Montevideo, Uruguay

Upon boarding Coral Princess, we set sail for Montevideo, just 126 miles almost due east across the Rio de la Plata.

The Rio de la Plata is an estuary where its largest tributary, the Panama River --- one of the longest rivers in the world --- meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The salt in the ocean water makes it heavier, so it flows under the fresh water coming down the river.

Later in our voyage, we would learn more about the importance of how that difference in density results in Antarctica pumping cold water throughout the world's oceans which surround it.

Surprisingly, all individually named oceans of the world are actually the same ocean, which is why warming in Antarctica that melts ice, releasing cold fresh water into a current that affects temperatures around the world.

From EarthSky.org

The huge mouth of the Rio de la Plata makes it the widest river in the world, which in turn made it an inviting waterway for Age of Discovery European adventurers.

It was first visited by Portuguese explorers in 1512, followed by the Spanish in 1516.

In 1520, Portugal's Ferdinand Magellan, during an expedition funded by Spain, attempted to find a route using the Playa de la Plata to the Pacific during his voyages.

Realizing that to be impossible, Magellan eventually found his route by following the coast around Patagonia to the north of Tierra del Fuego, which we would visit later in our cruise.  That "Strait of Magellan" remained the fastest route between the Atlantic and Pacific until the completion of the Panama Canal almost 400 years later.

The first city founded on Rio de la Plata was Buenos Aires in 1536, but the Spanish settlement was soon abandoned and not re-founded until 1580.  The Spanish established the Governorate of Rio de la Plata in 1547 and officially ruled it as such until 1776, when it was upgraded to a Viceroyalty, but Spain for the most part paid the region little mind.  The Portuguese and British coveted their own pieces of the estuary.

In 1726, fearing Portuguese expansion from Brazil, Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, who had been Captain General of Rio de Plata and then ruling as Governor of Buenos Aires, founded Montevideo for defensive purposes against Portuguese incursion from Brazil.

Nonetheless, in the early 1800's, rule of Montevideo was contested by the Britain, Spain, Argentina, Portugal, and Brazil, resulting in several changes in governance.  In 1830, Montevideo claimed its independence, and despite a siege by Argentina, with the help of French and British navies, Montevideo emerged to become the major port of the Rio de la Plata.

The vibrant city of Montevideo remains a major trading hub, and with over 1.3 million residents, it holds about a third of the population of Uruguay.

Linda, Mike, Julie and I thought of none of this as we walked toward the old downtown near the port.

Mike suggested taking a hop-on, hop-off bus or contracting with a taxi driver for a private tour, where we would have learned more about the city past and present, plus seen all of the highlights.  As in Buenos Aires, our group decided to strike out on our own, knowing we wouldn't go as far and wide as on a tour.

Linda and Mike are much better shoppers than Julie and me, and as avid art collectors they soon zeroed in on some landscapes available in small shops and kiosks along the sidewalk.  We all walked together to a coastal view of the Rio de la Plata, which we soon realized was not as beautiful as our hometown views on the Pacific Coast.

Mike and Linda retraced our route back toward the port to continue shopping where we'd been, while Julie and I headed out to explore further.

We came across a much more stately downtown area, with beautiful monuments and live music played by street musicians in the plazas.

Interestingly, we found ourselves outside a leather shop, for which a free bus is offered from the port.  If you go to Montevideo and don't buy a tour, you might want to take that bus.  The leather shop has some nice merchandise, but I talked myself out of buying the new black belt that I actually need.

Wandering on, we reached Plaza Constitucion, a lively gathering spot beneath shady trees for locals and tourists.

We settled into a sidewalk table for coffee and ice cream, listening to a singer/guitarist who played a lot of Beatles songs sprinkled with mellow rock of the early 1970's, which is just our jam.  Sitting in such a place to watch the world go by is always pleasant.

Julie had previously mentioned a Cathedral by this plaza, and a local recommended in broken English that we go in. "Free admission!"

The exterior at ground level wasn't special, but the roof line high above gave more of a clue to the dazzling interior with remarkable statuary and design.  It's well worth seeing.

Montevideo remains one of the most prosperous cities in South America, with lots of cultural activities and universities as well as many restaurants.  We didn't see the soccer stadium which hosted the 1930 FIFA World Cup shortly after it was completed and remains the home field where the strong Uruguay national team regularly beats top-ranked teams, including Brazil.  If you're a soccer fan, then you will want to take the hop-on bus or a taxi, because it is pretty far out of the old downtown area.

Back aboard Coral Princess, we would enjoy the usual great evening dining and entertainment followed by our first full day at sea.

We had perfect temperatures in the mid-70's and sunny skies on that sea day.  Mike taught me the rules of pickle ball, a game played on a mini-tennis court with over sized ping pong paddles and Wiffle Balls.  He won our only match, so I guess he's the reigning world champion, but I will have a rematch one day.

On sea days throughout the cruise, there were at least three lectures about Antarctica and the ports we visited, covering topics like history, wildlife and the environment.  The fascinating talks provided valuable insights into the region.