Dulce de Leche

    Dulce de Leche (Sweet Milk) is the most popular candy in the Rio de la Plata. As with many other things, there is a dispute between Uruguay and Argentina regarding its invention. The important thing is not "who" invented it, but the fact that it was invented and it is here with us to make our lives a lot sweeter.

    Legend has it that an important politician many years ago (I will not give names to avoid nationalities) asked his cook to warm some milk with sugar to accompany the Mate. The cook got distracted (for political reasons that we won´t go into) and the milk started to boil. When she remembered and went back to the kitchen the milk had become something brown and thick. When her boss tasted it he liked it and it became a new sweet to be enjoyed at all times. That's how Dulce de Leche was "invented".

    It is, of course, not exclusive of the Rio de la Plata. With different names it exists throughout Latin America. Manjar in Chile and Ecuador, Manjar Blanco in Perú, Bolivia, Ecuador and Panama, Arequipe in Colombia and Venezuela, Cajeta in Mexico, Fanguito in Cuba, and Dulce de Leche in Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador, Honduras, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana and Costa Rica.

    It is simply a preparation of milk, sugar and vanilla, boiled for a long time until it becomes thick and creamy.

    If you want to try it the hard way:

         Milk: 3 liters

         Sugar: 1 Kilogram

         Sodium bicarbonate: 1/2 spoon

         Vanilla: 1 pod or a small quantity of essence.

    Cook all the ingredients together over low heat, stirring all the time until the milk starts to boil. Lower the heat to the minimum and keep stirring, preferably with a wooden spoon doing an 8 movement, until the mixture begins to thicken and darken. Raise the heat until it starts to boil again. Remove from the heat and let it cool. It is ready to be tasted.

    If you want to do it the easy way just go to the supermarket and buy a jar of Dulce de Leche Lapataia or Conaprole. If this is too easy then do the following:

    Get a can of condensed milk. Put it inside a large pan and cover it with water. Boil for 2 hours. Take it out of the water (very carefully) and let it cool. Open it and you have a can of Dulce de Leche.

    The Dulce de Leche can be used in many different ways. It can be eaten out of the jar, one of the great pleasures in life, or mixed with other things. Some of the great things to eat with Dulce de Leche are bananas, pancakes, flan (creme caramel) or cakes. The Alfajor is a round pastry filled with Dulce de Leche, extremely popular in Uruguay and Argentina. There is a cake called Milhojas (Thousand Leaves) that is made of many thin layers of pastry, each one separated by a thick layer of Dulce de Leche, and covered with meringue. Try it, you won`t regret it.

    If you have a sweet tooth then any or all of this things are highly recommended.

Working in Uruguay

    I think the biggest problem to find a job in Uruguay, for foreigners, is your knowledge of Spanish. Unless you are fluent in Spanish your alternatives are limited. The second big problem, and I don´t want this to be a put down but it is a reality, is that salaries in Uruguay are generally low.

    This being said, here are some alternatives:

    Working as teacher of English or another language:

    Berlitz (http://www.berlitz.com.uy/) is a good place. The pay is not great but previous teaching experience is not required, they train you, so it might be a good place to start.

Langland Institute (http://www.langlandinstitute.com/). The pay is better, but previous experience is a plus.

    Most of the other English teaching institutes require some type of English teacher certificate. Some of them are the Anglo (www.anglo.edu.uy/), the Alianza (www.alianza.edu.uy/), London Institute (http://www.londoninstitute.edu.uy/), Instituto Dickens (www.dickens.edu.uy/), or the Alliance Francaise (www.alliancefrancaise.edu.uy/) for French speakers.

    Other international companies that hire non Spanish speakers are the Indian company Tata Consultancy Services (http://www.tcs.com/worldwide/s_america/locations/uruguay/Pages/default.aspx) and the American company Sabre Holdings (http://www.sabre.com.uy/). That´s where I work, so if you want more information just contact me at aledelpino101@yahoo.com.ar.

    Of course, there´s always El Gallito, the classified ads of the El Pais newspaper. Look for the section called TRABAJOS. Some of the ads published are in English.

Instrucciones del año XIII

    Patrick, who lives near Colonia, was interested in reading the Instrucciones. Here is my translation. But first a little history.

    On May 25th 1810 the people of the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata had declared in Buenos Aires their intention of becoming independent from the Spanish Crown. In 1813 a General Constituent Assembly was summoned and members of all the Provincias Unidas were invited to attend. The object was to decide the form of the future government, and to create a provisional Constitution. The people of each province were asked to elect representatives for the Assembly, who would carry "instructions" declaring the will of their voters.

