Falls and some passport stamps

Following breakfast by the pool there was a little business to take care of. Abusive emails to LAN airlines all sent, we needed to cross the border back to Argentina for a police report. The insurance company said you need one within 24 hours. So Brazil back to Argentina, into the police station where I met the most unmotivated individuals since the people who had to clean toilets with a toothbrush. Christmas day at the police station was all about watching the day time Spanish soaps. English speaking tourists were an unwelcome distraction from the gripping plot.
Unsuccessful, more stamps in the passport as we cross from Argentina to Brazil and made it just in time to enjoy some serious pool time and a Brazilian 5 star hotel burger. To end the day we relaxed and then went for a walk back down the falls.

Moving hotels that evening, the room dropped in standard, the food did too. I have decided that Brazil has the unenviable task of being next to Argentina, so in the cuisine stakes it seems that they have given up. To compensate for this they have selected what they like and just gone with that. What they like is meat and cheese, thus everything is meat and cheese or a combination of the two. Case in point was our dinner that night. Wondering down the street, the restaurants ent like this, pizza place, pizza place, pizza place, meat buffet, patisserie with a variety of pastry that had meat and cheese, pub and McDonald's.

We selected a pizza and I must say it was good. Sitting by the pool of the new hotel which was much older than the old hotel with a Baileys for Elle and Franjellico for me. What a great end to the most special of days.

The next few days we spent looking at the falls from every different angle imaginable, again from the Brazilian side, a amazing bird park where we saw Toucans, Cockatoos and many of the other native Sth American animals up close. The birds and animals are very unique and special, so different from anywhere else in the world. Also so curious.

Elle's bird watching eyes had already spotted many in the wild, she spotted two Toucans, a monkey and many other things that I never saw, even after much pointing.

So that I need a new passport on my return, it was again across to Argentina where we spent our last night in Iguaçu. This side provided a wonderful up close view of the falls that really gave you an idea of the power and scale of the falls. So much water, so much power. Butterflies here became almost overwhelming, for some reason being above the falls as opposed to the bottom there were just so many, like flies in the Australian bush. However these were an amazing array of colours and would land on you and stay to provide some great photos.


The final part of Iguaçu falls adventure would be a ride on the jet boats under the falls. As hot as it was, Elle assumed her preferred position of fear as we donned the life vests and entered the boat. Speeding along the bumpy water, they yelled in Spanish, something about putting your cameras away, then the boat went under, a torrential rain hit us and we were under one of the smaller waterfalls, I was screaming with glee, Elle was white knuckled trying to work out if it is was fun or terrifying. By the third falls she had decided, it was fun, against all predetermined terror she smiled and the laughed.

That evening we found a restaurant in Iguaçu, Argentina and had one the best meals of the trip so far. Steak, pasta and even vegetables for a side. A bottle of red. It was delicious. I think that is an understatement. Taste bud heaven, ah this is what those buds were dreaming of. Then the bill S$20, hawker centre pricing, maybe they deliver? To Singapore? Ah what a meal.

Next morning I returned to the motivated police force, today there was a guy with three stars on his shoulder and everyone looked busy, funny that. After only an hour a bored looking police officer filled in the report for the insurance company, so now we have a Spanish incident report.

Our time in Iguaçu coming to an end we slowly made our way yet again across the border. Picked up our bags and waited for the local bus. With no urgency at all our way was made to the airport by local bus. The flight was leaving 7pm so we had 4 hours.


This led to the delayed shock when we turned up, went to departures and said we were going to Rio. Behind the desk there was a bit of panic, and they said the flight was leaving at 4pm. I thought this must be an earlier flight. The airline ladies confusion mounted when I went to pay for the ticket, it is now 3:40pm, and Elle kept trying to communicate the question of if we can get on an earlier flight.

With bags checked in and boarding passes the full situation dawned, there was one flight, it left at 4:00pm, there was no 7:00pm flight and we had strolled up 20 minutes before take off bought a ticket and got on, fantastic. How did I get away with that one, I do not know.

We are off to Rio for New Year's it took only a diverted plane to San Paulo, due to an airport closure at Rio then back again and we were there, Rio De Jinero.