Day 100 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (26 June 2012)

Day 100 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (26 June 2012)

We awake this morning and get ready for our favela tour.  We were to be picked up at 9am and taken to a slum neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro.  We wait, wait and wait, and finally at 10am our tour guide arrives.  We go outside and to our surprise he picks us up in his personal car.  There were three of us from the hostel, an Asian girl, Ann and myself.  The guy asks us what neighbourhood we want to go to and we say Richoleta, which is the largest slum suburb in the world.  As we were driving to the slum’s, which was about half an hour away, the tour guide was giving us a guide of the city and showing us important buildings and places which was a bit of a bonus.  Also getting a trip through some parts of the city that we would have otherwise not have seen was a bonus too.  We arrived at a neighbourhood which was the richest neighbourhood in Rio.  We continue driving and we exit the rich part of town, turn the corner and we are in the slums.  “Welcome to Richoleta”, our guide Joel proclaims.  We were certainly in the slums now, and what a contrast to around the corner in the rich neighbourhood!  We parked the car close to the outskirts of the suburb, fair enough, I would do the same thing, in fact I don’t think I would park the car there at all! We had been informed and told by other travellers that there was no danger at all in coming to the slums.  The reason being the slums do not try and rob the tourist as if this happens the tourists will not come and visit the area.  Also in exchange for the slums good behaviour the tour guide pays them each time they visit.  I’m more than happy with that.  We parked the car outside a market area where some pretty talented slums had done some paintings of the favelas and the mountains surrounding.  Here we also got some history of the area including how the slum neighbourhood first arose.  This came from back about 100 years ago when the city was not as big and the most valuable land was on the flat and by the beach.  At this time this more valuable land was rural where sugarcanes and coffee fields were located.  Also being close to the beach would be a good thing too.  The cheapest land available was on the mountainous land in the hills, so they bought the land and built there.  This land was dirt cheap as it was not in the city and seen as unusable at the time.  The land however has spectacular views of the now city, beach and ocean and also has fantastic mountains surrounding the area creating a fantastic location.  Pity about the residents and the dwellings!  In saying that the residents were no hassle at all, just a bit of starring at the foreigners but they would see this every day.  We then walked to a medical centre and the water station.  This water station collects water from the hills and distributes it to residents for free.  It is clean and drinkable water.  As we were walking around the streets one noticeable feature was the incredible amount of power lines hanging overhead, I wouldn’t want to be an electrician in this area.

We walked up a hill, appreciating the fantastic views as we ascended, and then went into one of the slums homes.  This was an interesting experience (as if the visit to the neighbourhood wasn’t an interesting enough experience!).  We walked in and there was nothing on the first floor apart from a pile of bricks and some washing on the line.  It was effectively shelter.  We climbed on the roof (via stairs) and once again admired a great view.  When on the roof I realised how many homes had satellites on their roofs.  How could these slums afford pay tv? I decided to ask Joel our guide.  Apparently the pay tv network have a very good deal for the slums for pay tv.  This keeps them busy and out of crime.  If the crime rises, the deal expires. 

We then walked into the ‘commercial hub’ of the suburb.  Shops were selling the usual goods, fish and meat were sold unpackaged on the street and there was just a generally dirty smell and feel.  We walked down an alley way, here we got to see some shops and homes up close.  Not the cleanest of conditions and I reckon health and safety would have a field day!  We did come to a locals home and he let us on his roof for a look, for a small fee.  We continued down the alley and came to some teenagers who wanted to play some music to us, using some tin and an old paint can.  Considering the circumstances they did a good job, and there were two younger kids dancing around while they were playing, they had smiles on their faces and were having a great time so at least they appeared happy.  We continued walking and seeing the same old thing, a lot of poverty.  We then walked back to the car, the tour was over and we were driving ack into the city.  Obviously I would hate to live like this, I asked the guide if many people made it out of the neighbourhood and worked and lived in the city.  He said that people worked in the city but came back to the slums to live, they enjoyed the life there too much.  I can’t understand how, but I guess they don’t know any different.  One positive is that there is no crime in the neighbourhood.  There is only one gang in the suburb and they are good to the locals.  

We got dropped off at the hostel and then caught the metro into the central city for a look around.  We decide to get off the metro at a different stop to what we did yesterday.  What a difference it made!  Yesterday we got out of the metro station to find an old and bustling market while today we found a normal, bustling city full of professionals wandering the city.  There are some very nice buildings in and amongst them too.  We join everyone and take a wander through the city, which is very nice however nothing spectacular.  We walk to the Santa Tereza Tram birdge which is in a relatively dodgy area of the city, so we scamper away pretty quickly.  We then continue our walk and end up at the Candeleria church and have a look around.  It is a pretty nice church, very simple but effective.  We then walk to the market area we were in yesterday and have another look around, no purchases today however.

We head back to the hostel and cook another steak sandwich for dinner and had a couple of beers.  As we were relaxing watching tv, our hostel managers came in and offered us some Brigadeiro that they had made for themselves and us.  Brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian dessert and is made of condensed milk, cocoa and butter.  It was delicious and a really nice gesture by the hostel managers.  So far this hostel has been good but I don’t want to put a jinx on it just yet.  This hostel is very new, only opened last week.  As we were researching a hostel in Rio, all other hostels had bad reviews on them so we decided to take a punt with this one as it had no reviews because it was new.  So far, and I am saying so far, the punt has paid off.

Day 99 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (25 June 2012)

Day 99 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (25 June 2012)

We awake this morning to another beautiful day.  We decide it is a perfect day to go up Rio’s other main mountain attraction, Pao de Acucar, also known as Sugar Loaf Mountain.  Before we go today we are going to look at the top of the mountain and check out the conditions, making sure there is no cloud hanging around!  This shouldn’t be a problem today as this mountain is only 396 metres high while Christ the Redeemer mountain is 710 metres high.  We have breakfast, get ready and are on our way.  We walk to the main street which is on the beach that we visited on our first day in Rio, and caught a bus that will take us to the bottom of Sugar Loaf (cost of bus is R$2.75 each).  We arrive and buy our tickets for the cable car (R$53 each).  We then hop aboard the cable car for our short journey to the first stop.  There are two separate mountains and to reach Sugar Loaf you need to take the first cable car to the first mountain called Morro da Urca which is 215 metres high and then change lines.  The cable car is the oldest in the world (obviously modernised) and ascends quite quickly.  As we arrive at Morro da Urca, we get to some amazing views of Rio, the water surrounding the city and the mountains towering over the city.  It really is a spectacular city and we are pretty lucky to be able to witness such a stunning view on a beautiful day.  We hang around on this mountain for about an hour just admiring the view in the sun and slowly walking around the place.  We also watch a short movie about the history of the cable car and the mountains and find out that in 1977 a James Bond movie was filmed on the mountain and they used the cable cars.  I really want to watch this movie now!  We then catch the second cable car up to Sugar Loaf mountain.  This cable car was equally as efficient at getting us to the top, however it could be interesting on a windy day especially as it exposed to both the south and the north.  When we reach the top we had a 360 degree view over the entire city, the Atlantic ocean and the airport, where we watched planes fly over the top of the mountain descending to land, and then we got the opposite as the wind changed direction, we got the planes flying over us as they were taking off.  From this point we could also see the famous Copacabana beach (which we will be visiting in a couple of days (probably day 101)) and also other beaches around Rio de Janeiro.  We stayed up on Sugar Loaf for about an hour and a half, just relaxing and once again admiring the view.  We decided that we wanted to have a beer or two and enjoy the sun with a great vista.  We decided to do this on Morro da Urca as we enjoyed this view better as you were closer to the city and could see the more detail.  We caught the cable car down, went to the bar and got some beers and then parked up on a bench in the sun with a spectacular view over the harbour towards the city with the mountainous terrain in the background.  This city is really spectacular, I’m pretty sure this is the best city in South America, for me anyway. 

