South America Discovery Tour & Cruise: February/March 2024
(continued)
Our third stop on the tour is at the Mercado Agricola - a large and interesting indoor market with plenty of food options. We choose
to share what transpires to be an excellent sandwich (cheese, lettuce, tomato, egg) and small bottles of delicious orange juice.
The sandwich is so substantial that we do not have time to finish it before we have to reboard the bus for our next stop: La Carreta
Monument
La Carreta was created by sculptor José Belloni, and was inaugurated on October 14, 1934. The bronze sculpture represents a typical
cart of the Uruguayan countryside pulled by oxen, reflecting the importance of agricultural and livestock activity in the history
of Uruguay
Our final stop of the tour is at the riverside monument at the Plaza de le Armada (right and below) An attractive sculpture represents
marine animals and the hands of a man and commemorates fallen sailors
The tour passes a cemetery where sailors from the German battleship the Grafspee are buried but we do not stop at the Grafspee monument
that we understood was on this tour. However, we find it ourselves - at the gate to the cruise terminal (below)
Prior to locating the Graf Spee monument we return to the ship for a drink, then, after recording our visit to the monument with
a photo, we set out to explore Montevideo on foot. We walk to the old town, purchasing a licence plate on the way, and return
to the ship after reaching the not very photogenic cathedral in Constitution Square.
This evening we eat in the Dining Room
with three Americans, one of whom is very eccentric and precludes an easy flow of conversation. We both have the lamb, and Jeanette
takes advantage of the 'Have It All' package with a double Campari.
Friday, March 8th
The Oosterdam has now sailed for the
Falkland Islands and we have two days at sea to cruise some 1,200 miles. After a somewhat chaotic breakfast in the Dining Room on
the first morning, Jeanette attends the Greenhouse Spa for her hair and nails appointments.
After having lunch with Steph and Michael
in The Lido, we explore the ship, including three laps of Deck 3 which is equivalent to 1 mile. Friday's dinner is in one of the
specialist restaurants: The Canaletto. This meal is included in the 'Have It All' package and a splendid Italian themed meal
is served that includes sea bass (J) and chicken (D). Later in the evening we attend tonight's theatre show called A Foggie Night ("An
evening of laughter and music by Foggie Flax"). This transpires to be an excellent show by a very talented Liverpudlian who is not
only funny but is able to sing in impression mode of well known singers.
On returning to our cabin, we find an 'elephant'
towel and chocolates on the bed