BOTTOM LINE:
Solanas Resort
NOTEWORTHY:
Punte del Este is a combination of the best and worst parts of Miami Beach and Palm Beach Florida (plus gambling).
BACK STORY:
With another rainy day, we chose to go on a coastal ride west of our resort. We wound our way through the twisty coastline, snooping and sneaking peaks at weekend homes of the wealthy from Buenos Aires. Many of the homes were Mediterranean stucco exterior with Spanish influences in arches and and tile roofs. Others were minimalist or contemporary using glass, rock, metal and concrete. Thatched rolled roofs on cottages resembling homes in Holland were seen frequently. Some thatched roofs had so much moss and grass on them that they needed to be mowed! ...all different and distinct in their own form.
The beaches to the west were lovely having a pale tan color. With the beaches on the Parana River there were very low waves. The European influences were not limited to architectural style. We came across a "Playa Naturalistico." ...a nude beach with a list of rules including "no fornication or sexual acts on the beach!" Gotta keep it clean!
As we drove we went through the communities of San Francisco Beach, San Carlos, and finally Paropolis. There we found the gold nugget of seafood restaurants..."Parador" a family owned jewel set on the beach and having best ratings on Trip Advisor for consecutive years. The place had no frills and was packed with local people who knew of its local reputation. We settled on splitting a plate of fried calamari and a salad made of prawns, hearts of Palm, tomatoes and pineapple. Both were delicious.
The next town had a lookout point resting high on a hill, sharing space with a lighthouse. We have come to observe that in any populated area there are "parking guards" to assist drivers. These guards wear neon vests and have laminated government issued licenses dangling from their necks on a lanyard. They help drivers find parking spaces, give them a 90 minute free parking pass to place on their dash and then hold out their hands for a tip. We aren't certain if they are paid a wage or just make the tip.
After enjoying the view we headed back to the resort. The local roads were once again filled with mopeds, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians and vehicles. The majority of the cars in the rural areas are quite old and tend to have rust holes and spew pollutants into the air.
The government of Uruguay controls the gas stations. Ancap is the name of the largest gas station. Prices are fixed by the government so there are no signs advertising the prices. $6.00 per gallon is the going rate. Workers at the stations pump the gas and wash windows for their customers. With prices that high, we understand why two wheels modes of transportation are so popular!
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