We eventually pulled ourselves up and went back down the cable car to ground level.  From here we walked to the metro underground train system and caught a train into town (R$3.20 each).  We decided to get off one stop before the central area as it looked a more populated area on the map.  It was still in the centre of the city however.  When we exited the train terminal we got a bit of a shock, we had entered a local market.  This market was selling all types of goods at pretty cheap prices.  We both bought havaina jandels for R$8 each, Ann also bought a Rio singlet and a Brazilian fridge magnet.  After about an hour or so of wandering around (with one hand in my pocket and the other clutching my bag) we decided to head back to the hostel as we didn’t want to catch a rush hour train.  We then went to the supermarket and bought some steak and salad for dinner and went back to the hostel to cook.
After dinner we booked a favela tour for tomorrow.  The hostel manager also mentioned to us that we should go the market in town to pick up some cheap goods, we laughed and told her we had just been in the afternoon by fluke but then she mentioned that it goes for miles so we might go back later in the week for another look, minus the bag and the cameras this time!!!

Day 98 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (24 June 2012)

Day 98 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (24 June 2012)

We awoke to a beautiful day, clear blue skies, temperature of about 24 degrees – perfect conditions! We decided at the start of our Rio adventure that we would go up the mountain to see Christ the Redeemer (Christo Redentor in Portuguese) on the first clear day while we are here.  We catch the bus to the bottom of the hill and buy a train ticket that will take us to the top of the hill for R$44 each (about NZ$30).  We had to wait for about an hour for the train as they went every 20 minutes and the other trains were full.  While we waited we had a look through the gift shops that were around the place, with expectant ridiculously high prices for souvenirs that tourists seemed to be snapping up. 

Finally it was our turn to get on the train, we decided to line up early as we had been told to sit on the right hand side of the train because you get the best views.  When we board the train we are pushed from pillar to post by other people to get on the train.  Had they heard the same thing as we did? The answer to that question is a definite no.  They were pushing to get seats on the other side of the train as it looked like the other side of the train would have the better seats and views, and  they also faced the right way while the right side seats faced backwards.  We had no problem getting a seat on the right hand side and were rewarded with far better views than our impatient and rude fellow passengers.  That will teach you to push us aside.
As we ascended up the hill, we were treated to fantastic views with a beautiful clear sky.  We then reached the top and wouldn’t you know it, the clouds rolled on in! It was extremely foggy.  We thought it was temporary and it would be gone as soon it is came, we were wrong.  The fog stayed all day.  We did get some glimpses of the city and we did see Christ the Redeemer quite frequently, but the clear skies we had earlier were gone!  We waited up the top all afternoon as we didn’t have anything planned for the rest of the day.  The advantages of being at the end of the trip and not having a time schedule to stick by.  This didn’t change a thing however as the cloud stayed.  We decided to leave about 4.30pm.  When we got down the cloud had gone, but when we looked up the mountain we saw the mist was still surrounding the top of the mountain where Christ the Redeemer was.  When we got back to the hostel we found out that the day had been fantastic at sea level, a picture clear perfect day, however the mist lingered around Christ the Redeemer.  This is a common occurrence apparently which made us feel a wee bit better.  We did get the views of the city, albeit brief, and we did get to see Christ the Redeemer so all in all it was still a good day.  Also apparently you get better views of the city from Sugar Loaf mountain, which we will visit on another clear day (this mountain is nowhere near as high so the mist shouldn’t be a problem).  We then cooked dinner, had a bottle of red wine that we bought from Argentina and hung around the hostel area mingling with other guests.

Day 97 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (23 June 2012)

Day 97 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (23 June 2012)

We awake at 5am, we have reached Sau Paulo.  I am very glad I am not getting off here, I am tired and it is dark outside and I did not feel like getting off the bus.  I felt sorry for the Australian couple behind us who had to get off.  We then continued up the highway towards Rio de Janeiro.  I tried to go back to sleep but it was pretty hard with the poor suspension on the bus, just as it had been hard to sleep during the night being bumped around all over the place!

We arrived in Rio de Janeiro at about 10.30am, 2 hours ahead of schedule! Finally we have made it! As we get off the bus we are reminded that we have left a Spanish speaking country, now we were in a Portuguese speaking country!!! At least we knew how to speak a wee bit of Spanish, now we are in a country where we have no idea of the language! At least the English is better here.  We get a taxi to our hostel, called Hostel Cafofo.  Ann booked this hostel and apparently it only opened a week or so ago.  It was hard to find a hostel in Rio as they were very expensive and also there were bad reviews on pretty much all of them.  Since this hostel was brand new there were no reviews but Ann decided to take a risk.  First impressions were good, nice and tidy as you would expect and the staff are going that extra mile because they have the enthusiasm because they have just opened.  When we were settled and had showers we went for a walk to the beach which was only a block or two from our hostel.  This beach is fantastic, white sand, stunning water and an amazing backdrop with sugar loaf mountain lingering in the background.  One downside to this beach is that you cannot swim in the water as it is contaminated.  That is such a shame as it is a fantastic beach.  The sand also had football goal posts all along the beach, but no one was playing at that time which was a shame.  We had a walk around the area, including the local shopping centre which is 7 or 8 stories high, and then went to the supermarket and got something to cook for dinner and went back to the hostel.  We then cooked dinner, watched a movie and went to sleep as we were quite tired from the overnight bus.

Day 96 - Puerto Iguazu, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22 June 2012)

Day 96 – Puerto Iguazu, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22 June 2012)

We packed up our gear, had breakfast and checked out of the hostel by our check out time of 10am in preparation for our last bus ride in South America, a 24 hour trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  We saved the longest bus trip to last! The check out time was annoying as our bus didn’t depart until 1pm and the hostel didn’t have a luggage storage facility.  We decided to go straight to the bus station and went to the restaurant there.  We had a cup of tea, some fries and of course some empanadas.  We had to have some empanadas just before we left Argentina (we ate just before we departed as we had a feeling we were not being fed on this bus).  At 1pm we boarded the bus and began our journey.  This was of course interrupted 10 minutes into the trip with a stop at the Argentinean border crossing, and then for the first time, we stopped at the Brazilian immigration where we received a stamp into Brazil! We have officially arrived in Brazil!

