Feb 22, 2015 Montevideo, Uruguay

Again, we didn’t have a tour booked here.  Right outside of the cruise terminal is a little shopping area inside what apparently was originally built as a train station, but never used for that, so it was converted to shops and restaurants.  There was another hop-on, hop-off bus there so we decided to ride that one also.  This one was cheaper than yesterday’s in Buenos Aires, and a better operation all around.  The bus was newer, had a cover upstairs and the tour information was better.  It went to all the main areas and squares, of course, but also went through neighborhoods and parks and the beach so it gave a better overall feel for the city.  It’s quite nice, we liked it a little better than Buenos Aires, but can’t quite say why.  Both have a real European feel.  We didn’t get any specific safety warnings for here, which may have helped.

After the bus, we had lunch at one of the restaurants in the shopping area.  This is beef country so we had to try their barbecue.  I had a petite sirloin (huge) and Michael had pork and we each had a glass of wine.  It was all very good, but again, we came back to the ship and took a nap - no laundry for me to do this time.  And, amazing as you’ll find this for me, I wasn’t hungry at dinner and only had a cold coconut “soup” and Caesar salad.  For dessert I had to try their apple cider sorbet, which was actually very good - I’d never have thought so.  I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be back to eating regularly.  Two sea days, then to the Falkland Islands.  The weather forecast is for 55 degrees and windy, but no rain and the captain said he expects we’ll have no trouble getting in.  It’s a tendering port, so the weather has to cooperate.