Puerto Iguassu [Falls]: 27 - 30 Jan
CAPTION: The Iguassu Falls from the Agentinian side, with Brasil in the background.
Only been in South America two days, and I'm already off to Iguassu Falls in the northern Argentinian jungle where Argentina meets Paraguay, meets Brasil. Iguassu waterfalls are the second biggest falls in the world and span over 2.7 km on the borders on Argentina, Brasil, and Parguay. Been to Brasil for the day and it was 40 degrees 100% humidity in the shade (I think :-) ). The falls are amazing---way, way bigger than Victoria falls, and in a jungle (Paranal Jungle as opposed to Amazonian). I could only get a flight to the south to the end of the workd (Ushuia, Fin Del Mund) on 1 Feb, so I'm doing some touring in the meantime. I had thought that getting a flight south (more than 3.5 hours!) would be much better than busing it, but after being in the 'cama' (lit: bed) bus for 15 hours to get here, I may be wrong. The buses have fully reclining seats, 1 metre legroom, nice meals (red wine or whiskey with your steak!), audible movies, air-con, and champagne! (OK, the air-con did get a bit over-zealous at times---the bus display readout said 13 deg C!) Just after we'd (Astrid, her American friend Tara from Spanish class, and me) arrived on Friday morning, our all inclusive package deal said we got to view the waterfalls from the Brazilian side.
Unfortunately, Americans need visas for Brasil, so Tara wasn't allowed in! That's what happens if your country is so anal-retentive in its own visa regulations! ;-) The falls in the heart of the non-amazonian rain forest are ginormous, something like 1100 cumecs falling 80 m spread over 2.7 km. The Brasilian (Foz de Iguacu) side offers the most panoramic views, but you get more up close and personal at the [next day's] Argentinian side. So yeah, I've been to Brazil for 5 hours! The concrete walkways allow you to stand just above the edge of the falls and watch the water hurling over the edge down into to Igassu river. We also did a brilliant, but quite expensive, boat trip (18 seater boat) to the bottom of the falls. Quite wet having that much water falling on your head! Then motor boated 8km down stream at high speed over grade 3+ rapids on the raging torrent! AWESOME.
We stayed in the Hostel Inn Iguazu, which was great, but the big palm lined pool heated you up, instead of cooling you down, ´cos it´s damn hot in the jungle in midsummer. Therefore, many Capirinhas had to be consumed after leaving the water! So, it was quite a party! I never thought I´d feel sun stronger than S.A., but here, it is.
Ok, getting on the bus later today back to Buenos Aires where I'm staying in the same hostel as before (soho hostel) since my big bag is there. Luckily, the bus trips have the opposite effect to the Johannesburg - Grahamstown bus trips of high school which were a leetle beet exhausting.
Only been in South America two days, and I'm already off to Iguassu Falls in the northern Argentinian jungle where Argentina meets Paraguay, meets Brasil. Iguassu waterfalls are the second biggest falls in the world and span over 2.7 km on the borders on Argentina, Brasil, and Parguay. Been to Brasil for the day and it was 40 degrees 100% humidity in the shade (I think :-) ). The falls are amazing---way, way bigger than Victoria falls, and in a jungle (Paranal Jungle as opposed to Amazonian). I could only get a flight to the south to the end of the workd (Ushuia, Fin Del Mund) on 1 Feb, so I'm doing some touring in the meantime. I had thought that getting a flight south (more than 3.5 hours!) would be much better than busing it, but after being in the 'cama' (lit: bed) bus for 15 hours to get here, I may be wrong. The buses have fully reclining seats, 1 metre legroom, nice meals (red wine or whiskey with your steak!), audible movies, air-con, and champagne! (OK, the air-con did get a bit over-zealous at times---the bus display readout said 13 deg C!) Just after we'd (Astrid, her American friend Tara from Spanish class, and me) arrived on Friday morning, our all inclusive package deal said we got to view the waterfalls from the Brazilian side.
Unfortunately, Americans need visas for Brasil, so Tara wasn't allowed in! That's what happens if your country is so anal-retentive in its own visa regulations! ;-) The falls in the heart of the non-amazonian rain forest are ginormous, something like 1100 cumecs falling 80 m spread over 2.7 km. The Brasilian (Foz de Iguacu) side offers the most panoramic views, but you get more up close and personal at the [next day's] Argentinian side. So yeah, I've been to Brazil for 5 hours! The concrete walkways allow you to stand just above the edge of the falls and watch the water hurling over the edge down into to Igassu river. We also did a brilliant, but quite expensive, boat trip (18 seater boat) to the bottom of the falls. Quite wet having that much water falling on your head! Then motor boated 8km down stream at high speed over grade 3+ rapids on the raging torrent! AWESOME.
We stayed in the Hostel Inn Iguazu, which was great, but the big palm lined pool heated you up, instead of cooling you down, ´cos it´s damn hot in the jungle in midsummer. Therefore, many Capirinhas had to be consumed after leaving the water! So, it was quite a party! I never thought I´d feel sun stronger than S.A., but here, it is.
Ok, getting on the bus later today back to Buenos Aires where I'm staying in the same hostel as before (soho hostel) since my big bag is there. Luckily, the bus trips have the opposite effect to the Johannesburg - Grahamstown bus trips of high school which were a leetle beet exhausting.
posted by Colin at 2:32 am
1 Comments:
Living the life; eh? Bastard :)
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