Cerro Largo

Hey there! Last weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend in Cerro Largo with Hilda's family. I took a bus almost to Piriapolís, where Hilda, her sister Raquel, and her brother-in-law Luís were waiting to pick me up. We had a lovely drive through the Uruguayan countryside, stopping briefly in the small town Mariscala to visit some family, where I met a guy form Michigan who is married and living there (random!). Green hills rolled and gauchos went riding by out the truck window. We arrived in Melo in time to visit several siblings (Hilda is one of 10 children!) and Hilda's mom. Her mom was the most animated and devout Catholic woman I have ever met. It was kind of inspirational to watch her! We spent the first night on an estancia just outside town. The experience was complete with a alpargatas drying on a wood-burning stove, drawing water from the well, drinking fresh cow milk, and having a freshly butchered sheep brought in by gauchos in the morning!
We spent our time going from house to house, visiting with family and eating treats from her sister's panadería. We also went to and Expo outside of town where we saw gauchos galore, beastly bulls, and ginormous gallinas! I bought a faja there as a recuerdo of the experience. Later, we went to the house of Juana de Ibarbourou, a famous poet from Melo. Here are a few pictures from the experience:


Dulce flanco de mi tierrapor donde remonta el día
su color y alegría
sobre llano, monte y sierra.Pago de los naranjales
que multiplican el sol;
infatigable crisol
de virtudes orientales.
La brava estirpe arachana
se desangró en tus cuchillas
para regar las semillas
fecundas de tu mañana.
¡Oh, Cerro Largo, eres bella
tierra de amor y esperanza,
por donde la vida avanza
con certidumbre de estrella!