Music of Uruguay

Uruguay has a number of local musical forms. The most distinctive ones are candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan percussion-based form, and murga, a form of musical theatre, which both occur yearly during the Carnival period.

There is also milonga, a folk guitar and song form deriving from Spanish traditions and related to similar forms found in many Hispanic-American countries. Uruguay is also known for its tango; the famed tango singer Carlos Gardel is rumoured to have been from the Uruguayan town of Tacuarembo.

The popular music of Uruguay, which focuses on rock, jazz and many other Western forms, frequently makes reference to the distinctly Uruguayan sounds mentioned above. The group Los Shakers, 1960s imitators of The Beatles, deserve a special mention as the band that kickstarted the Argentinean rock scene. Also, cumbia, a music style popular throughout most of Central and South America is widely enjoyed by the Uruguayan people, particularly in the rural areas.

Folk music (Musica tipica)

Candombe

Candombe originates from the Rio de la Plata, where African slaves brought their dances and percussion music. The word tango then referred to the traditional drums and dances, as well as the places where dancing occurred. Candombe rhythms are produced by drum ensembles, known as cuerdas, which include dozens of drummers and feature three drum sizes: tambor repique, tambor chico and tambor piano).

Popular candombe musicians include Hugo Fattoruso and Ruben Rada. Fattoruso has been a longtime part of both the Uruguayan and Latin American music scene, including as a member of rock band Los Shakers, and swing band The Hot Blowers, as well as Milton Nascimento’s Latin jazz group, Opa.

Milonga

The milonga was a South American style of song that was popular in the 1870s. The milonga was derived from an earlier style of singing known as the payada de contrapunto.

The song was set to a lively 2/4 tempo, and often included musical improvisation. Over time, dance steps and other musical influences were added, eventually giving rise to the tango. Milonga music is still used for dancing, but the milonga dancing of today is derivative of tango.

Murga

Murga is a kind of Montevidean musical theater for Carnival celebrations. A traditional murga group is comprised of a chorus and three percussionists and this is the type of murga performed on stages at Carnival. The singers perform in harmony using up to five vocal parts. Vocal production tends to be nasal and loud with little variation in volume.

The percussion instruments, derived from the European military band, are the bombo (a shallow bass drum worn at the waist and played horizontally), redoblante (snare drum) and platillos (cymbals). The two most important pieces of the performance are the opening song (saludo) and the exit song (retirada or despedida). These get played on the radio during the Carnival period and some of them, such as the Saludo Araca La Cana 1937, are cherished by Uruguayans as cultural icons.

Popular music

Canto popular

Canto popular (popular song), which arose around 1975, eschewed contemporary instrumentation, including electric instruments, allowing only native styles and rhythms. This can be compared to pan-Latin singer-songwriter developments like nueva cancion, nueva trova and tropicalismo. Daniel Viglietti was by far the most important Uruguayan exponent of canto popular; his song “A Desalambrar” became an international popular classic. Canto popular peaked in about 1977.

Uruguayan artists involved in canto popular included Los Eduardos, Los Que Iban Cantando, Universo, Carlos Benavides, Carlos Maria Fossatti, Eduardo Darnuchans, Anibal Sampayo, Marks Velazquez, Alfredo Zitarrosa, Jose Carbajal (”El Sabalero”), Los Olimarenos and Hector Numa Moraes.

Climate of Uruguay

Uruguay has an exceptionally fine temperate climate, with mild summers and winters. Summer is from December to March and is the most pleasant time; the climate during other seasons offers bright, sunny days and cool nights.

Required clothing: Mediumweight clothing for winter; lightweight clothing and raincoat required.

Activities in Uruguay

Watersports
Windsurfing and water-skiing are popular along the coast. Boating is a favorite Uruguayan pastime. Santiago Vazquez on the St Lucia River is one of several popular centers. Arrangements can be made for hire of motor or sailing boats in Montevideo and elsewhere.