The bus stopped in Foz Iguazu, a city very close to the Brazilian border, to drop off a few passengers.  This bus had originally come from Buenos Aires and was continuing all the way to Rio.  We then continued on our way north.  This bus was not comfortable as it had bad suspension, I felt a bad sleep was on its way.  As we drove through Brazil we were surrounded by sugar cane fields, they stretched for miles!  We also drove through multiple cities.  About 8.30pm we stopped for half an hour for dinner.  The restaurant was designed for bus stopovers but the prices were not too bad.  Here we had our first taste of a Brazilian tradition, a pay per kg meal.  This is where you fill your plate from a buffet style situation and then get the plate weighed.  Mine weighed close to half a kg while Ann’s weighed about half of mine.  It is difficult to gauge how much your plate will weigh as we had never weighed our dinner plates before! My plate was filled to the edges and Ann’s was pretty full too.  One highlight was the vegetables.  We noticed in Argentina, although they have the most amazing meals, especially steak, they did lack on the vegetables.  We did stack our plates with these.  Overall the total cost of the two meals was about $24 Reals (about $NZ17).  Good value.  We then continued on our journey to Rio.  The movies played on this bus were good, only because they were all in English with Spanish subtitles.

Day 95 - Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (21 June 2012)

Day 95 – Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (21 June 2012)

Today was a very interesting day.  We met a couple, we shall call them Trevor and Sue.  They started their day in the usual fashion by getting up and having the supplied breakfast of medialuna’s with cups of tea.  They then went to the bus stop and had to run to catch up to the bus that had just departed.  This bus was heading to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.  The reason why I say their day was interesting was because they had to exit Argentina and then drive through a part of Brazil to get to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.  But that is only the beginning of the interesting part.  Technically they needed a visa to enter the country of Paraguay, which was going to cost them a bit of money.  However they had heard stories of other people not getting the visa and crossing the border without any customs or immigration.  Ciudad del Este is a bustling but somewhat ugly city which is only renowned for the super cheap shopping available.  People from Argentina and Brazil head across the river and do their shopping for a fraction of the price.  This is what attracted Trevor and Sue so they decided to give it a crack.  At the end of the day they were only going to go to Paraguay for a couple of hours and they were only a couple of hundred metres away from Brazil where they could legally enter. 

The bus took Trevor and Sue to the Argentinean border, which is about 10 minutes away from the centre of Puerto Iguazu.  They were stamped out and then continued their journey, missing the Brazilian border and not being stamped into the country of Brazil, similar to our experiences two days earlier when we went to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls (Day 93).  Their journey took them to Foz Iguazu and then through the immigration area to exit Brazil, over the bridge to Ciudad del Este.  They were now in Paraguay! The bus ride took them about an hour, the longest part of the journey was the traffic jam before and on the bridge over to Paraguay.  It was interesting for them as there was no immigration to attend in Brazil and now in Paraguay, where they exited the bus on the main street and began their shopping.  The shopping went for blocks and blocks, pretty incredible.  Market stalls were set up with all kinds of gear, the majority of stalls selling branded clothing and knock off electronics.  Trevor and Sue decided to stay on the main street, where there was still plenty of shopping, because they didn’t want to get lost or stray in the city where they were technically not welcome.  They stayed in Ciudad del Este for about an hour or so, with both Trevor and Sue buying a jersey each for a very small price.  During the morning Sue had been very nervous, from what they were telling us it sounds like Sue did not like the experience at all, but Trevor didn’t mind.  They caught the next bus back to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.  The bus took them back down the main street, through the immigration area in Paraguay, over the bridge, through the immigration area in Brazil (this all taking about half an hour because the traffic was terrible, and no customs or immigration checks, just strait on through).  They then drove through Foz Iguazu, Brazil, through the Brazilian immigration area, over the river separating Brazil and Argentina and then to Argentina immigration where they were stamped back into Argentina.  The immigration officer asked Trevor if he had been to Iguazu Falls on the Brazil side which he said yes too.  They were then back in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina by lunchtime. 
Sounds like a very eventful morning – going into two countries without technically being in them (according to the passport), and illegally entering a country with no visa as one was required to enter Paraguay for citizens of Trevor and Sues country.  Sue was very relieved when she got back into Argentina. 

We had a good chat with these two, then we went our separate ways after lunch.  After lunch we decided to have a look around the town, there was not too much to see here really.  A few shops were around but half of them were closed.  We later found out they open a bit later in the afternoon and stay open during the evening to cater for the tourists who would all be at Iguazu Falls during the day.  We go out for dinner and get our final steak in Argentina.  Unfortunately this steak was probably the worst we have had in Argentina, it was still pretty good but not up to the high standards we are now used to in this country.  We then head to the supermarket to get some snacks for our long 24 hour bus ride to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil tomorrow (including a bottle of red wine, not to have on the bus but to have in Rio) and then go back to the hostel for the evening.

Day 94 - Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (20 June 2012)

Day 94 – Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (20 June 2012)

We awake this morning and are all ready for our Argentinean Iguazu Falls experience.  John the American has booked a bus for around 7pm tonight so he decides to come to the falls with us even though he went the day before.  His reasoning was the falls were that amazing he doesn’t mind going for a second time and he had nothing else to do that day since he couldn’t get into Brazil!  We catch the bus (bus leaves every 20 minutes, cost is $10 pesos each one way).  Today I am prepared to get wet, I don’t have that much gear on me and most importantly I can leave the passport safely locked away at the hostel.  We arrive at the falls and pay our money, but the attendant passes back a $50 peso note and tells us it is fake.  We inspect it and sure enough it was fake.  There is a ‘black market’ of fake Argentinean notes going around tourist areas, it is especially prevalent in Buenos Aires.  We had been given this by the attendant at the bus office and hadn’t checked the ticket as the bus was just about to leave.  Usually we check every note we receive but this time we hadn’t.  The one note we don’t check and it is a fake.  That will teach us.  Oh well at the end of the day it is only about NZ$15.  Lesson learnt, let’s move on.

We inspect the map and find out there are 3 separate walking paths.  We have been told by numerous sources to do the lower walk last as you get wet!  Sounds good to me.  We decide to do the middle walk first.  This walk takes you to the top of numerous waterfalls and you can look over the drop on platforms.  Just like the Brazilian side I have no idea how these platforms were made, I definitely would not like to be constructing them and putting them in place.  The scenery was spectacular and the noise the water was generating was unbelievable!  Already I was enjoying the Argentinean side of the falls better as we were in amongst the action.  The water was furious as it seemed like the river was in flood, as mentioned in yesterday’s blog. 

