In Cabo Polonio, amidst a landscape where resources are scarce, you’ll find La Golosa—a coffee shop with the most innovative and eccentric features, and first rate gastronomy.

Cabo Polonio is a booming swimming resort that welcomes more and more visitors every year. But while it enjoys a new-found popularity, it somehow manages to keep its original ambiance, its Bohemian atmosphere.

“There used to be nowhere to sit and have a delicious snack before” says Leo, who toured the world experiencing a variety of exotic cuisines, before settling down in Cabo. That was until La Golosa (the sweet-toothed) opened its doors. It’s a coffee shop that also doubles as an antique store. Its design, its colors, the chill-out music invites passersby to relax here in the comfort of the shade. The only condition of being allowed in to  sit in the exquisite indoor area, is that customers must be barefoot. A mandatory requirement to feel mother Earth.

Everything is for sale at La Golosa, from the dishes to the decoration. Certainly, the design is one of the main attractions; Enrique, the outfits artist par excellence displays his creations there.

The atmosphere here, combined with the possibility of acquiring exclusive items and tasting delicious dishes from faraway countries, attracts artists—many of them world reknowned—who visit Cabo. Sometimes music shows are also presented inside the illuminated shelter.

Another culinary attraction in Cabo Polonio is Leo’s cuisine. Baklava (a fine puff pastry recipe from ancient Persia), truffles, and the most delicious home-baked cookies ever are served here by the chef, who learned to make them as a young man when he studied his grandmother’s recipe book.

At first, the cape was a place where the sea lions were slaughtered. Those who worked there used horses to cross the dune desert to reach the town. As time passed, this mode of transport turned into a very pleasant tour for visitors to Cabo.

At the 265th kilometer marker on Route 10, along the stretch joining La Paloma and Aguas Dulces, several companies offer transportation services to Polonio. You need a special permit to enter the Cabo Polonio area by vehicle, so you have to park your car there and either take a ride with one of the transportation companies that specialize in taking passengers to the village, or go by horseback. The horse ride takes an hour and a half and the guide is a local gaucho.

Very early in the morning is the best time to ride in the summer. The guide will choose a horse for you according to your experience and knowledge, guaranteeing a quiet and pleasant trip.

The first stretch of the journey goes through woodland teeming with eucalyptus. A tree very common in Uruguay, the eucalyptus fills the morning with its distinctive aroma. It is one of the few types of tree that grows strong in the sandy soil here that thousands of years ago made up the bed of the Atlantic Ocean.

The landscape changes completely as you reach the boundaries of the woodland, and you’ll come to the huge dunes that surround the cape. The horses make their way up the first dune—tall and steep concealing the scene that opens up as you reach the top: a desert by the sea, dune after dune, up to the horizon. When you reach the top of the sand hills you’ll see in the distance the historical lighthouse and the town that lies on the shore.

The primary activities in Cabo Polonio are relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. There is a huge sea lion colony next to the lighthouse. Drinking beer at sunset is fantastic, and sunrise walks are incredibly peaceful. It is worth the trouble to walk up the steep stairs at the lighthouse for a glimpse of the cape from above. From there, you get a good idea of the immensity of the scene, the remoteness of the area, the size of the sea lion colony, and the variety of colors of the ocean.

The information in this article has been reproduced here with the permission of www.welcomeuruguay.com.

Much has been written about Cabo Polonio, the tiny community without electricity or running water at the end of a windswept peninsula between coastal towns La Paloma and Punta del Diablo. It is home to less than a one hundred who choose to live there for most or all the year. However, in the warmest months, it swells with seasonal residents and tourists. You arrive in Cabo Polonio in one of the large four-wheel drive trucks that transport people and supplies from the highway along restricted crude roads through the sand.

The peninsula is buffeted by strong waves on one side, but gentler waters on the other, where the people live. A long time ago, huge wind-driven sand dunes moved freely about the peninsula. However, plantings of pines during the military regime considerably altered the natural geography.

For many years, the uniqueness of the area has been recognized; it has been included in the National System of Protected Areas. About six months ago it officially became a national park. The village area is shared by the Uruguayan government and private owners, who can own their homes, but not the land. No new construction is permitted.

