Buenos Aires-Iguazu Day 3
Buenos Aires-Iguazu
Post Trip OAT Day 3 - Sunday, December 16, 2007 - Fly to Iguaçu Falls - Discover Argentinean Side of Falls - Optional Folklore Show
We had a very leisurely morning because we did not have to leave the hotel until 10:30. After breakfast we checked our mail one last time and then packed up our small bags for the flight to Brazil.
I took our large bags to the front desk for storage for the next few days and we had breakfast and talked to Raj. At 10:15 everyone was ready so we got onto the bus for the airport.
Instead of flying out of the large Buenos Aires airport, we went to Aeroparque where we took a LAN flight to the last country on our adventure - Brasil.
Because this small airport is in the center of the city we had great aerial views of this huge metropolitan area when we took off at 12:25. The flight was not full so we had lots of room for a small carry-on bag and a seat between us.
We arrived at the Argentinean side of the Iguaçu and met our OAT local guide, Nuxa. She explained to us about the program we would have for the next two days. We drove through the humid dense jungle and reached the Iguaçu National Park right away.
We stood in line to wait for the Park train. The weather was hot and humid in this jungle, 92°, 55% humidity and no wind at all, calculating the heat stress index at 102°!
We got on the train at 3 PM and then rode to the Garganta del Diablo (“Devil’s Throat”) station. We got off the train and walked along the top of the river on sturdy walkways and through the jungle for about an hour.
Finally we were able to hear and then see the first of the incredible falls of Iguaçu. The water comes down the river peacefully and then suddenly there is a steep drop off to the rocks below.
Located on the Argentina/Brazil border, the falls at Iguaçu are among the world’s most impressive sights—twice as high as Niagara Falls and 65 feet wider.
We spent two hours on a walk along the Argentinean side. The water plunges 230 feet into a roiling cauldron. With the spray flying up to 50 feet above our heads and rainbows dancing in it, the view here was breathtaking!
We took lots of photos and saw several varieties of birds. I caught a great picture of an Aningha, a cormorant like bird catching a fish. He banged the fish on a rock and finally swallowed it.
At 4:30 we got back on the little train and head back to the parking area. There native Indians were selling their wares and the children were singing and dancing.
Our bus was waiting for us with the A/C on which was a welcome relief after hiking through the Park. We were on our way to the Brasilian side of the Parana River.
When we crossed the border, Maria Elena took our passport to get stamped by the Argentine guards. During the wait Nuxa took our order for dinner this evening.
At 6 PM we entered the Brasilian state of Parana. We had to get off the bus and present ourselves and our passports with Brasilian visas to the border guards. I was the first through the line and it took a few minutes to talk my way into the good graces of the agent.
After a few minutes we were on our way to the hotel. We arrived at 7:20 and had just a few minutes to take a shower. At 7:50 we met at the hotel lobby for our optional dinner and cabaret show.
The show at the Plaza Foz was a combination of music and folk dancing from the three countries whose borders meet at the Falls. Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil were represented in the dinner show.
We got out of the show at 11PM and after 20 minutes we were back at our hotel and ready to capture another long day in the journal.
Accommodations: Bourbon Hotel - - - Meal: B
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Map - Iguaçu Falls
Airport in Iguaçu, Argentina
Train to the Falls
Center of the Garganta del Diablo
An Aningha After Fishing
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