Chuy and Chui, They Got a Few Things Right

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Chuy and Chui, They Got a Few Things Right

For all of the ranting and raving in the last article about the border crossing from hell, it's worth noting that they did get a few things right.  Before extolling the virtues of Chuy, Uruguay and Chui, Brazil there is one more warning to note if you should ever find yourself there.  It was a bigger issue on the Uruguay side than the Brazil side; however it presented challenges that all travelers should heed.

Uruguay had the worst banking system of any of the countries we visited.  Banks were open only a few hours each day, which gave a whole new meaning to the old adage "bankers' hours".  With only a very few exceptions, ATMs were ubiquitous in nearly every other location, regardless of size. They were extremely limited in Montevideo and if one could be found, the lines stretched down the street and around the corner.  The situation was even more challenging in La Paloma and Chuy.  And to make matters worse our ATM cards would not work in either location. The only way to obtain local currency was to get a cash advance on our charge card, which was a very expensive proposition.

We needed local currency to pay for our rooms, buy five bus tickets and food for the trip.  Our plan was to get just enough money from the bank in Chuy to cover our expenses; however, the only bank in town did not open until 2:00 p.m. and closed at 4:00 p.m.  Since the bus left at 12:30 p.m. and we did not want to spend another night in the border town, we had few options.  Harrison loaned us his birthday money and we finally scraped together just enough U.S. cash and Uruguay currency to settle our debits and get out of town.  The town may have lacked banks, but had an ample supply of currency exchange shops.  There seemed to be one every few feet; however, none of them could process a cash advance or had ATM machines.

Now for the things Chuy/Chui did right, and there were many the world could learn from - needless to say, immigration procedures and banking systems are not among them.  First is the great relationship Uruguay and Brazil have with each other, which is evidenced by the freedom of movement between the two countries - at least for the nationals.  Certainly that cannot be said for many of the countries we visited, as there seemed to be an undercurrent of tension, mistrust and rivalry for territory.

Second is the seamless blending of cultures, languages, currency and cuisine.  Regardless of age or gender everyone spoke both Spanish and Portuguese and they appeared to accept each other as equals regardless of how patriotic they may be to their own country.  Pesos and Reals were accepted interchangeably at shops, grocery stores and hotels, and every restaurant had a great selection of foods to choose from on their menu.

Third was their exploitation of new and old technologies.  Both towns had all the modern conveniences (except accessible ATMs and efficient border crossing procedures) while maintaining a connection to their past.  For example, throughout Uruguay we saw countless horse-drawn wagons that were used for a variety purposes including trash collection, recycling, delivering appliances, selling produce and baked goods, and even transporting portable cement mixers.  In doing so, they use one of the most cost-efficient, nonpolluting forms of travel and transport ever conceived.  They may be concerned about the price of hay, but not a barrel of oil.  Without exception, Chuy/Chui had the most horse drawn carts of any town we visited.

Last-but-not-least was the apparent acceptance of different religions.  We saw at least four Muslim women attired in their traditional dress.  They had a stall selling goods along the street.  Although not a large number, it was 400-percent more than we expected to see, which suggests they chose this location because of religious tolerance.  Wow what a concept!

So after reflecting on its many positives, we may one day return to Chuy/Chui.  Border crossings and banking notwithstanding, it's a place where time stands still and visitors can experience the qualities more places should emulate.  Anyone who visits will be immersed in a rich, diverse cultural experience.  And did I mention both towns are Duty Free?  Treat yourself to a five-gallon bottle of Chanél #5 if you are ever there.

Another harrowing bus journey began the next leg of our trek; followed by arriving well after dark in Puerto Alegra, Brazil with no place to stay that night.  In addition, Portuguese is the mother tongue of Brazil so our means of communication was even more limited than all of our previous Spanish speaking destinations.  And the adventure lives on!

And remember . . . "Travel is the ultimate education."

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