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No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. - Winston Churchill
It's that time of year! The tiny village of Pueblo Edén will celebrate their 99th Aniversary this year. The anniversary celebration is always a treat, with a huge gaucho parade complete with traditional gaucho wear. It's my favorite celebration, festival, or attraction in Uruguay because it's so real. The people take such pride and it's been fun watching the children grow up each year on horseback.
It's definitely a family affair with children running everywhere, dogs barking, and the Maldonado Symphony playing the Uruguay National Anthem before the start of the parade.
It's definitely a family affair with children running everywhere, dogs barking, and the Maldonado Symphony playing the Uruguay National Anthem before the start of the parade.
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The nearest village to us is tiny Pueblo Edén, with an international population of about 85, including expats from Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, United States, Holland, Germany, and Argentina.
I love panoramic views of hills as you drive into tranquil Pueblo Edén. Hand-painted signs all around the village tell visitors to "Go Slowly; Don't Fly" and "This is a quiet town".
Pueblo Edén celebrates their founding anniversary with a gaucho (cowboy) parade and festival every August.
I'd recommend a gaucho celebration any day, any time. Gauchos are skilled horsemen (and women) and are both a symbol and a tradition of Uruguayan culture. The Pueblo Edén parade is made up of the Sociedad Criolla of Maldonado and other departments in Uruguay.
I love the hoopla and everything about the celebration. Aromas abound, such as meat grilling on the parilla and horse poo mixed with Uruguay's fresh air. LOTS of horse poo! The eyes behold sights of beautiful horses, colorful dresses for the ladies, and traditional gaucho clothing for the men. It's loud; horses whinnying, dogs barking, children laughing, gauchos yelling directions, and even a symphony orchestra playing in the background.
(Look in the Photo Gallery in the Menu for more photos of Gauchos!)
I love panoramic views of hills as you drive into tranquil Pueblo Edén. Hand-painted signs all around the village tell visitors to "Go Slowly; Don't Fly" and "This is a quiet town".
Pueblo Edén celebrates their founding anniversary with a gaucho (cowboy) parade and festival every August.
I'd recommend a gaucho celebration any day, any time. Gauchos are skilled horsemen (and women) and are both a symbol and a tradition of Uruguayan culture. The Pueblo Edén parade is made up of the Sociedad Criolla of Maldonado and other departments in Uruguay.
I love the hoopla and everything about the celebration. Aromas abound, such as meat grilling on the parilla and horse poo mixed with Uruguay's fresh air. LOTS of horse poo! The eyes behold sights of beautiful horses, colorful dresses for the ladies, and traditional gaucho clothing for the men. It's loud; horses whinnying, dogs barking, children laughing, gauchos yelling directions, and even a symphony orchestra playing in the background.
(Look in the Photo Gallery in the Menu for more photos of Gauchos!)
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"This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather." - Groundhog Day - Phil (Bill Murray)
Wouldn't you know it? - The first summer spent in Uruguay was the hottest summer in 30 years! My quest to buy an air conditioner is now EPIC. A neighbor bought several "splits" (air/heating units that hang on the wall). He liked them, so I asked him to contact the installer for me. Well, with flurry of Christmas preparations, that got pushed to the back burner.
The day after Christmas, I met up with said neighbor at a pool party and barbecue. It was about 95 degrees and I was not glowing as a righteous Southern Belle should. I was sweating like a pig. I'm afraid I grabbed him by the shirt and not thinking before speaking, I said in a very loud voice, "I am too old to be this hot!" That got lots of laughter all around and made my temperature rise even more due to the reddest face on Earth!
He whipped out his phone right then and there; hot and sweaty Southern Belles can be very scary. Two days later, I had an air conditioner installed for the bedroom. Very few private homes have central air and heat (unless you are very wealthy and can wait weeks for replacement parts). Growing up in the South, I had lived with central cooling and heating systems since I was a child. Old habits are hard to break, but being without has been a mostly pleasant surprise. I've learned to watch the skies and certainly talk about the weather more often. Of course the day after it was installed, the weather turned cooler for a week. Ahhh….nature.