When we arrived, we knew the resident population was a mix of fishermen, entrepreneurs, and expat or native alternative lifestyle seekers. We didn’t expect we would actually get to know any more than that about the residents. However, the universe had decided otherwise and an hour or so later, my wife spotted a home with a Canadian flag out front. Being Canadian, I felt a need to investigate. That is how we met Raul.

“Who’s the Canadian?” I called out toward an open doorway.

“I am,” answered Raul “and please come in.”

Raul was with friends who were just leaving, so we asked Raul to tell us his story.

Raul was actually born in Uruguay. However, he moved to Canada at age nineteen and lived there for more than thirty years. He married, had children, and became a restorer of antiques and fine furniture. Later, he and his wife opened another business involving pianos and a school of music. Eventually, the marriage ended and Raul began to question his life in “a huge house full of electronic gadgets and the latest sports car parked outside in my driveway”. He needed to find a new direction in his life and boarded a plane for Uruguay, “to see what it was like”.

In the beginning, adjustment was difficult as things move so slowly in comparison to Canada. As he said, “manana is a word that we all get to know”. About five years ago, almost by accident, he came to Cabo Polonio. He knew he had found the place where he wanted to be. He immediately began building a small hut right on the beach. It was illegal to do so, but the law wasn’t being enforced at that time. As he told us, he was lucky to have done it then, as soon after a park ranger station was established and illegal construction ended.

He still owns the beach house, now a rental (and for sale, an interesting opportunity in a market where no further construction is permitted) but about two years ago, a thirty-year-old block and brick house became available and he purchased it. He is still making it into a comfortable home. It certainly seemed to us to be a nice place. It has a kitchen, bathroom, and dining/living area on the main floor, and a bedroom in an upstairs loft. It is small, but sufficient for one or two people. We admired his efficient kitchen and his rebuilt fireplace. He explained that he gets power from a solar cell just outside the door and can store it in batteries for days without sun. His fridge and stove operate on propane, available from another local. His washing machine is powered by a small gas generator. His TV and computer operate from the solar cell too. His water comes from collected rainwater and a well, which all the homes have. He boils his well water but says others don’t bother.

He likes his life in Cabo Polonio. In the summer months, he is hired by some travel agencies and estancias to guide English-speaking tourists around Cabo Polonio, showing the multi-colored homes, the creative huts, the eclectic collection of vendors, the grazing horses and chickens, the beach, the dunes, the sea lions, and the lighthouse. He also takes tourists to nearby Rocha, Bosque de Ombues, La Pedrera, La Paloma, and the fortresses of Santa Teresa and San Miguel. For four months each winter (the Canadian summer), he heads north to Toronto to visit his children and friends.

We are not the first ones to discover Raul. When gallivanting American chef, Anthony Bourdain, decided to visit Uruguay, retracing the steps of one of his grandfathers, he also visited Cabo Polonio. And yes, he was hosted by Raul, or El Condor as he is called in the video. The interesting five part series (Raul is in Part IV) is available on YouTube. An American travel writer and teacher, Kelly Westhoff, also featured Raul in an account of her visit to Cabo Polonio. Raul, El Condor, is becoming the Cabo Polonio media star, simply by being a wonderful, likeable, warm, and open human being.

He has promised to visit us in our home near Atlantida and be the cook for a real Uruguayan asado. We look forward to seeing him again. We also look forward to going back to visit our new friend in that most mellow and unique of Uruguayan communities, Cabo Polonio.

There are more than 200 kilometers of Atlantic coastline, along the provinces of Maldonado and Rocha, and more than 300 kilometers of coastline running along the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. The beaches along the province of La Rocha generally provide the best surfing, and the best time of the year for waves are the months between November and April. Starting out at the beaches of La Paloma—La Aguada, Los Botes, Zanja Honda (good reef breaks), and Corumbá—are all very popular. This means that they can also get quite crowded during the summer months (January and February).

