el Palacio Legislativo

Although democratically elected, our profesora feels strongly that the alliance currently in power has strangled the middle class with taxes and now wants money for everything. Unbeknowst to her this includes guided tours of the legislature.

We had gone with Eddy to see el Palacio Legislativo and were sitting on the front steps, filling out worksheets to learn how to say "It's cloudy" while being gaped at by schoolchildren and waiting for our tour guide. The tour guide appeared and then made it known that our tour would cost US$3 each. With being told that she would have to pay to enter the seat of her own government umbrage of the highest order was taken and we were whisked back down the stairs without a backward glance. We don´t have a lot of say when Eddy decides something is correct, is not correct, will happen or won't happen. That we were more than willing to accomodate the entry fee was entirely beside the point.

We wandered around the outside and got an eyeful of an elaborately decorated but rather neglected building. A lot of eroded bas-reliefs and collected city grit. The medical college is nearby in a beautiful Beaux Arts building with broken windows. Graffiti is ubiquitous in Montevideo and covers the building and its bronze statues. Lots of students were sitting on the steps along with lots of trash and unchecked weeds. Much of the city shares this flavor of deterioration -- sidewalk tiles on possibly every street we have been on are torn up, leaving pits of sand to walk through.

We did better with Eddy´s husband the next day: At some point David was the second alternate for a member of parliament and still has the identity card to prove it to inquisitive policemen. At the Palace of Legislation he was accomodated for free with an excellent guide, Fernanda, who led us on a tour of the very beautiful building; it was finished in 1922. The main atrium is inlaid with many different marbles, all from Uruguay. There are Ventian mosaics portraying the Arts and the Sciences, and Milanese stained-glass windows. Also the Declaration of Independence and the first Constitution, both presided over by elaborately outfitted soldiers. (The Uruguayan constitution is not amended but changed entirely. At the moment they are on number 7.) The library was the best part, being entirely inlaid wood and angry brass birds. It's open to the public every morning.

Interestingly, there was a metal detecting gate at the front door, presided over by a security detail. No attempt was made either to look through the bags of those entering or to detain anyone for whom the gate buzzed. Possibly this imposition is reserved for members of congress who are not currently in the majority. We learned that in the building that contains members' offices the legislators retaining the greatest power have offices located on the higher floors of the building. When there is a power shift after an election, the offices are shuffled and the newly elect move to the upper levels.