The day after Christmas, I met up with said neighbor at a pool party and barbecue. It was about 95 degrees and I was not glowing as a righteous Southern Belle should. I was sweating like a pig. I'm afraid I grabbed him by the shirt and not thinking before speaking, I said in a very loud voice, "I am too old to be this hot!" That got lots of laughter all around and made my temperature rise even more due to the reddest face on Earth!
He whipped out his phone right then and there; hot and sweaty Southern Belles can be very scary. Two days later, I had an air conditioner installed for the bedroom. Very few private homes have central air and heat (unless you are very wealthy and can wait weeks for replacement parts). Growing up in the South, I had lived with central cooling and heating systems since I was a child. Old habits are hard to break, but being without has been a mostly pleasant surprise. I've learned to watch the skies and certainly talk about the weather more often. Of course the day after it was installed, the weather turned cooler for a week. Ahhh….nature.
Our new cooling/heating unit
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“Be excellent to each other.” - Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure - Rufus (George Carlin)
I went to my first Uruguayan wedding last night and it was fantastico! It was the wedding of Uruguayan friends. I'm guilty of being a true romantic, but it was honestly one of the nicest weddings I've ever attended.
The setting was outdoors at a chacra (a small farm), complete with peacocks, bougainvillea, bunnies, and a puppy! The food was out of this world. Dancing started at 9:00 and dinner was at 10:00 (Uruguayan style). My favorite appetizer was the seafood cocktail (ceviche style) and favorite beverage was champagne with crushed berries - yum.
I was told that it was not really a traditional Uruguayan wedding, however I did notice some unique traditions. The couple was married by an official who wore a Uruguayan flag sash. Many witnesses (family and friends) were called up during the ceremony and very formally signed a book. I love this one: instead of walking down the aisle at the end of the ceremony, friends and family went to the bride and groom for hugs and kisses!
I went to my first Uruguayan wedding last night and it was fantastico! It was the wedding of Uruguayan friends. I'm guilty of being a true romantic, but it was honestly one of the nicest weddings I've ever attended.
The setting was outdoors at a chacra (a small farm), complete with peacocks, bougainvillea, bunnies, and a puppy! The food was out of this world. Dancing started at 9:00 and dinner was at 10:00 (Uruguayan style). My favorite appetizer was the seafood cocktail (ceviche style) and favorite beverage was champagne with crushed berries - yum.
I was told that it was not really a traditional Uruguayan wedding, however I did notice some unique traditions. The couple was married by an official who wore a Uruguayan flag sash. Many witnesses (family and friends) were called up during the ceremony and very formally signed a book. I love this one: instead of walking down the aisle at the end of the ceremony, friends and family went to the bride and groom for hugs and kisses!
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“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go baste the turkey and hide the kitchen knives.” - The House of Yes - Mrs. Pascal (Geneviève Bujold)
It was my very first Thanksgiving to be away from the United States and my first to be with no family present. However, when life gives you opportunities, make blueberry cobbler!
Several friends and I went to a blueberry farm and went blueberry picking. The blueberries were as big as grapes and the sweetest I've ever eaten. I was over enthusiastic and picked 8 kilos - great until I got all those berries home and had to decide what to do with them.
Turns out champagne is very good with frozen blueberries floating in it! Just one of the creative uses I'm still finding for the 5 or 6 kilos still in the freezer.
It was my very first Thanksgiving to be away from the United States and my first to be with no family present. However, when life gives you opportunities, make blueberry cobbler!
Several friends and I went to a blueberry farm and went blueberry picking. The blueberries were as big as grapes and the sweetest I've ever eaten. I was over enthusiastic and picked 8 kilos - great until I got all those berries home and had to decide what to do with them.
Turns out champagne is very good with frozen blueberries floating in it! Just one of the creative uses I'm still finding for the 5 or 6 kilos still in the freezer.
