Juan, who for many years has cooked on one side or the other at our fav parrilla, laughed heartily the day I told him we have always thought he looked like Saddam Hussein.

Yours truly with english visitor Peter, and Yamandu, who was also there again on saturday. One thing I have not been able to capture with my camera on either of the times we have met is the transistor radio in leather case, hanging by a long strap from the shoulder. The holder around his scarf is silver with the head of Artigas, liberator of the country, and whose bust is Everywhere.

Claudio, whom I call the bird man – waved from the other side when he saw my camera, came over and posed – pity my photo doesn’¡t quite do him justice. His wooden mobiles of flying geese or swans, are beautifully crafted, as I said in an earlier post. He carries a bunch in his bag over his shoulder, and when he’s sold them all he adjourns to the Bar Penguinos behind him…

The communications tower of the building which is the HQ of the national fleet, down in the port area, just across the road from mercado del puerto 

The front facade of the of the HQ of the fleet – Edificio del Armada Nacional – this is one of my favourite buildings here.