To escape the crowds, head east along the coast to some of the smaller fishing towns like La Pedrera, Cabo Polonio (good beach breaks), Punta del Diablo (best around April), which give a picturesque backdrop to some great surfing. Good beach breaks can be found at El Barco beach at La Pedrera and El Rivero beach in Punta del Diablo.

The province of Maldonado also provides some great surfing waves. Punta del este is a popular locaton especially in the high season of Jan and Feb. If you do come here, try out the trendy beaches around La Barra on the east side of town. Some of the beaches here have good river mouth breaks. The 1st South American Beach Games were held here last year at Montoya Beach—teams from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela competed. Playa Brava, the stretch of beach that runs along the east of the peninsula is famed for the highest waves.

Again, the crowds  around Punta del Este in January and February can be off-putting, so explore the beaches outside of Punta to find some good surfing without the crowds, such as Francisco beach, near Piriapolis in the west of the province.

For surfing forecasts, check out the two sites below…

http://www.surf-forecast.com/weather_maps/Uruguay

http://globalsurfari.com/surf-forecast/Uruguay

You’ll find some detailed info and a map showing some of Uruguay’s best surfing spots at the following link: http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/South_America/Uruguay/index.html

Cabo Polonio is renowned both for its history, and its ecological significance. It was named back in January, 1753, after Joseph Polloni, who commanded the Spanish galleon “Nuestra Señora del Rosario”, which set sail from Cadiz in Spain. Due to a navigational mistake, it ran aground in the rocky area of the cape. The shipwrecked sailors that remained there were the first settlers. They fished until they were rescued and brought back to Spain.

Since it was an area of difficult navigation, and many ship were wrecked here, in 1880 it was decided that a lighthouse should be built to guide the ships around the rocky coast. Later, the Uruguayan State opened a factory for slaughtering seal, and from then on, a small stable settlement was in place. As the years went by, and seals became legally protected, the slaughterhouse was closed.

Currently, only a hundred residents still live on craft fishing. Now, summer tourism lures young craftspeople, ecologists, artists, and writers, along with tourists, who come here for the quiet and solitude it provides. Despite the passing of time, it often feels like nothing has changed here. Cape Polonio remains as fascinating as it always was.

Be prepared, Cape Polonio offers few services. It has no running water or electricity, except for the lighthouse, which is where residents often come to charge batteries. But this is what makes a trip here so interesting. It means you really have to live as its inhabitants do—simply, and close to nature. And at night, a few lamps and countless candles make it a magical and wonderful place.

The information in this article has been reproduced here with the permission of www.welcomeuruguay.com.

January 1st dawns with most Montevideans packing up their belongings (sometimes half the house) and heading to the coastal resort towns of Atlantida, Piriapolis, and Chuy—or any of the tiny villages in between.

Some Uruguayans family will revisit the same holiday destination that has been a tradition for generations. Some families prefer the wild rustic nature of villages like Valizas or Cabo Polonia, while others adore the traditional pastoral beauty of Las Flores or Esmeraldas.

“It makes sense,” one Uruguayan friend told me, “that most people should take holidays in January, especially the first 15 days. With New Year’s Day and Dia de Reyes (January 8th) already set as holidays, one just needs to take a few more.” And so it is. Those left back in the city walk around with forlorn looks as if they were wishing that they too could be at the beach.

Of course, none of the vacationers mind the crowded supermarkets, the packed buses, even the extra noise and activity at the beach. These are the summer holidays and it seems, for holidaymakers, it is all just part of the scene.

Uruguayans quickly settle into a different pace of life. Most important in this new routine seems to be the twice-daily pilgrimage to the beach. At about 10 in the morning and then again at 4 in the afternoon, the sidewalks fill with families headed toward the sand, loaded with the mandatory beach items—folding chairs, beach umbrellas, materos (thermos, yerba mate, and mate gourd carrying cases), teja games (something similar to the Italian bocci game), towels, drinks, biscochos, and kids’ beach toys are all part of the cargo. The walk is slow and maybe even slightly reverent.

