I knew when I signed on for this adventure that certain sacrifices must be made, but this one's a toughie. My parents, however, are really cute and slipped a pen in my luggage that plays Rocky Top when you click the clicker, so that makes things a little easier. I keep that pen close at hand (as opposed to any other part of my body I write with?) and click that clicker whenever I'm feeling a little homesick.
So in Uruguay, there's futbol but no football, which is okay. As previously mentioned, the fans are fanatics. They are so crazy that the two sections dividing opposing teams in the Estadio Centenario have to be blocked off and lined with policia. Otherwise, someone might get killed. Also, unlike wholesome Rocky Top, I cannot share with you any of the futbol fight songs because they all involve the most obscene phrases I have ever heard, including every combination of cuss words imaginable and always involving the very private parts of your mother. And everyone sings these songs. I was shocked to hear a boy of no more than 7 years old shouting these things and wondered if he knew what he was saying. I feel like, if a little boy shouted such things in Neyland Stadium, the nearest parent would probably take him straight to the bathroom and wash his mouth out with soap...Ah, cultural differences.
I just realized that most of my posts have involved futbol, and I feel like I need to say a few things to address this issue. First of all, if you didn't realize how important futbol is to Uruguay (and all of Latin America for that matter), hopefully you will now. Futbol is life. Secondly, I have done other stuff, and I will elaborate...now.
I haven't written anything lately because 1) I was off having an adventure for the Week of Tourism (for Uruguayans) or Holy Week (for me), and 2) the last 2 times I tried to update my blog were spent trying to upload a video...obviously, to no avail. Very disappointing. Anyway, Uruguay, being an increasingly non-religious country, has stopped calling Holy Week la Semana Santa and has opted instead to call it la Semana de Turismo. Uruguay is already a very low-key country, but it basically dies except for tourist cities during this week because everyone is off work and out of school...for a whole week!! This is not the case in Argentina, Chile or Brazil. Just Uruguay. Lucky me!
I know I'm not gonna have any other long breaks while the weather is still good, so I wanted to make the most of it. I went with some friends from church to Paysandu for Beer Week, which is basically a family-oriented festival where they happen to sell delicious beer. I drank organic lager and rode the ferris wheel, but not in that order. There was also live music every night. Of the 2 nights I was there, 1 night was jazz & blues and the other was folk. Good beer + good music = good times.
From Paysandu, we went to Salto to the hot springs (las termas) where we camped and floated about in las termas. Camping was great! Explaining giant roasted marshmellows, however, is kind of a challenge.
Everyone has seen it done in "Hollywood," but they think it's disgusting because they have no concept of the texture, consistency, flavor or magical deliciousness of a roasted mallow. There is no food in Uruguay that remotely resembles a marshmellow except this chocolate puff that's filled with a type of merengue. Not the same. Sidenote: marshmellows are not the only food that does not exist in this country. My next post will therefore be a list of all the sacrifices I am making/wish list/suggestions for any and all care packages.
As for the rest of the adventure: rented a car, drove to Argentina, got stopped at several random military police check points, got the registration stolen, drove back to check point to ask for the registration, didn't have enough money to bribe it back and were thus threatened with jail time, filed a police report, drove 12 hours to Paraguay/Brazil/Argentina border to Iguazu. 2 days at Las Cataratas, drove back through Argentina, paid a small fee (coima) to the military police (gendarmeria) and finally made it back to Uruguay on Easter! It was crazy but totally worth it! Now I have to go to Niagara Falls to see how it compares to Las Cataratas. Who's comin' with me!?
Also, before my battery dies, I just got back from the regional Rotary conference. That'll be my next post, so get excited! HA! Love y'all!