There are plenty of places to swim when the weather permits. The ‘metropolitan’ beaches (from Ramirez and including Pocitos) tend to be dirty and unsuitable for bathing. Those along the Atlantic coast are, however, clean and are suitable for swimming. Many of the resort areas in the interior have swimming pools. The mineral baths at Minas are worth a visit.

Fishing
There are three fishing areas: along the Rio de la Plata from Colonia to Piriapolis for surf-casting; from Piriapolis to Punta del Este (considered one of the best fishing areas in the world); and along the Atlantic Coast towards the Brazilian border. Boats and tackle can be hired in fishing clubs in Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Mercedes, Paysandu, Punta del Este and Salto.

Golf
There is a municipal course in Montevideo, plus clubs at the Punta del Este Country Club and Victoria Plaza Hotel.

Spectator sports
There are two main horseracing tracks: Hipodromo de Maronas (Saturday and Sunday afternoon); and Las Piedras (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Football is the most popular spectator sport; matches are played regularly throughout the country. Dune walking is increasingly popular in Cabo Palonia.

Tourist Attractions in Uruguay

Uruguay is drawing increasingly more visitors each year, and for good reason. The country enjoys 500km (300 miles) of fine sandy beaches on the Atlantic and the Rio de la Plata, woods, hills, hot springs, hotels, casinos, art festivals and numerous opportunities for sport and entertainment.

Montevideo
The capital contains more than half of Uruguay’s population and is the country’s natural trading center. There are nine major bathing beaches, the best of which are Carrasco, Malvin, Miramar, and Pocitos. The suburbs have restaurants, nightclubs and hotels.
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Montevideo’s architecture combines colonial, European and modern influences. The old inner city, known as the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), is a small peninsula surrounded by the sea near the metropolitan port. The Cabildo (the old town council hall), the Cathedral, the Plaza Matriz, the Plaza Zabala and the Port Market are fine examples of Uruguay’s colonial past.

The Old Town, also a center for antique shops, contrasts dramatically with the rising number of modern buildings and office blocks surrounding the area. The most interesting entrance to the city is via the Puerta de la Ciudadela (Door to the Citadel), part of the old wall that still surrounds Montevideo leading on, via the Plaza Independencia, to the popular and lively city center.

Elsewhere
To the west of Montevideo is Colonia Suiza (’The Swiss Colony’), reached by hydrofoil from the capital. It has a delightful old quarter. Other beach resorts along the Uruguayan coast include Atlantida, Piriapolis and the fishing port of Paloma. Carmelo on the River Uruguay and Mercedes on the Rio Negro (a tributary) are amongst the many picturesque river ports; further up Uruguay is Salto, one of the country’s largest cities.

Fray Bentos, near Mercedes, gave its name to the famous processed meat company. The journey north through Florida and Durazno to Tacuarembo on the Brazilian border takes one through the heart of the country’s agricultural lands. The beautiful hills surrounding the town of Minas are well worth a visit, as is Colonia del Sacramento, which has been rebuilt in its original 18th-century style.

Resorts
The Atlantic coast resorts are popular from December to April, and have fine beaches. Most fashionable of these is Punta del Este, 145km (90 miles) from Montevideo. It has two main beaches and offers water-skiing, fishing, surfing and yachting; there is also a golf course. Villas and chalets can be rented in the wooded area on the edge of town. Two nearby islands, Gorniti and Lobos, are worth a visit.

Nightlife in Uruguay

Theater, ballet and symphonic concerts are staged in Montevideo from March to January. Tango is nearly as popular as in Argentina, and the ‘La Cuparsita’ club in Montevideo fills up quickly. There are discos in the Carrasco area.

There are several dinner-dance places in Montevideo. Large Montevideo hotels have good bars. When there is music for dancing, the price of drinks increases quite considerably. There are also several casinos.

