Welcome to the jungle

Sort of foxy, sloth anteater type thing
see all photos »

[I'm liking the song title theme of my blogs, I might try and see how long I can keep it going!]

After a couple of relaxing days at Garden Hostel in Buenos Aires, including a good night out to the boho Aki-Bar in Palermo, I jumped on another 19-hour coach, this time due north east to Iguazu to see the famous falls.

(For the record, the food was beef and potatoes again (still good though), and the films were Woody Allen's new one 'Scoop' (first time I think I've managed to watch an entire Woody Allen film), and in the morning- to wake everyone up gently - 'Shooter' with Mark Whalberg.)

The Brazillian falls
see all photos »

Ciudad de Iguazu isn't exactly a city, just a small dusty town near the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay where people stay to see the falls.  As soon as I arrived, a guy walked in behind me as well who'd also just got into town.

Ben was a 74-year old Danish guy, now living in Perth, Western Australia. He looked a cross between Crocodile Dundee in his hat and utility waitcoat, and Einstein with his bright eyes and bright white tash.

He was keen to do something straight away, and although I hadn't planned on anything, agreed to go to Brazil (as you do) to see their side of the falls. So off we went, jumping on the border bus and having to go through two border checkpoints (fourth country stamp in four weeks!), then take a bus into Foz de Iquazu, the Brazilian town, and catch another one back out again to the falls.

Another day, another border control!
see all photos »

But still it was pretty impressive, and the low afternoon sun catching the spray from all the waterfalls. The whole place was very well organised, with open top buses and lookout points in the semi-jungle that made the whole place feel a bit (too much?) like Jurassic Park.  Seems Brazil and Argentina have a bit of an unspoken contest to make their own side the best!

Getting back proved more of a hassle. It was too dangerous we were told to jump off the bus at the crossroads and walk the few hundred yards to the border point, so we took it a bit further along to a hotel, crossed over and caught it there. And by the time we'd gone though customs again and waited for another bus, a 20 minute journey by taxi took us about an hour and half.