Punta Del Este, Uruguay

What a day, finally museums, excellent museums and then a torrent of rain.

We started the day with blue skies and warm air.  Punta del Este is a peninsula between the Atlantic and a river.  The second largest city in Uruguay, it overflows with tourists and summer residents from Dec. - Feb.  We drove along the Brava (ocean) side passing man homes, multi-story apartments and condos. 

An apartment can easily cost $1 million.  The current most expensive homes cost $7 million.  This is a tax haven for those who need it, primarily Argentinians seeking bank secrecy.  Homes have no addresses, just a name and an area. 

One of the best jobs for locals is gardening as each home is surrounded by trees, bushes, and flowers

Our driver said it is the most secure city in South America, very little crime.  If you are caught drunk driving, you lose your license.  Kids can wander around the area without fear. 

For us, it was not the lifestyle but the art that we sought.

This lighthouse was built in 1860.

This anchor came from the Graf Spee,. The German battleship was destroyed early in WWII when she was unable to leave this port.  The British fought the ship and, damaged it beyond repair.  The German


s blew it up rather than risk the British getting hold of it. 

 Some of the crew chose to remain in Uruguay rather than return to Germany.

A park along the shore is filled with sculpture including these fingertips by Mario Errizabal, who won an international art contest.

Museo numero uno!

The Ralli Museum is privately owned and admission is free.  Harry and Martine Recanati established five museums, this one, one in Santiago, Chile, one in Marbella, Spain and two in Caesarea, Israel.  Harry was born in Greece and moved with his family to Israel where his father was a banker.

Current exhibits showcase Marc Chagall

Salvadore Dali

and  Beryl Cook.  This one was named "Cruis
Growing in the sculpture garden are children playing,

subjects talking

and others seeming to pose.

Our regret was that we needed at least another hour to enjoy this marvelous, rotating collection.

After lunch at a small café,

we took the bus to our second, and quite different, museum, Casapueblo.  The building is a blend of Gaudi, House on the Rock and the Underground Gardens in Fresno.  Carlos Vilaro took thirty-six years to build it. Vilaro’s son was a survivor of the plane crash in the Andes in the 1970s.

 The charming and rambling house contains Dali’s

Picasso’s

and Valero’s own creations. 

Cats wander through the rooms.

Vilaro's smock and brushes remain on display.

While we were in the museum, the skies opened and rain fell in torrents.  We were soaked on our return to the tender that took us to the ship.  Our clothes could almost be rung out.