Punta del Este, Uruguay, Day 4

Over the entire 22 night cruise, bicycle tours were available on two days . . . back to back . . . in Montevideo and the next day in Punta del Este. Our guide Rodrigo (below) spoke very good English and communicated well. He gathered us together to give us information about each sight. Then he gave us 10-15 minutes to look around and take photos. He told us the exact time we needed to return and where. He did this consistently at every stop of the tour. 

Top Tip: If you have the choice of bicycle tours between Montevideo and Punta del Este, but you only want to do one, I recommend the latter. It's a lovely resort town and much cleaner than Montevideo. The terrain is mostly flat, and the small, compact bicycles were more comfortable. Also, this tour had a support vehicle driven by Paolo. He provided seat cushions for anyone who wanted them; we said, "Si, por favor!" He also stopped traffic for busy road crossings. We booked this tour through Holland America Cruise Lines, whereas we booked the Montevideo tour through VacationsToGo.

Behind Brian (above) is Punta de las Salinas, the southernmost point of Uruguay. This is where the Rio de la Plata, really a wide estuary at this point, and the Atlantic Ocean meet. Punta de las Salinas was given its name by a German immigrant who harvested salt in the area's salt flats in the 1800s. 

I love mosaics. These were part of the walkways at Punta de las Salinas. A representation of the town above and features of the sea below.

We hopped back on our bikes and cycled to a residential neighborhood. Cuatro Mares means Four Seas, because the sea can be seen in all four directions from the middle of the intersection, giving you the sense of being on an island. 

Of course, we had to check each direction for ourselves.

Down the street a block or so lies this beautiful blue and white Catholic church the "Church of Our Lady of Candelaria," the first church in Punta del Este.

The original church was built in the early 1900s, funded by grateful sailors who had been rescued from shipwreck by the citizens of Punta del Este. It was expanded in 1941.

The floor and its mosaic-tile work caught my eye. Jesus carrying his cross below while women weep, one of the Stations of the Cross. 

The Punta del Este Lighthouse is across the street from the church. It is an operational navigation light run by the Uruguayan Navy. So it is usually closed to the public.  

The photo below was taken earlier in the day. I include it here because the resort-y part of town behind me with its tall condos is our next destination on this tour. To reach it, we cycled along the shoreline of the Atlantic side of the peninsula that Punta del Este is located on. 

Playa Brava is the beach where the famous sculpture by Mario Irarrazabal is located. It is known by its common name, "La Mano," meaning 'the hand.'  It was created in 1982 as part of an international sculptors' meeting held here. The Chilean artist explained that his sculpture is about Man Emerging Into Life, which is the name he gave it. 

We had time to relax and wander around before hopping back on our bikes. We rode through a lovely residential area and learned that houses don't have numbers. Instead, they have names, so a lengthy description must be made for delivering your pizza. 

We finished our bicycle tour at this beach very near the port. We really enjoyed this nicely paced tour. Highly recommended!

Because many Uruguayans are of Italian descent, gelato and ice cream are a big deal in Punta del Este. So, of course we had to get some. 

We watched the huge South American sea lion below jump up onto the pier from the water, about five feet below. He made it look effortless. You can stroll along the fish stalls at the port of Punta del Este and observe the sea lions from a safe distance. Do not touch. 

Bonus Tip: Even if you see someone hug a sea lion, like we did at the fishermen's pier, resist the temptation. Don't hug sea lions!

After enjoying the fishy ambiance of the waterfront, we caught the tender boat back to our ship. A lovely day in Punta del Este!