We then decided to take in the Upper level.  This required catching a train with the ride taking about 20 minutes to an area in the forest.  From here we walked on a platform that went for 1.1 kilometres over half of the Iguazu River (the Argentina side).  At the end of the platform was a magnificent site.  This is where the half of the river pours over into a mammoth waterfall, called the Devils throat (Garganta Del Diablo in Spanish).  This specific waterfall is 82 metres high, 150 metres wide, and 700 meters long.  It is huge and is U-shaped.  The ferociousness of the water crashing down into the river below causes a large amount of spray, which also is easily visible from the Brazilian side of the river.  This spray does not allow you to see the bottom of the fall, in fact it is difficult to see half way down!   If we thought the waterfalls were making a loud noise, well this was nothing in comparison to the thunderous sound the Devils throat was creating.  We stayed here for a wee while admiring what we were seeing and hearing (surprisingly with not too many tourists around as we timed it to miss the tour groups as they visit this site at the beginning of their tours – yes we did our research!).  We then made the trek back over the long platform, caught the train back and started walking to the lower trail.

When we reach the lower trail, we pass people on their way back who are drenched.  This looks promising, we must be going pretty close the falls here!  We make our way through the forest with some small waterfalls to view and as we get closer to the main waterfalls we can hear the noise getting louder and louder.  We arrive at the edge of the cliff where the waterfall is.  Since the river is in flood the end of the platform as been blocked off, and rightly so as the water is pounding on the edge where people would usually stand.  This water would easily knock them off their feet if not drag them into the water at the bottom.  Best not climb over the barrier.  We get to the barrier and are drenched within seconds.  We are not getting hit by the waterfall but by the spray.  Great experience and would definitely recommend.
That is the end of our Iguazu experience.  Before we leave I want one last look at the falls so I quickly take the middle track for a look and walk over the top of the falls.  We then catch the bus back into town and go out for dinner before John leaves for his journey back to Buenos Aires.

Day 93 - Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (19 June 2012)

Day 93 – Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (19 June 2012)

We are awaken at 7am on the bus for breakfast, we are almost in Puerto Iguazu! Breakfast is not the greatest but does the job.  We arrive and Ann wants to take the taxi to our hostel which we booked a couple of days ago.  I am sure the hostel is just around the corner but we get into the taxi anyway.  Sure enough we turn the corner and get out of the taxi 20 peso’s lighter.  We have tagged along John the American who was on our bus, he is coming to the hostel as he hasn’t booked anywhere.  This hostel was a disgrace so no surprises that there was space for John.  We leave our bags at the hostel to get ready to go to the Brazilian side of the falls.  We thought we would give it a day to think about whether we were going to change hostels.  We get to the bus station and book our return bus tickets to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls.  Well Ann and I book the tickets, John can’t come.  Since he is from the United States, he needs a Visa to enter Brazil and it costs a bit of money to get this.  In hindsight though he could have gone through to Brazil.  When we boarded the bus, we drove ten minutes and arrived at the Argentinean immigration, went through customs and the normal process and then jumped onto the bus.  We then crossed the river separating the two countries and drove straight through Brazilian immigration.  I thought this was kind of strange but then I had another though that we might get stamped into Brazil when we get off the bus at the entrance to the waterfall.  Well I was wrong.  We arrived at the entrance and bought our tickets (R$41 each) boarded the bus that drove us through the national park for 20 minutes and we were at the walkway to the falls.  In theory we were illegally in Brazil.  I can understand customs not wanting to go through the process of everyone in Argentina wanting to go to Brazil for the day to see the waterfalls but why do we get stamped out of Argentina? Argentina must have strict rules requiring everyone to go through customs, which is fair enough. 

We exit the bus and as soon as we get off, we can hear the thunder sounding Iguazu falls.  The sounds they were making, even from a distance, was incredible.  We then got our first glimpse of the falls, albeit from quite a distance.  It was incredible.  Really put the waterfalls in Banos, Ecuador that we went on about to shame, this was a sight and sound to see and hear!  There are so many waterfalls, and the Iguazu river must be in flood because the water is very dirty and the waterfalls are a lot more powerful than what we have seen in the pictures. 

We walk down a path specifically designed to capture the best images of the falls.  We start from a fair way back but as we continue down the path we get closer and closer to the water.  The Brazilian side of the falls gives a good panoramic scene as the majority are on the Argentinean side of the river.  We do however reach the end of the path and the might and fury of the waterfall is evident.  We are getting very wet with the spray, the spray is that evident Ann mistakes it for a rain shower.  We arrive at a platform and the falls are in touching distance.  The water is falling down at a ferocious pace and we cannot get to the edge of the platform or we will be drenched (and probably knocked over by the force).  We walk around the area for a bit and then decide to go onto a platform which goes over the river and gives a view over a water fall but is also below another waterfall! Very hard to accurately explain.  I have no idea when or how this platform was constructed but they did a good job.  As long as you don’t mind getting soaked (as we did, with our passports in our money belt that were well covered) you can have a great time on this platform.  The views of the waterfalls are spectacular and you are so close to the ferocious water.  The platforms are not for hooligans though as if you fell in the water, no one would be jumping in to save you.

When we were soaked and a bit cold, we then went up a lift that took us to a fantastic panoramic view of the falls from high above.  We got some photos up here and then as we were walking off the platform we got our first glimpse of some animals we were told about called .Coatis. These pests were climbing in and out of rubbish bins looking for anything to eat, we had even heard of a lady who had a chocolate bar in her pocket and the pest climbed up her leg, pulled the chocolate out of her pocket and started eating it.  It is fair to say we did not bring any food with us.  We then had some lunch and caught the next bus into town.  Once again on our way back to Argentina we did not stop at Brazilian immigration but got stamped back into Argentina.

On arrival in Puerto Iguazu we walked back to our hostel and decided to change.  We thought we would wait for John and tell him what we were doing (since he couldn’t come with us to Brazil he went to the Argentinean side of the falls.  We would have joined him but we have been told that the Brazilian side of the falls has to be done first or otherwise you won’t appreciate them as much – this is because the Argentinean side is better, apparently!).  When he got back, he agreed that we should change so we did.  As we were walking out the hostel manager was not happy, but we told him our concerns and we expected a decent, liveable hostel! It was cheap, but you can see why it was cheap!  We walked to a new hostel a couple of blocks down the road and then went out for dinner.  Another steak and red wine of course.  We then went to a bar down the road where the owner of the restaurant we dined at gave us free drink vouchers.  Of course there had to be a catch, we had to buy a drink before we got the free one.  That was fine though.  Our free drink was a caipirinha, which is a Brazilian alcoholic drink.  We had been told about this drink by our Brazilian friend who we met on the Inca Trail (now living in USA), who said it was fantastic.  Well she wasn’t lying, it was a very nice drink, and we were drinking it in Argentina!  After a good chat and a couple of drinks we went back to the hostel.

