Date: Feb 7, 2008 11:35 AM
Subject: 2/6/2008
2/6/2008
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
We took a tour this morning that visited much of the city and focused on the Synagogues and the Jewish community. There was a very full bus. All, including the representative from the ship, were Jewish. The guide and the ship’s rep both had the same last name, Levinson, but were not related.
There is a community of about 20,000 Jews here. They have come from many different places and believe differently. As times changed the neighborhoods changed and the Jewish population
moved to the newer neighborhoods. The old Synagogues, however, remain. Mostly they are used only for weddings and Bar mitzvahs. We went inside two of these. One was really a hidden Synagogue. You entered what looked like a house or apartment and as you walked to the rear, it became the old Synagogue.
The oldest area is closest to the harbor and waterfront. The best areas are now way out in the suburbs, but still along the waterfront. The present Jewish community is in these new
affluent suburbs. There are miles of condominiums along the water. Many are very fancy buildings with marble facades. The newest Synagogue is also here.
Weddings are preformed in the Synagogues but the parties are always held in special places for these parties. Bat mitzvahs are only small affairs held in school class rooms. All the rabbis are orthodox and all but the Germans call themselves orthodox, but modern orthodox. That means they drive to temple and may not
be all that kosher. The Germans call themselves conservative.
There is a holocaust memorial on the waterfront in the newer area. It sure ain’t much and is the only one in South America. Were you not told what it was, you would probably not guess. There is refuse scattered everywhere. It contains two very small foot bridges made of wooden slats. On one two are missing and one on the other. The others are rotting.
Some of the synagogues are hidden or have walls in front of them. At one we were told we could not take pictures of the front of the building from the inside. The Israel embassy was far smaller then most and had a wall in front of it too.
The guide kept telling us about how anti Semitic the Venezuelans were and how the Germans had paid for their loyalty with a lot of gold. Even though she kept telling us things were much better in Uruguay, it sure didn’t seem like it. It looked like the Jews had to
hide the fact they were Jewish. Guards and walls at Synagogues and hidden Synagogues did not make it sound like a very good place to live.
The guide also to be sure to make a point of telling us that Eva Peron was a cabaret singer and a prostitute. That is how her husband met her. His other wives were prostitutes also. I guess Eva did screw them over, really well. And then they wanted to worship her like a god after she died. For years they hid her body
so she wouldn’t be made into a god.
Our guide had to also inform us about how bad the Argentina drivers were. They do not obey laws. Duhh! Tell me about it. I live in Miami. All of the South Americans are like that. She also said their beef sucks. They buy the good beef from Uruguay. I agree. I also agree that they must not like each other very much.
I could not understand all the miles of buildings built along the
ugly looking beach areas. The rivers merge with the Atlantic Ocean here and the sand and water is mud colored. Not pretty. There were a lot of trees in this city and there were some nice looking areas but it was just another South American city. Nice once but I would not put it on my must come back list.
The tour, however, was very well done. One of the best so far.
After this, we have been to all the rest of the ports. I am getting tired of writing, so, if you don’t hear from me I am not necessarily dead. I might just not have wanted to write about the same places again or as is the case today, I believe they are shutting off the internet, TV reception, and telephone. They did that yesterday too. That must make us want to get out and buy something or use their telephones.
There is nothing worth buying on this continent either. I have found nothing we cannot get at home for the same amount of money or better quality. Not even anything worth having as souvenirs. However, as I have stated many times, we always enjoy exploring new places and different peoples. These people would even wave to us if we were stopped in traffic. Ladies at bus stops and workers at construction sights would wave and smile. I don’t know if they were just this friendly or there has been some kind of campaign to welcome tourists. We had also been told this was a safe city to walk around in.
We have been without internet or phone for the last two days. That is why you have not received this sooner. It has been going out often. They kept giving us all kind of bull stories. Finally it was a part needed from the US and it should arrive when we get to Rio in a couple of days. First it was a man had to be sent from the US to fix it. I am seriously afraid it is their way to save on internet and phone costs. When enough people got hostile enough, it suddenly started working. Whatever, if they loose it again for reasons other then location, they have just lost me and my friends. I will take my refund back for next years cruise around the world.
