BOTTOM LINE:
Laundry
Ride to Rocha, Uruguay
NOTEWORTHY:
The only wildlife we saw today was a large tarantula spider crossing the road. We stopped for a close up picture as neither one of us has seen one "in the wild" in California.
BACK STORY:
At the risk of offending someone, we had to do some laundry. It wasn't that our clothes were terribly dirty, but having fabric enclosed in a suitcase with little air circulation, they begin to smell...and the smell is not necessarily a human smell.
We found a place in Maldonado that opened at 9am. We left our things at the Lavendaria and Maria said that they would be ready at 4pm for pick up. Two crates of clothes would cost $6.00 each!!! There were no "do-it-yourself" laundromats and if there were the cost of washing and drying plus soap would be way more expensive. We were happy for the service!
While the clothes were being taken care of, we ventured east along the coastline to the town of Rocha. At one point without warning, the road ended at a lagoon. There was a small ferry that could transport two cars at a time across the water. Luckily with high winds we chose not to take it and cut north to another highway. Later we found that the road on the other side of the lagoon never reconnected to the road we needed to take!
We found an information center outside the town of a Rocha about 1:15pm for the sole purpose of a restaurant recommendation...we were hungry. After being given a map with ink markings we wandered into the city "centro." Unfortunately our timing was off and businesses as well as restaurants were closing for siesta!
The town was old and quite impoverished, but the people were very friendly and helpful. There was nothing to do but head back to the highway and begin our return. Luckily we spotted a little place. We split a sandwich and were on our way.
The countryside of Uruguay was green with rolling hills. Cattle ranching and agricultural farming created a patchwork to the horizon. The roads were well paved and maintained. Grass was cut and there was no visible litter. There were no billboards and no graffiti. The ride was pleasant and before we knew it we were approaching Maldonado.
On the outskirts of Maldonado there was a rather large cluster of shantys in the lowlands near a river. With the rain that we had during the day, the area was muddy mess of wood, corrugated metal and cardboard layered together to create a dwelling. The dwellings were small one room boxes, but home. We guessed that it was an area claimed freely by indigenous people. It was a dark unwelcoming area...a place for residents only.
We found the laundry business with a nearby parking spot. When I completed parking a neon clad guard walked over. As I rolled down my window and recognized a man that we had met two days prior...a humorous man who had taught us the ropes of parking, we began laughing in unison! He backed up and waved knowing our communication with one another would be limited. We motioned to the laundry sign as he motioned for us to go. Five minutes later we emerged, put our things in the car and handed him a tip. He smiled and said, "thank you. Bye, Barbara!" He remembered my name! We pointed at one another and laughed again as we drove off.
What a treat to pick up our warm, clean, folded laundry. It was in two large clear plastic bags. Although we put it in the trunk of the car we could actually taste the soap that was used from inside the car. It was so pungent that when we got back to our apartment we opened the windows, opened the bags and hoped that the clothes would "de-gas." I have not doubt that there is enough residual soap in the clothes to run a load of laundry at home without adding any soap.
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