Upon arrival, each family sets up camp. On the busiest beaches, families are crammed side by side, yet no one seems to mind. Parents sunbathe, chat, share mate, or just catch up on missed sleep, while grandparents shuttle little ones in and out of the water, and kids find new friends as they build castles and moats.

Soon all the belongings are gathered once again in their respective bags to be carried back to the beach home. Children will be bathed or settled for a nap, an asado might be cooked, the family might go out for an ice cream or a walk through the tourist shops, and then, after a few short hours, the pilgrimage will begin again.

One well meaning American friend of mine commented to an Uruguayan, “So then, when you return to your job in February, you must really work to make up for lost time?” And the well natured Uruguayan replied, “No, January is the month when we make up for all the time lost throughout the rest of the year.”

This week I had planned on writing the third part of my renovation series about furnishing your newly restored apartment. I was going to snap photos and tell of bargains and jewels, wowing you with what you can buy in the street-markets and auctions of Montevideo. But as my deadline approached, I remembered frantically that there was no way I would be able to finish the article in time.

Why? Because in Uruguay, everything is closed for las fiestas (the holidays). And if you are thinking of moving to Uruguay, you must know about las fiestas, particularly el verano (the summer). Starting on the 24th of December to the end of Semana Santa (Holy Week) or as Uruguay calls it, Semana de Turismo (Tourism Week), everyone who is able, leaves the city for the East Coast. For the lucky few, that could mean the whole of January and February.

However, for the majority of Uruguayans, their holidays begin on the 31st, and last until somewhere between January 10th and 15th.

I moved to Uruguay in 2008, in the thick of the summer holidays; the streets were empty and the houses boarded up. I felt I had moved to a ghost town. Of course now I know that Montevideo is a lively city between March and December. But for January and February all the activity is going on in the east.

So where do the people go? Well that depends on the people.

Punta del Este

If your criteria for summering is where the beautiful, famous people are, then Punta is your place. There you can join the likes of Shakira, Kevin Bacon, Bruce Willis, and the oodles of Argentine beauties, who have danced or dated themselves to notoriety. Nightlife abounds in Punta. If you want to keep up with the jet set, be prepared to go to bed no earlier than 7 a.m. The city is swarmed with Brazilians, Europeans, Argentines, and tourists from the Southern Hemisphere looking to take a break from the winter blues. However, if just the idea of dancing until dawn (or later) leaves you tired, rest assured that along with the raging nightlife, Punta also becomes a hub of cultural events in the summer. From the 7th to the 10th of January this year, there’s the 14th Annual International Jazz Festival; there’s a regatta on the 3rd; and starting the 2nd, the Pablo Atchugarry Foundation in La Barra will play host to a riveting display of the works of Le Corbusier.

For a more complete list of what’s happening in Punta, you can read a local expat’s guide to the events here.

Jose Ignacio

Some people call Punta “the Pearl of the Atlantic.” But to me, the real pearl is Jose Ignacio. Charming and understated, Jose Ignacio is hardly the secret some make it out to be. Last spring the Wall Street Journal and New York Times wrote about thefishing town, and international jet setters have vacationed there for years. In the summer it is home to Chandon parties and the Chivas Studio, to reservation-only meals and incredible rooftops lounges where you can sit and watch the sunset.

Last year I had the luxury of vacationing in Jose Ignacio. Some friends from New York wanted to escape the winter in a town as glamorous as Punta but with a lower-profile. Jose Ignacio was the perfect choice. Read more about its charm here.

Cabo Polonio

Polonio, as Uruguayans like to call it, is hands-down my favorite place in Uruguay. By day you will see white horses grazing in green pastures, and by night you will read and eat by candlelight. There is no electricity in Cabo, nor running water. Some houses have generators and water pumps, but if you are lucky, yours won’t. There are moments in Uruguay when I feel I live in a dream; a great adventure. On the shores of Cabo Polonio I feel it most. You can read an excellent account of fishing near to Cabo here; and a general article about why its wonderful here.

