Jose Ignacio
Village, located 42 km East of Punta del Este, was a quiet and small town of picturesque
local people, fishermen and divers, cut off from civilization by two wonderful lagoons
without a bridge, supplied with rain water and by water carrier pushed by horse, lighted
by lanterns and Aladdin lamps, besides its emblematic lighthouse.
Today it has
developed in harmonic conditions which do not risk the most precious value of this
privileged spot by nature and preserving: the beaches, rocks, dunes, lagoons, the forest
and all the construction and urbanization details which make this place unique in the
world, meeting point for regional jetsetters, stars, models and millionairs looking for a
quiet and isolated vacation out of focus and cameras. There are many
Experience Day Tours to enjoy in the
area.
The place
keeps a profusion of memories which raked up images not so far away in time: the parade of
memories began with:
the huge
sand dunes at the beach which was named del Barco because the ship Renner had run aground
(still complete in 1978) with an important tomato cargo and some crockery, which ate its
hull year by year ...
the variety
of stones and shells in the beach de las Monjitas, on behalf of a congregation´s
summer house where then La Posada del Mar was built (later rented to Guess and Cream)
turning every season the most trendy meeting place for young people...
the quixotic
figure of don Anibal , who arrived riding his horse with the load of a small water tank to
fill wells and cisterns, when they dried out or threatened to run out...
doña
Cándida´s image –who in 2005 will turn 100 years old- when she still grew her
orchard next to the church´s house...
those of
Cacho Pérez and his sharp portrait, fishing on the red stone...
those of
Nibio Machado , shaking cockles on the shores of Garzón lagoon...
those of los
Negros Urbín, playing cards where today is Francis Mallmann´s Los Negros...
those of don
Horacio giving away lemon rolls carrying the basket on his arms...
those of
Rosendo , carrying order´s to Riera´s(where today is Los Mejillones) when it was the
only “post” service to get provisions in San carlos and in the mornings he took
long lists including anything from a kilo of tomatoes to four blue buttons...
those of
trinchín, the attractive character who segmented his garden (the land where today is La
Aldea) by means of obsolete fluorescent tubes and invited to interesting gatherings for
being such an educated intellectual and art lover.
The first
vacationers who set foot there, fought hard to protect the enviroment and the pleasent
building construction. Among them, Jorge Enrique Hardoy, a worldwide famous urbanist and
architect occupied an outstanding place, apart from many more who contributed to fund and
then guarantee the actiones of Liga del Faro, neighbour´s association who has had and
important role in the defence and care of the resort´s virtues. Neighbours have assumed
that is only through active community participation,and through a joint vision
construction , that feasible objectives mar be projected, favouring progress and
development without comprimising environmental heritage sustainability which is the major
common value. results, it will be very important and of course favourable that neighbours
who have.
Entering the
village there is a big sign indicating Max Speed 35 Km “Here, only the wind
runs”.
