Bienvenido in Montes

I hold on to my feet in a welcoming village in Uruguay. In a few days, I am mountain biking, I meet a future president and I do not have enough time to accept all the invitations!

The village of Montes, about 150 km northeast of Montevideo.

I would probably never be stopped in the small village of Montes, some 150 km northeast of Montevideo, if I had not been directly invited. One of my friends had however shared my contact with her aunt, who lives in this locality of less than 2000 inhabitants. The latter then told the local mountain biking group and elementary school about my trip. And I found myself with so many people to meet there that I had no choice but to make the detour!

After a few days in the capital of the second smallest country in South America, I left the city along the coast to the east. Then I took a fork north on a road just as silky and quiet. The country of barely 2 million inhabitants is a charm to ride.

Fields line my road on either side. The wavy horizon is dotted with horses and brown cows raised for meat. All these cattle spend the day grazing in these vast expanses, raising their heads in curiosity as I pass.

 About 6 km from the village, just before turning onto a gravel path, I am joined by a few cyclists who are members of the local bike club. They come to meet me with great waves of the hand. Setting foot on the ground, they shake my hand effusively to welcome me to their home. Bienvenidos Chonathan!, pronouncing my name in the Uruguayan way, where the J's, the Y's and the double L's are replaced by strong CHs.

We make the road together to the village where I am offered to settle in the cultural center. "You will be quiet there! I am told.

Reading in my room at the cultural center of Montes.

Work at the center on a rainy day.

 Beatriz and Juan Carlos

Juan Carlos and Beatriz, my friend's aunt and uncle.

That same evening, I was invited to dine with Beatriz and Juan Carlos, my friend's family. Juan Carlos prepares the embers in his fireplace in the living room, then places the meat directly on the grill. We chat while watching the meat cook in the den.

The 67 and 75-year-old couple have been married for almost 50 years! Beatriz was a high school teacher from the age of 19 to 55. Mainly in English and computer science. She also took the time to write 3 small books on local tales and her childhood, in order to pass her stories on to her grandchildren. She'll even sign copies for me and give me as a gift.

Their home represents this love of learning and writing. In addition to an office, one of the rooms has been transformed since the departure of the children into a reading area with chairs, a hammock… and lots of books.

Juan Carlos for his part worked in two local factories, including the sugar factory. It closed its doors in 1981 in the face of global competition, but it is still found on the logo of the city and in popular memory. The sugar was refined there from local beets.

We end the pleasant meal with tea, which Beatriz lets me choose from his library filled with different infusions. Definitely, this village surprises me already!

 Presentation at school

The next day, a television crew from Montevideo arrives in the village to do an interview with me. They had seen me in the newspaper in the capital, and then wrote to me to find out if I was available to go to their show. I told them that I was already in Montes and they then decided to make the road to do the interview in the village. The host Felipe and I therefore cycle through the streets of the village, while their truck in front of us films the scene. (The interview is available here, in Spanish.)

A little late because of the interview, I arrive at the local school at 14:10 pm, whereas my presentation to the students was supposed to start 10 minutes earlier. They are ecstatic when I walk into the courtyard and then into the building.

They are hundreds chanting my name! “CHONATHAN! CHONATHAN! "

It was Beatriz who organized this presentation by talking about me at the school where she worked before. I had in mind that I would speak in front of a simple class when she offered to do so. But I find myself there in front of the entire school, and even students from the neighboring village! They are more than 250 wanting to hear my stories. “My Spanish will never be good enough! That I worry about Beatriz. " But no ! We understand very well what you are talking about. She reassures me.

In front of this group of children from 4 to 12 years old, I begin by explaining that Spanish is my 3rd language, and to accept my apologies if they do not understand everything. One of them shouts “Your Spanish is good! And everyone applauds as if to thank me for being here and for making the effort to talk to them. Then for the next 40 minutes, I tell them about my adventures and the good world in respectful silence and in front of their wide open eyes.

I thought that in this small village in the heart of Uruguay, people would not understand my project well. That our cultures would be too different, that their young age would perhaps prevent them from imagining the world that I have partly traveled. It wasn't. The questions that followed surprised me with their quality.

