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Published: February 15th 2008
Holiday Time
... Iguazu Falls, ArgentinaSo the next few days get a bit bitty ... remember that we were in Peru ... after the Inca trail?
Day 33 - February 2nd 2008 - Cusco, Peru These bl**dy blogs take some time you know (Lizzy says Nathan is starting to swear too much). Today was a blog day.
However - today was also one of those days where it was raining ... and there had been lunchtime alcohol involved.
We watched that England game - in an Irish bar - with a stupid Irish girl who´s main focus was to wind Nathan up. I don´t use the word stupid lightly - but even my basic Anglo/Irish history told me that the claims she was making to her American chum were totally without foundation and she mistook replays for the real thing - it was a bit like watching TV/sitting in the Living Room at The Lowe with Granny Campbell ... (you know the one Rachie/James - "Is that Clock right?", "Isn´t that a long line of lights across that hillside?"). But she was trying to wind Nathan up on purpose (in hindsight ´Granny Campbell probably wasn´t doing that ...)
Anyway - forget
The Only Show in Town
... Iguazu Falls ... from our Hotel Room Balcony .. about the rugby - put it down to experience - we only do well in World Cups anyway ... blah blah blah (plus there is a healthy dose of we´re not there to go and watch anyway ...)
And then we did the blog.
All ....
...... Day ..........
Mercury Count: Rain, rain, rain ... and cool ... a bit like Ingleterra Day 34 - February 3rd 2008 - Buenos Aires, Argentina Our last day in Peru (for now)
Again had to go to the police station to tell Ronald about Nathan´s iPod. We had spoken to the hotel who had told us that they were going to send us one in the post. We had also seen this written down on their insurance claim - so it seemed genuine.
Told Ronald this and he looked alarmed. "Maybe this is your culture in your country - but in my country you don´t trust anyone". A rather refreshing Peruvian approach we thought. He was also alarmed that we were wearing shorts and t-shirt ... "is this weather like summer in your country?"
Errr... yes ... it is Ronald ... don´t laugh
Iguazu in Sunset
... imagine the roar at us please.
So instead of pushing us out of the door and calling for the next person - Ronald put his coat on, walked us to the hotel, got the hotel to write down a promise, gave us his email address in case there were problems (and the hotel needed a kick), shook us by the hand and sent us on our way. Why do you get the feeling that this wouldn´t happen in the UK?
What also wouldn´t happen in the UK is a Lawyer manning the police station door at 8am on a Sunday morning (isn´t that right Russ?) - but it does in Peru (for extra money ... in fact ... maybe you should try it Rusky?)
Ronald is at University trying to get away from policing and become a tour guide. We think he may be the person who takes TJ and Nathan to Choquequiro in 2009. We gave him 2 pounds. Not sure whether that constituted a bribe - but it was in case we needed a police report. M´Lud.
Got to the airport in plenty of time (of course). Nathan persuaded Betsy to resist buying a Toblerone for 8
Waterfalls
... more waterfalls ... all very beautiful really .. quid.
Not sure what it is about Nathan - but the security lady spotted the Ingles - and started asking about Phil Collins lyrics (no joke). Proud to say we didn´t have the answer for her ....
And then flew to Lima ... and changed to Buenos Aires ... and then had the best flight ever (courtesy of LAN) who have very posh planes - like being in Business Class (would explain the cost of course).
And then landed in Argentina land. Where - at 11pm at night - it seemed like there had just been a football match or something - there were hundreds and hundreds of people - all seemingly waiting for a taxi to the city ... queued for 1 hour for a taxi ... and then got to our pikey accommodation (even Betsy agreed with this)
....but it´s hot here .... really hot .....
Mercury Count: Low - through to HIGH - We tried to put on the impression that it was summer in Cusco. Which confused our Peruvian Policeman Ronald. We were glad we did look like summer time people in BA ...
Oh - yes - there was Nathan smiling ..
... and going slightly pink ... even though we´d been there approx 2 hours ... some Queen playing in Cusco Airport too...
Day 35 - February 4th 2008 - Iguazu, Argentina Honestly, honestly - it was the time difference that made us get to the Aeroparque in Buenos Aires 3 hours before the domestic flight to Iguazu. Even Nathan doesn´t do silly things like that.
Although it was quite nice.
