Montevideo feels comfortable. In a way it reminds me of Bratislava, Slovakia, which we called home for 27 months. Bratislava is the smaller capital city just down river from the larger and more glamorous Vienna. Bueno Airires is not only the capital of Argentina but has been styled of “The Paris of the Americas” (I know, we’ve been that route before). Montevideo, downriver from Buenos Aires is – well — the capital of Uruguay and not the Paris of anywhere. Both cities have a European feel. Montevideo’s metro population is just under 2 million while Buenos Aires metro is around 15 million.

The architecture of Montevideo reminds me a bit of Bratislava with its 19th-century buildings. Walking the streets (at least in the daytime) and enjoying the parks, I feel comfortable. If things had worked out differently, we may have felt even more comfortable in Montevideo. Suzi and I were scheduled to go to Uruguay as peace corps volunteers in the fall of 1968 but an uprising by the Tupamaros urban guerrillas canceled our project. One of the leaders of the armed action was José (Pepé) Mujica who led attacks, was wounded in a shootout, survived and was imprisoned. In the 80s he was released in a general amnesty. Mujica was elected president in 2010 and became beloved and celebrated as the poorest president in the world. He is credited with presiding over Uruguay becoming a thriving democracy. He donated his salary to the poor and continued to live in his modest flat. A few months ago he told the country he is dying of cancer and is refusing further treatment. There is a giant mural of him in Montevideo near the legislative building.

When he announced his terminal illness to the nation he said: “Life is a beautiful adventure and a miracle. We are too focused on wealth and not on happiness. We are focused only on doing things and, before you know it, life has passed you by.”

Were it not for “Pepé” the course of our lives would be completely different.

Instead of Peace Corps I went to graduate school and Suzi and I started building radio stations. That led to our aid work in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and beyond. It turned out to be good for us but visiting Montevideo brings thoughts of “What could have been.”

In Montevideo we took the complete hop on hop off bus circuit and stayed on for a second circuit until we got to Independence Plaza. We walked from there through to Constitution Plaza where we stepped inside the Metropolitan Cathedral. You can see the pictures in a separate post.

From the cathedral walked to Plaza Zabala where a wonderful guitarist entertained us with classical music. We sat and listened to him and the parakeets chattering in the trees. Last time in this plaza I could see them but this time I could just hear them.

Finally, we walked back to the port market, more great buskers, with some wonderful harmonies. We walked back to the ship through the port market which is filled with restaurants and food stalls and constant aroma of barbeque.