where did August go?

Mystic of Holyhead (successor to Lynn Rival)
Rachel and Paul Chandler
Wed 3 Sep 2014 15:52
Another month in peaceful Uruguay.  How did we spend it?  On our daily walk, usually on the beach, where we can venture about 3km to the east as far as an impassable creek, or twice as far to the west;  a Spanish lesson; a scrabble challenge every evening; and the rude interruption of the 'real' world courtesy of CNN or BBC news.  The passage of time is measured in four day chunks between 'torture' sessions when Paul continues to improve his osteo skills (and yes, there is a consequent steady improvement in Rachel's shoulder movement).  The seasonal changes are upon us - we haven't lit the fire for over a week now - and we are having lovely warm periods interspersed with quite violent storms, when 60 to 70 knot winds from the south drive the water levels up so our beach all but disappears.

We have explored a little of the country, venturing as far north west as Carmelo, where the shores of the River Plate at last come close, so that Argentina can be seen across the water.


The (made in Britain) swing bridge at Carmelo spans a tributary of the River Plate

For a change we sometimes walk inland, past the Santa Ana gas installation, where the interconnector surfaces, bringing natural gas from Buenos Aires, but continuing en route to Montevideo with no chance of supply to the local communities


The roads around Santa Ana are good (though little used), lined with countless Eucalyptus
  

A typical homestead, probably associated with a several hundred strong herd of milking cows


Not sea birds: woodpeckers finding something interesting in our 'garden'

On the day after a storm, after checking out Lynn Rival of course, it's back to the beach to see what's changed.


These two caranchos are getting to know us


Where's the water?

We visit Lynn Rival most days and some of the maintenance items are being ticked off.


Installing the replacement solar panel

But now holiday fever has set in!  On Friday we're off to BsAs for a flight to Lima.  Helen and Lynda will be joining us from the UK and we'll be exploring a little of Peru, including of course Machu Picchu.