Find my recipes with blueberries at my cooking website: www.MissCookbook.com
Blueberry Kuchen (Cake)
Blueberry Muffins
Poached Pears with Blueberries
Blueberry Kuchen (Cake)
Blueberry Muffins
Poached Pears with Blueberries
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“Don’t think and don’t worry.” - The Incredibles - Helen Parr (Holly Hunter)
"Don't worry…" seems to be the phrase most used in Uruguay.
"Don't worry…" seems to be the phrase most used in Uruguay.
- Building - Don't worry; it's not going to fall down.
- Window Purchasing - Don't worry; it's not going to leak. You have a porch.
- Roofs - Don't worry; it won't blow off.
- Septic Tanks - Don't worry; you won't smell a thing.
- Bees - Don't worry; they only try to build a hive in your house in May and possibly in September or October....
- GPS - Don't worry; you can't possibly get lost going to...
- Appliances - Don't worry; they will fix it when it breaks, if they can get the part.
- Horses - Don't worry; horse poo is good fertilizer, just step over it.
- Banks - Don't worry; the bank will open soon (3:00 p.m. in summer).
- Mud - Don't worry; it will wash out.
- Propane Gas - Don't worry; they will come to fill the tank in a few months.
- Electricity - Don't worry; you have a generator.
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An asado in Uruguay is an outdoor barbecue. It's a great idea to have an Asado to celebrate every now and then with your friends, neighbors, or workers. For our first one, my husband bought traditional Texas barbecue meat: steak, ribs, and sausage. Everyone loved it, but my hubs was informed that true Asado meat has bone, lots of fat, and gristle in it.
When it was my turn to host an Asado on my own, our friend bought the meat for me (bone and fat included) and I provided the side dishes (non-traditional.)
An Asado is a great deal of fun, as the meat cooks slowly all day. We had ours to celebrate laying the foundation for the barn. You don't need a fancy parilla (grill), just some charcoal and wood on the ground will do. No utensils are needed; everyone brings his own fork and knife in a holster. We're always ready to eat meat in Uruguay!
Plates at our Asado consisted of leftover pieces of wood cut to measure! Since it's spring and strawberry season, I made a strawberry shortcake with whipped cream (very American of me). Everyone was delighted and ate every bite, with one person taking home the leftover cake on his motorcycle. It was a lovely time, with the guests serenading me with songs at the end of the meal. Ah….Uruguay!
When it was my turn to host an Asado on my own, our friend bought the meat for me (bone and fat included) and I provided the side dishes (non-traditional.)
An Asado is a great deal of fun, as the meat cooks slowly all day. We had ours to celebrate laying the foundation for the barn. You don't need a fancy parilla (grill), just some charcoal and wood on the ground will do. No utensils are needed; everyone brings his own fork and knife in a holster. We're always ready to eat meat in Uruguay!
Plates at our Asado consisted of leftover pieces of wood cut to measure! Since it's spring and strawberry season, I made a strawberry shortcake with whipped cream (very American of me). Everyone was delighted and ate every bite, with one person taking home the leftover cake on his motorcycle. It was a lovely time, with the guests serenading me with songs at the end of the meal. Ah….Uruguay!
Here's a link to my STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE at my cooking website: MissCookbook.com
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“It may only be four walls and a couple of nail kegs, but it will always be home to me.” - Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House - Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas)
In Uruguay, as in the U.K., houses have names. When I used to visit my brothers in England and Scotland, I loved looking at the names of rural homes: Rose Glen Cottage, Frog Manor, etc.
I never dreamed I would one day be agonizing over what to name a house - much less one in Uruguay. I came up with a list of names and ran it by many friends AND OF COURSE my husband! Months and months later, we still don't have a name and I'm glad it's not a child. Hmm...still thinking.
In Uruguay, as in the U.K., houses have names. When I used to visit my brothers in England and Scotland, I loved looking at the names of rural homes: Rose Glen Cottage, Frog Manor, etc.
I never dreamed I would one day be agonizing over what to name a house - much less one in Uruguay. I came up with a list of names and ran it by many friends AND OF COURSE my husband! Months and months later, we still don't have a name and I'm glad it's not a child. Hmm...still thinking.