3 Countries In 2 Days

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After flying down from the Amazon in the north of Brazil we arrived in Sao Paulo, the third largest city on earth. Its home to over 17 million people and home to a large Japanese population, complete with it own Japan Town. Its also one of the most dangerous cities in the world. While we were there though we were surprised by how clean and safe it seemed, and the underground tube was the fastest and most efficient I have seen anywhere in the world. We really just skimmed the surface of the city, but after spending so much time in the north of Brazil, the best thing about Sao Paulo for us was being able to eat something other that rice, beans and meat from a rat infested kitchen.

We spent two days there, and on the day we were going to leave they were setting up for a street party to be held that night. We were tempted to stay for another night, but we knew it was time to move on. That night, we caught a bus to Foz de Iguaçu, home of the Iguaçu Falls and the border town between Brazil and Argentina and Paraguay. On the bus, we entertained the idea of arriving the next morning, having breakfast in Brazil, hopping over the border into Paraguay for lunch and then over to Argentina for dinner.

Foz De Iguaçu is a town on the border of Paraguay (Ciudade De Este is on the other side) and Argentina (Puerto Iguaçu). When we arrived in Foz and checked into our hotel that morning, we dumped our bags and turned on the tele. What I saw on the news made me laugh (but freak out at the same time). Firstly there was footage of Sao Paulo, showing riots, cars on fire and street violence in the city during the street party that was held the previous night (that we almost stayed for). Secondly was some footage of 9 murdered kidnappers in Ciudad de Este, Paraguay (the place we were going to go for lunch). Well we change our lunch plans for the day and went to Brazilian side of the falls… and we were back on the tourist trail again…. There were tourists everywhere! It was fantastic though, really beautiful and the sound of the falls is amazing.

The next day we visited Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam which is cool but unusual; when you are there you are in both countries at the same time (its binational area between Paraguay and Brasil). Later that day we FINALLY got stamped out of Brazil (after being there for two months) and crossed the border into Argentina.

The Argentinean side was different…. Food was good, coffee was fantastic and mate was everywhere and drunk by everyone. This side of the falls did not let us down, it felt like the end of the earth. While exploring the falls we splurged on a buffet lunch at the Sheraton Hotel, with a view to die for: Argentina on one side, Brazil on the other and the falls in the middle.

After a good look at the falls we decided to check out Paraguay (I was hoping the killings had stopped now, at least for a couple days), so the next day we caught a local bus from Argentina, which passed through Brazil via a bridge, and then over another bridge to Ciudade de Este, Paraguay. The bridge was crazy, people were suspiciously carting boxes of god knows what over the bridge, people were lowering bundles over the bridge down to the land/river below. Anyway we got dropped off in the centre of town and told “immigration that way”… but in reality I don’t think they cared who crossed the border or whether or not you got your passport stamped on arrival. Hello Paraguay.

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Photos

Me And the Three Countries
A photo of me in Argentina. Behind me on the left is Paraguay, on the right is Brasil.

Iguazu Falls
Overview of part of the falls (Brazilian side)

Iguazu Falls Up Close
Close up of the falls... (Brazilian side)

Iguazu Falls Again
On the Argentina this time.

More Iguazu Falls
Also on Argentina side.

On To Paraguay
Jeff looking excited as we head from Argentina (through Brasil) to Paraguay (Ciudad de Este).