Food and Dining in Uruguay

The majority of Uruguayan restaurants are parrilladas (grill-rooms), which specialize in the country’s most famous traditional dish, the asado (barbecued beef). Beef is part of most meals and comes in many forms, including the asado de tira (ribs), pulpa (boneless beef), lomo (fillet steak) and bife de chorrizo (rump steak). Costillas (chops) and milanesa (a veal cutlet) are also popular, usually eaten with mixed salad or chips. Chivito is a sandwich filled with slices of meat, lettuce and egg. Other local dishes are puchero (beef with vegetables,

bacon, beans and sausages), pizza, pies, barbecued pork, grilled chicken in wine, cazuela (stew), usually served with mondongo (tripe), seafood, morcilla dulce (sweet black sausage made from blood, orange peel and walnuts) and morcilla salada (salty sausage).

Desserts include dulce de leche (milk sweets), chaja (ball-shaped sponge cake filled with cream and jam), mossini (cream sponge), lemon pie and yemas (crystallised egg yolk). Table service is usual in restaurants. Cafes or bars have either table and/or counter service.

Uruguayan wines are of good quality. A popular drink is medio-medio (half dry white wine and half champagne). Beers are very good. Imported beverages are widely available. Local spirits are cana, grappa and locally distilled whisky and gin. There are no set licensing hours.

Food and Dining in Uruguay

The majority of Uruguayan restaurants are parrilladas (grill-rooms), which specialize in the country’s most famous traditional dish, the asado (barbecued beef). Beef is part of most meals and comes in many forms, including the asado de tira (ribs), pulpa (boneless beef), lomo (fillet steak) and bife de chorrizo (rump steak). Costillas (chops) and milanesa (a veal cutlet) are also popular, usually eaten with mixed salad or chips. Chivito is a sandwich filled with slices of meat, lettuce and egg. Other local dishes are puchero (beef with vegetables,

bacon, beans and sausages), pizza, pies, barbecued pork, grilled chicken in wine, cazuela (stew), usually served with mondongo (tripe), seafood, morcilla dulce (sweet black sausage made from blood, orange peel and walnuts) and morcilla salada (salty sausage).

Desserts include dulce de leche (milk sweets), chaja (ball-shaped sponge cake filled with cream and jam), mossini (cream sponge), lemon pie and yemas (crystallised egg yolk). Table service is usual in restaurants. Cafes or bars have either table and/or counter service.

Uruguayan wines are of good quality. A popular drink is medio-medio (half dry white wine and half champagne). Beers are very good. Imported beverages are widely available. Local spirits are cana, grappa and locally distilled whisky and gin. There are no set licensing hours.

Shopping in Uruguay

Special purchases include suede jackets, amethyst jewelry and paintings. The Tristan Narvaja Market is famous for its antiques and there are many antique shops in the Old Town.

Shopping hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1200 and 1400-1900, Sat 0900-1230.

Currency Information:

Currency
Peso Uruguayo (urugUSD ) = 100 centecimos. Notes are in the denominations of urugUSD 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of urugUSD 10, 5, 2 and 1.

Currency exchange
Visitors are advised to buy local

currency at banks and exchange shops, as hotels tend to give unfavorable rates. Inflation in Uruguay, though less severe than in other Latin American countries, leads to frequent fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Credit and debit cards
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are the most commonly used. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. ATMs may reject European or US credit cards.

Travelers cheques
Sterling travelers cheques can only be changed at The Bank of London and South America; visitors are therefore advised to carry US Dollar travelers cheques (USUSD 50 and USUSD 100 denominations only).

Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import or export of either local or foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Peso Uruguayo against Sterling and the US Dollar.

Banking hours
Mon-Fri 1300-1700.

Montevideo-Uruguay

Montevideo is Uruguay’s capital, chief port, and by far its largest city. It is therefore considered a primate city.

Location/climate

Montevideo is situated in the south of the country, at the northern mouth of the very wide River Plate (Rio de la Plata) estuary. The geographic coordinates are 34.5° S, 56°W.

The climate is mild, with average temperatures of approximately 13°C, achieving 40°C or more in summer.

18 de Julio, the city’s main avenue and one of the finest of South America, extends from the Plaza Independencia, which is the junction between the Ciudad Vieja (the historical quarter) and the rest of the city, to the neighbourhood of Cordon.

