Who: Geoff Clothier, of Leadville
Where: The Plaza de Los Artigas, Mercedes, Uruguay
Out and About: I met up with an old High School friend whose son used to live in Uruguay. We spent the first four days of the trip in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city that is New York, London, Paris… all rolled into one! But a lot cheaper. Then a week and a half touring around Uruguay by bus and rented motorcycles. The country is easy to get around in with extremely affordable, clean and efficient buses. We just walked into Brazil at the border town of Artigas. US citizens require a $100 visa in Brazil; however, this crossing doesn’t see many gringos. I hear that the crossing by Iguazu Falls charges.
Travel tips: Both the Uruguayans, Argentines, and Brazilians were very friendly. The ferries and buses were a good deal. However, I would recommend a good command of the Spanish language once out of the tourist areas of Buenos Aires, Colonia, or Montevideo. We used to rent a European style loft apartment in Buenos Aires’ best neighborhood, Recoleta. A third cheaper than a hotel. The coasts are the only places we ran into other Gringo Tourists.
