Uruguay Local Customs

  Me trying mate.
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  • Me trying mate.
      Me trying mate.
    by Dizzyhead
  • People drinking mate in the street.
      People drinking mate in the street.
    by Dizzyhead
  •   Local Customs
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  •   Local Customs
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  •   Local Customs
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Uruguay

26.

Mate: A strong herbal tea   Montevideo

Mate: A strong herbal tea, Montevideo

 9 Reviews  Le mate est un incontournable en Uruguay, il fait partie de la vie de tous les jours. Il peut se boire seul, mais c'est surtout une boisson de partage. Drinking mate is normaly with friend, in a... 

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27.

Street artists/art   Montevideo

Street artists/art, Montevideo

 2 Reviews  This man draws with smuts; he works at Mercado del Puerto, and his pieces are really good. Este hombre hace dibujos a la carbonilla; trabaja en el Mercado del Puerto, y sus obras son realmente... 

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28.

Parillas   Montevideo

Parillas, Montevideo

 1 Review  One of the great things that Uruguay shares with its northern and southern neighbours Brazil and Argentina is the love of meat. The number of excellent steakhouses or parillas is infinite, and the... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Tortas fritas cuando llueve

by andal13

An ancient tradition in Uruguay is eating tortas fritas (fried cakes), especially when it rains. A rainy day you enjoy the delicious smell that fills the air...The fried cakes are very easy to make, but you also can buy them everywhere (they are pretty cheap!) How to make tortas fritas:In a bowl, put 1/2 Kg of wheat flour; add melted grease enough, and a cup of warm water with salt. Knead the pastry, and make small balls (like a large walnut) between both hands; then, knead each one with a stick, until you make a flat circle (like a plate); build a little hole in the middle of the circle, and then, fry them in a pan with hot grease, till they get a golden colour.Una antigua tradición en Uruguay es comer tortas fritas, especialmente cuando llueve.Un día lluvioso puedes disfrutar el delicioso olor que llena el aire...Las tortas fritas son muy fáciles de hacer, pero también las puedes...

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Walk the dog!

by gandara

Like in some other cities, in Montevideo, you find professionals who walk the dogs everyday.How many pets in Montevideo? Good question! Mainly dogs, few cats, some birds. You find a veterinarian or a pet shop at every corner in Montevideo.

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the game of canasta is from montevideo

by gandara

The origin of CANASTA dates back to 1939. At the time, contract bridge had established itself as the card game of choice, especially among professional people. This held true in Montevideo, Uruguay where Segundo Sanchez was a member of the elite Jockey Club. The idea there was to play a relaxing game of cards and then have dinner with fellow associates. But Segundo found it hard to stop playing bridge after just an hour or two. So on most nights, he didn't quit until six hours had transpired. In the morning, he felt dull and mentally exhausted. It eventually dawned on him that he was working two shifts, one in the office and one in the club. He was becoming mentally drained- not good, especially in his profession.A moment of truth had arrived. He asked himself: am I an attorney or a bridge player? He decided for the former.He still came to the Jockey Club for dinner, but he shifted from...

try the mate!

by gandara

Yerba Mate (literally, the "Mate Herb") gets its name from the traditional cup (called Mate as well) used to drink it. This cup, originally a dried and decorated gourd, can be made out of almost anything these days.cf : http://www.noborders.net/mate/health.htmland : http://www.candombe.com.uy/espanol/uruguay/tipicouruguayo/mate/index.htm

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Get your share on

by Alman

Regardless of you you bought ... You should share it with your friends from Uruguay. They'll do the same. Open your food see if anybody wants any, same with your beverage. Its really rude when you dont.

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Which Week?

by andal13

In Uruguay we have a special week: Semana Santa (the Holy Week or Easter Holidays). You can say: "Holy Week? A lot of countries have a Holy Week!" The special thing is that ours is a lay country, so when the State and the Church parted (early 20th century) the name of the week was changed (except for the Catholic people, of course) into "Semana de Turismo" ("Tourism Week"); since then, many people travel (inside or outside the country). But during that week it takes place the "Vuelta Ciclista", a very important cycling competition, so this week is also known as "Semana de la Vuelta" ("the week of the Lap"). In Paysandú, there is a very important festival, organized by a brewery, so many people call it "Semana de la Cerveza" ("beer's week"). Finally, in Montevideo is celebrated a very important roughriders competition, so this week is also called "Semana Criolla" ("Creole Week").En...

