May the Foz (Iguazu) be with you

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Day 70-71

After a night bus we arrive in Puerto Iguazu at 8am, find our hostel ‘Si Mi Capitan’ and are told we can’t check in till 3pm - luckily we are able to have a shower before we head off to the falls.

The book says that there is a lot of wildlife (snakes, spiders, pumas) in the surrounding forest and feeling slightly nervous we set off on a walk to see our first views of the falls from the lower walkways. Almost immediately we see two racoon-like creatures, and stop to take their picture (we later see a woman feeding one a crisp and it nearly takes her hand off, so they are not as friendly as they look). We also see loads of beautiful butterflies from bright blue (and the size of small birds) to the 88 butterflies which flap around you like flies... and several toucans! It is absolutely roasting hot and humid thus my phrase of the day becomes ‘I’m too hot’, and Si kindly nicknames me ‘sweaty’. We are captivated by the first glimpse of the waterfalls, and it just gets better as we progress first to the upper walkways (where you look down on the falls) and then via the tourist train to the final stop to see the Devil’s throat – where huge volumes of water crash and cause so much spray that the bottom of the falls is obscured from view.

Back at our lovely cabin (complete with dining table and min-bar) the torrential rain starts (with lots of thunder) and we decide to eat at the hotel.

Day 72

Wake up to yet more torrential rain and decide to have a chilled day. Luckily there are a few English films on cable and so after a lovely breakfast we settle in to wait for the rain to stop. The rain stops at 4 and we venture out to get some food. We decide on an Italian place and Si orders a bacon pizza. What arrives is a pizza with 3 inch squares of pure fat on top. After some encouragement from me he plucks up the courage to complain and show the waiter. Initially the waiter says, ‘is bacon’, to which Si replies, ‘todo grassa’ (all fat), and once the waiter takes a closer look he seems to agree and takes the pizza off to change. The pizza comes back (with some actual meat on) and Si tucks in, although he is then paranoid that they have done something to the pizza, complaining that he feels ‘weird’ when we leave the restaurant. I persuade him that it is highly unlikely that they have drugged/poisoned him and cheer him up by taking him to a bar to play Yahtzee and have a beer.

Day 73

We catch the bus to Brazil, check into our hostel and then catch another bus to the Brazilian side of the falls. On the tourist bus the woman gives us information, including saying not to feed the coatis (racoon-thingys) or eat in front of them as they can get aggressive. When we get off the bus I have started to feel hungry and so buy myself some nuts. I take care to look around to make sure there are no Coaties about, but as I am putting the nuts back in my pocket I nearly have a heart attack when a Coati has sneaked up on my blind side and is on its hind legs, at my side, literally cm’s from my fingers. I let out a girl scream and run away and the thing chases me! I climb some steps and ask Si to help me, but he is taking photos and laughing... I stare down the Coati and thankfully it loses interest. Heart pounding we continue the walk and get to see the most amazing views of the falls. Seeing the falls from the other side lets you see their scale better, and on a walkway which takes you to the side of Devil’s throat we get soaked... Get the bus back to town and check out our room – turns out the bed is literally just a base (and it feels like a board) so I ask downstairs for a mattress (which we are promised later). We both agree that there is no way we can sleep on such an uncomfortable bed and then promptly fall asleep for a 2 hour afternoon doze! Later in the hostel bar and restaurant I try my first caipirinha and we sample a local Brazilian fish stew, which is delicious... and I can’t help thinking that I’m going to like Brazil. Next stop Rio!!

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Comments

[Gran]

Scary!
What strange creatures but I love their tails.Had long talk with your Mum on Mothering Sunday. She's missing you! So am I .Lots of love

[Helen]

Haaa - you do not look impressed! I would probably have done the same though :-D