Minas de Oro and Oregonians...

In mid-July, we were invited to Minas, a sizable town in the rocky hills named for its mining history, a couple hours northeast of Montevideo. Justo was celebrating his birthday on Saturday the 13th, and several friends were en route to join the fiesta. Justo reserved several cabañas outside of town...
One local attraction is the Salus beverage company which produces infinite liters of spring water, soft drinks and Patricia beer for Uruguay...
We managed a glimpse as we rolled by on the bus...
Leandra loitered outside the bus terminal as we wait for Justo to pick us up...
Justo and the magic elastic Renault arrive--his car would definitely earn its nickname this weekend as at least eleven friends would be in town to join us...
We passed a small store named for Montevideo's famous futbol stadium as we drove out of town towards Minas de Oro Cabañas, a campground a couple kilometers off the paved road, where some rustic cabins awaited...
Apparently, there is an actual old gold mine here but we didn't find time to take the tour...
Flocks of sheep roamed the grounds, and a small creek ran along the property...
Rocks jutted out of the rolling green landscape, under a warm orange sunset. A rickety homemade suspension bridge swung across the creek. Being a bit bigger than your average Uruguayan, there was no way I was going to attempt the crossing, but others bravely did...
A small dam blocked the stream creating a pleasant waterfall, and pools above and below for fishing and swimming. Of course, it was winter and rather cool and cloudy--far too cold for anyone to swim...
Further down, our cabins were clustered together, and smatterings of antique equipment and play structures rusted here and there--some of them strictly for their artistic appearance...
Mariana, a chemistry co-worker, and her kids were already with Justo when we arrived, and they showed us our quarters...
At first, the quaint brick house seemed cute and adequate but after a wet night and no heat--a generator provided the only electricity for the camp, from about sundown to midnight, giving us a few volts of light--we decided a second night would be a bit uncomfortable. There was fireplace, but we found ourselves smothering in smoke most of the night...
But, that afternoon was partly sunny and there were many picturesque moments as we talked and walked and waited for others to arrive...
A little later, we piled back into the Renault, and returned to town to pick up Juan Pablo and Julio, another chemist, from the bus terminal. This time, we took a foot tour of downtown Minas, starting with the Plaza de Armas...
A great group photo in front of the town founder...
As we passed a group of Bohemian entertainers and crafters, juggling, joking, smoking and spreading their wares on blankets, the fountain trickled to life...
The Minas cathedral towered nearby...
Also next to the square, there was the Confiteria Irisarri--a famous bakery for the past 110 years...
We went inside and Mariana showed Leandra all of the well-known and unique treats...
The owner invited us downstairs to see the old rooms where they hold private banquets...
Even deeper down was a cellar set up like a scene from the Last Supper or something from the Middle Ages. Afterwards, we went out for a delicious lunch of pasta, panchos (hot dogs), pan and chorizos, before zipping back to camp...
Returning to the cabañas, we found that our other 'old' Uruguayan amigos, Luli, Pedro, Marcel and Alejandro had just arrived. We all began gathering in the community building, starting a fire indoors, and getting the parilla prepared outside, while others went to buy birthday supplies in town...
A few hours later, after gratuitous amounts of carne and cocktails, the cakes came out and were lit as we all sang "Feliz Cumpleaños" to the man of honor, Justo...
Here he is holding up the card that accompanied our present. We all talked and laughed the night away, until about 1 a.m. when the power went out, and we grabbed flashlights to find our way to bed...
In the morning, we found a local cat with his own methods for staying warm: sleeping in the coals of the grill...
Meanwhile, after a little coffee and some breakfast bread and cheese, Juan Pablo decided to climb the mound across the river, a 'mountain' in Uruguay...
That afternoon, we drove some twenty kilometers of backroads to reach Salto de Penitente, the 'Jump of the Penitent'. Here we are having lunch in the new restaurant below the observation decks overlooking the falls. According to Justo and friends, this place was named for the rocks that look like hands praying (above, just left of the flash on the window)...
Although technically not a waterfall, but more of a steep chute, the drop of over 20 meters is one of the most dramatic elevation changes you'll find in Uruguay's generally uniform elevation. The Rio Penitente cuts through a long fissure in the bedrock...
Although it was cool and drizzly, it was still fun to explore around the rocks and see something we Oregonians miss in Uruguay--topography. In summer, this place bustles with visitors, many who come to swim in the pools above and below the falls...
As we left, we followed Pedro's tracks into a marvelous sunset pushing it's pink rays underneath the dark clouds overhead...

We had planned to visit more of the area, but between bus schedules, our chilly accomodations and some inclement weather, we decided to head for the bus back to Montevideo. But, Minas was a lovely little town, and we certainly hope to return in the summer to see some of the sights we couldn't squeeze in on this visit...