Montevideo, Uruguay
Montevideo was first settled by the Portuguese seeking a strategic advantage near the ocean. But Spain, already established in Buenos Aires nearby, expelled them in 1724. This was the beginning of the city's golden era. Today Montevideo is rated first in Latin America for the best quality of life. With a population of 1.3 million, one-third of Uruguay's total population, the city is a unique blend of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, African and indigenous traditions. We docked at 8:00 AM and were greeted to sunny weather in the 70's, the most comfortable since Bermuda a month before. Leaving for our day's excursion we passed the anchor from the German WWII battleship Graf Spee. The ship was scuttled in the estuary of the Plate River close to the coast of Uruguay during the first naval battle of WWII. The British Navy had engaged the Graf Spee and heavily damaged it in December 1939. Our excursion traveled to Colonia de Sacram...