Piriapolis...there IS life outside the city! :)

To hear people who live in cities talk, you'd think that nothing else exists, that the countryside is a barren wasteland with no people in it, and nothing to do...EVER ;-P Being in a foreign country, I was almost starting to believe them, even though I happen to know better, being one of those "nobodies" who don't even live in a town, and yet somehow survive living in the desolate countryside :D After three weeks in Montevideo (read: in any city, anywhere) I was about ready to shrivel up into...I don't know what! And I was starting to think that maybe I didn't much care for Uruguay...But then we left the city and...OH!!! It's BEAUTIFUL out here!!!!

We're staying in a small coastal town, Piriapolis, which is gloriously quiet at this time of year (though in the summer it is apparently PACKED). There's a long stretch of beach, the obligatory rambla, little shops, cute homes, gloriously green pastures, and...what I never expected to see in Uruguay...mountains! OK, make that "tall, rocky, tree-cloaked hills." :D It somehow reminds me of a cross between Ireland, Austria, and small-town Virginia. I don't have too many photos yet, so I'll have to post more later, but here are a few...


The beach and rambla...and some luvin' :)
(n.b. one of the very useful facts I learned in Spanish class..."Te amo" is only used (at least here) for romantic love..."Te quiero" would be for everyone else. Not that I go around telling random people that I love them, but what if I wanted to?? I wouldn't want to say it wrong, would I?!? From which you can probably guess that the message on the beach wasn't from me... :)


The view from our front porch :)


The condo where we're staying - we have one side, and the owners live in the other half. They are a really nice young couple, Victoria and Claudio, with two little girls who my youngest sister has promptly become friends with. There's nothing like Spanish-speaking friends to inspire you to learn the language :)

Another very good thing about being here - I feel so much less shy when I'm not in the city! I find myself actually talking with random people (and they talk and smile back), which has been really fun. Everyone here is really nice about ragged attempts to speak the language. I'm guessing they don't get too many people coming here to learn Spanish, b/c whenever I explain why we're here, or even just say "¡No hablo español muy bien!" people smile and are really friendly [unlike some countries, to remain unnamed here, where attempts at speaking their very tricky language most often meet with a cold stare and no attempt at comprehension :-P Picture me, in that country, trying to communicate where we're going next...Lisieux: "Lisoo...Leesoh...Laysyou...Lisoh.......Leeseeuuu" Blank stares...arrggg! :] But people are really nice here...and I haven't felt any of the slight tension that I've felt in other countries when people realized I was American.

This morning we awakened to the almost-night-like dusk of a lowering tormenta, and have been treated throughout the day to downpouring rain and a fabulous lightning show. SO FUN!!! (can you tell I'm a pathetic, rain-deprived Californian? :) Once the rain lets up, we hope to make some excursions into the (beautifully, lusciously green :) countryside.

For now, I need to go...I'm sitting in an internet cafe, and my time is almost up.

Love to you all...¡Te quiero! :)