The Rise and Falls

Headed by bus from Rio to Foz Du Igazu.....22 hours on a bus we were both looking forward to this not!(At least it was one night´s less accommodation).

The bus stopped at least 10 times and we could have chopped off a couple of hours if the stops hadn´t taken place - we were an hour late in getting in. Both of us managed a little sleep. Arrived on Tuesday 08th March.

Decided to start slumming it a bit now and booked a hostel in Foz itself (the nicer one was booked up!!). So it was about a tenner for a double room with it´s own shower - you didn´t think we try the dorms now did you!! The sheets were a bit thin but other than that there was free (but very slow) internet access and they sold a big beer (660ml) for 75p who could want for more.

Headed off downtown in the blistering heat just below 40 deg cent and found that the main avenue (Av Brazil) was being dug up....not just the pavements but the road as well from one end of the avenue to another (and we thought that our roadworks were bad!)

On Wednesday decided to head to the Igazu falls. Got off the bus and started to walk along the path....was a little bit disappointed but they saved the best to last....when you rounded the final corner you saw huge falls which were absolutely amazing!! We were soaked to the skin and having a great laugh. We saw some racoons but Chris doesn´t think that they were! Headed back to the hotel as it was scorching and then walked the full length of the dug up Avenue Brazil.

We were trying to decide whether or not to stay another night and what other attractions there were to see when Chris spotted that we were in fact in close proximity to one of the seven modern wonders of the world....so we had to stay and see this. On Thursday we waited 45 mins for a bus (after having the name of the bus written down by the bloke on the front desk). We then asked a bus driver did he go to the Itiapu Dam - he nodded....there had been at least one of these buses every five minutes!!

We got there at 12 only to find out that you could only do set tours at 8,9,10 and then 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Spoke to an English couple who were also staying at the Hostel....what a laugh that was they arrived just after 11.

We decided that instead of waiting we would head into Paraguay which was just over the border....well it is another country and we just couldn´t resist it....So 45 mins later we get a bus back to the hostel for our passports and then another over the border to Paraguay (we didn´t even need the passports!). Guess what the main street in was completely dug up with red clay and dust everywhere.

We had a wander (again in the blistering heat it was well over 40 deg) and Chris was followed by people selling sports socks, lighters, the massaging headbrush which they held to your back and macaroon bars. It felt like the barras but much, much hotter. After buying headphones and finding no cafes we decided to head back on the bus which meant we only spent 1 hours 30 mins there!! It took us at least an hour to get back home on the bus and then another 30mins walk as the bus went to a different route. All in all a dead worthwhile journey - well we laughed anyway.

The food was ok in Foz - nothing brilliant and we often had a few cheap beers at the hostel. Spoke to the English couple who we met at the dam and an Irish guy who was on our bus on the way up from Rio. He told us that the Argentinian side of the falls was the best and we had heard this also from other folks.....several beers later we headed to bed.

Left for the dam the next day - what a hugh disappointment. You saw a video presentation about the dam which is the biggest in the world and provides both Brazil with 40% and Paraguay with 90% of their electricity. You then went on a bus and were allowed to go out at one point and take pictures of this masterpiece of concrete and steel....Back on the bus we went for a tour of the rest of the site including the top of the dam....just when we thought the bus was going to stop it turned around and back we went! We thought you´d get a look inside to see the turbines but no, no back to base we went! The tour was free but majorly disappointing.

Both of us decided to head to Puerto Igazu to see the Argentinian side of the falls.

After we reached the other side I wandered to find us somewhere to sleep....poor Spanish much gesturing later I had us booked in a wee place with clean sheets and at only seven quid a night who could complain. We headed out into 46 deg heat and found somewhere for food and to try and cool down. The Puerto Igazu is a wee sleepy village/town with a Sunday feel all day everyday.

Internet is cheap and fast and food has been great.

On Saturday went to the Argentina side of the falls...We couldn´t believe it!
What a fantastic time....the Brazil side was nothing in comparison to this. We walked for miles and saw some amazing sites. We also did a boat ride under the falls and were completely soaked at one point I felt as though someone had knocked me for six when we got under them fortunately we had rope handles. We saw a lizard pick up a frog with speed lightning and then eat it, a humming bird which we were not quick enough to get photos of and lots of birds (we don´t know their names but we´ll call them Senga and Daphne for the moment). We were in the park for over 8 hours and could have stayed for longer but we were getting too hot and our feet hurt!

Our final day after packing we decided to head off to a point where you can see Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay all at once. The walk didn´t look that long and we had several hours to kill so we started to wander. Chris felt a spit of rain the next thing there was a hugh bang right above us (it sounded like a shotgun) and I almost had a heart attack. The electric cable above us had gone with a huge spark - fortunately nothing fell onto us). The wind picked up huge amounts of dust were being blown about and the rain came from no where. It was bouncing!! We took some shelter and when it dropped to a drizzle continued our walk to the frontier point. The rain started to lash down and there was thunder for about ten minutes. We could just about see the Brazil side but no chance of seeing Paraguay due to the mist. Waited to see whether it would lift, but it didn´t so we got a bus back into town.
Spent the next couple of hours hiding in an internet cafe out of the rain - luckily it stopped for 10 mins or so whilst we struggled to the bus station with our bags (this was after us shipping some clothes to Houston as we had brought way too much stuff).

Return of the long bus journey....20 hours to Buenos Aires. We couldn´t believe this journey. Paid to have better seats which went back into a bed. Three English films, food including wine, blankets, pillows, breakfast and whisky before sundown....it was great. We both managed a decent sleep and arrived over an hour early.

Booking accommodation part 2.
Phoned a hotel - did not speak any English and managed to book a double room for 7 nights at 7.50 pounds (yes that is UK pounds). I´m only just glad that they had a room! Room is basic but clean.

Will write about our time in Buenos Aires early next week.

Joanne & Chris