As someone who began his travels in Iberia —at one extreme of the Roman Empire— you can imagine how thrilled I was to see the other side. Darío had wanted to see Jordan for a long time, so celebrating the completion of his Ph.D. seemed like a great excuse to go. Although we cut Syria from the original plans (for obvious reasons), I was excited to visit another corner of the planet.
Read More »jordan: roman remnants
After only three visits, no doubt I’d developed a certain fondness for Montevideo. With a fantastic coastline, the promise of even more areas to explore & very friendly people, it’s a good thing I liked the city… because Darío & I were about to move there! He’d been offered a job & even accepted it. Then we began to look at the numbers again, inquire what my residency status would be, etc. & suddenly the move didn’t seem like such a good idea.
But hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to visit Montevideo again. Here are few more photos that didn’t really fit in any of the other posts. The airport in Carrasco is impressive… great design, modern, clean & with free wi-fi!
Read More »montevideo: final thoughts
Located north & further inland from the Ciudad Vieja, the area that comprises El Prado began as an agricultural zone with large farms & only a few roads. But Montevideo under siege in the 19th century drove upper class families away from the city center. Villas with large gardens popped up everywhere in El Prado, attempting to maintain the area’s rural character. Although many mansions disappeared by the beginning of the 20th century, several survived & have been repurposed. For example…
Read More »montevideo: el prado
From the city center, two pleasant options exist for arriving to Parque Rodó, one of the larger green areas of Montevideo: taking the first half of Boulevard España or wandering along the coast. Both offer fantastic views & interesting architecture.
Read More »montevideo: parque rodó
Branching off from Plaza Fabini near the beginning of Avenida 18 de Julio, Avenida Lavalleja cuts a wide angle through the barrio of La Aguada & ends at the Palacio Legislativo. The aerial photo below gives a better sense of the avenue’s location than the orange line on the above map… find the diagonal cut with tall buildings on the left side:
Read More »montevideo: la aguada
Barrio 17 de Octubre • Villa Pueyrredón
(Avenida de los Constituyentes & Avenida General Paz)
Like several other Perón era housing projects, a name change occurred after military leaders ousted the President. 17 October 1945 marked the birth of Perón’s political presence when workers marched on Plaza de Mayo, demanded he be released from jail & requested his nomination as President. Later consecrated as the Día de la Lealtad & made a national holiday, such a polemic moment in history could not survive the anti-Perón years which followed the coup. A less controversial name for this neighborhood —Barrio General José de San Martín— today commemorates a less controversial historical figure. Locals also know it as the Barrio Grafa, named for a former adjacent textile factory (Grandes Fábricas Argentinas), today occupied by Walmart.
Read More »housing for the masses: barrio 17 de octubre, 1950