Day 92 - Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (18 June 2012)

Day 92 – Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (18 June 2012)

We wake up this morning for the final time in Buenos Aires.  It has been a fantasic week here but it is time to depart for Puerto Iguazu where we will spend three nights and going to both the Brazilian and Argentinean side of Iguazu Falls.  We have a bit of a sleep in, as per usual in Buenos Aires as the sleeping hours are far too late for my liking, and then get up, have breakfast and finish packing our bags ready for our departure.  When we are ready to go we have a bit of time so we decide to go for one more walk around.  Ann needed to buy some contact solution and we wanted to get a few snacks for our long bus journey so this was a good reason to head out.  We had also arranged to travel to Puerto Iguazu with an American called John.  He was going to meet us at the hostel and we were going to share a cab to the bus terminal. 

When we had finished our walk around and had picked up what we needed, we waited for the taxi, however when the taxi arrived John was missing.  We were not going to wait for him as the bus was not going to wait for us so we went to the bus terminal.  When at the bus terminal and waiting for the bus to depart, a homeless man was harassing some ladies.  Apparently this is quite common at this bus terminal and people are advised not to arrive there too early, which is what we did and we can now see why!  We then boarded the bus and went to our seats.  As we were boarding we saw John had made it to the terminal, had no idea how he got here but he made it! We then departed and started our trek through the city.  As we were driving through the neighbourhood of the bus terminal we could see why the homeless frequently visit as the surrounding area was pretty disgusting and scummy.  We got through the city pretty quickly, much quicker than I had imagined.  The motorway entering and exiting the city is quite big with six lanes on either side, but in saying that it should be big as the population of the city is about 18 million people!  The drive north to Iguazu was very relaxing, but it must be boring as a driver as it is pretty much all strait roads.  The movies played on the bus were all in Spanish so we didn’t really watch them.  We got a lunch meal and a dinner on the bus which was good for bus food, and also got served drinks.

Day 91 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (17 June 2012)

Day 91 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (17 June 2012)

Today we awoke to another cold and miserable day.  There was one positive about the weather though, it was not raining! We had breakfast and went to the San Telmo Sunday market with our new friends Romin, John and Erika, all from England.  The San Telmo Sunday market is a large market where an entire street is closed (street goes for about 3 kilometres) with streets leading off this main street also closed and market stalls are erected with a variety of goods sold.  There is also music playing and tango dancing shows going on.  It was a very active and entertaining event.  We wandered the streets for a good part of four hours, just checking out each stall.  I purchased a Quilmers beer t-shirt, the only purchase of the day.  On the way back to the hostel we stopped in at a bbq on the side of the street and had a good Argentinean sausage, it was very nice.  As we were walking back the rain started to fall, it was mid afternoon at this stage so we decided to call it a day.  We think we have conquered Buenos Aires so we will spend the cold and wet Sunday afternoon relaxing indoors, which we did with Romin after we bid farewell to John and Erika who had finished their 5 month adventure in South America and were now flying to Africa for the next stage of their 14 month world tour.

At about 8.30pm, we went out for dinner at Don Ernestos, the same place as we went on Monday night, our first night in Buenos Aires, for a steak dinner with Romin and Nico.  It was a fantastic meal, but if I was being critical, it was not as good as Monday night, only just though!  After a good meal and a few wines we said goodbye to Nico and went back to the hostel.  We met Nico on the 4x4 tour in Bolivia at the start of April and had met up with him quite often on our trails.  He was heading back to Italy on Wednesday so we are planning on catching up with him while we are on his side of the world.  We then went back to the hostel and said goodbye to Romin, who has an early flight tomorrow morning.  We will see him in London when he returns from his travels.  Then it was off to the dorm to start packing for our departure tomorrow then off to bed.

Day 90 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (16 June 2012)

Day 90 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (16 June 2012)

Today we had organised to walk to the bus station with Romin – he was travelling around the world with his girlfriend for a total of 11 months.  His girlfriend had gone back to London and he was going back in a couple of days to go to his girlfriends sisters wedding, three quarters of the way through their travels! It seemed an inconvenience but Romin was pretty happy it was happening as he needed a break from travelling.  Anyway when he returned he was travelling to Iguazu.  Before our walk there was an important matter to deal with, rugby!  After an unsuccessful attempt by Mum and Dad to skype me the All Blacks vs Ireland test (skype kept cutting out), I turned on the tv and ESPN Argentina was playing the Australia vs Wales game live.  I watched the end of this game and afterwards they played the replay of the All Blacks vs Ireland.  Unfortunately after our unsuccessful skype attempt I had a look at the score.  It was a great game however, All Blacks win 22-19 with an 80^th minute Dan Carter drop goal!  The commentary was in Spanish and the commentator was very excited when the drop goal was successful – “GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!” Would have been a great game to have been at, very jealous of the Robb family who had front row seats at AMI Stadium! 

After the game we walk to the bus station on a very crisp but beautiful day.  We all buy our tickets, Ann and I for Monday, and walk back into the city.  We walk past the Economy museum which illustrates the economic history of Argentina.  Unfortunately this way closed (Saturday today) so we continued on to Casa Rosada, where the President works and where Eva did her speeches to her adoring public, to have a tour of the Palace.  We had to wait 20 minutes until the English tour started but it was worth it.  The tour guide wasn’t anything special but the Palace was very nice.  We got to walk through the entire building including where the President works, the ceremony room, press conference area and also the balcony where Eva made her speeches to a packed Plaza de Mayo when her husband was in power.  After this tour we took Romin to a restaurant that Nico had recommended we go for some empanadas.  Romin had not had any empanadas in his time in Argentina so it was time to introduce him to them, and also I wanted some too! This place served us the best empanadas we have had in Buenos Aires so far, they were fantastic.  After this late lunch we went for a walk to Puerto Madero which is the old wharf that has been converted into a really modern and new area of the city.  Some buildings here were modern and there were also old port buildings that had been converted to retail and office accommodation.  It looked really cool, a nice place to have a wander through.  We went back to the hostel and met up with John and Erika.  Last night we had organised to go to a Milonga tonight and have a tango lesson.  We all watched the Argentina vs France game (won 23-20 by Argentina) and then went our separate ways.  Ann and I went out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant because we were constrained for time, and then met up with Jon and Erika at the Milonga for our Tango lesson (30 peso per person).  We were the only people in the class which made it quite fun.  There were two instructors, a man and a woman.  We were put through our paces and over the course of the night we learnt a 16 step move.  I hate to say it but it was actually quite enjoyable.  The time flew and the class went for about an hour and a half when it supposed to have been for only an hour.  After our lesson we went into the Milonga dance area and bar to watch the locals some us how it is really done.  John and I needed to get our ‘manhood’ back as John put it, so we had to have some beer.  These dancers were fantastic.  The tango dance is very intense and requires quite a bit of concentration.  We left the Milonga at about 1am, it was very quiet at this point but if we wanted to see it busy we had to stay until about 3 or 4am!  Once again Buenos Aires residents are up and about at late hours of the night.  Saturday nights are worse than the rest of the week however.  We then walk back to the hostel with John and Erika, have a beer at the hostel and have a good laugh about our nights antics.

