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Published: February 21st 2007
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This day was dedicated to exploring Foz do Iguaçu, as the name suggests, from the Brazilian side. Our first stop was at "Canyon Iguaçu" to go abseiling aka rappelling. Vic and I, especially, were very excited about going abseiling. However, Talal did not share our enthusiasm for rappelling as he has a fear of highs. Nevertheless, he decided to come with us.
After purchasing our tickets for the abseiling we walked through a sub-tropical forest until the first view of the Iguassu Falls was revealed before our eyes. I was most excited, needless to say. After all, I've been dreaming since I was 12-13 years old to see the Niagara Falls and never have made it there and now I was seeing waterfalls that are supposed to be even more amazing than the Niagara Falls! Everyone who'd I met and had seen both told me that. I also just found this on the internet: The Niagara Falls, compared to the Iguassu Falls are a "leaky faucet" in Eleanor Roosevelt's words.
Without too much ado (i.e. taking photos ), we headed to the platform from where we'd rappel. I let Vic and Talal go first together so that none
of them gives up. In fact, Talal tried to give up as soon as his bottom was hanging in the air. The instructor did not give Talal much option and reassured him that he will be just fine and obstructed the entry/exit as Talal attempted to climb back up on the platform! Talal's decent was pretty fast as if he was racing and reached the bottom much faster than Vic who had left before him. She was enjoying the views and taking her time whist rappelling. Once, they'd got off the ropes, it was my turn. Admittedly, those first seconds whist your body is hanging out of the platform but your legs are still stepping on the metal bars of the platform are somewhat horrifying. Once you let them hang freely in the air, it's plain sailing! No fear, no worries! Just enjoyment of the stunning views of the waterfalls on the Argentinean side and looking at the boats cruising the river, approaching the Devil's gorge and showering the passengers under the waterfalls.
The non-monetary price I paid for the abseiling was a nice scratch from the rope rubbing against the skin of my right hip, as well as
some wearing off of my top and trousers for the same reason.
Once we were done with the abseiling, we continued our walk along the walkway heading closer to the waterfalls. We saw many coatis all around. They did not approach us for food, but were not fearful of us and walked freely not too far away. It is forbidden to feed the coatis.
We had almost reached the place where there is a walkway and an elevator to get closer views of the falls, when Vic felt quite unwell and we went to get some food and rest a while. And just as well, had we stayed another couple of minutes longer under the sky, we would have gotten completely drenched as if the sky had open and rained very heavily. People started rushing to hide under a shelter as we were eating our lunch in an outdoor but covered area, where we waited until the rain stopped and the skies cleared a little.
We then headed to the catwalk and the close up view of the waterfalls. Vic was horrified and paid almost no attention to the waterfalls which were a probably about 5-10m away
from us. She had noticed massive long-legged spiders and with relatively big bodies. Vic would hardly stay still for the photos even though the spiders did not climb up and were 50cm or more under us. Yet, I must admit the view of all those spiders was not a comforting one, even though they did not seem to be approaching us and were still. We took the elevator to go on the catwalk downstairs much closer just above the river and it also takes you to the middle of the river and the Argentinean border and gives an amazing view of the Devils' gorge.
It drizzled a little. It was hot and humid. Vic was with her raincoat and I was in my bikini top. Different ways of dealing with the water.
In the afternoon, we tried Pão de Queijo from a little bakery-kind of place. Unfortunately, only two out of the six balls were hot and the others were cold. Nothing particularly great, in Vic's and my opinion, not sure what others brag about exactly.
In the evening, we walked around town to look for a better place to eat than the previous night. When we
went to the centre we felt like in a ghost town. It was completely deserted. All the shops were closed apart from one single pharmacy. There was a man, I am guess he was a security guard, with a chair and a TV on the street. We went to a restaurant I had spotted earlier that day, which had live music a man playing the guitar and a woman singing - some of the songs were in English but most were in Spanish. She had a beautiful voice. The performance was fantastic. We stayed much longer talking and listening to the music after having finished our delicious food.
That evening, Vic went to bed, whilst Talal and I had a caipirinha and talked with Linda, an American from Oriental origins and the Argentineans running the hostel and its bar.
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