• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Goodreads

ML Hart

ML Hart's journal of observations, obsessions and inspirations

  • Home
  • Books
    • The FAB Book
    • Inside the Music
    • The Art of Making Opera
  • Words and Images
    • Writing
    • Photography
    • Creativity
    • Opera & Theatre
  • Recommendations
    • Artists & Craft
    • Drama & Dance
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Opera
    • Positivity +
    • Reading
  • About
    • Reviews
    • ML Hart résumé
    • Articles and Interviews
  • Blog
    • Books
    • Creativity
    • Film & TV
    • Miscellany
    • Photography
    • Reading
    • Writing
  • Contact

Travel

Taxi! Taxi!

January 11, 2016 by Martha

One day in Montevideo, my Spanish class ended two hours earlier than usual, at 3 pm. Generally, we just call for a taxi – that means I ask my teacher to call for a taxi, as talking on the phone is still beyond my skill level and ability to understand! – and several minutes later, …

Read moreTaxi! Taxi!
City sidewalk with broken sections, Montevideo, Uruguay

Staying safe in Montevideo

October 20, 2015 by Martha

Have you traveled to large cities before? I’ve been to New York and Chicago, London and Barcelona and Moscow. I’ve never felt in any danger there, but I’m a careful traveler. Smart at home, too, whatever city that might be. Before my first trip to Uruguay, I read dozens of articles. A lot of blog …

Read moreStaying safe in Montevideo
screencap of Uruguayan news website

El idioma español y el acento rioplatense

October 2, 2015 by Martha

Accent One of the hardest adjustments, language-wise, has been hearing the Rioplatense accent. Making the connection between what I hear and what I was used to hearing, and figuring out what it means. Big disconnect. Yes, I know I’ll get there, but right now I’m not. There’s the accent. All “y” (except at the end …

Read moreEl idioma español y el acento rioplatense
Greenhouse interior with vegetables growing, near Atlántida, Uruguay

Feria versus chacra

October 1, 2015 by Martha

Verduras y frutas at the feria What will $513 UY pesos* get you at the Atlántida feria? More than I could fit in the photo: *approximately $17.60 USD 2 manojos grandes de espinaca 1/2 kilo de fresas 4 manzanas 2 morrónes 2 dientes de ajo 2 lechugas 1 docena de huevos 2 pepinos, 4 naranjas 2 …

Read moreFeria versus chacra
Empty winter streets in the Centro, Atlántida, Uruguay

Learning to love la vida tranquila

August 10, 2015 by Martha

Everything is a little slower here, which is a welcome change. But it’s taking some getting used to. The picture shows a view of downtown Atlántida – the centro – in winter. It’s a tourist town that comes alive from mid-December to the end of February, and nearly all restaurants and many other businesses close …

Read moreLearning to love la vida tranquila
yard and yellow house in Uruguay

Renting la casa near la playa

May 2, 2015 by Martha

Visited again today with the owners of the house I’m renting for the next year and a half. Here’s the avocado tree in the back yard, or part of the tree – it’s about 20 feet high. I met the owners last month, nice couple who have lived here for 7 or 8 years. Originally …

Read moreRenting la casa near la playa
cataratas de Iguazu, Argentina

Iguazú Falls and the Triple Frontier

April 13, 2015 by Martha

Vacation plans A week before a planned trip back to the US to tie up a couple of loose ends (because making a big move like this isn’t easy), I’d booked a mini-tour to Puerto Iguazú in the northern part of Argentina. At the junction of Brasil, Paraguay and Argentina, it’s home to the Cataratas …

Read moreIguazú Falls and the Triple Frontier
architectural detail of elaborate door frame, Montevideo, Uruguay

Montevideo’s distinctive architecture

April 11, 2015 by Martha

Montevideo has an old world / European feel to it, which isn’t that much different from major cities elsewhere in South America. The city’s buildings are a mix of readily identifiable designs, spanning more than a century, with cultural influences here are about an even mix of Spanish and Italian, which is different. You see …

Read moreMontevideo’s distinctive architecture
vegetable seller at feria, Montevideo, Uruguay

Exploring the neighborhood feria

April 8, 2015 by Martha

The farmers market Wednesday, so it’s feria day in the part of town where I’m staying. The farmers market takes over the streets, starting about half a block from the house and extending 3 city blocks, both sides of the street. Trucks and hand trolleys, crates and canopies. Setup is underway by 9 in the …

Read moreExploring the neighborhood feria
exterior of the Mas Puro Verso libreria in Montevideo, Uruguay

Finding a bookstore makes me feel at home

March 31, 2015 by Martha

Fui a la librería. Large bookstore, two stories high on the peatonal, the no-car-zone in the heart of the old part of the city, la Ciudad Vieja. Gorgeous building on the outside, I’ve walked by it every day on my way to and from Spanish class. Huge front windows filled with treasures and I can see …

