Even the Children Tango In Buenos Aires

29th March 2006
Day 11
Colonia
Uruguay
Distance still 1,2 km

The level of fun and distractions continued unabated in Buenos Aires. I took more time out touring the city and even miser me got into the shopping mode because prices are so reasonable. Anyone into leather and those of you heartless enough to buy fur coats, this is a good spot to shop.

Included amongst the Tango lessons and jowling around, Javier has helped me get the bike ready and packed. When it is loaded it looks very much like an ungraceful donkey loaded for a trek up the Himlayas. An old army “bal sak” would have worked wonders.

I had planned to ride from here Westwards and then slightly North where I would cross to Uruguay but the border crossing has been sporadically closed because of demonstrations in the area. The people are protesting about a paper mill being planned on the Uruguayan side of the river. They feel the pollution from the factory will be dumped into the river which flows into Rio de La Plata on the Argentinean side. Can’t say I blame them.
With this in mind and a potential bureaucratic problem of riding the motor bike out of Argentina, I decided to try crossing the river De La Plata to Uruguay with the ferry to a small village called Colonia Del Sacramento.

Well this morning I was up with the roosters and got everything tied onto the pony. Together we launched into the early morning mayhem called traffic and happily roared down the highway at the full speed of 90km/hr, heading for the ferry. At the port I proudly presented myself and pony’s papers only to be told that I cannot take the bike across. No amount of pleading or requests for assistance helped and I was sent off feeling like a rejected man.
I rode back to Dakar motos and sulked for a long time. After about ten minutes I thought it is time to implement plan B. There is no plan B.
Sorting this out may take some time. So I decided to get back to the port and take the ferry across anyhow and get Uruguay under the belt. I am now sitting in Colonia Del Sacramento in Uruguay sipping a beer and contemplating what life may have in store for tomorrow.

While I am still able to write let me conclude with details of this riverside village.
Colonia Del Sacramento is a cute little spot. It still has the original wonky cobble streets and old buildings. It was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese to smuggle goods across to Buenos Aires. This is probably not true of my forefathers and is merely an exaggeration of a slight indiscretion at the time.

Adios Amigos
Ricky

For motorcyclists info I am staying at Posada Manuel De Lobo (160, Ituzaingo street ) which has lock up facilities for bikes www.colonianet.com/posadamdelobo