History

The Portuguese founded Colonia del Sacramento in the 17th century despite Spanish claims to the area due to the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Spanish chased the Portuguese out of a fort in the area in 1724. Then, Bruno Mauricio de Zabala - governor of Buenos Aires - founded the city on December 24, 1726 to prevent further incursions.

In 1828, the town became the capital of Uruguay. There are at least two explanations for the name Montevideo: The first states that it comes from the Portuguese “Monte vide eu” which means “I see a mountain”. The second is that the Spaniards recorded the location of a fountain in a map as “Monte VI De Este a Oeste” meaning “The sixth mountain from east to west”. The city’s full original name is San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo.

The city fell under heavy British influence from the early 19th century until the early 20th century as a way to circumvent Argentine and Brazilian commercial control. It was repeatedly besieged by Argentinean dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas between 1838 and 1851. Between 1860 and 1911, the British built an extensive railroad network linking the city to the surrounding countryside.

During World War II, a famous incident involving the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee took place in Montevideo, which was a neutral port during the war. After the Battle of the River Plate with the British navy on December 13, 1939, the Graf Spee retreated to the port. To avoid risking the crew in what he thought would be a losing battle, Captain Hans Langsdorff scuttled the ship on December 17. Langsdorff committed suicide two days later.

Military of Uruguay

The armed forces of Uruguay are constitutionally subordinate to the president through the Minister of Defense. By offering early retirement incentives, the government has trimmed the armed forces to about 14,500 for the army, 6,000 for the navy, and 3,000 for the air force.

As of February 2003, Uruguay has 1,754 soldiers deployed in 11 UN peacekeeping missions. The largest groups are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 1,549 Uruguayan troops control one sector of the country, and the Sinai, where 60 troops are stationed.

Organisation

The armed forces of Uruguay are organised into:
The Uruguayan Army (Ejercito Nacional)
The Uruguayan Navy (Armada Nacional), including Naval Aviation, Coast Guard (Prefectura Nacional Naval), and Marines
The Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya)

Army

The Army consists of some 15,000 personnel organised into four divisions. It is equipped with 15 T-55 Tiran tanks, 17 M24 Chaffee and 22 M41A1 Walker Bulldog light tanks, 15 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, 90 OT-64, 55 Thyssen-Henschel Condor, and 15 M113A1 APCs, and 15 EE-9 Cascavel and 16 EE-3 Jararaca armored cars.

Navy

The Navy consists of some 2,900 personnel and is organised into four commands. It consists of 3 frigates, 3 patrol crafts, 3 minesweepers and some other smaller craft. The Navy also includes a Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Fusileros Navales) consisting of four brigades (company sized).

The Naval Academy (Escuela Naval) is located in Carrasco, a suburb of Montevideo. Instruction consists of a 5-year course of study culminating in a cruise on the instructional tall ship Capitan Miranda, which lasts several weeks and takes graduates to various ports around the world.

At Laguna del Sauce, the Uruguayan Navy operates a small naval air station and an Order of Battle that includes T-34C Mentors, S-2 Trackers, Westland Wessex, Beech King Air 200, and BAe Jetstream.

Air Force

The Air Force consists of some 3,000 personnel and is organized into three Air Brigades. Combat aircraft include the FMA IA-58 Pucara, and Cessna A-37B Dragonfly. Training aircraft include the Aermacchi SF-260, Beechcraft B-58 Baron, and Pilatus PC-7. Transport aircraft include the Lockheed C-130B Hercules, EMBRAER EMB-110 Bandeirante, EMBRAER EMB-120 Brasilia, Casa C-212-200 Aviocar, Cessna 206H Stationair, and Cessna T-41D Mescalero. Helicopters include the Bell UH-1H Iroquois, Bell 212, Eurocopter AS-365 N2 Dauphin, and Westland HC-2 Wessex.

The Air Force Academy is located in Pando.

Statistics

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 831,297 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: USD 250 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (2000)