I packed my small daypack and took a three-hour bus from Colonia to Montevideo whose crowded urban sprawl is such a dramatic change from the quiet life in little Colonia. I fall asleep on the bus, and suddenly I'm surrounded by the noise of traffic and car horns. Montevideo's terminal surprises me--it's one of the biggest bus stations I've ever seen (it's also connected to a huge shopping mall).
I head over to the tourist information area, and ask the lady what I can see in Montevideo in ten hours. She starts circling things on the map, telling me excitedly about the big modern shopping mall they have on the edge of the city. She starts rattling off expensive Western brands, and hands me back the map. I thank her, and smile politely, hoping that it conceals my disappointment. I didn't come all the way to Uruguay just to shop at stores we have back home. Instead, I opt to do some exploring on my own.
I exit the station and look around for the intercity buses. I spot one that is marked "Ciudad Viejo." Sounds interesting. I hop on the bus and hope it will take me somewhere that isn't a mall. As we pull away from the station, the big windows pass views of skyscrapers, old stone buildings, and street markets. I have no idea where I'm going or where I'll end up, but I'm excited!
