One year ago I decided I should start a blog about my country, Uruguay, in an intent to combat the Uru..what? responses uruguayans get all over the world when they share their origin.
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I had recently arrived after months of living abroad and travelling in "first world" countries, and I had the strange feeling that for the first time I was watching my country with the eyes of a tourist. Everything long known seemed new. Characters, customs, and things that for me were global I realized that they are not, and viceversa aspects I had thought to be typical are global in nature. I guess the idea, was to share this re discovering of my own country.
After some months tali joined the team, as another traveller returning to the country, with a similar desire to tell the world a bit about things around here.
The blog had an unexpected response from people all over the world, we've been contacted from places as far as India, Finland, Switzerland, USA, and Japan, because of this blog, and even met some of them personally.
Thank you for all of your comments and emails, they fueled our motivation to carry on with this idea, and excuse us if we are not as frequent as you'd like us to be :)
By the way, if you have any request, about a subject you'd like to read more about Uruguay, please add a comment with your request....
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Happy Birthday From Uruguay
Thursday, September 21, 2006
ENCE with one foot out of Uruguay
Spanish corporation ENCE has announced that the construction of their pulp mill won't continue, and fired 40 employees from the Montevideo's office, which is about 60% of their staff there, and around forty episodes of The Apprentice, right?
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Yesterday while I was watching the news I tried not to take it personally but it's not easy, the news was actually that the company was leaving the country. I can't help to think in all those who relocated their families, leaving former jobs to go to Fray Bentos to work. Word is that this is the first step in ENCE's withdrawal plan.
ENCE authorities declared that the pressure the Argentinan goverment was applying on international banking organisms not to approve loans for the construction of pulp mills in Uruguay played an importan role in the decision, as well as the conflict between Uruguay and Argentina on the whole subject.
Today the news were a bit brighter, ENCE declared that is NOT leaving Uruguay, just relocating the pulp mill, but who knows, some weeks ago they said they were not going to fire anyone.
It kinda feels like Argentina's bullying is prevailing. It's unfair, and depressing....
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
La Rural del Prado
The Rural Association of Uruguay has been organizing cattle exhibitions, auctions and events in general at the traditional exhibition premises in the Prado neighborhood since 1913, before that it was at other places. This year the 101st exhibition was held in September and finished on the 17th (last Sunday).
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The Expo Prado is the largest exhibition in the country: in average 525,000 people visit it every year; more than 1,500 animals of all breeds and species are presented as well as businesses and industries in the agro framework.
There are stands for many different companies and also for countries, where typical products from the different countries can be purchased. Some countries present this year were: Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, United States and China. There are also many restaurants where you can get asado, chivitos, empanadas and all sorts of typical uruguayan food.
In this picture you can see the layout of the place. In the center is the Rodeo, where all the contests for the animals are held. Around it are all the stands, restaurants and places where the animals are kept while the exhibition is going on.
The animals that you see here will be the cleanest you've ever seen. They brush their hair and wash them and the facilities all the time so the place doesn't smell as bad as you would imagine.
Judges that come from all over the world but mainly the US decide which ones will be awarded with prizes and grand prizes as the audience watches and applauds. Then, in the auctions the animals with prizes will be sold at more competitive prizes. Some cows were sold for over US 15,000. The cows are taken into the rodeo and the judges decide and announce the winner on the microphone. The winner of each category then competes for the grand prize.
The ribbons and prizes for the grand prize winners are sometimes given by some important personality such as the minister of Ganaderia Pepe Mujica below.
Sometimes the owner gets emotional, sometimes not, but it was the case of the little girl here:
The contests are held for cows, sheeps and horses but some other animals such as goats or rabbits are sold as well. All sorts of attractions are going on all day, there are people in costumes everywhere, murgas, bands and so on.
All these beautiful pictures were taken by tali and diego zalduondo (THANKS!).
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