Brazil 2012: Iguazu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu)

Tuesday, July 10:   ARGENTINA View: Iguazu Falls  (Foz do Iguaçu)

After our tour at Itaipu Dam we caught the bus back to town and then decided to check out the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls.  In about the time it took us to figure out what bus line to use, our bus to Argentina arrived -- perfect timing.  At the border to Argentina the bus stopped, we all got off and filed through customs...then boarded the bus and away we went to the main bus terminal in Porta de Iguazu, Argentina!  Caught yet one more bus from there to the falls. 

We bought empanadas for lunch at the bus station while waiting for our bus

The Argentinian side of the falls is beautiful.  We walked and walked and walked and walked -- didn't keep track of all the distances but we wanted to see as much as possible so we didn't stay long at any one place -- we looked, took a few pictures, and then quickly set off to the next walking
loop/trail... 

 

 

And a few random non-Iguazu Falls sights along our walk......

The ever-present, ever-annoying coatis

The bird was joined by an alligator

 We finished our visit to the falls around 5:00, and then reversed the bus and customs process, returning to the bus terminal near our hotel around 6:30.  By then we were quite hungry, so we walked (more walking!!) straight to a restaurant for supper.  After we ate we just sat awhile, sort of comatose, at our table.  We had a very successful day-- saw many interesting things AND used public transportation (successfully!) to access everywhere we went!  We were also pleased to visit Argentina and get a new stamp in our passport!!  Fun.



Wednesday, July 11:  BRAZILIAN View:  Iguazu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu)

Today we visited the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls -- it was lovely. The sun was shining and the mist of the falls made a permanent rainbow in the falls -- and the weather was decent -- 62 degrees. 

Waiting at the bus terminal for the bus to Iguazu Falls



The windy ride on the upper level of the bus from the Visitor Center to the Falls

We walked along the viewing path which offered many striking panoramic views of the falls. 

 

You could walk out into the center of the mist (getting absolutely soaked in the process).  

 

We ate sandwiches at the falls for lunch, shopped awhile in the gift shop and then around 3:00 left the park to return to the hotel. 

The students wanted to do some souviner shopping and there were numerous booths and stores along our hotel street so we realized this might be one of their only chances to shop.  We found a Churrasco that served meat Rodizio style (something the students hadn't experienced yet).  It's a buffet with salad bar, and various casserole, potato, pasta, and veggie dishes.  The restaruant prepares different meats on the BBQ and then bring spears of hot sizzling meat around to the tables and slice/serve off the portion that you want -- for as long as you can eat!!!   We had cheese-filled chicken breasts, bacon wrapped chicken thighs, kielbasa/sausage, chicken hearts, and every cut of beef you could imagine-- they offered at least 6-8 different cuts.   For dessert there were a dozen or more tubs of ice cream.  It cost $10 US -- it was great!

Heading to Vitoria in the morning -- need to be ready to leave the hotel at 4:15 am!!!!