Buses, Beauty, Brazil and Bandoleons!

I have returned from a weekend away in the tropics, a four day excursion to Iguazu Falls, a huge complex of waterways ending in an amphitheatre of waterfalls, cascades and wonder! As you may have realised, the Argentina/Brazil border is not exactly "just outside" BA, in fact it is around a 20 hour bus journey so for a weekend trip it was a little epic, a mini adventure.

Ruinas de San Ignacio

We were, a principio, four; me, Laura, Fanny and Pamela from our flat and we met Wioleta and her two French flat mates up north. Seven in total. On this mini adventure the first important esson we learnt was that Argentinian buses are the bees knees. There is a huge variety of companies, lines, hours, and types. We opted for "cama" with Via Bariloche, a reputable company with shiny green logos. It was amazing, a huge comfy seat at the front of a double decker bus with views, blankets, pillows, dinner (well...plane like food...but with wine!) breakfast, ridiculous American action films/ridiculous American romance/feelgood films and a healthy slice of late night cumbia and Luis Miguel. The journey was a like a dream, I slept a lot.

Iguazu from Argentina

We arrived into the town of Posadas in the afternoon of Friday, much later than expected, a bridge had collapsed somewhere and we had to go an alternative route and an hour later, after a small bus related argument, we arrived at the Jesuit ruins (on a different bus). They reminded me of the Mayan ruins in Mexico but more...jesuity I guess. Lots of grass and temperaturas comparable with a British summer. Ridiculous. After a few more bus related issues and some time at the side of a large road in the pitch dark, we arrived late evening to Puerto Iguaza, the small, dusty town on the Argentinian side of the Rio Iguazu and slept until morn.

Argentinian side otra vez

Saturday we saw the Argentinian side and Sunday from Brazil, the river marks the border so both compete for their slice of the immense tourist pie. Despite the well marked out trails, the queues for your spot on the railings overlooking another view and the rather theme park like set up, you cannot fail to be impressed by the sheer power of the place. As a spectacle it is incredible, it puts mankind in its place. Nature rules. Amazing to imagine the very first humans to set eyes on it, indigenous no doubt (the name comes from the Gurani for Big and Water..simple but quite true), but easier to imagine the first Spaniards/Portuguese explorers/conquistadores/invaders stumbling accross this place. Here is a place for which the word awesome should be reserved, not as a throw away word for anything remotely cool or useful. (see Eddie Izzard :) ) We saw a durante of Toucan's (well...2) , a wake/venue/committee of vultures, a rainbow of butterflies, a clew of worms, a crocodile (only one :( but we did see it twice so perhaps it counts as a float of crocodiles) and a gaggle of tourists! (collective nouns!!)

Crocodile watching tourists or tourists watching crocodile?

Photos do not really do it justice, but I took plenty, despite foolishly not charging my camera, lots of speed snapping. On Sunday we took the opportunity to cross into Brazil, first time but hopefully not the last! It was different, the falls had fewer walkways and were further away but a rather excellent perspective and the photo opps were rife, as were the worms by the path...
The town/city Foz de Iguazu was like a ghost town, everything closed for Sunday, it did not appear too impressive as a first impression of Brazil BUT we found a little bar and had coco de leite, a coconut milkshake, delicious. The language was hard to understand, lots of accidental graciasss instead of obrigados but amazing to hear it spoken, for real, in Brazil! Exciting times. Hostel was ok, like a hostel I guess, not much to tell.

Iguazu from Brazil

Monday we realised we had little left to do and that Puerto Iguazu is a town built on the falls (not
literally but how much more exciting the place would be if it was!) We did however visit the point where the three countries, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet. The two rivers join (Parana and Iguazu) and the three countries are separated along this natural border, there are three obelisks, each painted with the flat of the respective country. That is about it. For me, it was exciting to feel and think that I am actually standing looking at these countries I have seen on maps for so long, Paraguay! Brazil! Argentina! I keep forgetting where I am (once again not literally, like on a small, day-to-day scale but on a rather bigger scale, e.g. Latin America!) For me it is a dream come true and I intend to make the most of it!

The sun sets on our trip...well I took this on the first day but whatever, the sun did set on our last day, I can guarantee you that!

We returned Monday eve/Tuesday morn, mas rapido and with the same sleep filled, violent/wine drenched (stupid films!) luxury of the Argentinian buses and came to the conclusion that for a weekend break, Iguazu aint bad. Suerte! Back to classes and BA life again, though I missed a class today and I keep getting all mixed up with times and dates, sure it will work itself out, just need a little more motivation to get up early and do..stuff! In other news, we just got back from a free electronic-tango concert, electronic being the guitar/bass and occasional laptop fiddlings. It was OK, lovely to see/hear the Bandoleon/Piano action live but the band (Narcotango) were a little proggy and they had a VERY cheesy lead guitarist, think lots of picking and needless excess, however, it was intersting stuff. It was part of the Tango Festival which is on here until the 24th, there is always stuff on! Hopefully check something else out. Tomorrow I have to go to migration and plead my case to be allowed to remain for the year, bluddy hope so the amount of paper and stupid bureaucracy I have had to go through! Watch this space!

Narcotango performing live, en vivo!