Day 89 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (15 June 2012)

Day 89 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (15 June 2012)

We woke up early this morning, well early for Buenos Aires standards.  These late nights we are having are starting to get us into the usual Buenos Aires lifestyle, late mornings and early nights! The reason we got up early was to get the free tickets to a show at the Theatro Colon in the city.  Our hostel manager had told us to get to the ticket booth by 10am on Friday to pick the tickets up for the show on Sunday.  We walk to the Theatro and ask the attendant who tells us the show is on Saturday and is booked out.  Apparently the tickets were given away on Thursday and the show is on Saturday.  A bit of miscommunication from our hostel manager.  We then walk to the bus terminal so we can buy some bus tickets to Puerto Iguazu for Monday.  We decide to get some money out at the bus terminal and buy the tickets, however the atms at the terminal (and the nearby train station) all were out of order.  Oh well we will come back tomorrow and buy them then, and get some money out in the city.  We walked back to the city via Ave Florida, I like this pedestrian street, lots happening and some good shops to have a browse.  We then walk to Plaza de Mayo and what do you know, we stumble across the Cathedral! It does not look like a Cathedral from the outside but certainly does from the inside.  It is a pity some homeless people camp out in front of the building.  We then walk to the Bicentennial museum which was opened on the 200^th anniversary of Argentina being a republic two years ago.  It is very modern but not very impressive.  It is about the Presidents from the last century or so, nothing mentioned about the political history of the country which is pretty interesting (can’t believe I am finding politics interesting!).  We then walk back to the hostel via the vege market so we can make some soup.  At the hostel we talk all night to our English friends – Romin, John and Erika.  It was a really nice night.

Day 88 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (14 June 2012)

Day 88 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (14 June 2012)

This morning we walk to Plaza de Mayo and find the subway.  We catch the train at the Catedral station.  We know where the Catedral station is but we still cannon find the actual church! Surely it must be close.  Our destination on the train is Palermo, which is a area in the city that has a lot of shopping and restaurants for dining and the odd drink.  When we get off the subway we walk around the parks and streets soaking in the atmosphere.  After a while we arrive at the Evita museum.  This museum is dedicated to Evita Peron, who was married to the President in the mid 1940’s and early 1950’s.  The main purpose of the museum is to document the social work she did for residents of Buenos Aires, focusing her efforts on the poor and giving them a chance in life.  It also documents Evitas movements after her death in 1953, as she was moved several times as noted in day 87.  After our visit to the museum we have a short walk around the area and then catch the subway back to Plaza de Mayo.  We then begin walking back through San Telmo towards our hostel and we come across a market, so we decide to have a look.  This market consists of expensive antiques and food stalls.  We tell a fella at a food stall that we will be back tomorrow to buy some veges, we couldn’t do it tonight and we were going out for dinner with Nico again, this time the main reason was to watch the Boca Juniors football semi final.  We leave the market and head to the Penitentiary Museum which is close to our hostel.  We didn’t have anything else planned for the rest of the afternoon so we decide to have a look.  This was the first prison in Buenos Aires and it was what a prison should be like, dark, disgusting, dirty and very basic.  We saw equipment that was used including dental equipment and restrainers, also there were small displays of torture that was applied to prisoners after bad behaviour.  After this museum we went back to the hostel and waited until the football game started, while we were waiting we talked to our new English friend called Romin.  We invited him out for dinner for us but he had other plans. 

At about 730 Nico came and picked us up.  He had a restaurant planned for us that served good pizza and had a big screen to watch the football.  It was a nice evening and we had some wine and pizza for dinner.  For the record Boca Juniors won the game 2-0, it was a home and away semi final against the University of Chile.  After the game we caught a bus to another suburb and went to a local bar there.  At this bar there was live music which was very good.  When we arrived a lady was singing, it would have been good to be able to understand what she was saying because everyone in the bar was silent and concentrating on what she was singing.  It was an atmosphere I had never experienced before in a bar, when the singer is doing their thing, everyone is quiet and listening intensely, if someone makes a noise, a lot of people tell them to shut up.  Everyone had a drink in their hand but no one was drunk, and it was midnight.  In fact I have not seen anyone drunk in a pub and we have been out late most nights.  When the lady finished the pub had no music for half an hour.  At about 1am, an 81 year old man took the stage.  Apparently he sings every Tuesday and Thursday night at 1am, incredible! He was a bit of a legend, this is the reason Nico took us to this pub.  Once again everyone was intently listening to what he was singing, and then there were loud applause when he finished a song, and rightly so.  Also at the bar that night while this 81 year old was singing was a 90 year old celebrating his birthday with family and friends.  What is a 90 year old doing out in a bar at 1am on a Thursday night? Well this is not late for them, they are used to late nights and I guess late mornings.

When the 81 year old was finished singing, we walked to a nearby milonga to see a show.  When we got there the place was effectively closing down for the night.  It must have been a slow night because it was very early for Buenos Aires.  We then jumped on the bus and went home.

Day 87 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (13 June 2012)

Day 87 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (13 June 2012)

This morning we get up and head to Ricoleta.  Ricoleta is a suburb which is quick fancy.  The main attraction of the area is, and I can’t believe I am saying this is the main attraction, the cemetery.  This cemetery is where generations of Argentina’s elite rest in luxury.  It was quite interesting wandering through the cemetery looking at the extent of family tombs with lofty statues and detailed marble facades.  It was like a little town.  If you were an Argentinean and knew all or most of the names of the rich and famous over the generations it would be a very interesting experience.  The main ‘attraction’ at this cemetery was Evita Peron’s tomb.  Since her death in the 1950’s she has been moved from pillar to post, even secretly moved at some points, from Europe to South America.  She has now been given her own tomb where she now lies. 

Enough of cemetery talk, we leave and have some empanadas, again!  We want to make the most of being in Argentina and having these fantastic ‘pies’.  Also as you would have read in yesterdays blog I need to put on an extra kg or two as I am fading away!  We then caught the bus back to our hostel and asked the hostel manager what bus to catch to another suburb called La Boca.  La Boca situated along the old port.  We head back down to the bus stop with our bus number in mind, but it doesn’t come for ages! Eventually it arrives and we climb aboard.  As we are driving to La Boca we pass some very dodgy looking characters and buildings.  Apparently La Boca is a very dodgy neighbourhood and we were told not to walk here but to take the bus.  There is about 3 or 4 streets which are tourist friendly and people are advised to stick to these streets and only these streets! We were not going to take any chances and we stuck to the tourist streets, which is obviously the main attraction of the area.  The main street is called Caminito, a short pedestrian walk lined with corrugated metal buildings.  There was a good vibe in the area with tango music and dancing in cafes.  We decided to have a coffee and a bite to each and watch a tango show.  At the end of the show the two tango dancers asked Ann and I if we wanted a photo.  I jumped at the chance, Ann wasn’t as keen but joined the party.  The photos were pretty funny as they were quite intense as Ann had her ‘personal space’ interfered with, as she put it, as the male dancing got right in her face for a photo.  The female dancer then put her leg around me and jumped up so I had to hold her, I bet Ann thought that was pretty funny too!  After our tango show and coffee we caught the bus back through the bad neighbourhood back to the hostel.  Another side note of this suburb is that it is home to the world famous Boca Juniors club.  This club has some incredibly passionate fans and performs pretty well as the club can buy some top players as it seems they have endless amounts of money (not surprising considering the ticket prices!). 