    Artigas summoned the people of the Banda Oriental for a Provincial Assembly in which they would chose their representatives to the General Assembly in Buenos Aires. This was called the Congreso de Tres Cruces. In this Assembly the representatives of the Pueblo Oriental were chosen, and "instructions" given to them. This instructions became know as the "Instrucciones del Año XIII".

    The following is the text of these instructions:

YEAR XIII INSTRUCTIONS TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ORIENTAL BAND

    Art. 1 - First of all we will request the total independence of these Colonies, and that they be absolved of all obligation of loyalty to the Spanish Crown and the Bourbon family, and that all political connection between these Colonies and the Spanish State should and must be totally dissolved.

    Art. 2 - We will accept no other system but that of the Confederation for the reciprocal pact with the Provinces that conform our State.

    Art. 3 - We will promote civic and religious freedom throughout all its imaginable extension.

    Art. 4 - As the objective and end of the Government must be to preserve the equality, freedom and safety of the Citizens and the Peoples, each Province will form their own government based on this principle and under that of the Supreme Government of the Nation.

    Art. 5 - This, as well as that, will be divided in legislative, executive and judicial powers.

    Art. 6 - These three resorts will never be united amongst them and will be independent in their faculties.

   Art. 7 - The Supreme Government will attend only to the general business of the State. The rest is particular to the Government of each Province.

    Art. 8 - The territory occupied by these Peoples, from the oriental coast of the Uruguay to the Fortress of Santa Teresa, constitute only one Province called the Provincia Oriental.

    Art. 9 - That the seven Peoples of Misiones, Batovía, Santa Tecla, San Rafael and Tacuarembó, today unjustly occupied by the Portuguese and that in due time will have to be claimed, will at all times be part of this Province.

    Art. 10 - That by this document this Province will enter separately into a firm league of friendship with each one of the others for the mutual and general happiness, with the commitment to assist each one of the others against all violence, or attacks done on one or any one of them for reasons of religion. sovereignty, traffic or any other pretext whatsoever.

    Art. 11 - That this Province retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, all power, jurisdiction and rights that are not expressly delegated by the Confederation to the United Provinces jointly in Congress.

    Art. 12 - That the port of Maldonado be free to all vessels that concur for the introduction of goods or export of fruits, setting the corresponding Customs in that town, requesting to this effect that the Commander of the Forces of His British Majesty be informed of the opening of this port in order to protect the navigation and commerce of their Nation.

    Art. 13 - That the port of Colonia be also authorized in the terms of the previous article.

    Art. 14 - That no taxes or duties be imposed on articles exported from one province to another, and that no preference be given by any regulation of Commerce or rent to the ports of one Province over that of others, and that no vessels destined from this Province to another be forced to enter and anchor or pay duties in another.

    Art. 15 - Not to allow for Law to be made for this Province over goods of foreigners who die intestate and over fines and confiscations that used to be applied for the King, and over territories belonging to it while it does not create its regulations and determines to what funds they must be applied, as it is the only one who has the Rights to do it for economic reasons within its jurisdiction.

    Art. 16 - That this Province will have its own territorial Constitution, and that it has the Right to sanction the general one for the United Provinces that form the Constituent Assembly.

    Art. 17 - That this Province has the right to raise the Regiments that it might need, to name the Company officers, to regulate its militia for the safety of its freedom and that the rights of its Peoples to keep and carry arms will not be violated.

    Art. 18 - The military Despotism will be annihilated with constitutional barriers that ensure the Sovereignty of the Peoples.

    Art. 19 - That it be needful and indispensable outside of Buenos Aires where the Government of the Provincias Unidas resides.

    Art. 20 - The Constitution guarantees to the Provincias Unidas a republican form of government, and guards each one of them from the domestic violence, usurpation of Rights, freedom and security of its sovereignty that might be attempted by armed forces by one of them to suffocate the declared principles. And it will, as well, render all its attention, honour, faithfulness and religiousness to everything it believes and judges necessary to preserve for this Province the advantages of Freedom and to maintain a free Government, of pity, justice, moderation and industry. For all of which, etc.

    Before Montevideo, April 13th 1813, Gervasio Artigas.

History of Punta del Este

    The first European to be know to have set foot in the region where now is Punta del Este is the Spanish explorer Juán Diaz de Solís in 1516 (please see History of Uruguay part I). There he found the entrance to the Rio de la Plata, which he thought was a way to reach the Pacific Ocean. He named the place Cabo de Santa María (Cape Santa Maria). 50 years later the fort of San Fernando was built there.

    In 1829, the cape was named Villa Ituzaingó by Francisco Aguilar who drew the plans of the city to be and began building. Aguilar, a very wealthy man, used the land for agriculture and manufacturing of ceramic tiles. He was the fist ship builder of Uruguay, and also raised cattle and went into politics. He was Mayor of Maldonado and Senator. He was also given by the President exclusive rights to hunt for whales, of which plenty could be found near the coast.

