Christmas in Punta del Este
Muy Differente!
25.12.2009
Last night we had a dinner with about 15 of us here at the hostel, and we were talking about how it was everyone´s first dinner away from home on Christmas Eve. Represented were Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and Australia...and I was the only American (that was a first for me I think). As is typical here, dinner was at 10pm so we didn´t actually sit down till 11, then at midnight we toasted champagne and watched the fireworks. Industrial-size fireworks were fired off in the middle of streets all over town, including about 50 feet away from our front door. I guess everyone goes out and celebrates, so about 7 of us went down to the pier and watched the parade of cars and young people walking around getting ready to party (yes the bars don´t start getting packed until 2:00 am here).
I ran the entire beachfront yesterday morning and walked around so much that I´m sore as heck! We didn´t go to the annual all-night beach party that allegedly goes till noon today (thank goodness) so I´m awake, checked out and ready to try a new and much cheaper town. PDE is beautiful and fun at night, but it´s a place for people with jobs because beers and food are about like in New York I assume.
Had some fun but I´m on my way to the next town. Montevideo, here I come! I leave in 75 minutes, and will most likely stay in the same hostel chain (they have two in Montevideo and can book for me from here)...
Merry Christmas!
