A closer look, where you can see fish, Neptune, the medallions above the windows which I took to be crabs, and I just managed to capture the shells at the foot of what look like waterfalls under the nameplate on the building above the main entrance.

I like this colour better than the eau-de-nil green it used to be, although that perhaps was more watery.

Although it is now a bank, the original owner of the building was the Montevideo Waterworks Co., and in keeping with this, all the external decorations are watery in theme. At first glance the external simply looks like one of the many of the other neo-classical buildings around the city, but closer examination of the various decorative features shows them all to be water-related. In a refurbishing almost complete, these features have been retained, in some cases repaired, and the whole exterior repainted. 

I had always thought this motif above each window was a large long legged crab. However by cropping and zooming the image, it is clear the ‘legs’ however are leaves, meaning I really will need do go downtown again with binoculars to get up close and check this out. In keeping with the watery theme of all the other building decoration elements, I feel it is most likely to be a turtle. 

Yesterday afternoon we attended the races, for the first time here, actually, first time in years anywhere.
These shoes were drawn to my attention by friend V we were with. What can I say – sorry the pic wasn’t better, but it was on the run. I suggested to V perhaps I should ask her to pose for a better one: her reply “Well, with a face like that I’m not sure she’d agree” put me off, maybe for the best. Whether the woman had been having a run of bad luck – whatever, she looked grim. Anyway I won’t show the expression on her face – just the shoes.

Now, this design had something for everyone: black canvas laceups, like Converse Hitops, glittery silver laces, lots of sequin glitter appliques, bling I think it’s called – and very high white heels with very pointed toes, covered with glitter of course. You can see they were worn with jeans, and the jacket I recall was a very nice camel coloured suede. I wonder where she got them… they might be quite comfortable actually… Meouw. 

One of my uruguayan friends who has travelled extensively, says people in Montevideo just don’t realise the beauty all round them, they never look up while walking along – well, the uneven state of the pavements with sudden changes of level, sloped paving stones and missing tiles, to say nothing of actual holes, and occasional deposits of dog poo, are all fair deterrents to much looking up…

However, sitting under the magnificent sweeping grandstand roof out at the restored and now fully functioning Maroñas hippodrome /racecourse yesterday, I looked up and marvelled at the pressed or embossed copper sheeting lining the roof. Each sheet is about a metre sq. with 16 divisions in the pattern that look like individual tiles with roses, I think – the pic shows parts of 6 with the join line crossing the middle of the pic. The verdegris patina has been brushed here and there to show the copper underneath. About 4 years ago we visited the place a couple of times marvelling at what a magnificent place it must have been in the glory days before and just after the WWII. Although people still trained horses on the track, the course was not used for official races, and it was sad to see it all abandoned and just left to decay. Tiles had gone allowing water in, windows were broken and vines growing through, small self-seeded saplings growing unattended in the huge ornamental urns on the ballustraded terraces, squatters living it rough but relatively protected in under the grandstands, dirty littered marble stairs sweeping up from floor to floor…. Now, what a difference from that decaying faded glory – in DH’s opinion it was almost too late to save it the deterioration was so bad.
DH had a couple of wins, but my usual choice of either the name I like the sound of or “#4”, drew no luck at all! but we all had a lovely afternoon, and will go back some time.