Spring Break in 1998
Ah yes… back from Spring Break and full of details. I went to Iguazu Falls which are at the Northern Brazil/Argentine/Paraguay borders. We (Julie, Cathy, Dylan, Stephanie, and Richard) spent three nights in a hostel in Puerto de Iguazu on the Argentine side. Lack of Brazilian visas kept us there.
Surprisingly, we all made it to the bus station early to get on our two o’clock non stop bus to Puerto de Iguazu from La Plata. We made it to Iguazu at about 10:00AM the next morning (Sunday) and walked the red stone streets to get to the hostel. We got checked into our cozy room for six, brushed out teeth and then grabbed half a kilo of bread, some fruit and some watr and went to the falls.
When we got to the park, there was no admission because there was nothing to do really. The water is up 15 metres so there is only one path open. SO we walked the one open path, constantly running into the LL Bean couple (nine months around the world tour in matching boots.) But we still got to stand one meter above the falls and watch the water tumble and crash into the lower river. It was amazing to see plants survive in the raging water, but they on for dear life. But by twenty after three, the bus ride caught up with us and we crawled back to wait impatiently for the bus to take us back to the hostel.
Monday we headed to the Brazil side. It was easy enough to get through the border–Julie is very handy at borders. But when we got to Foz de Iguasu we found out that the park is closed on monday mornings for cleaning. So we had time to wander around, change our money from pesos to realis, buy some cheap leather boots(US$7.50), have an incredible lunch of beans and rice before heading to the Brazil side. Then the group go a little split up out of confusion. The boys went on th Gran Aventura and the girls went on into the park to do the walk. I managed to sprain my ankle while enjoying the view of the falls and not of the stairs, get stung by a bee, and get eaten alive by mosquitos. But the walk was worth it. We were able to see the beauty of the falls, walk into the middle of the Garagante del Diablo (Throat of the Devil) and see lizards and ROUS’s.
We ended up without time (or patience or ankle strength or food in our stomachs or money) to go to Parque de Aves (Bird Park) where you can pet the toucans. So we went back to town. Steph, Richard, and I were put in charge of finding food to cook to go with the pasta and on the sly pick up a birthday cake for Julie. We ended up buying some chocolate icing to put on some random sweet, semi-cakey things. So we had some pasta and some birthday cake and we met Inon. Inon is from Isreal and is the anti-thesis to every stereotype you may have of a Jewish Guy from Isreal. Later that night, Inon and I went to a high school pep rally and cumbia concert. Not the casino we thought we were going to, but just as entertaining.
On Tuesday, Stephanie, Dylan and Richard went to Paraguay and Julie, Cathy, and I had a morning of indecision. Finally we got our act together and went on the gran aventura on the argentine side and then on a horseride through the jungle. Que increible!
That night we had dinner on Luncheon Tickets at a Pizzeria with Koz from Japan, Inon from Isreal, and Matius from Germany. At the end of dinner, Amanda, Seth and Stephanie showed up. This was the night I learned how to make mate and make it damn well.
Wednesday. Cathy heads home and Julie and I head to Posadas. From Posadas we go to Encarnacion in Paraguay to spend the night. Crossing the border is one hell of a trip. We find Hotel Ituapy with $3 clean rooms.
I found the above text in a notebook from my semester in La Plata, Argentina. Fall 1998.