Uruguay water crisis: how did we get here?
Uruguay has some of the most abundant water sources in the world. But the capital was told we had water supplies for just 18 days.
Artist Carlos Páez Vilaró built his world-famous Casa Pueblo home and atelier on a rocky peninsula called Punta Ballena
Punta Ballena is a rocky peninsula where the sierra plunges into the ocean. The area was settled by Lussich, a shipping magnate who built himself a mansion on the point with an immaculate view over the bay.
However the point was so exposed to the Atlantic winds that his wife issued an ultimatum—do something about the wind or she’d blow out taking the family with her. In response, he planted hundreds of thousands of trees and what would become the second largest arboretum in South America.
Years later in 1958 Carlos Páez Vilaró (1923-2014) bought a large plot of virgin land on the peninsula. He claimed that at the time a square foot of the land cost the price of a packet of cigarettes.
Páez Vilaró was a Uruguayan abstract artist, sculptor and friend to Pablo Picasso and Brigitte Bardot. Initially he built himself a small summer house on the side of the cliff. Then as he needed more space, particularly when friends came to stay, he built an extension. Eventually Casapueblo became a breathtaking thirteen-storey white-washed citadel staggered down the side of the peninsula. Páez Vilaró called it a habitable sculpture made in the style of the hornero, a native bird which builds cave-like nests from mud.
Now open to the public, you can visit the gallery and café and enjoy a marvelous view over the Atlantic. The Sun Ceremony, an audio recording of the artist bidding the sun farewell, plays every day on the terrace and is a Punta classic.
Páez Vilaró was father to one of the survivors of the 1972 plane disaster where sixteen young men survived almost seventy days in terrible conditions in the Andes mountains. The tribute Andes 1972 museum in Montevideo is one our favourite things to do in Montevideo.
He was also a candombe enthusiast. Playing drums in the Montevideo Llamadas parade right up until the year of his death.
Uruguay water crisis: how did we get here?
Uruguay has some of the most abundant water sources in the world. But the capital was told we had water supplies for just 18 days.
Is Uruguay a developed country? Harvard moves Latin America HQ to Uruguay
Harvard University Business School opens Latin American research centre, praising Uruguay living standard and freedom of expression.
Montevideo Carnival 2024 dates
Hot off the press! The world’s longest carnival is in Montevideo Uruguay and we’ve got the dates.
Salón No. 3 – La Barra gourmet cuisine, cafe & deli
Gourmet lunches, speciality coffee & pastries, out of an antiques store. Smoked hams, artisanal cheese & local produce from the Expendio.
Casa Flor – live the Uruguay coast like a local (VIP)
One of the very best hotels in Punta del Este. Casa Flor’s well-connected owners give you access to the secrets of Uruguay’s coast most can only dream of.
Uruguay offers new digital nomad residency
Digital nomads and remote workers can now obtain a residency permit to work legally from Uruguay for six to twelve months.
Big Bang Nature Stays – Bohemian beach domes
Unique ocean-front location to reconnect with nature—with luxury touches—on one of Uruguay’s most deserted beaches in Maldonado.
8% of Uruguay is black—and maybe more
Afro-Uruguayans play a huge part in Uruguay’s cultural identity. Are they really just 8% of the population? The new census may correct the stats.
Gaucho week in Montevideo – Easter
Traditional food, handmade goods, and South American cowboys riding wild horses. It’s the Semana Criolla – Montevideo’s Easter gaucho festival.
Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
Montevideo is often overshadowed by Buenos Aires. Three well-travelled bloggers tell what made them fall in love with South America’s off-the-radar capital.
Some beaches are just so darn popular. Tips for when & how to get best rates on hotels and rentals in Uruguay.
In Uruguay you can watch whales close-up from the beach. Save yourself an expensive trip to Patagonia & feel great that your viewing generates zero stress.
Under an hour from the capital lie some of the Uruguay’s best kept secrets, because most of the tourists are… Uruguayan.
The capital of Uruguay has beaches with fine white sand, great for paddling or swimming, kitesurfing, with fairgrounds, and wheel-chair access.
Without a doubt, Rocha has some of the very best beaches in Uruguay. And they’re almost totally deserted for virtually ten months of the year.
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