It was New Year time, and there was no other place I was looking to be than in Montevideo.  And more specifically at the Mercado del Puerto area in Ciudad Vieja.  Everything that I heard about the day of the 31st (yes, the celebrations start at noon in the daytime) led me to believe that I would be experiencing my second Marti Gras-like experience.  I wasn’t let down.

The day started out innocently enough, but then the first water bomb was thrown out of a window 3 stories high.  The rest of the day I spent soaked.  People here throw water, alcohol, or any other liquid on each other for around six hours.

Plastic bottles flew around, people yelled and sang, and mime was even made the celebration’s pseudo-leader.  After a crowd chanted him into kissing a girl, a mosh pit ensued to enjoy the moment.

Bottom line – if you would like to experience Marti Gras in a Latin environment or are looking for an intense group happily drinking together, get to Montevideo, Uruguay and its Mercado del Puerto for New Years.