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Anna's blog: We arrived to sunny blue skies and a hot sticky day at the Brazilian side of Iguazu falls. Tom and I quickly dumped our plans to base ourselves on the Brazilian side of the falls and randomly decided to follow some people we had met on the bus who believed everything was cheaper (and the tea was potable) on the Argentinian side. It was to be a small matter of a bus journey... two hours later, after three bus changes, two border control queues and a 45 minute wait for the particular bus company we had happened to pay to get us to the border, we made it sweaty, red and slightly sunburned outside a resort of a hostel. A giant pool greeted us in front of a large open atrium complete with free internet, pool tables and a bar - backpacker paradise... if you don't mind swimming with huge furry caterpillars. It is an unrepeatable experience I can assure you... unless you're Tom Hughes who enjoyed his up close encounter. Wildlife aside, we enjoyed our first Argentinian cerveza by the poolside with our new friends.
The next day we awoke with our purpose in mind - the great Iguazu falls. The Rio Iguazu feeds the Iguazu falls and forms the border between Argentina and Brazil. Each has different vantage points and we were set on seeing it all. Thus it was after a free hostel breakfast of frosties (slightly stale), a banana, an odd pot of something called Dolce de Leche and a laundry detergent style plastic cup of orange squash (not the freshly pressed juice we were used to in Brazil here!) that we set off.
If I was to use one word to describe the Brazilian side of the falls it would be magnificent - they were immense. The park had made the most of it with miles of board walks lining the cliffs opposite bringing you closer and closer until you were suspended over the top watching the water plummet beneath your feet. An unforgettable experience. With the Argentinian side however, it was all about getting up close and personal. Wire walkways bridged across the tops of all the cataracts allowing you to see the water falling hundreds of metres below in a heady experience. Not for the faint hearted. A suped up speedboat with nothing but a lifejacket and dry bag tore us through the rapids at speed and rejoiced in bringing us into the falls not once, not twice but seven agonising times. It was probably one of our more stupid ideas, but to feel the powerful flow of the Gargantan de Diablo (Devils throat) was awe inspiring...although once would probably have done it (gosh darn our refusal to invest the 1 quid in a plastic poncho) - we left the park soaked through.
The evening saw us at a lovely restaurant in the main town with our new friends, Chrissy and Alex, for Alex's birthday. We were all ridiculously excited about our first chunk of Argentinian steak and were suitably impressed when a two inch chunk of beef sirloin was presented (perfectly cooked and seasoned of course). The wine is delicious and cheap and I finally seem to be able to successfully order the stuff now we're a spanish speaking country. I could really like it here! The only warning I would give to other travellers in Argentina is to tell them about a popular drink called Faixacola - a herbal spirit that is mixed with cola...it's horrible. Tastes like tcp or corsodyl. Definitely don't order it and definitely, definitely don't convince your new friends to order one each. Happy Birthday Alex.
Departing the falls meant saying goodbye to our Brazilian leg of the journey. A crazy, amazing, colourful and fruity place, but we had other things to see...next stop...Buenos Aires.
Dawn broke on our ninth day in South America overlooking the fantastic vista of Buenos Aires from the top of a double decker luxury coach (movies, food brought to your seat, champagne with dinner, I didn't want to get off!). BA is known as the Paris of South America, but this isn't to do it justice. Within hours we were strolling through a bustling metropolis, business men and women going to work (although why everyone was wearing coats, hats, scarves and gloves on a 20 degree clear sunny day is something we have yet to work out). It seems here that window cleaners to bankers all walk with a sense of pride, dignity and purpose. Buildings were tall and proud, a mixture of old European facades, wrought iron balconies mixed with modern glass fronted sky scrapers making up the city skyline. Within moments we were in lush parkland - Recoleta (Ritzy Recoleta) an upmarket neighbourhood that houses the famous cemetery within which Evita is buried.
Naturally, we couldn't come all this way and not see it. Nothing could have prepared us for what greeted us inside - a miniature city of mauseleums - huge monumental buildings housing deceased important figures from Argentina's past as well as rich Portena families. The buildings stood up to 10 metres tall in some cases, based on Roman palladiums, gothic turrets, marble houses or stone villas - frequently with some religious icon (Argentina is predominently catholic). Evita's grave had fresh flowers and was naturally the main attraction.
Ritzy Recolata soon gave way to trendy Palermo and we found ourselves surrounded by joggers, rollerbladers, bikers and professional dog walkers (taking 15 dogs at a time - a sight to behold) strolling around the lago de Palermo (lake). It was easy to forget we were in South America such was the beguiling nature of this charming city. European style but with a backbone of Argentinian charm and South American reality (the bus drivers are pr1ck5 and the traffic is hell on earth). This is a country to which history has not been kind, however looking around at the friendly, contented Portenos (BA citizens), why would you want to be anywhere else?
It certainly feels that way now, sipping a 2 quid appletini in our vibrant hostel in the centre of town. We played the honeymoon card well here and won a discount and surprise bottle of wine in our room. I think I could really like it here! Don't feel sorry for us though as we're planning a steak dinner and you know how hard it can be deciding between sirloin or tenderloin, and then there is the wine to go with it - Malbec or not to Malbec? Life is tough on the road...if you're a teetotal vegetarian...Much love, Mrs Hughes xx
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Rosemary Davies Well Mrs Hughes, you do make one feel that one has missed out somewhere, not ever having been to South America. Perhaps it will have to go on our 'to do' list. Can't wait for the next instalment!