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Mate

by andal13

Mate is our national "drug"... It's an infusion made of "yerba mate" (dried and sliced leaves of a plant called Illex paraguayensis) and served in a pumpkin (also called "mate") with hot water; you must suck it with a "bombilla" (some kind of metallic pipe). People have mate in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, too, but Uruguay is the only country where you will see people having mate on the streets (actually, everywhere...)But, between us, I do not like mate at all!!!El mate es nuestra "droga" nacional... Es una infusión hecha con "yerba mate" (hojas secas y molidas de una planta llamada Illex paraguayensis) y servido en una especie de calabaza (llamada también mate) con agua caliente; se sorbe con una "bombilla" (una especie de sorbete metálico). La gente toma mate en Argentina, Paraguay y Brazil, también, pero Uruguay es el único país en donde verás gente tomando mate en la calle (en...

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a little spanish..

by pepples46

a little spanish does go a long way and will make life easier..portugues is understood! actually it is quite good to speak or understand portugues, spanish in Uruguay is a little of both lingos! the country was a part of Brazil, till the Argentines just started a little war, but did not win,and Uruguay.got it's Independence from Brasil in 1825.Argentina did not like it......it is also said: Carlos Gardel, the greates argentine Hero of Tango, was born in a little Village here..*go to www.tourismorural.com.uy------------only in spanish though

Gauchos

by Bjorgvin

Gauchos were the cowboys of the pampas of Argentine, Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil. They were usually mestizos but sometimes white, black, or mulatto. Gaucho weapons were the lasso, knife, and bolas, a device made of leather cords and three iron balls or stones that was thrown at the legs of an animal to immobilize it. The costume of the gauchos is still worn by modern cowboys inn the area.

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Uruguayan Spanish: They...

by salime

Uruguayan Spanish: They pronounce 'y' and 'll' like 'sh' in english - this is the biggest difference that can make it impossible to understand if you don't expect it. Sometimes the 's' is removed from the end of syllables. They use the pronoun 'vos' often instead of 'tu', and it comes with its own conjugations. A good word to know is 'ta' which comes from 'esta' and means 'OK'. They eat a lot of meat. Don't say 'gracias' after every sip of mate that someone offers you - it means you don't want more.

Local traditions and culture in Uruguay

Top 3 Hotels in Uruguay

Ibis Montevideo  Montevideo

 6 Reviews and 239 Opinions  The hotel is very well-located, not far away from the downtown, the airport and the "Ciudad Vieja"... 

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Radisson Hotel Colonia del Sacramento  Colonia del Sacramento

 1 Review and 160 Opinions  It is situated at the waterfront, not far from the historical part of town and very close to the... 

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Hotel L'Auberge  Punta del Este

 2 Reviews and 95 Opinions  There are so many words to describe this hotel. Romantic. Peaceful. Serene. Pristine. Quaint. ... 

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Local Customs: Cities in Uruguay
  1. Montevideo Local Customs
  2. Punta del Este Local Customs
  3. Colonia del Sacramento Local Customs
  4. Piriápolis Local Customs
  5. Tacuarembó Local Customs
  6. La Paloma Local Customs

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Popular Regions in Uruguay

Departamento de Montevideo Local Customs  Departamento de Maldonado Local Customs  Departamento de Colonia Local Customs  Departamento de Tacuarembó Local Customs  Departamento de Rocha Local Customs  Departamento de Salto Local Customs  Departamento de Canelones Local Customs 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi fellows, I'm going to plan a trip in uruguay for november and I need some advise. Is it to much or to less 2 weeks in... 

cgf profile photo

A: Try to go north from Punta del Este to Cabo Polonio, very wild [and lovely] place. November is maybe the best month, long days and not hot, anyway still low season for... 

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