    In 1843 the peninsula and the Gorriti Island were sold to the brothers Lafone. They used it as saladeros, the process of salt-curing the meat. At that time the only way to go from the Punta to Maldonado was in carts and the way was very difficult as it was mostly sand with lots of dunes. To make this easier Aguilar brought dromedaries that were much more adapted to this kind of terrain.

    In 1889 the first hotel was built. At that time the town was inhabited by fishermen, customs officers and the lighthouse keepers. But during the summer the population increased with people coming looking for a place to rest. Many of the inhabitants were thinking of developing the town into a seaside resort similar to Biarritz in France or Brighton in England.

   

    In 1907 a ship called "Golondrina" arrived to the port full of people from Buenos Aires and Montevideo, that had been invited by the Society "Balneario Punta del Este". That year the town had been officially named Punta del Este by President Claudio Williman.

    From that moment it never stopped growing, to become what it is now. One of the most important seaside resorts of South America, and a center of the international jet set. Properties in the zone of Punta del Este, specially heading east towards José Ignacio, are now valued in millions of dollars.

    If you haven´t been there you should visit it. It´s worth it

Sunset over Punta Colorada

Sunset over Piriapolis

Sunset over Piriapolis

Sunset over Montevideo

Sunset over Punta del Este

El Mate

     I guess one of the first strange things a foreigner notices when coming for the first time to Uruguay is the Mate. You go out for a walk and you see all around you people with a thermos flask under their arm and a strange egg shaped thing with a silver something sticking out of the top. You see they pour water from the thermos and then sip from that strange metallic straw. You have been introduced to one, maybe the most important, of Uruguay´s customs. The MATE.

     The Mate is an infusion that is drunk in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and some parts of Chile. It is made from the leaves of the "yerba mate" (Ilex paraguayensis) dried, cut and ground. It is a tonic and antioxidant and helps to reduce cholesterol.

     The elements used in the process are the following:

     * The Yerba (herb): there are many different brands, being "Canaria" probably the most popular in Uruguay.

     * The Mate: the vase in which the yerba is placed. It is, usually egg shaped and has a narrow mouth. Originally it was made from a kind of pumpkin but nowadays they can be found made of silver, leather, wood, porcelain or glass. The important thing is that the egg/pumpkin shape be maintained.

     * The Bombilla: the "straw" that is used to sip the mate. It is usually made of metal (sometimes silver). It has three parts: The mouthpiece: sometimes curved to make it more comfortable when sipping. It usually has some metal ring that serves as decoration and also to avoid excessive temperature of the metal in order to protect the lips.
        The tube: through which the liquid passes.
        The bulb: an oblong piece, full of holes, that strains the herb and allows the liquid to pass.
        The Water: the temperature of the water must be around 60° / 80° C (140° / 176° F). It must never boil because then it looses oxygen and causes the mate to lose flavour.

    The Process:
    The yerba is poured into the Mate, almost up to the top. The bombilla is pushed inside the Mate until the bulb reaches the bottom. A little bit of water, usually cold, is poured in to "wet" the yerba. Then hot water is poured until it floods the yerba without drowning it. Just enough water. Usually the first sip is not very tasty because the yerba is not ready. Then you sip until the yerba goes dry, no more liquid comes up, and you pour water again. This is repeated until either you run out of water, or the yerba is so used up that it becomes tasteless.

    The yerba mate has a very bitter taste, but not unpleasant. In Argentina and Chile it is sometimes sweetened with sugar to make it less bitter. That would be unthinkable in Uruguay. In Argentina they also make an infusion type drink using the yerba mate called "mate cocido". That is also considered a "sin" by Uruguayans.

    The Mate ceremony is usually a social activity in which it is shared by a group of friends or co-workers. In this ceremony there is one person who acts as cebador, the one who always pours the water into the mate. He pours the first one and sips it as it is the least tasteful one. Then he pours again and passes it on to somebody else. That person sips until the water runs out and gives it back to the cebador. He pours water again and passes it to somebody else. This way the Mate goes round and round and everybody is part of the ceremony. If somebody, when he hands the mate back to the cebador, says gracias (thank you) it means he does not want to sip anymore and will not be handed the mate again.

    I have met quite a few foreigners who have become "addicted" to the yerba mate. You might want to try it, you never know. It will be an interesting experience. A good way to start is to participate in a ceremony with some Uruguayan friends. You might like it and start wondering how much yerba you will have to take everytime you go back home.