Read moreFinding a bookstore makes me feel at home
small waves on beach, Atlántida, Uruguay

La playa hermosa de Atlántida

March 28, 2015 by Martha

Today I got my first look at the beautiful beach – la playa hermosa de Atlántida – when I took a bus to visit the town where I’ll be living, starting mid-May. First I had to figure out how to get to the bus terminal in Montevideo. Then figure out how to purchase a ticket. …

Read moreLa playa hermosa de Atlántida
Juan Tocci, teacher at Spanish School, Montevideo, Uruguay

Estoy aprendiendo español

March 27, 2015 by Martha

With the help of mi profesor, Juan, I am learning Spanish. Estoy aprendiendo español. Here he is, patiently writing out my lessons at Spanish Uruguay School. The best part is the first half hour of our class meeting, where we just talk. Conversation. I get practice listening and trying to come up with the vocabulary …

Read moreEstoy aprendiendo español
street corner with colorful shops, Montevideo, Uruguay

Successful visit to the farmacia

March 27, 2015 by Martha

Today I went to the farmacia all by myself to get sunscreen – crema protector solar. Asked for what I wanted, how much it cost, all that. Talking to BF on Skype afterwards, he asks, “You did that in Spanish??” Well, duh. What else? The farmacia is more like a “drugstore” in the US rather …

Read moreSuccessful visit to the farmacia

Business as usual, Uruguay style

March 20, 2015 by Martha

Still handling some loose ends from EE.UU. Estados Unidos. Yesterday had an email with an attachment that needed to be unzipped, printed, filled out and signed, then faxed back. You’d think the university system would have online forms, but noooo. After numerous discussions, Lillián (amazingly kind and wonderful madre de mi host familia) said there …

Read moreBusiness as usual, Uruguay style
parrilla or grill for meats and vegetables at a restaurant in Uruguay

Uruguay and la vida tranquila

March 16, 2015 by Martha

The prevailing attitude here is “Tranquilo!” I thought it would take me a while to let go of the amped-up SoCal state of mind, the always-on, always-responsible sensibility that had controlled my life for so long. But I’m shedding that much, much faster than expected. I’ve been here 3 days and it’s gorgeous. Already I’m …

Read moreUruguay and la vida tranquila
modern buildings and palm trees at Plaza Independencia, Montevideo, Uruguay

First view of Montevideo

March 14, 2015 by Martha

My first view of Montevideo, really, was also my first day of Spanish class. Lillián, la madre de mi ‘host’ familia, went with me in a taxi to show me how to get there. And she pointed out key buildings and plazas so as to get a quick look at part of the city, too. …

Read moreFirst view of Montevideo
plane at airport gate, San Diego

Departure

March 13, 2015 by Martha

Flew out of Lindbergh Field and some 26 hours of travel later, I’m in Montevideo, putting my feet up at casa de mi “host” famlia for the next 4 weeks. Getting here was half the fun. Three of the smoothest flights I’ve ever had plus 2 even smoother touchdowns. Mechanical issues had delayed the flight …

Read moreDeparture
map showing Greek islands in Aegean Sea

Visiting Delos and Finding the Best Surprise of my Journey

December 8, 2008 by Martha

Whispers From the Other Side of the World Under slightly more than half a moon, the curve of a bay and a silhouette of rooflines emerge though blue-black-blue darkness. Silence is thick. Only a few stars remain visible with moonset still an hour away. The cool of night’s transition into morning feels heavy on my …

Read moreVisiting Delos and Finding the Best Surprise of my Journey
ML Hart logo

MUSINGS ON THE ARTIST’S LIFE

ML Hart’s journal of observations, obsessions & inspirations

Writer. Documentary photographer. Artist.
I’m inspired by both shadow and light and curious about most everything. Welcome to my journal of musings.

More about ML Hart.

Contact Me

  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Goodreads

Explore Topics

Comment Policy

Play-nice guidelines for commenting on posts and articles.

Privacy and Cookies

Privacy on the internet is as important to me as it is to you. Details about how this site may track and store data such as email addresses can be found in the Privacy Notice and Cookie Policy.

Copyright

Copyright © 1995 – 2022 ML Hart
Original writings and other works, including posts, stories, reviews, excerpts from books, extracts from interviews for The Tenor Book, unless otherwise attributed; all photography and artwork, except as noted.

All rights reserved.

Confused about copyright and why it’s important to a writer and artist? Puzzled about copying content from someone else’s site? Take a look at my Copyright Reference page and Why Copyright Matters post.

Permissions

Contact me for permission to re-post, quote from, link to in whole or in part, or for use in any form.

Copyright © 2023 · ML Hart · All Rights Reserved
LOGO BY RFG3 | SITE ASSISTANCE BY CALLIAWEB.CO.UK | POWERED BY SITEGROUND