We awoke early on Sunday morning to prepare ourselves for a long journey by car, plane, and bus. We ate breakfast and then headed to the airport around 9:30am, knowing that our flight was at 12:00. But when we got to the airport, the lady at the ticket counter checked us in to the 11:35 flight...because there wasn't a 12:00 flight. A bit strange, but we went with the flow. We proceeded to our gate (with typical non-American very lax security...keep shoes on, belt on, phones in pockets, etc.). At the gate, however, the TV display said our flight was once again at 12:00. Our tickets read 11:35. Something wasn't right. I asked a guy working at the gate counter what time the flight is departing, and his already-classic response was, "Depende" (it depends). I asked him what, by chance, our flight time depended upon. He said "the plane." Which plane, I asked? "It depends on your flight," he responded. But I don't know what time my flight is because it says two different times...one on my ticket and boarding pass, and another on the monitor. So when should I line up to board? "Depende" he says. Really? I gave up and decided to follow the crowd! In the end, we did make it aboard the correct plane, which left late anyway...at 12:30.
Upon arrival in Iguazu 2 hours later, we first noticed the marked temperature change. In Buenos Aires it has been in the 50s every day, lows approaching the 30s at night. In Iguazu, it is tropical...and never gets below 60. During the day--even now in the "cold" season--highs are around 80. Beautiful!
We hopped on a bus to our hotel for the next couple nights, the 3-star Hotel Saint George, located in the charming little town of Puerto Iguazu (which is basically a tourist stopover grown up around the falls, with more restaurants than residents). It is a short 11 kilometers from the falls, which we would spend the day at tomorrow. But first, some exploring of Puerto Iguazu.
We dined at a marvelous restaurant specializing in...beef. Then we walked a scenic loop along a more tranquil part of the Iguazu River to the "Punto Tres Fronteras," the point where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. The sun was setting, and it was amazing to look across the river and see the different countries. Can you believe people actually live in such a fascinating place?
Notice in the photo below that people were just hanging out along the river drinking their "mate" (tea). Everyone here totes around a thermos of hot water and their little mate cup and straw. And I mean everyone! Punk teenagers, families with kids, grandparents...everyone!
Following our walk to the Tres Fronteras, we stopped in the town's central plaza where music and a puppet show for kids was just starting. In the photo below, see if you can spot Gemma...facing the wrong direction (but she didn't care!).
Then back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and hot tub, and some adult drinks for Pauli and Drew to celebrate being in the middle of the rainforest. Notice the hot tub's only rule on the sign behind us.
Monday morning dawned bright and beautiful. What a day to visit Iguazu Falls! After I went on an early-morning run through town and along the river, we enjoyed our hotel's gourmet spead for breakfast.
Notice the "mate" station at breakfast, in case you forgot your thermos:
Then we hopped on the bus to Parque Nacional de Iguazu. We paid the exorbitant 170 peso ($30) entrance fee for each of us, but knew it was worth it. The park has two main pathways, called Sendero Superior (along the top of the falls) and Sendero Inferior (to the bottom of the falls). We began with the Superior and meandered for about 45 minutes through jungle and along the river--pushing a stroller, mind you--to the opening of the falls. Or actually, Iguazu is actually a series of falls, each one more impressive than the last. The 1986 movie "The Mission" starring Jeremy Irons and Robert de Nero takes place here, and is about the Jesuit missions of the 1700s. In the movie the falls are impressive, but being here in person was simply more amazing than words could describe.
Some photos (which don't actually do the falls justice):
First, the walk to the falls, where we passed hundreds of butterflies, tropical birds, and many coatís, a cousin of the raccoon.
And then the falls!
Then the Sendero Inferior, along the bottom of the falls:
How breathtaking!
After seeing the falls (and losing and then finding Gemma's left shoe) we headed by bus back to our homebase in the town of Puerto Iguazu. A long day with lots of walking along trails, but certainly a day to remember!
We grabbed a pizza dinner and did some evening shopping in town, even though Isabel ran into a parked motorcycle handle because she forgot to look where she was going. Good thing we had just bought an ice cold beer for later that we could use as an icepack on her forehead!
After some playing in the hotel room and some quiet reminiscing about the day's events, it was time to call it a night.
Tuesday is another travel day, heading back home. But it also happens to be Pauli's 30th birthday! So we made it to the airport, flew home uneventfully, unpacked once back at our apartment, then went out to the park to play. Following this, we ate a pizza dinner and then found a little bakery and pastry shop so Pauli could buy herself a plateful of cookies for her birthday. We shared them around our kitchen table, and called it a night. It's amazing to think that we only have a few more days here in Buenos Aires before Part #2 of our trip, as we drive across the country. Not a bad first half, I'd say!
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