Our first taste of food in Argie land consituted 2 (ham and cheese) sandwiches (1 of which was toasted), a coffee, a fruit juice, a water and a (big) piece of Chocolate cake. No need by now to assign pieces of food to individuals on this trip - you can guess who had what.
Another 2 hour flight (need to plant some trees when we get home - big style - Mum T get planning!) and we landed in Puerto Iguazu and transferred to the hotel.
So there are some awe-inspring waterfalls in Iguazu (and then there is the story of Eleanor Roosevelt remarking "poor Niagra" when she first saw them). And of course - there are lots of them (270 of them across 2.7 km) - and they are all on the borders between Brazil, Paraguay and
See that Boat at the Bottom of this Piccy?
... it´s going into the waterfall and we´re on the boat! Argentina. This isn´t the main story here though.
It was 39 degrees centigrade.
The hotel had air conditioning, and a pool ... but sometimes you still had to go outside to see these there waterfalls. And it was 39 degrees C. Nathan doesn´t even like it hot - so when it´s that hot .....
Blue sky is sort of intoxicating though - so we did go outside - and went on a speedboat under one of the falls (San Martin). Lots of fun ... lots of shrieking from a party of Argie ladies made it less fun ... but maybe that´s the miserable side of Nathan.
Played tennis (Lizzy won - Mr Collins would have been proud - however she hardly made him eat those words about not being very good though ... and shouldn´t she be a model instead?).
Nathan went to the gym to release the frustration.
Food .. and then stared at the galaxies in the heavens (it´s not like looking at stars) ...
zzzz....
Mercury Count: Less humid heat ... more downright dry hot sun ... this is hot ... Nathan is scared ... the sun is going Devil´s Throat
... the largest of Iguazu´s 270 waterfalls to get him ... ...
Day 36 - February 5th 2008 - Iguazu, Argentina Not much to report today. We were lazy - and stayed by the pool ... all ... day (reminding ourselves that we were on holiday).
Nathan then had a haircut. He can´t deny that there were a few "Gi Gi" moments - particularly when Sonia (lady cutting the hair - who 'no habla Ingles') went near the side burns ... but all is well that ends well ...
Nathan burned in 39 degrees sun, Betsy got her base tan ... same old same old ... you know the drill.
Went into the town for dinner this evening - and Nathan had steak cooked in a huge outside BBQ.
Felt like we were on holiday in the taxi on the way home. After a great meal - with all the windows down in the taxi - wind whistling throughout the car - and the dial reading 28 degrees - at 11pm
Mercury Count: Hot ... and yes ... despite the best efforts (including factor 20 and lots of shade) ... the sun got Nathan today. It also got Betsy ... but her body seems to thrive on that ... and she is very brown....
Day 37 - February 6th 2008 - Buenos Aires, Argentina Tennis again this morning. Better performance. Same outcome.
Back to Buenos Aires - into a hotel in the centre. Out to do some shopping. Found Finn a Boca Juniors shirt as a congratulations for crawling. Wandered for a couple of hours and then went to the water front for some pizza.
The waiter was a Mexican - Sergio - who told us he was a member of the "Boca Hooligans Club" and he could get us tickets for a game (apparently - so far as we understood - he could do a good deal and get these tickets "very cheap").
We were put off this purchase when he told us that "these guys don´t mess around man". Not sure quite what this meant - but we won´t be going to a game with Sergio thanks.
He was (somehow) a Newcastle United supporter though who referred to all at the club as "we". "Hopefully we will have a good season next season with Keegan in charge"
Fat chance - he
Buenos Aires Waterfront ..
... from our pizza shop ... obviously doesn´t know anything about it either (cool it Si)
And the pizza was rubbish. No tomato and too much cheese.
Went to bed after watching England and Switzerland on TV.
Mercury Count: Still high ... but not as noticeable ... could Johnny be getting used to it?!
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tom c
non-member comment
...I've been told I've got to get on the case and hit the comments button more often. apparently my mum is better at updating the blog than me - thanks for the ticking off lizzy, and you mum. so anyway - I went on a pub crawl the other night and whats more i even crawled home at the end of the night ...did you see any boc j shirts in a adult medium? keep up the good work kids, mercury count here pretty low. I had to scrape ice of the seat of the vespa this morning before jumping aboard for work - not ideal. TC