A No Tour, Tour; Canadians in Uruguay

 For those seeking a short summary of my biking and wine tasting day in Uruguay (ie everyone), it might be summed up:

  a bus and taxi ride where taxi only took cash and I had none (other than a billion AR pesos), to biking and wine tour start, a tour that consisted of one rusted bike with broken gears with no guide,map or app ( or cell service), a solo ride to nowhere thru the Uruguayian countryside in the 96 degree scorching sun, a stop at a winery where  I met a delightful Canadian couple and where the owner disappeared for 45 minutes in the middle of the tasting, a ride back to meet the no guide/guide, a return taxi to catch the bus, a lost cell phone, a missed bus, a return taxi to winery (same taxi fortuitously), a found cell phone (in said taxi), a slap on the back of the taxi driver, a made bus and a calm dinner back in Colonia (90 minute bus ride).  All in all, a typical Ken Kaulbach travel day in South America.

My biking tour started out weaving in and out of traffic on heavily trafficked roads--

And I found myself heartily welcomed at the first winery  i serendipidously discovered on my one man unguided and unmapped tour-

Leaving aside the 95 degree heat and 100% humidity, the had its pleasant moments where I saw quite a few farms, including one with horses, cows and sheep all aligned in one photo

But I discovered that many farms still cling to the old and ancient methods of their forefathers and are but little removed from the horse and plow with very little mechanization or modern techniques-

At the 2nd slightly more welcoming winery (they let me taste for a considerable fee), I met a delightful Canadian couple who were also biking thru the Uruguayan countryside in search of wine tastings-

At this winery, they made you pour your own wine from the barrel to save on tasting labor costs-

On my way back to the original winery where the guide resided in relative comfort in the shade, I found myself suddenly in Austria (onion domed churches being the style there)-

But I, with my new Canadian friends (we enjoyed each other's company at 2 wineries), did taste a number of Uruguayan wines.  Tannat is their signature grape and I had never had it.  Well, I don't think Bordeaux or Napa have anything to worry about just yet, but I found it interesting- quite tannic and earthy.  They make a lot of rose from it and that was pretty good.  

In any case, I finished up and-- as alluded to above- took a taxi back to get the bus back to Colonia, but discovered my cell  phone missing when I  got to the bus terminal. I called to take a taxi back again to the winery, but as mentioned, when the taxi driver returned (same one), I found my phone in the back seat and so was able to catch the 5pm bus back as planned, just in the nick of time.  You have some luck if you are me.