised that it’s too much food, and you don’t get to choose what you get, so we opted for à la carte. We ordered chorizo, matambre relleno (beef rib cap stuffed with ham, carrots, and cheese), petit entrecot (sirloin steak), as well as grilled glazed sweet potato (the top was like the top of crème brûlée…you could crack it with your fork), grilled cheese, and caprese salad. Needless to say, we were stuffed!
La Rambla
On our way back for a food-coma induced siesta, we walked along a portion of the Rambla, which is a 13.7 mile promenade that runs along the Río de la Plata, forming one of the longest continuous urban waterfront paths in the world. It’s a part of the city locals are very proud of and take advantage of to the fullest extent possible.
After our siesta, we brought some empanadas back to the Rambla to enjoy as a light dinner. We sat on the wall overlooking the water, directly across from Plaza España, where, at sundown, the weekly Rueda de Candombe (Candombe Circle) would be taking place.
Side note: there’s a gas station in front of Plaza España, but it just has pumps along the side of the road. Cars just pull over at an open pump. It reminds me of gas pumps for boating at a marina.
La Rueda de Candombe
La Rueda de Candombe (Candombe Wheel or Candombe Circle, depending on who you ask) is a cultural phenomenon in Montevideo, inspired by the samba circles of Rio de Janeiro, but adapted to Uruguayan candombe. It is held every Monday evening in Plaza España, and it’s free.
It takes place around a platform with musicians seated in a circle, playing various instruments but featuring the traditional Afro-Uruguayan trio of drums: chico (small, alto range), repique (medium, tenor range), and piano (large, bass) range. The audience sings, dances, and actively participates, creating a ritual of community and cultural expression.
There were people of all ages, even very small children, enjoying the music and dance. There were food vendors and multiple pop-up bars as well. It’s pretty amazing that this happens every Monday. This was definitely a highlight of the trip so far.
Steps for the day: 15,270
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