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
We took a tour this morning that visited much of the city and focused on the Synagogues and the Jewish community. There was a very full bus. All, including the representative from the ship, were Jewish. The guide and the ship’s rep both had the same last name, Levinson, but were not related.There is a community of about 20,000 Jews here. They have come from many different places and believe differently. As times changed the neighborhoods changed and the Jewish population
moved to the newer neighborhoods. The old Synagogues, however, remain. Mostly they are used only for weddings and Bar mitzvahs. We went inside two of these. One was really a hidden Synagogue. You entered what looked like a house or apartment and as you walked to the rear, it became the old Synagogue.The oldest area is closest to the harbor and waterfront. The best areas are now way out in the suburbs, but still along the waterfront. The present Jewish community is in these new
affluent suburbs. There are miles of condominiums along the water. Many are very fancy buildings with marble facades. The newest Synagogue is also here.Weddings are preformed in the Synagogues but the parties are always held in special places for these parties. Bat mitzvahs are only small affairs held in school class rooms. All the rabbis are orthodox and all but the Germans call themselves orthodox, but modern orthodox. That means they drive to temple and may not
be all that kosher. The Germans call themselves conservative.There is a holocaust memorial on the waterfront in the newer area. It sure ain’t much and is the only one in South America. Were you not told what it was, you would probably not guess. There is refuse scattered everywhere. It contains two very small foot bridges made of wooden slats. On one two are missing and one on the other. The others are rotting.
Some of the synagogues are hidden or have walls in front of them. At one we were told we could not take pictures of the front of the building from the inside. The Israel embassy was far smaller then most and had a wall in front of it too.The guide kept telling us about how anti Semitic the Venezuelans were and how the Germans had paid for their loyalty with a lot of gold. Even though she kept telling us things were much better in Uruguay, it sure didn’t seem like it. It looked like the Jews had to
hide the fact they were Jewish. Guards and walls at Synagogues and hidden Synagogues did not make it sound like a very good place to live.The guide also to be sure to make a point of telling us that Eva Peron was a cabaret singer and a prostitute. That is how her husband met her. His other wives were prostitutes also. I guess Eva did screw them over, really well. And then they wanted to worship her like a god after she died. For years they hid her body
so she wouldn’t be made into a god.Our guide had to also inform us about how bad the Argentina drivers were. They do not obey laws. Duhh! Tell me about it. I live in Miami. All of the South Americans are like that. She also said their beef sucks. They buy the good beef from Uruguay. I agree. I also agree that they must not like each other very much.
I could not understand all the miles of buildings built along the
ugly looking beach areas. The rivers merge with the Atlantic Ocean here and the sand and water is mud colored. Not pretty. There were a lot of trees in this city and there were some nice looking areas but it was just another South American city. Nice once but I would not put it on my must come back list.The tour, however, was very well done. One of the best so far.
After this, we have been to all the rest of the ports. I am getting tired of writing, so, if you don’t hear from me I am not necessarily dead. I might just not have wanted to write about the same places again or as is the case today, I believe they are shutting off the internet, TV reception, and telephone. They did that yesterday too. That must make us want to get out and buy something or use their telephones.
There is nothing worth buying on this continent either. I have found nothing we cannot get at home for the same amount of money or better quality. Not even anything worth having as souvenirs. However, as I have stated many times, we always enjoy exploring new places and different peoples. These people would even wave to us if we were stopped in traffic. Ladies at bus stops and workers at construction sights would wave and smile. I don’t know if they were just this friendly or there has been some kind of campaign to welcome tourists. We had also been told this was a safe city to walk around in.
We have been without internet or phone for the last two days. That is why you have not received this sooner. It has been going out often. They kept giving us all kind of bull stories. Finally it was a part needed from the US and it should arrive when we get to Rio in a couple of days. First it was a man had to be sent from the US to fix it. I am seriously afraid it is their way to save on internet and phone costs. When enough people got hostile enough, it suddenly started working. Whatever, if they loose it again for reasons other then location, they have just lost me and my friends. I will take my refund back for next years cruise around the world.
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