Punta del Diablo

Farther North up the coast is Punta del Diablo, a tiny fishing village that for two weeks of the year explodes with Uruguayans and internationals alike looking for a good time. The vibe is less hippy-chic than Cabo, and certainly less glamorous than Punta. A hot spot for backpackers and surfers, it has one large boliche (nightclub), and various small restaurants. If people can’t find hostels or houses, they often will camp in nearby Santa Teresa. Find out how to get there here.

Dozens of estuaries, streams, and swamps comprise this drainage basin that makes the area one of the richest in terms of species of fish. You’ll also find lots of crustaceans and shellfish here; thousands of crayfish and clams surface when there is a low tide.

A combination of factors and events that take place in the sea, the lagoons, and the waterways make it an ideal spot for fishing for black drum, white croaker, silverside, and large sole.

The Valizas Stream is also part if this natural phenomenon, and every day hundreds of people set out in their colorful boats of many different sizes to fish its waters. They use trawl nets with a buoy, or wait for a school of fish to be drawn to the bait hanging from sharp hooks of long floating lines; the hooks sharpened every afternoon as if it were a magic ritual.

Tourists and fishing

For catch-and-release fishermen, sole, white croaker, and silverside are the fish of choice. These fishermen enjoy an excursion or a day out regardless the distance, cost, or time to it takes.

The fish-rich waters also make this a popular place for tourists who come to enjoy the great seafood restaurants, or to experience the simple way of life enjoyed by these fishermen.

After parking their cars, entire families anxiously await the arrival of the boats that arrive in from a long day fishing the small inner lakes formed by the stream, or the point where the stream empties into the ocean.

The truth is that after watching the fishermen unload the fish, the locals and tourists gather around them, and the bargaining begins. There is a limit to the power of bargaining, however, as fish are weighed on scales to determine a guide price.

A trip to Valizas Stream to buy fresh fish becomes a tour of its own for those who are staying in Cabo Polonio or the City of Valizas.

Editor’s note: You may need to switch the order of the first two places depending on whether you fly to Montevideo, or to BA and take the ferry to Colonia.

Colonia del Sacramento – 2 Days
Colonia del Sacramento is Uruguay’s oldest and most picturesque city. With its cobblestoned streets, colorfully-painted colonial buildings, well-kept parks, and interesting sites such as the city old gates, drawbridge, moat, and lighthouse, Colonia is an ideal place for a relaxing walk-about. Its excellently-preserved historic center (Barrio Historico) is a UNESCO world heritage site. You’ll also find great beaches nearby that you can reach by motorbike or taxi. Playa de Ferrando is tranquil and secluded, and just a few miles out of town. The locals here claim it’s the best around.

Montevideo – 3 Days
Uruguay’s capital unites the city’s past and present, with ancient city walls and historical buildings alongside pubs, design studios, bookstores, and antique shops. The historic district known as “Ciudad Vieja” (old city) is a delight. The best way to see it is by foot—you can either wander about, just you and your map, or take an organized guided tour.

A trip to El Mercado del Puerto (the market at the port) is one of the best ways to pass a day in Uruguay’s capital. Tucked alongside Montevideo’s main port and Ciudad Vieja, the market sees the streets brimming with local artists and craftspeople, displaying their work to passersby. You’ll also find an impressive array of parrillas (steak restaurants) designed to knock the socks off any true meat-eating enthusiast.

At night, have a pint in The Shannon Irish Pub (Bartolomé Mitre 1318, just off Plaza Independencia), a great place to meet expats and locals alike, then dance the night away at Baar Fun Fun (Ciudadela 1229, Mercado Central), our favorite tango bar in the city.
            
Piriapolis – 3 Days 
After the buzz of Montevideo, you’ll be glad of a place where you can relax, soak up the sun, and recharge for a few days. Piriapolis, a picturesque coastal town, just an hour’s drive east of Montevideo is ideal. It was one of the original tourist hot spots in Uruguay. The city is surrounded on one side by lush-green rolling hills, and on the other, by white-sand beaches, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports. Some believe that the high levels of energy concentration here provide relaxing and healing properties. Is it true? Well, come and see for yourself.

