Some words from my heart

I WISH  THE LOCALS COULD SEE THE CHARM AND BEAUTY THAT I SEE IN MONTEVIDEO CITY CENTER?

When I was a little girl, my wish was to have all the chocolate shops in the world. Today, my wish is to have all the magnificent old buildings in the city center of Montevideo. To me, they look like a beautiful but lonely and suffering princess in desperate need of a magical love.

Here is my story: It's probably destiny which brings me here from the other side of the globe. I am a citizen of the world and living in different countries in North, South and Eastern Europe as well as middle East has given me the perspective to appreciate the city center of Montevideo for all it offers. This area has more than its fair share of natural and architectural beauty. The trees, beautiful squares and magnificent buildings as well as being just minutes away from the river side make it a unique center. The unbelievable low prices compared to any other Capital city in the world also adds to its attraction.. Yet, in spite of all these, I have never seen such an unloved and unappreciated city center! 

I arrived in Montevideo in June 2008, the face of the city to the new comers arriving by boat is the old city and the city center. As I arrived on a Saturday afternoon, my first impression of the place was a sleepy and deserted Capital city left to the homeless. Nevertheless from the very first moments I sensed it's charm and it's friendly atmosphere. My love for Montevideo has been growing  as I am learning about the history of the city and discover the Uruguayan colourful culture. I feel privileged to live in one of the most beautiful apartments in the world in a historical building, overlooking one of the most beautiful squares in the heart of the city. Not to mention the mild climate, plentifulness of water and food. I am extremely happy to see the changes and improvements made by municipality, business community and individuals in the past two years and hope this will continue until the center regains its original glory, pride and beauty. However, I'm sure this will take more than just physical maintenance!  The soul of the center needs to be nourished with the love and respect of the inhabitants. I have hope that the young generation of Uruguay will be trend setters for new urbanism and will contribute with their creative energy to revive their city center.

Fariba Golesorkhi