Corrientes to Posadas

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The overnight trip from Corrientes turned out to be even longer than planned. The rain started about an hour after we left Salta and was torrential at times, when you woke up in the night you could hear it hammering on the bus roof and the swishing of the wheels. Awoke in the morning to see a very green and lush landscape - with lots of water.

Arrived in Corrientes a couple of hours late but by the time we had checked into our hotel and had showers we felt re-humanised. It doesn´t seem that many European tourists come this way but the city has got some really nice early 20th century buidings and a scenic river front. We did the usual which included walking to find the cinema (the usual horror movies are still on), the casino and cinema are combined in a bizarre mix of architectural styles. Had a nice "executive" fixed price lunch and then joined the rest of the town in a siesta. In the evening we went in search of the wine bar Enofilas at the address in Lonely Planet. After the walk we found a derelict building but a very kind local told us that it had moved and where it had moved to. Tracked it down and had some very nice wines by the glass and a tasty picada.

Next day dawned very bright and blue. We went in search of the artisan museum and others, found them all, and they were all closed for the holidays. Hot hot hot so we retreated to try some of the local chipas - cheesy pastries - before the siests urge hit. During the siesta the rain came. On another walk we bumped into Ian and Sarah who we had met at Finca Santa Anita, they were between night buses. Arranged a drink with them and put the world to rights until they went off to catch the midnight bus to Iguazu.

Next morning we caught the bus to Posadas, only four hours according to the timetable. Well it probably would have been if we hadn´t set off 45 minutes late and then the driver made a hash of a three point turn on a narrow part of the road, to try and get somebody back to their stop in the previous town - which they had missed by sleeping. He managed to get the bus well and truly bogged down on the verge. The first rescue attempt by another Rio Uruguay bus failed and eventually the bus driver managed to induce a passing truck driver to stop. Amazing what a few sandwiches and a bottle of fanta can do at times. This guy knew what he was doing and soon pulled the bus back onto the road. That was not much fun but at least it was daytime and it was sunny.

Arrived in Posadas to find it is quite modern, at least the city centre is, and steaming hot. First stop on the orientation walk was the icecream shop. One of the main reasons for coming here was to organise a trip to see the ruins of Jesuit Missions. However we could not find a single agency open so after a while we went to the tourist office. They told us about local buses so we decided we would do our own trip.

In the evening we headed back to the main square and found a restaurant full of locals where we had the local specials including spit roast stuffed chicken and fried manioc root. We even remembered to put our watches forward at midnight as Argentine switched, as an innovation, to daylight saving. Only announced about three weeks ago, became law last week and bingo it happened. Can´t imagine the politicians doing anything that decisive at home.

About 10 minutes after we got through the door to the hotel a thunderstorm started and it lasted all night. Amazing amounts of rain. However we were determined to get to San Ignacio the next morning to see the Mission there so we set out with umbrellas and sensible shoes. After an hour on the bus we arrived. Walked out, in the rain,to the ruins which cover a pretty big area, quite impressive and easy to imagine what it must have been like around 250 to 300 years ago. The church itself is over 70m long. Harder to imagine how a small handful of priests managed to organise and run a place this size with thousands of the local Guarani and slaves as well. All without any MS Office products.

After a good wander round and some lunch we headed back to Posadas. Managed to catch the bus into the centre of town that takes an extended route, we decided that the No7 bus is the cheap version of the city tour. Sadly Susan was taken out for the evening by a tummy bug, fortunately it was of the short lived variety so the next morning we were fit to get the next bus to Puerto Iguazu.

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Photos

"I don´t think you wanted to do that"
I think this is a failure on the test

San Ignacio Mini
Living quarters - for the slaves