Like peas in a pod

Argentina and Uruguay are famously very similar countries. They have, or at least had until the pulp mill conflict broke out on national level in 2005, extremely close relations. The Argentineans neighbourly refer to the Oriental Republic as "one of our provinces" and the "state that shouldn't even exist". Uruguayans don't go quite as far, but both would agree that the rioplatense (River Plate) culture shares more with each other than Buenos Aires and Patagonia.

However, my observing eyes have noted some mighty differences between the countries, which I have now compiled to a list.

1. Uruguayans or at least the city of Montevideo doesn't really do street signs. I love the fact that they've embraced the U.S.-style grid square maps and the numbering system, but without the street names elsewhere than in your little map how is that supposed to help?
2. In addition to English, there exists a second and a third foreign language in the world: learn Brazilian in 4 months! And for the immigrants: learn Uruguayan! Wow.
3. In contrasts to the Argentine side of the river -that in the pulp mill conflict poses itself as the ecofriendliest nation in the planet- you can actually see recycling bins in Montevideo. And people and their dogs are advised not to litter the streets.
4. The beer here is not Quilmes but it's Patricia.
5. You can actually find products in the shops not manufactured in the same country: Brazilian shoes!! Brazilian clothes!! Love it.

For the rest, it's pretty much the same country:
1. Lunch menus are universally composed of "milanesas" (breaded chicken), "asados" (grilled meat), "pastas caseras" (overcooked pasta with a sauce that hasn't been mixed with the pasta). In every bloody place. I don't know how they do it. The glorious message of capitalism and being different from your competitor has just never made it here...
2. On the matter of food: there is something that must have happened to the Italian immigrants on their way from Europe to the new continent. They must've been made to swear hand on the Bible to never ever again make pizza or pasta that would have any resemblance to the real thing. Or it was the people who had no idea about cooking who were expelled from the country.
3. Pedestrian lights are non existent, and pedestrians WILL yield to anything moving on the road.
4. You are not allowed to throw loo paper into the loo, but must place it in a paper bin provided. Perhaps they should try changing the Soviet style loo rolls into a somewhat softer type of paper and the toilets wouldn't get clogged anymore? Just a suggestion.


Ok, I'm off to have a nice cold Patricia now.