When back at the hostel we wait until 9.30pm for Nico to arrive.  He was taking us out for dinner and having another steak, and afterwards he was taking us to a Milonga.  A Milonga is a dance hall where locals come along and strut their stuff.  Dinner was very nice, but not as nice as Don Ernesto’s a couple of nights earlier.  We also have a bottle of red wine, of course!  Then we walk a couple of blocks to the Milonga.  When we arrive there is a ten piece band playing tango music while the dance floor is full of people doing their thing.  The band was very good, and on the dance floor you could spot the tourist from a mile away, they were nowhere near as good as the locals.  Tourists can turn up early (early in Buenos Aires is 9.30pm) and take a lesson for an hour and a half and then join the locals when they turn up.  After watching this I was quite keen to get in on the local culture and have a lesson.  I think Ann was quite shocked when I mentioned this to her.  While at this Milonga we had a couple of beers, listened to the music and just watched everyone dancing.  They were all pretty good but one couple stood out from the rest.  Apparently they were the instructors but they were very impressive to watch.  We stayed here for a couple of hours and then called it a night.

Day 86 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (12 June 2012)

Day 86 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (12 June 2012) 

We awake this morning and decide to check out the central city.  We had a quick look yesterday but we wanted to have a better look today.  On our way into town we stop into the City Museum which was set in a very nice remodernised 1800’s home, have a look and continue on our way.  We didn’t have to pay a dime for entry as no one was on the front desk which was a bit of a bonus.  One part of the building that was quite cool was the pharmacy on the ground floor, which was still trading in its original condition (maintained of course).  By the looks of the amount of people in the store it is no wonder they are still trading.  There were scales in the shop so I decided to weigh myself, and I have lost 8kg, effectively 10%.  Must have been those few days in Quito, Ecuador when I couldn’t stop from either end!  We then arrive in the Plaza de Mayo.  We decide to walk down the main avenue towards Congress Palace, which in the end was quite a substantial walk.  This walk was made longer by the fact there was a protest happening that was blocking the road and part of the footpath (later in the week we found out that protesting was a common theme in Buenos Aires as we saw one each day, none however was as big as this).  We made it to Congress, had a look around and then left, unfortunately we were unable to go inside.  We walked to a cafe and had some empanadas and a coffee, as the coffee culture in Buenos Aires is quite huge, most probably because they stay out until all hours of the night and need the caffeine fix! 

After our coffee and empanada break, we walk down a street which is B.A’ version of Broadway, there are theatres everywhere!  This walk down the street was leading us to the most impressive theatre, Theatre Colon.  It is a massive theatre and was the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere until the Sydney Opera House opened its doors.  We walk in to take a tour and realise it is very expensive for foreigners (cheap for locals).  We decide against this and walk out.  One of our hostel managers mentioned to us that there are free shows on Sundays and you just need to walk up and get a ticket on the Friday to gain entry.  We thought this would be the best way to see the place.  The reason the show is free is because it is essentially a practise session for a group, maybe a University group or something like that.  A free show and great way to see the building so why not?

We continue our walk by heading down Ave Florida, which is the main shopping street in the city.  This is a long pedestrian only street and has no empty shops and there are vendors everywhere trying to sell tours of the city, tango nights and dinners.  On this street is a very fancy shopping mall called Galerias Pacifico with art on the ceilings.  At the end of Ave Florida is Plaza San Martin, which is just a park with a lot of greenery and trees.  We then head back into the city centre, down Ave Florida (trying to find a small Argentinean foam rugby ball but every sport shop is focused on football!) and walk a block of buildings called the Block of Enlightenment.  Unfortunately the tours are only in Spanish so we decide to skip this and head back to the Plaza de Mayo to have a look for the Cathedral.  This proved to be difficult.  Usually we can see the main Cathedral from a mile away but this Cathedral was hidden.  It was getting dark and cold so we decided to head back to the hostel and try another day.  We cooked dinner at the hostel tonight and then caught up on our blogs.

Day 85 - Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay to Buenos Aires, Argentina (11 June 2012)

Day 85 – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay to Buenos Aires, Argentina (11 June 2012)

We wake up and pack our bags, have breakfast and walk to the ferry terminal which was about 5 minutes away.  We had some Uruguay Peso’s remaining so we went to the gift shop and bought a few traditional Uruguayan biscuits.  Now it is time to go through customs, we get our passports stamped for exit out of Uruguay, take two steps to the right and get our passports stamped for entry into Argentina.  After about an hour we are on the boat on our way to Buenos Aires.  This boat ride takes us about an hour and 15 minutes across the Rio de la Plata, the river separating Uruguay and Argentina. 

We arrive about lunchtime, but we know that this isn’t Argentinean lunchtime, that is about mid afternoon! We go to our hostel which we have booked and has been recommended by Nico, our Italian friend who is currently living in the city.  We get settled in, have a talk with the hostel manager who gives us a lot of tips for the city, and then head out to grab some lunch (3pm, the normal time for lunch in Argentina).  We get 3 empanadas each, we love them! The restaurant we had lunch at is in the same area as our hostel, San Telmo.  This area is the home of Buenos Aires tango culture, but it all happens at night and the only time it happens during the day is on Sunday.  This arean is full of cobbled streets and old historic buildings.  We then walk into the centre of the city, which is about another kilometre away.  We have a look at the Plaza de Mayo, where the Casa Rosada is situated.  The Casa Rosada is the seat of the National Government and is painted pink (known as the pink house).  Its colour comes from a mixture of lime and bulls fat that was usually used in construction in the past.  Many times the bulls fat had blood and when it was mixed with white lime, it made that shade of pink.  There is a tour of the palace and there is also a museum inside but these are only open during the weekends so we have pencilled this in for Saturday.  We then continue walking around the city and taking it all in.  Buenos Aires is a massive city so it is a good opportunity to get our bearings.  We walk to the actual centre of the city which is the site of the Obelisk.  The Obelisk is 67 metres high and each side commemorates four historical moments related to the city with each one engraved on its sides.  The Obelisk is located on Ave 9 de Julio, which is the largest street in the world.  There are 20 lanes on this street, it is huge! 10 lanes going in each direction.  To cross the road you have to do it in two stages as there is no way you can have enough time to cross the street in one attempt.  There are islands at three points while crossing the road for you to wait.  We then walk back to the hostel and wait until 9.30pm which is when we went out for dinner with our friend Nico.  He has been in Buenos Aires for about a month so he took us to a great restaurant where we had a mammoth steak, and we also ordered a side of fries too.  Wisely, Nico recommended that we share this steak.  There was no way I would have finished it, it was massive! The steak was amazing, it was cooked to perfection (medium-rare of course).  We also had a bottle of red wine with our steak too so it was a great night.  We ended up getting home at 1am, a typical Argentinean dinner time, but apparently it gets later as the week goes on. 

