#flathal #flatstanley #uruguay #puntadeleste
Flat Hal and Flat Halena are visiting a town that usually has 12,400 people. But today, there could be almost 450,000 people here!
Why did everyone show up? Because it’s beach weather! Even though it is January, it is summer in Uruguay. Since we crossed the equator to the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons have flipped. It is their hottest time of the year!
Some people stay at hotels and resorts. Others, like us, come on cruise ships. Today two cruise ships are in port, adding nearly 5,000 people to the city for a few hours. The beaches were lined with umbrellas and towels as locals and tourists alike enjoyed a day with beautiful weather. Others strolled through town, ate at local restaurants, and discovered the drink Mate.
Mate is a special herbal tea that people drink with friends out of a gourd with a metal straw.
Taking A Second, More Thoughtful Look
Look at this first picture of the Punta del Este skyline. What do you see?
You probably see the blue ocean, the white clouds, and a long line of tall buildings. It looks like a busy, crowded city edge. It is a beautiful “big picture.”
But did you know there is something unique hiding in that crowd? Something that doesn’t look like the skyscrapers at all?
Now, look a little closer. Do you see it yet?
Standing right there in the middle of the modern buildings is a tall, orange lighthouse! It was in the first picture the whole time, but it was easy to overlook because our eyes were busy looking at the “whole crowd” of buildings.
When we zoom all the way in, the lighthouse is impossible to miss. It is bright, distinct, and stands tall with a special job to do.
Sometimes, life is like that first wide-angle photo. We get so busy looking at the “big crowd”—our whole class, a busy playground, or a team—that we forget to look for the individuals.
Just because someone is quiet, or blends into the background, doesn’t mean they aren’t standing tall like this lighthouse. Today, try to “zoom in” on the people around you. You might find a friend who has been standing there, shining bright, the whole time.
Why put a lighthouse (Faro de Punta del Este) in the middle of town
The Answer: Punta del Este is a narrow peninsula. By sitting on the highest hill in the center, the light can be seen by ships on both sides—the Rio de la Plata (River) side and the Atlantic Ocean side. If it were on one beach, the buildings might block it from the other side! The river is big, it needs to share the lighthouse with the ocean.
