In another message Brad copied some warnings from the U.S. Embassy on visiting Uruguay.One of the things it said: "Victims are usually foreign tourists, individuals openly carrying valuable items, and motorists in unlocked vehicles stopped at busy intersections, particularly on Montevideo's riverfront road known as the Rambla."
Now, that makes it sound like an incredibly dangerous road to be near.
I have two stories about The Rambla in Montevideo to share with you.
The first, in the Pocitos section of Montevideo, I was getting out of a tax on a windy night. Before I was able to pay the driver, the wind blew some of my money out of my hands.
The very first thing that happened was a stranger appeared from nowhere (I think he was waiting for a bus or just walking by). He bent over and picked it up for me!
My second big experience on the Rambla was to walk from Ciudad Viejo to Pocitos on the sidewalk that follows the Rambla. It was one of my most beautiful experiences in Uruguay. The Rambla and the sidewalk goes along the beach front.
You have the beauty of the beach on one side and the city on the other.
The 3 hour trek was a great was to spend a sunny afternoon. Plenty of other people were also enjoying the day. It was not crowded, but there was no storage of people.
The only shortage was even a hint of the danger the U.S. Embassy alludes to.
Now, as a stranger in any place you are well advised to keep your eyes and ears open and be prepared to deal with any situation you are not comfortable with.
