La Rambla, then and now

Strolling along the rambla, 1930s

The rambla of Montevideo functions as an emblem for the city, a place to congregate, an extended promenade, a sports track, and a connector for diverse neighbourhoods. For the visitor arriving from the airport, the winding route along the rambla offers a scenic, impressive entrance to the city.   The 22 kilometre stretch of coastal avenue extending from the port in Ciudad Vieja to the suburb of Carrasco is the subject of an exhibition of archival photos presented at El Centro Municipal de Fotografia, Sala CMDF.

Installation of photos at CMDF

The construction of the rambla was initiated by the municipal government of Montevideo in 1922 and took over eight years to complete.  The economic boom of that time period made the visionary project feasible, while the steady stream of working-class immigrants arriving at the port provided a ready and willing labour force.  Montevideo was promoted as the "Switzerland of South America" and "Athens of the River Plate", and politicians wanted to take advantage of the natural attributes of the waterfront and make the coastline accessible for recreation and transportation.

Land was appropriated to provide space for the public project.  The red-light district "El Bajo" was completely eliminated in the process, a social consequence undoubtedly foreseen and approved by city council.   By displacing bordellos, dance halls and cafes from prime land, the seedier elements of Montevideo were forced to move to less-visible areas of the city.  Creating the rambla meant radical surgery; a big facelift for a rundown riverfront.

Construction of the rambla, c. 1925

Lots of manual labour was required

The finished plaza in  front of the Parque Hotel c.1935

Some urban spaces are just awkward, unfavourable places in spite of  fancy design features and updated architectural elements.   Those unsuccessful city squares and walkways - though well-intended - end up being perpetually vacant, or serving as a magnet for undesirable activity. The rambla, in contrast, maintains its reputation as a vibrant, safe, well-used part of Montevideo, embraced and enjoyed by all sectors of society.  It is a public treasure that has become an integral part of the collective experience.

The wide sidewalk allows for multi-purpose use

Beach volleyball courts at Playa Ramirez, set against the city skyline

The plaza is now used as a skateboard area

A place to be active,  or sit and watch the parade.  The Parque Hotel from 1910 is in the background.

An unobstructed view of the water is essential to the concept of the promenade

A contemplative place

The rambla is a popular spot for fishing

Sunday morning pastime

The rambla allows access to the beach for joggers

Enjoying yerba mate with friends

Morning

Evening

Night, with fireworks

"Under the seeming disorder of the old city, wherever the old city is working successfully, is a marvelous order for maintaining the safety of the streets and the freedom of the city. It is a complex order. Its essence is intricacy of sidewalk use, bringing with it a constant succession of eyes. This order is all composed of movement and change, and although it is life, not art, we may fancifully call it the art form of the city and liken it to the dance — not to a simple-minded precision dance with everyone kicking up at the same time, twirling in unison and bowing off en masse, but to an intricate ballet in which the individual dancers and ensembles all have distinctive parts which miraculously reinforce each other and compose an orderly whole. The ballet of the good city sidewalk never repeats itself from place to place, and in any once place is always replete with new improvisations." 

           — Jane Jacobs (The Death and Life of Great American Cities)

Miles of Tiles

From Spain and France, Italy and Portugal, tiles were exported to building sites in Montevideo during the early 1900s.  Decorative ceramic tiles were commonly used for every surface - from floors to ceilings to patios, benches and walls.  Here are some examples I've found in our neighbourhood.

Floor tiles circa 1925

The front entry of this apartment building features a circular tile motif

The welcome mat in my hallway is a tile trompe l'oeil

Pinwheel patio tiles

Pink and black circa 1900

Arabic style courtyard tiles

Classic urn and tulip motif

Courtyard fountain

 Ceramic shrine with handpainted religious scene, rosette frame and tiled roof

Blue diamonds under the eaves

Pilaster with Spanish tiles

Curved benches in Parque Rodo

Tiles  frame the arch over the entrance to a house on Boulevard Espana

Antique tiles for sale at the Tristan Narvaja market

Sunday Market

Each neighbourhood in Montevideo has one day of the week designated as market day. Plan on rising early when it comes, as vendors start setting up at dawn on a closed-off portion of the street, and the assembly of stalls and unloading of trucks is not a quiet process. Market day is loud, but the general racket is worthwhile if you're looking for good prices and a festive community atmosphere full of colour and action.   Pocitos' Sunday "feria" features fresh foods -  fruits, vegetables, cheese, fish, eggs and meat from local producers.

A special on merluza attracts customers to the fish stall

Catch of the day

Great selection of cheeses, pretzels, pickles and nuts

Greens

Free range eggs 

Garlic braids 

A Chinese couple is selling deep-fried dumplings

When she hears that we're from Canada, the dumpling lady is delighted. She has relatives living there.

Strawberries are the seasonal favourite, a real bargain at this price

Success in the kitchen begins with fresh ingredients, so we purchase enough produce for salads, side-dishes, main courses and desserts.  We're just about to head home with the grocery load when I spot a planter filled with parsley, thyme and rosemary, a narrow one that will just fit on my upstairs windowsill.  It's the urban substitute for my former backyard herb garden, a bit of green to nurture on a sunny rooftop and add to the soup now and then.

The Day of the Dead - a photo essay

November 2nd is a national holiday in Uruguay, as the country celebrates "El Dia de los Difuntos."  It's not a morbid occasion at all, but a time of remembrance and togetherness as families visit the cemetery to tend the graves of their deceased relatives, reflect on their lives and pray for their souls.  We walked to the "Cementerio Central" and were pleasantly surprised by the orderly and well-maintained gardens that lie behind the high walls of the site, creating an oasis of quiet green space in the middle of a busy city.  In contrast to the rundown Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires, Montevideo's central graveyard offers a peaceful sanctuary that is neither eerie nor depressing.

An observance that is part Roman Catholic ritual, part African and part Aztec, the "Day of the Dead" is celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia as well as Uruguay. In other parts of Latin America, the day is marked with picnics in the cemetery, and the Hallowe'en tradition of going door-to-door asking for treats.   In Montevideo, bouquets of flowers are placed on the graves and families gather at home to enjoy a meal in honour of the deceased.

The central tree-lined path leads to a sepulchre

Marble pieta inside the sepulchre, framed by ornate stained-glass windows

Family members bring flowers for the gravesite

A feline resident 

The high walls surrounding the cemetery contain niches for funerary urns

A ladder is provided for cleaning and decorating niches 

A yellow bird perches on a statue

A moment of quiet reflection

Birds of Paradise adorn a family tomb

The south gate of the cemetery provides a vista of Rio de la Plata