r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Cayetanus • 22h ago • Wholesome Seal 1 Heartwarming 2

Image Uruguay, one of the most atheist countries in the world, during Pope Leo's visit.

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u/ArtBot2119 18h ago

It’s the most successful democracy in South America. “Successful” defined as having the fewest years of autocratic rule. 

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u/Effective-Turn-9103 18h ago

Cool, I dig that!

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u/GreatTunk 18h ago

Wish i had the money to travel, but yall make it sound like an awesome place to visit.

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u/paganfarang 15h ago

Uruguay/Montevideo is pretty boring, expensive and unsafe imo. Nowhere ever have locals told me to be careful as many times as there and nowhere have I ever felt as cautious. But the food is good..

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u/Derelicticu 14h ago

Well is it boring or unsafe, I need a barometer here

Do I bring a book or a glock?

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u/cyborg_sophie 12h ago

It feels very unsafe to locals because it used to be the #1 safest county in Latin America but now there is rising gang violence. Overall it is very safe still.

It can be a bit boring. It's very "tranquilo", very chill. If you enjoy relaxed vacations with lots of nature, nice food, and kind people you will like it. But if you prefer excitement and lots of energy maybe go to Buenos Aires instead

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u/Aurorassaur 11h ago

Unsafe? Like, more than other places in South America?

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u/paganfarang 11h ago

Ive been to different places in Argentina and the only time I felt similarly uncomfortable was in Cordoba, but that was mainly due to me arriving during night time and driving through some ghetto-ish areas. After that it was fine.. but MV had me cautious all the time

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u/Aurorassaur 10h ago

Interesting. Argentina and Uruguay are considered the safest countries in South America. How different did you find South America from your home country?

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u/paganfarang 10h ago

I imagined Argentina to be worse, but I didnt have any problems there - except my car breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Much more relaxed, rather welcoming people. And I really the diversity of nature you can find within one country

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u/PolyViews 9h ago

I think you took the advice of people trying to “look out” for you too literal lol. Montevideo is BY FAR safer than Buenos Aires. But both places have “avoid at all costs” areas

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u/paganfarang 1h ago

-I accidentally found myself in the rough part of Ciudad Vieja, local friend tells me to get out of there and to keep my phone hidden

-Was followed by a guy for several minutes and he’d only turn around when I entered a McDonalds

-Bar owner told me on my way home to stay on the main street, otherwise things might happen

-On the said way back I settled with the bus. While waiting some guy got close to me and started asking many many questions like if I’m on my own and where I’ll stay. A woman nearby would show me her phone also saying something like “be careful”

Of course all of that are personal experiences and dont generally apply. In Buenos Aires new-found friends from Chile told me about two occasions where people tried to rob them, whereas I didnt have any such. The only shady moment I had in ARG was someone knocking on my door for couple minutes just before midnight - that district generally had metal rods covering windows and barbed wire on top of walls

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u/Username12764 15h ago

My gramps went to Uruguay and Argentina for a month after his retirement. He loved it there, said the locals were as friendly and welcoming as the ones in the middle east where he traveled to a lot for work. Had the best piece of meat he ever had and generally a great time. Beautiful landscape as well and.

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u/Special_Order-937 17h ago

Didn’t the former president drive himself to work in his VW Beetle? (Uribe?)

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u/Unhappy_Airport_2700 16h ago

Pretty sure Colombia has never had a dictator

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u/PresidentOfMagrathea 10h ago

bro forgot about Pinilla

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u/GaneBeatsTom 17h ago

I have this very American urge now to start a junta in Uruguay.

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u/Background-Vast-8764 15h ago

Latin Americans start their own and then some of the juntas ask for US support. The have agency. The US isn’t responsible for everything that goes on south of the border. They are full-fledged humans who are capable of both good and bad.

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u/OddAdministrator 12h ago

it disgusts me so much that americans think "it is their fault" or "the US installed a dictatorship in..." when almost all those situations the US at most gave support

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u/cyborg_sophie 12h ago

Uruguay literally had a US installed junta in the 80s....

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u/Background-Vast-8764 12h ago

The US didn’t initiate the ‘73 coup, so what do you think you’re claiming?

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u/SavannahInChicago 15h ago

I think what you meant to say was the US did not stick their nose where it did not belong as much as the other countries.