The crossing of the Rio de la Plata was swift and we had arrived in Uruguay. The Portuguese founded Colonia in 1680 to smuggle goods across the river into Spanish-ruled Buenos Aires. It was a much disputed territory between the Spanish and Portuguese until Uruguay gained its independence in 1809. The Barrio Historico retains its irregular, cobbled, terrain-fitting street plan built by the Portuguese, contrasting with wider, tree-lined Spanish avenues.

The historic quarter was a pleasant place to wander around with its quaint, colourful buildings . We were able to climb a restored 19th-century 'faro' (lighthouse) for views across the Plaza de Armas to the Puerto Viejo. One of the most interesting buildings on the plaza was the 1680 Iglesia Matriz, Uruguay's oldest church.

We took an afternoon stroll along the coast and discovered a now abandoned bullring, a reminder of previous Spanish influence. As we walked back, we passed many people sharing a maté as the sun set across the Rio de la Plata.

Early culinary highlights in Uruguay:
* 'chivito' - a steak sandwich with cheese, ham, tomato, lettuce, fried egg served on a large bed of chips. Make sure you're hungry!
* gnocchi - just like the Italians do it.

Onward bus to Montevideo, 2.5 hours.