The park itself and the neighborhoods around Parque Rodó can delight a first-time visitor.
A taxi from El Centro dropped me off at a large building next to the park that houses a prominent hotel and the international headquarters of MercoSur, South America’s largest trade organization.
The verdant park is filled with tall trees and has a lake on which you can travel on rented double-pontoon mini boats.
Scores of Montevideños were enjoying the parque in many ways -- boating, strolling, sunning, necking, smoking legal herbs, chatting in the shade of the árboles.
There was an outdoor photography show featuring dozens of color and black-and-white images all 3’ by 4’ of the work of a Brazilian photographer.
There are statues and sculptures around the park honoring Albert Einstein, Hugo Chavez and the man for whom the park was named -- Uruguayan writer José Enrique Rodó (1871-1917). Some taxi drivers think the park was named for the verb rodar -- meaning “to film” -- it’s that picturesque.
I tripped trying to climb over a half-fence near the lake and did a header toward the pavement, saving major injury with hands outstretched to catch my fall shy of a potential face-plant. Still on the pavement, I tried to gather myself but was hoping for assistance in getting back on my feet.
Within half a minute, three deportistas had come running to my aid from three different directions. They pulled me up on my feet, made sure I was okay, acknowledged my appreciation and then went back to their respective companions.
cccmedia from Montevideo
