16.03.2014 Bulletin

by Marita
(Montevideo, Uruguay)

Consider:

"There are two kinds of people in this world: The "Prussians", who, when they say 2 pm, mean 2 pm, not 1:59 or 2:03. And then there are the "About" people: When they say "2 pm", they mean, oh, somewhere between 1:50 and 4:00 pm. When "Prussians" ask why God created the "About" people, the answer is: "To help the "Prussians" develop character...." -- Sachiko Ide.

Even though Fall is upon us, bringing winds and earlier darkness, we continue to get together in Montevideo every Sunday at La Papoñita at 14:00 (2 pm). Everybody getting into the swing of Uruguayan time frames take note: People who arrive much later may end up sitting at the Kid's Table, so you might want to try to get there (more or less) on time.... :-) As always, no reservations necessary, no membership fees; all you have to do is come and meet people and have a good time.

And what else of note is going on?

1. 28th annual Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha (Festival of the Gaucho Country)--For those of you looking for something exciting to do in the next few days, think about heading up to Laguna de las Lavanderas, Tacuarembó where a big gaucho get-together will take place from the 12th to the 16th of March. Not only will groups from Uruguay be there, but some from Argentina and Brazil are also on the program. There are parades, riding competitions, not to mention dancing and gaucho poetry readings in the evenings. Oh, yes, lots of grills with lots to eat.

You can find out more about it at:

http://fiestasuruguayas.com.uy/fiesta-de-la-patria-gaucha/

And, while you are there, you might want to visit the Museum of the Indian and the Gaucho in downtown Tucuarembó.

1. A Special Evening next Saturday, March 22nd: One of our number has asked that you be informed of this Event:

A very special celebration is coming up that you don't want to miss!

Date: Saturday March 22nd
Place: Plaza Zabala in Ciudad Vieha
Time: 10 am to 6 pm

There will be fun and interactive events including music, audio visual presentations, handicrafts, painting and cooking classes for kids, a fashion show, food contests, a dog show, and much more.

Local residents, Montevideo businesses, the City of Montevideo, and expats in Uruguay are contributing their time and resources to make this community-building event a success.

So expats, come out to help. Or just come out to be part of the fun. Come out and take your place as part of the community fabric.

Note: Expat, Madeline Parmet, who lives in Ciudad Vieja has done A LOT to help prepare for this event. And besides her time, she is paying to have chemical toilets on site for the event. If you have any questions about the event contact Madeline at: uruguayoscuro@yahoo.com

3. Fellini's Ristobaretto--is under new management. Those of you with memories of the "old" Fellini's may want to consider giving the place another try. They have Tango dancing every Tuesday (though they may change it to Wednesday, according to the son of the new owner), so you might want to call ahead to said young man and find out what the program will be. He speaks English, can be reached at 099 21 09 34, and is anxious to please. They have musical events every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The cuisine is Italian, and there is a cover charge of $ 80 (pesos). You can make reservations at the number above or at 2706 9252. Or just wander in at the corner of José Martí 3408 y Benito Blanco.

4. Bus Tickets in Montevideo--a helpful member has corrected the info on Montevideo bus tickets. If you get yourself one of the Tarjetas (directly from the bus company, for example at Tres Cruces), you can get the 1 hour ticket for the same price as a single ticket, and you can use it as a transfer (within one hour), or you can go somewhere and return (within one hour). The 2 hour ticket costs currently $ 34, but you can change buses at will as often as you like within the 2 hour period. You do not have to finish your trip within the 2 hour limit--just be on the final bus within that time. Tell the conductor you want "una hora" or "dos horas", put your card on the box so that your choice is loaded on the card, and pay the required amount. When you get on the next bus, put your card on the box, and it will flash "sin costo".

It is now also possible to avoid all the problems with having the change necessary for the bus by loading as much as you like onto the card (say $100 or $200 or whatever you choose). This is also done at the bus company offices. It's just like loading money onto your cell phone.

5. Questions about the IVA refund on credit cards: Who can help with some of the questions about using foreign credit cards in Uruguay?

Hi--I have a question about the IVA refund on foreign credit cards. Do the restaurants automatically deduct this, or do you have to ask them to do so? Also, is this IVA refund on anything and everything you buy with a foreign credit card? Or just restaurants.

Finally, don't most US credit cards have a charge for use in foreign countries? I take it that this is less than the IVA?

Anybody with experience with this? What are the facts? Please let me know.