I’ve spent most of March travelling around South America, most of the time in Uruguay. The city I have fallen in love with instantly was Montevideo. Montevideo has a vibe like I saw in only one city and that is my home town Novi Sad. The vibe is tranquilo (easy). Everything is so easy going and people are friendly to a level which is only explainable by experiencing it. Yes, you get and instant hug instead of firm hand shake from as lot of people in both places/.
Fun facts. Monte VI D E O – meaning the 6th hill from east to west. Used by sailors to know when they are close to the port of Montevideo. Novi Sad (Neusatz, Neoplanta) was started as a settlement because the Petrovaradin fortress was built – meaning new planting, as the settlers “planted” the city to start building the fortress. Montevideo owes its existence to the port, and Novi Sad to the fortress.
Similarities – both are settled on water. And the inhabitants of both cities cherish and find that water really important and La Rambla and Rio de la Plata in Montevideo and the Kej in Novi Sad and the Danube are meeting places during nice weather for a cup of mate in the first case or a beer in the second. Montevideo is bigger than Novi Sad, although the main parts of it are all in walkable distance.
I started thinking that the water is the one that makes the people easy. Sound of the water which transforms your ear into a positive energy absorber which then flows through your body. Montevideo has beaches, we have our Strand (from the German word for beach).
You feel like enjoying a sunset? Novi Sad will give it to you. You want a beer on the beach? Novi Sad will give it to you. You feel like dancing till the sun comes out? Novi Sad will give it to you. You feel like going to a forest and walking through the woods? Hop on a bus and Novi Sad will give it to you (short ride, I promise).
You feel like going to South America from Europe but don’t really have the money right now and looking for a budget destination? Novi Sad will give it to you, as much as it can.
Author: Marko Čomić