Punta del Este – 3 Days
Once you’re fully recharged you’ll be ready for Punta del Este. With a wide choice of entertainment, shopping, and cuisine, this place is where the crowds come to have fun. You’ll find vast shopping malls, first-class casinos and theaters, and every type of restaurant you’d expect in a big city. Its year-round population of around 10,000 can swell to half a million during the tourist season.
The beaches around Punta del Este are beautiful are varied… from quiet white sand beaches lapped by calm clear azure waters where couples stroll and children play in the sand, to party beaches that draw the young jetset, particularly in the tourist season.

La Paloma – 1 Day
One hundred kilometers east of Punta del Este, in the department of Rocha is where you’ll find the resort town of La Paloma, a quiet, picturesque town with beautiful surroundings and friendly people.

You won’t have the same choice here for eating out, shopping, and entertainment, compared to Punta del Este or Piriapolis, but you’ll find it has everything you need—a good variety of stores, a handicraft market, a casino, a cinema, and several nice restaurants. The beaches here are as good as Punta del Este’s but you won’t get the same crowds—even in the summer months there’s lots of room.

Cabo Polonio – 2 Days 
The most natural beautiful setting in Uruguay is the small, fishing town of Cabo Polonio. Don’t come here to party—the primary activities in Cabo Polonio are relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. There is also a huge sea lion colony here.

Editor’s note: To get Cabo Polonio, take the Interbalneario to the turn-off for La Paloma. When you get about a kilometer from La Paloma, you take a left toward La Pedrera on Highway 10. Follow the highway past La Pedrera to where you see a series of large four-wheel drive trucks, parked on the right side of the highway with signs that say “Transporte Cabo Polonio”. You need a special permit to enter the Cabo Polonio area by vehicle, so you have to park your car there and take a ride with one of the transportation companies here.

If you have an extra week… 
Take a trip inland to Tacuarembo in the north where you can emerse youself in the life of a gaucho. And a trip northwest will take you to some of the finest hot springs in South America.

Every week in Ola Uruguay, we talk about all the great aspects of life in Uruguay, and the cultural, scenic, and culinary delights this country has to offer. But the great draw for most people who come to its shores are Uruguay’s top class beaches. Uruguay has hundreds of miles of beaches…all so varied that everyone has their own favorite.

Well we at OU have our favorites too. Here’s our top five:

Playa San Francisco in Piriapolis
You’ll find Playa San Francisco on the eastern edge of the picturesque coastal town of Piriapolis, just an hour’s drive east of Montevideo. Piriapolis was the original tourist hot spots in Uruguay. With its white sand and waves, Playa San Francisco is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports.

Cabo Polonio Beach 
Located 7 km from Ruta 10 in the Rocha province in Rocha, the beach at Cabo Polonio is where you’ll want to be if you fancy a break from the buzz of Punta del Este. There is also a large sea lion colony here. The beach is wide with white sand and crashing blue waves. Cabo Polonio is a remote but beautiful place. All the buildings are painted white, and rest on a small rocky cape with a tall white lighthouse that dominates the landscape.

Bikini Beach
The stretch of beach along the La Barra district just outside Punta del Este is where all the beautiful, bikini-clad women and tanned and toned men come to sunbath and party. The La Barra district itself is like a stand-alone seaside town that’s famous for it’s busy bars, trendy clubs, and crowds of young partygoers in the high season.

Playa Chihuahua Maldonado
Playa Chihuahua was officially declared a nude beach in 2000, however it had been a hot spot for nude bathing since about 1960. This combined with the areas ecological significance—it’s home to a variety of wild birds, including herons, storks, ducks, and black-necked swans—makes Chihuahua Beach a perfect getaway spot for the both naturist and naturalist alike. You’ll find Playa Chihuahua near Punta del Este airport.

Punta del Diablo Beach
Punta del Diablo beach is quickly gaining a reputation with surfers for it’s great breaks. Located an hour up the coast from Punta del Este, rustic Punta del Diablo has a more relaxed vibe than Punta del Este. There is an almost bohemian feel to the beach. For Punta del Diablo’s surf forecast, go tohttp://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/PuntadelDiablo/forecasts/latest/six_day.