Montevideo, Uruguay. Thursday 30th November 2006.

The Plaza Zabala is a beautiful formal square which you can imagine would have been very grand when it was originally laid out.There are some stunning pieces of architecture down in this part of the city, albeit that many of the grand 19th century mansions of the beef boom are now multi-occupancy conventillos.

My first port of call is to be Casa Garibaldi, a museum that was once the home of the Italian nationalist Guiseppe Garibaldi. Although it is meant to be open, this is South America and it is closed!

There are though some stunningly well preserved pieces as I walk around the neighbouring streets. These tend to be government buildings or offices and banks like Bank Boston or BBVA. There are also some real attempts being made to renovate and gentrify this area.

Whilst Montevideo certainly has the young professional class to support such an initiative it is questionable whether the city has the "artistic" community necessary to make such initiatives viable. We are after all just across the water from the cultural hub that is Buenos Aires.

I go on to Casa Lavalleja, another museum I find closed. Although, from the peak I get through the keyhole it looks to be a very well-preserved piece of colonial architecture.

At last I find a museum open. The Casa Rivera is a jumble (in the sense of connectivity) of colonial artefacts. There is an interesting landscape of Montevideo in 1794 looking like most colonial ports with tall ships in the harbour, farms outside the city walls and the colonial town protected by a city wall. In this case the city is dominated by the Iglesia Matriz, the cities oldest public building.

In this museum it is your typical collection of colonial furniture, religious and aristocratic paintings, old chests, porcelain, silver etc. In many ways it is yet another testament to the power of the church and the nobility in creating wealth and subjugating the masses.

Symbolism is not lost even in historical paintings like Vista De La Ciudad De Montevideo with the Iglesia Matriz under construction and the population flocking in one long line. The foreground is a further political statement with the strong city wall and garrison serving to remind the viewer of the power of the Spanish Crown.

An interesting little piece is a study of the facial characteristics of the negro and the link I see with the nearby saddle bags used by slaves for gathering crops in the field. You can only subjugate a people for so long, and indeed when you are enslaving them and making them do all the hard work you are infact building their bodies both mentally and certainly physically to challenge the status quo...I am sure there is a thesis in there somewhere!

The British get a mention too, particularly with the portraits and scenes relating to the assault on Montevideo.

Artigas, as you would guess, is well represented here and there is also a basic attempt made by the museum to cover areas of prehistory and geology.

What I find strange in South America, although I shouldn't given the continents history, are all the anglo-spanish names (particularly in Argentina and Chile) like Juan Brown, and also the Spanish flag flying over some many old paintings.

To be fair, the more I explore the Ciudad Vieja the more I realise that there are a large number of well preserved old buildings (particularly those used as commercial centres).

The Museo Romántico gives you a taste of the opulence of Montevideo's 19th century elite. I am always struck by how small the beds were in the past and the ladies vanity case on display would test the greatest of airport security today. There is an interesting display of Masonic regalia here that serves to remind that in Catholic countries this powerful organisation was anything but anti-Catholic.

What I do find amazing in Montevideo is the way the guards follow you around in all the museums.

All museumed out I head for the Mercado del Puerto. This is, as the name suggests, the old city market by the port. Today this railway station like building is a gaggle of restaurants from the authentic side counters with the locals to the tourist outlets to the yuppie venues. Outside in the sun sit even more restaurants and all around are the obligatory art galleries that make the area trendy.

There really is not a great deal to see in Montevideo. Unless you are a beach person there are only really a few days worth of cultural exploration here. But one thing to recommend the city is its people; they are so warm and friendly.

I dined this afternoon at El Peregrino in the Mercado del Puerto where they give you a glass of Medio y Medio (the traditional Uruguayan drink of half white wine and half champagne) on the house.

I was hoping beyond hope that this sirloin would be nice as I really want to write something positive about Uruguayan meat...and it is. I am however concerned by the panchant they have in this country for giving you those mini breaded potato balls that you find in the M&S Christmas food collection or in school canteens that are low on cash!

I know that South America is meant to be good value but really I have the biggest expresso double today...it is a mug filled with expresso, so no sleep tonight!

The experiences I have had here in South America have been muy differente. I have gone from the brutality of the attack to the wonders of discovering unknown treasures. These past four months have been life changing and an education for all involved. This afternoon is one of those treasures.

On my way into the Mercado del Puerto I passed a little artists studio with some stunning works in the window. I was particularly drawn to the seascapes and the artists name Ana Baxter. As the afternoon wears on I am to make a fascinating new friend.

I enter the workshop to take a closer look and intend only to stay a short time, and not, as was the case the whole afternoon.

Ana is a treasure. Part Irish, part English, part Welsh, a big part Argentinian...oh and some Italian in there too...with a Scottish name, she is truly Uruguayan. This lady has sold works all over the world and exhibited in Europe, South America and the United States; but more importantly she is a cultural treasure.

I pass wonderfully informative hours in her workshop learning all about the Uruguayan carnival and the spirit of the local negro community.

Indeed, despite being skint, I made use of my flexible friend, and bought my own piece of cultural history. A true environmentalist, Ana wastes nothing and my painting has as its base the left over leather of a carnival drum and it is backed by the wood used for stretching the said leather.

They say you should buy leather goods in South America as they represent good value. This particular leather good represents so much more. It is a depiction of the Mama Vieja (the 'old lady' of the negro community and the highest authority in that community, and the Gramillero or herbal doctor). It is also a simply beautiful piece of Ana's talent.

In our afternoon of sharing we are joined by Ana's friend Ana Maria Herrera, the local Mama Vieja and a delightfully friendly and happy lady.

I got some lovely pictures in the studio and Mama Vieja took one of Ana and I together. The dear lady shook so much each time she tried to take the photo that it turned out a little hazy...but hey in its own right it is a work of art. Check it out in the photobucket.

You cannot buy experiences like this, sometimes your karma is just right and life sends you its rays of wonder.

There were so many of Ana's pieces I would have treasured; one or two in particular. But I walk away with a little oil I will love forever and the memory of an unforgettable experience of local colour.

Ana's website is available at www.anabaxter.com and its great!!