A short history of Uruguay - Part I

    The current territory of Uruguay, before the discovery of the Rio de la Plata (Silver River but generally known as River Plate) by the Spanish explorers, was inhabited by various native tribes mostly of the “guaraní-tupí” ethnic and linguistic group. The tribes that lived in what is now Uruguay were mainly the Charrúas, the Minuanos, the Yaros, the Bohanes and the Guenoas. They were mostly nomads and lived of hunting and fishing.

    The Rio de la Plata was discovered in 1516 by the Spanish explorer Juan Díaz de Solís who was searching for a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, and a way towards Asia. When he found the estuary of the river he thought that was the path he was looking for. They slowly made their way west until they arrived to the site near what is now the city of Colonia. There he realized that it was a river and not the passage West he had expected.

    Trying to find more information from natives they saw ashore, Solis and some mariners disembarked in a spot near Carmelo, but they were attacked by the Charrúas and killed. The expedition was abandoned and the rest of the mariners returned to Spain.

    In 1536, Pedro de Mendoza founded what he called the port of Santa María Nuestra Señora de los Buenos Ayres on the opposite side of the Rio de la Plata. This fortress port did not survive long as they were attacked by native tribes. But the Spanish crown needed a port of access to the Atlantic ocean, so they built a second city in the same spot, which they called Ciudad de la Santisima Trinidad y Puerto de Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre, which goes to show that the Spanish lords were not in for short names.

    The Spanish conquerors founded also the city of Asunción, in what is now Paraguay, and from there started building cities and fortresses in all the territories that now are Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile and Perú. But the "oriental" side of the territory, east of the river Uruguay, was difficult to conquer because of the defense of the Charrúa natives. In 1605 Governor Hernando Arias de Saavedra (Hernandarias), first American born ruler (he had been born in Asunción), seeing that the land was excellent for growing cattle, sent one hundred cows and horses to be set free in that territory. The pastures were so good that the animals multiplied so that two centuries later they were counted by the million. This territory, then called La Banda Oriental (the oriental band) become very interesting due to the great quantity of meat and leather available. It was specially interesting for the Portuguese in Brazil as it also offered access to the Rio de la Plata.

    In 1680 they invaded the territory. They built the port of Colonia del Sacramento in front of Buenos Aires. But when the Portuguese began to build a fort further up the river, the Spanish saw their access to the Rio de la Plata threatened and send an expedition to force them to leave the territory. When the Portuguese receded the Spanish built a fortress to maintain a defence of their territories. Soon a city called San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo began to grow next to the fort.

    There are different theories on the origin of the name Montevideo. One states that a Portugese mariner when he saw the hill of Montevideo shouted, “Monte vide eu” which means “I saw a hill”.

A second theory states that an exploratory ship sailing up the Rio de la Plata counted the hill of Montevideo as the sixth hill or mount going from East to West. This was written down as “Monte VI-D-E-O” (Monte VI de Este a Oeste) which means “VI Mount going from East to West”. I´m not sure if it´s likely but it surely is romantic.

    Montevideo soon developed and grew into an important city for the Virreinato del Rio de la Plata (Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata) that had its capital in Buenos Aires. The other important city in the Banda Oriental was Colonia del Sacramento that for many years went back and forth between the Spanish and the Portuguese.

    In 1806 and 1807 the Rio de la Plata was invaded by an English army and the cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo taken and placed under the British Crown. Receiving no support from Spain or the Viceroy a defense was organized by local soldiers and civilians. The English were finally defeated and they retreated. This gave the inhabitants of the Rio de la Plata the first notion that they could function on their own without the support of Spain. This was the first seed of what later on led to the independence from Spain.

    In 1810 Buenos Aires declared its will to become an independent state and under the military leadership of Generals José de San Martin and Manuel Belgrano began the war of Independence. Most of the inhabitants of the Banda Oriental did nos support this effort. On July 9th 1816 what is now Argentina became an independent state named Provincias Unidas del Sud (United Provinces of the South).

    In 1822 Brazil declared its Independence from the Portuguese crown. They invaded the Banda Oriental which had been abandoned by the Spanish government. In 1825 a group of 33 men, now famous as the "33 Orientales", led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja crossed the river in small boats and disembarked on the coast of the Uruguay river. Slowly they made their way towards Montevideo, gathering followers on the way, and were able to free the region from the Brazilian invaders. The Argentine Congress in Buenos Aires declared the Independence of the Oriental Province. Brazil then declared war against the Provincias Unidas and this led to a long and bloody war, known as the War of Brazil or Argentine-Brazilian War, that lasted almost three years. Finally peace was achieved.

    As a consequence of the peace treaty, the Banda Oriental became a country independent both from Brazil and from Argentina that became known as "El Estado Oriental del Uruguay". Later on it became La República Oriental del Uruguay, better known just as Uruguay.