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PUERTO IGUAZÚ
Traveller folklore has it that you just come here for a couple of days. One day to see the falls and the next to get the hell out of dodge. All of which is rather unfair. It is well worth sticking round the exotic Land Of Red Soil for at least five days. Contrary to ´what they say´ there is loads to do in this part of Argentina, and if you run out of things to do you can easily jump across the border to Paraguay or Brazil. So prepare your best cocktail recipes (with ice), and ready the bikini and the insect repellent. It is time to explore the South American Rainforest. Getting Sorted in Iguazú The modern bus terminal is slap bang in the centre of town on the corner of Missiones and Cordoba Street. Lots of hostels are just a couple of minutes walk away so unless you’re staying out of town there is no need to catch a taxi. A taxi to any hostel or hotel outside of the centre ´should cost you no more than ten pesos, usually eight or less. There is also a local bus service. There are Internet joints throughout town, most of them a bit slow. The best, though not the cheapest is on Aguirre near the bank. The cash points can be a bit twitchy so take out plenty of cash when they are working. The banks are found on Missiones and Aguirre Street. You can change money in a casa de cambio on Aguirre. The hospital is also on Aguirre. The street plan is a bit of a spider’s web but don’t get overwhelmed. It should only take you a couple of days to get used to the erratic triangular planning. Estación & Sabores is a warm and friendly place where you can have a wonderful daily breakfast with home made pastries and cakes. You will find many options for lunch or dinner such as hamburgers, natural sandwiches, pizzas, assorted tropical salads, home made pasta and unique Mexican food such as hot tacos or burritos and nachos. It ´s not an expensive option in Iguazú and you will be able to eat real home made food. It’s located in the bus station gallery where you can catch the buses to the falls every 30 minutes. The Iguazú National Park Surrounded by pristine rainforest with a plethora of different plants and animals it really is a case of location, location, location. They may not quite be the tallest or widest but they are certainly among the most spectacular. “Poor Niagra”, Eleanor Roosevelt said. Yes it may be daft to wax lyrical about a waterfall, but honestly, these ones are wow. We’d even say we felt humbled, but it sounds too corny. The Guarani say that an angry river god made the waterfalls (in an argument over a woman), and while this creation theory may not stand up to the strictest rigours of science it certainly seems plausible when you ´survey the awesome wonder´. And the best news is that the entrance to the park is really cheap and excellent value. The cheapest and most popular way to actually get to the National Park is on the local bus. This takes about 30 mins and costs you 8 pesos. The same as the locals pay. It then costs $US10 for gringos to enter. It is not worth getting upset over this considering what is included in the price, and unless you speak very good Castellano indeed it is unlikely you’ll be able to blag it in for cheaper, as officially you need to show papers when getting the discount. The traditional route to explore the park is to allow yourself to herded into the cute if crowded little trains then walk the narrow little catwalks that take you to the precipice of the Devil’s throat. If you can find any elbowroom here you’ll enjoy the best views in the park to the roar of the giant waterfall, while your shirt gets soaked in a fine misty spray. An obligatory photo moment. If you are not in a rush however, there are other ways to see and do things that give you time for a breather and a bit of peace with nature. Meaning, you won’t spend the entire day surrounded by snap happy tourists in bikinis. Mónika |
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