Minas by way of Rocha and San Carlos

I got off the bus in Rocha and walked into the ticket shop. I asked for the bus to Minas and I was told I needed to go to San Carlos. The ticket seller rushed me through and ran me back outside to get my bus. The SAME bus I had just gotten off. So with my bag firmly under the bus I started up the steps to take my seat. Again.

I had a new seat assignment but my new friend saw me with a quizzical look and I shrugged. We both laughed and I settled in for the rest of my ride to San Carlos.

And this is where it got confusing. I needed to get another bus from San Carlos to Minas. After asking around for my bus, finally a woman took pity on my and told me we would travel to Minas together.

I spent less than 18 hours in Minas. I stayed with a Couch Surfing couple who were very kind, and I slept on a mattress in their spare bedroom. We talked for hours and around midnight they asked what I wanted for dinner. The glass of wine I had at 9p would hold me over. They started cooking around 1am and I excused myself and went to bed.

They had warned me that they weren’t morning people so in the morning, I left to explore the town. I figured I did not want to leave without saying goodbye, I should see the town and then head onto Montevideo, where I was anxious to meet up with Romina, Mariela and hopefully an eye doctor! After I spent some time wandering the town, I was given a lift on the moto to the bus station — I was assured it was the only way I’d make the next bus out. So with my eyes shut, I settled in for my second moto ride in Uruguay!

Here are some pictures from my time in Minas…

The center of town…

This was a museum under a candy store. It was noted in my guidebook but the museum may have held the record for smallest museum. I actually stayed about three minutes, two minutes longer than it took to have a look around. Upstairs in the candy shop, I was able to buy a bottle of liquor for my hosts. Liquor, candy, I guess it’s all the same.

On my walk, this was a casino. The door was propped open and I had popped my head in and this was off a residential street.

My host drove me back on the moto to the bus station. The second helmet was mine.

En route to Montevideo!!