Just across the river Pt. I: Cobblestone streets and artists abound

View of the Historic Quarter from the faro (lighthouse)

For those of you who don't know my deep, dark secret, here it goes: I am an illegal alien working in a foreign country.  Although I am an esteemed (sorta) professora del ingles in Buenos Aires, I have no work permit.  Because the process of obtaining any sort of special visa— be it student or other— is so complicated, most ESL teachers have a basic tourist visa.  Every three months my passport turns into a pumpkin, and I have to flee to another country before the stroke of 90 days to avoid a hefty a fine.

Old-school bugs all around the city

Given these circumstances, my recent trip to Uruguay was not just for pleasure but also out of necessity.  Early Friday morning, I set sail on the barco rápido (fast boat) and within an hour, I had crossed the River Plate and arrived in Colonia, Uruguay.  Colonia del Sacramento is a small, historic city that was originally founded by the Portuguese in the 17th century, but then bounced back and forth between Portuguese and Spanish control.  Today, it is the lone World Heritage Site in Uruguay.

Initially, I was skeptical about spending the entire day in Colonia.  Some friends had warned me that the city was too small to warrant more than a three-hour tour, while others had told me that it deserved a full-day visit.  I agree with the latter.

My birthday is famous in Uruguay

Colonia might night have a slew of attractions— its collection of Lilliputian-sized museums can be toured in under an hour— but the charming Historic Quarter with its cobblestone streets and confection of colonial buildings are too lovely to rush through.  Reminiscent of Europe in both its pace and number of tourists, I spent most of the day wandering the old streets, snapping pictures and chatting with locals.  Many of the people I met were originally from Buenos Aires but preferred the more tranquilo life in Colonia.  Luis the artist, was one such Argentine-turned-Uruguayan.  Although Cuba was the country nearest and dearest to his heart, he had also lived in Britain for a few a years and as a result spoke a crisp British English, tossing words like idiosyncratic into our conversations.  Coincidentally Luis and I have the same birthday, October 8, which is also the name of an adorable street in Colonia.

Becoming one with the giant swirl

In addition to Luis, I met Paul the fisherman/wire artist (he made me a flower bookmark), an oddball actor/musician/artist and a charismatic waiter who is probably also some sort of artist in his spare time.  Apparently Colonia is not just home to some of the friendliest people this side of the hemisphere, it's also a burgeoning art community.  And after savoring its colonial quarters, colorful gardens and eclectic cafes, I couldn't help but feel inspired myself.