People ask me how I adapt to the different cultures I go through, how I pay for my trips, if I have been attacked by animals. I am also asked if I have tasted mate, this traditional and ubiquitous drink in Uruguay which is similar to tea. I answer that I drink it almost every day. One of the teachers then offers me his cup to the applause of the students!

The most adorable question, however, comes back to this kindergarten baby sitting up front.
"How many countries do you cross every day?" "

The other students laugh but I take this opportunity to tell them about the countries of Europe, often much smaller. And from the day when I visited 3 countries leaving Switzerland, crossing tiny Liechtenstein and entering Austria !

Mount Mountain Bike

The same evening of this presentation, I was invited to another barbecue at Richard, one of the members of the bike club, and his wife Teresita. We are a dozen and guests and all bring a little something ... usually meat or wine!

Here too I ask a lot of questions! To my request to summarize Uruguay in 3 words, all agree to answer "football (soccer), asado (barbecue), and mate (the traditional drink)".

The village bike club was founded here a few years ago by 3 people. Other motivated members gradually joined the sport and the club. Today they are about twenty, including 7 women, to ride together. And they even organize a race every year that counts, year after year, more than 300 registrants!

However, the surroundings are far from being "mountains". But they use the agricultural paths, and zigzag between the fields and the rows of gravel, sometimes going a little further where one finds some more important hills. It is at one of these neighboring villages that I am invited to go reconnoitring a circuit for a future race.

Sivana and Sara, Julio, Teresita, Richard, Paola, Melina, Javier, Daniel and José.

Two days later, the bikes are therefore loaded onto the trailer that José made himself. And we make an hour of road to go have fun during 55 km of mountain biking.

After only a few kilometers, I noticed that the oil on the bike I was loaned was leaking from the rear hydraulic brake. So I only have my front brake working. When going downhill, I have to do my best not to press down too much on the lever to risk going over my handlebars!

I am also warned not to ride too close to the cows on my bicycle. One of the guys, Javier, already scared one of them. This pushed the cyclist to the ground and the chain of his bicycle caught in the animal's horn. Startled, she began to shake her head and scramble more and more until the bike flew high and fell heavily to the ground, completely broken. History has entered the legend of the club!

The technical level is not very difficult here but allows you to drive at full speed. Especially since the day is beautiful with a pleasant sun and a perfect temperature in this South American winter. I am really happy to have been an honorary member of the club for a day.

Landscape to which we are entitled during this bike ride.

Presidential kiss

After several days of sharing the daily life of the inhabitants of Montes, I may have to resign myself to continuing my journey. But that morning, I still cannot leave until I have attended the speech of Daniel Martinez, socialist candidate in the presidential elections who comes to address the people of Montes.

The politician was notably minister, senator and mayor of Montevideo. José, with whom I await the arrival of the candidate, will go to see him after his speech. The approach is not very difficult in Uruguay, José simply telling him that I go around the world by bike. The almost president then hugs me and even kisses me on the cheek!

No election posters here, we use the concrete walls of the houses to paint in the colors of the parties.

I pose with the candidate, proudly wearing my “Montes MTB” cap.

This mouthpiece is, however, the standard. The men hug and kiss here as much as the women.

After these speeches, I officially say goodbye to all my new friends. The adorable Juan Carlos and Beatriz, Richard and Teresita who also welcomed me to their home for a few days in addition to the barbecue, then José and Paola who notably brought me to the mountain bike trip. And many others.

Then I take the road north. Moments later the presidential trailer passed me, each car honking in encouragement. Candidate Martinez - who is a biking enthusiast - has his body half out of his car and throws me big arm movements and thumbs up!

In addition to the Beatriz books, I have in my bags a mug to drink the mate that my new friends gave me as a gift.

Above all, my heart is full of new friends who welcomed me like a son and a brother in their small village in Uruguay which was certainly worth the detour.

In the company of Beatriz, Daniel, Javier, José and Paola.

p.s. Daniel Martinez will ultimately lose his elections, finishing the second round at 49,2% against 50,8% of his opponent Luis Lacalle Pou.