Colonia, Uruguay

You know those moments that feel perfect?  Those places that make you feel so safe?  That's Colonia for me.   Maybe it's that I've finally been able to decompress from the past four months, or maybe this place just is magical.   Whatever way you want to explain it, the fact remains that for some reason this place is Zihutanajo and Palm Springs wrapped up into one country sized package.  I slept under a willow tree for hours on the beach today, then wandered the cobblestone streets of the old city to visit the most interesting looking restaurants so that I could sit for an hour and drink or eat or both.  I tracked birds' flight patterns and tasted a multitude of Uruguay's finest Tannas (wines) and somehow, almost the whole time, was spent following the Rio de la Plata.  If the hotels hadn't been booked I may have checked in and never left.  This place is so chill I don't think it would ever force me out.  But instead, I'm sitting here at the lovely Charco bistro, watching birds, drinking rose waiting for my ship to come in.  Tomorrow it's back to Buenos Aires, which is lovely in its own right but not quite the same thing.  

 

The cobblestone historical part of Colonia is filled with old cars, many of which have been upcycled and turned into planters, nonetheless they help to create a lovely "old-school" vibe throughout the city.

The cobblestone historical part of Colonia is filled with old cars, many of which have been upcycled and turned into planters, nonetheless they help to create a lovely "old-school" vibe throughout the city.

Colonia sits on the Rio de la Plata, an hour via ferry from Buenos Aires.  The beaches are perfectly lovely, with lots of shade for napping.