Montevideo is intrinsic to la rambla. Every part of its identity is tied to the beach, nestled by the sea. A sea that is actually a river, Río de la Plata, home to such a deep collective memory that it does not matter what it technically is, but rather how it feels. No matter the time of the day, there are people walking with their dogs, running, drinking mate, surviving the winter with a thick blanket, skating, smoking and any other action in between.

Plaza Daniel Muñoz serves as a green spot in between the large dunes of sand. I appreciate that whoever designed this park chose to add real trees apart from the overgrown bushes we wrongly call palm trees. People walking by la rambla stop at this place to sit down, maybe play with their dogs too. It was surprising how much the car engines rushing on the boulevard get muffled once you reach this park. Instead, the waves crashing absorb you and I realize, for the 15th time, why Montevideo can’t help but care for la rambla. It’s not pristine in the least (the population of cigarette butts has infested the uneven patches of grass for a couple of years now). But you can hear the birds chirping and admire the small purple flowers signaling the beginning of spring. You see the children playing with their parents and tune with the gentle rock of the sea. Both this park and this beach are kind of harsh at the edges and have definitely seen better days, but they’re a communal space where people from all walks of life gather to simply exist and co-exist with nature. Human-designed nature, yes, but nature nonetheless.