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Published: November 6th 2005
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So we took a two day trip into Brazil to see the amazing Iguazu Falls - the largest natural waterfall in the world. It is situated in the rainforest between Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay and to see the whole thing you need to see it over two days - one day in Brazil and the other in Argentina.
We had met up with Rebecca in BA from our Kumuka tour and she decided to come with us. We were looking forward to a couple of days chilling in the Brazilan sunshine.
We were told to check in at the domestic airport one hour before our flight, however the tour company declined to tell us that they had booked Rebecca onto a different flight leaving from the international airport. Added to this, when we arrived at the airport we were told that all the flights to Iguazu had been overbooked and we couldn´t get on our flight and the next available one was the following day! Unbelievable that they can book you onto a flight, excursion, hotel etc, take your money and then when you turn up they tell you there is no space!!
Ella used her Spanish and
charmed her way to the front of the queue starting a fight amongst all the Argentinians behind. Eventually the woman at the check in felt bad enough that she called her manager. He put us on the next flight (an hour later) gave us breakfast and she upgraded us. Meanwhile poor Rebecca had to go across the city to the International Airport and get a different flight.
As we arrived in Brazil later than we should have done we hardly had any time to even put our bags down in the hotel before we were whisked off on the excursion to see the Brazilian side of the falls. The park had only just reopened after being closed for 2 weeks as the water had risen 15 meters higher than usual and it was too dangerous to get close to it.
We were still unable to see some of the park because the water was too high. The falls are spectuacular - carrying 80,000 cubic litres of water per second. The weather was lovely at 81 degrees and the scenery was very lush and green compared to Chile and everywhere else we have seen in South America.
When
The Iguazu Falls - Brazilian side
The largest natural water fall in the world we got back to the hotel we had a message from Rebecca to say that on arrival at the international airport she was then sent back to the domestic one where they told her she should have been at the domsetic one all along and they couldn´t get her a flight until the next day. So in the end the poor girl had to abandon the trip all together and try to get the money back from the tour company.
To say our hotel was 4 star was something of an overstatement - it actually reminded us of Butlins with dodgy beds with foam pillows, and everyone fighting for a table and their food at the buffet style restaurant for dinner.
As there were no free tables Ella found us a space at a table with an Argentinian couple, and asked if we could sit with them. We had just got settled and started tucking in to our mish mash of a dinner - salad, chicken, beef stew, mash potato, when suddenly the rest of their family turned up and squashed around the table with us! How embarrassed we were as they obviously didn´t have room for us!
They were very hospitable though, even offering us their beer, but we motored through our dinner and got outta there as fast as we could. Not too fast to witness them consume about 14 pieces of fried chicken and 5 plates of mash potato between four of them! So its not just the Brits that go mad when its an all you can eat buffet then!
That night we ventured into the town of Iguazu to use the internet and have a drink at the local hang out - Capitiao - or the Captain. Caphirina is the local tipple and we had a banana one (a bit strange but nice) whilst watching 80´s pop videos on the huge screen.
The next day we had our excursion to the Argentinian side of the falls. We started the day thinking we´d missed our tour as there was no one else from our group in sight when we turned up at reception 2 minutes late. We spent the next hour trying to get in touch with the tour company via the hotel reception, but as it turned out we were actually and hour early. There is an hour´s time difference between
Brazil and Argentina, and although we were staying in Brazil, the tour company had given us an itinerary based on Argentina time - Doh!
Panic over, we departed for Argentina and spent the day at the Iguazu National Park viewing the falls from the top and then from the lower level. The park is very well done as they have built walkways so you can get right up close to the waterfalls (which also means you get completely soaked) but it doesn´t detract from the natural beauty of the site. As the falls are in a rainforest there is loads of wildlife to see including over 800 types of butterfly, monkeys, lizards snakes etc.
In the afternoon we took a speedboat ride right into the falls. They spin round and take corners at speed so that you get as wet as possible. No need really considering the vast amounts of water that cover you as soon as you go near the Devils throat (centre).
The next morning we left for our final tango with Buenos Aires.
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Cynthia
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Hi girls I have been so busy at work and only today had time to see this photos. What a beautiful place, I cannot believe I've never been there. I'm off to BA next Friday and a young argentinian guy (friend of a friend) is goign to shown me around :) any recomendations? kisses Cy x