Day 84 - Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (10 June 2012)

Day 84 – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (10 June 2012)

We awake to another cold morning, Uruguay is about the same latitude as New Zealand so we are feeling the cold like everyone back home now, although by the looks of all the snow around New Zealand at the moment we are getting the better deal.  But then again we have just come from 35 degrees!

We head out to explore the town.  This town is a UNESCO world heritage listed town and is number four on things to do in South America in our Lonely Planet guide book.  The historical area of the town was established in the 17^th century by the Portuguese for smuggling of goods across the Rio de la Plata into Buenos Aires.  The streets are cobblestoned and are lined with historical homes.  Trees also line the streets and would look fantastic in the summer when they would have leaves on them.  It was still a great sight.  We enter the historical part of town by walking through the Puerta de Campo, a thick wall which runs to the river (there is a tunnel on the road).  We then just walk through the town and take in all the historical buildings which have been restored and maintained but still have their character.  Walking through this town takes up a lot of time, it is very enjoyable.  Eventually we find ourselves at the football museum of Uruguay.  It was quite ironic we were in this museum today as Uruguay play Peru in a South American group world cup 2014 qualifying match.  This museum shows the history of the Uruguayan national football team, including them winning the Olympics twice in the 1920’s and also hosting and winning the first Football World Cup in 1930 (the national team still plays their home matches in the same stadium).  The museum also shows the national team winning the South American competition last year.

We decided to take a break from the old part of town and book our ferry to Buenos Aires for the following day.  Our guide book told us to go to the bus station but there was a recently completed boat terminal now in operation, well supposedly in operation as the majority of the company offices were empty (lunch time).  We waited and eventually booked a ferry for 1030 the following morning.  Back to the historical part of town we go and we find a place for lunch.  We order a barbeque for two people, this consisted of meat, meat and meat.  We also got a beer too.  It was very tasty and filled us up, but by the end of it I was craving for a few vegetables.  We then head to the lighthouse which you can climb for views of the town.  This wasn’t the greatest view as there were not many buildings with nice roofs.  The buildings from ground level looked fantastic but the maintenance of roofs around town were not up to the same standard.  Never the less, a view is a view and it wasn’t too bad.  We also had a look around a few shops selling souvenirs etc.  As we were looking in these shops I was trying to ask the shop owners what time the football started as we were quite keen to go to a local pub and join the locals while watching their country play.  We found out that kick off was at 4pm and there were no pubs to watch the game.  You are kidding me, no pubs? Every television in town was playing the game but there were no pubs in town.  This has to be a joke, but as we found out, it wasn’t.  We decide to go to a restaurant and watch the game while having a beer.  When Uruguay scored a goal, you could hear shouts from neighbouring buildings yelling “GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL” and cars tooting their horns, obviously listening to the game on the radio.  South Americans are very passionate about their football.  I love it!  For the record, Uruguay won 4-2.  We then went out for dinner as the kitchen in our hostel was not nice.  After dinner we went to the waterfront where we could see the lights of Buenos Aires shining in the distance, about 50 kilometres across the Rio de la Plata, then went back to the hostel and watched the movie “Evita” to get up to date with Argentinean history.

Day 83 - Montevideo, Uruguay (9 June 2012)

Day 83 – Montevideo, Uruguay (9 June 2012)

We awake at about 10am, couldn’t believe we slept this long but it must have been needed.  We have breakfast and then ring up the airline to see the status of our luggage.  The airline informs us that our luggage was on the morning flight to Montevideo from Sau Paulo, Brazil and will be delivered to our hostel mid to late afternoon.  We are happy with this but still not overjoyed which we will be when we get our gear back.  Knowing this we go out and explore Montevideo.  The weather is fine, but it very cold.  I am enjoying the crispness of the weather much more than the hot humid weather we had in Cartagena (although the time at the beach was fantastic).  We walk into the city centre, it is a nice walk.  The city reminds me of Christchurch a lot, tree lined streets (although since it is the middle of winter the trees have no leaves), wide streets and a crisp winters morning. 

We are heading towards the Ciudad Vieja (Historical part of town), and on the way we have to walk through the main commercial hub of the city which is good.  We enter the Plaza Indepencia, which is effectively the barrier between the old and new part of town.  In the middle of the plaza there is a huge statue which tops the underground Mausoleo Artigas.  This is where quite a few famous dead people are lying in tombs.  This however is currently under repair so we can’t go down here and also the statue is covered in scaffolding.  On the outskirts of the Plaza is the 26 storey Palacio Salvo building.  This is a nice building and was once South America’s tallest building.

We then walk through the historical part of town.  There are many old buildings here and it is a nice area.  We make our way to the port which is not very nice.  As Mum (or Dad?) rightly put as a comment on facebook, it reminds me of the tip head in Greymouth, only difference is it does not have road access!  Also the water of the Atlantic is dirty, probably because it is close to a major river mouth (Rio de la Plata).  This river is mud based and is dirty.  We make our way back into the historical centre, and enter the Mercado del Puerto, which is a market with a lot of restaurants.  This was very busy as it was a Saturday, with the majority of stalls cooking mammoth barbeques, a Uruguayian specialty!  We continue our wander through the area and have a look in the Teatro Solis which is Montevideo’s leading theatre.   We then walk to a restaurant which is recommended in the Lonely Planet as having the best empanadas in town, called La Cibeles.  Empanadas are a type of pie and are fantastic.  We tried them when we were in Argentina in March and loved them so were happy to be in this part of the world again to try more.  We each got three empanadas (they are smaller than NZ pies) and also a beer.  At this stage it was late afternoon and we had finished everything we wanted to do in Montevideo, the place is a very nice city but there is not much for the tourist to do.  We wander back to the hostel in the hope that our baggage had arrived from the airport, it hasn’t.  4.30pm and no luggage, we could be spending another night in Montevideo.  We sit down, relax and have a look on the internet and by about 5pm a guy turns up with our bags.  We are very relieved.  We then take a taxi to the bus terminal and get the next bus to Colonia del Sacremento, which is about 2 and a half hours away.  When we arrive we get a taxi to a hostel which is in the Lonely Planet and hope it is not fully booked, which it isn’t.  This place is not a very nice hostel but we are only going to be here for two nights and we hopefully won’t be spending too much time here.