4 countries in as many days

When I last wrote, we were spending our last night in Paraty, Brazil. The most awesome thing happened - Juliet bumped into Herrie! He had no idea we were there and vice versa. We went out for dinner that night. Honestly, I don`t think I`ve ever been more excited to see someone before!

On 6 Feb we took a bus from Paraty to Sao Paulo (6 hours), and then another bus from there to Foz de Igazu (Brazilian town by the Iguassu Falls). The second bus was 15 hours. So it was a long journey, but was really comfortable as we went on a sleeper bus (really big and comfortable seats that recline really far back). I just read and slept.

The Iguassu Falls are on the border of 3 countries - Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. There are 275 falls it total, and the falls are 3km wide. A fantastic site (especially from Argentina)!



We arrived the following morning at Foz de Igazu, had breakfast and a shower and headed to the Brazilian side of the falls. We spent a few hours at the falls walking around the various trails and looking at the falls. The falls from the Brazilian side were very nice, but I was a bit disappointed as I had heard that the falls were really spectacular, and they didn`t seem that phenomenal.

The next day we crossed the border and went to the Argentinian side of the falls. Wow - I was blown away! The Argentinian side of the falls were phenomenal - better than I had imagined. We spent a full day here walking the various trails, and we took a train trip and slow boat ride along the river at the top of the falls. We then went on a speedboat through the falls and got completely soaked! They literally drive the boat at top speed through a few of the falls and go flying over the waves. It was an exhilarating ride. We then walked back up to the top of the falls and went back to our hotel on the Brazilian side. We were there from 8-5 so it was a really full day.



On the third day we went to Paraguay which was very bizaar. It`s a poor country and has a somewhat unsafe feeling to it. We went to an electronics Shopping Centre called "Shopping Americana" which was basically 5 floors of shops selling electronics at really cheap prices. We came back into Brazil and visited the Itaipu dam which is a hydro electric power plant on the border of Brazil and Paraguay - the largest in the world (they are currently building a bigger one in Korea apparently). The dam supplies Paraguay with 95% of it`s electricity, and it supplies Brazil with 25% of it`s electricity. We then headed back into Argentina to the town of Peurto Igazu to catch our bus to Uruguay.

This journey was unfortunately not as uneventful and pleasant as the last one. Our bus didn`t arrive as it had broken down. We again had booked on a sleeper bus, but instead they sent a replacement bus which was a regular local bus and wasn`t very nice. We left 2 hours late and then spent 5 hours on this bus before changing buses (at midnight) onto a very old semi-sleeper bus that wasn`t much better than the last bus. We were on this second bus for 7 hours before getting off at Concordia in Argentina, and then taking taxis across the border into Uruguay.

The taxi we took was literally like a tin can - the car was made before they created seat belts! It took about an hour to cross the border and get to Salto, Uruguay. Went spent the morning walking around Salto, browsing the shops and walking by the river (the town is on the Rio Uruguay). The shops all close from 12-4 every day for siesta (a tough life!). The streets were very quiet, and it really felt like we had been transported back into another era. The people were really friendly, and the modes of transport really interesting. This included tin can cars, horse and cart, and mopeds (we even saw old ladies on mopeds - without helmets of course).

Salto is known for it`s hot springs, so we spent the afternoon at a spa, swimming in the pools, using the steam room, and I had a massage and a pedicure. The whole afternoon cost $38 (US). I couldn`t believe how cheap it was.

The cheap theme has followed us through Uruguay. I feel like I am cheating them by paying so little for everything. That night we went down to the river and went to a really nice restaurant. I had a 3 course dinner and copious amounts of wine for $10! It`s like daylight robbery. We then went to the river front as they had the Salto Queen competition - it was a really tacky beauty pageant so I decided to call it a night.

On 11 Feb we took a bus from Salto to Montevideo. It was a 5.5 hour bus ride during the day which was a real pleasure. We again went for a really nice yet cheap dinner - we are eating well in Uruguay! Although we have had some difficultly trying to understand how a sandwich with cheese also comes with ham (in fact everything comes with ham, so it`s not even listed in the description of any sandwich here). We learned our lesson and now know to order everything without ham. They look at you really strangely - they cannot understand why anyone would be a vegetarian and it seems beyond their comprehension that you would want a sandwich without ham. It`s like saying you`re from Mars.

I wasn`t expecting much from Montevideo. I really thought it would just be on of those cities where you walk around for an hour or two, unimpressed and bored. Was I wrong! Montevideo is surprising fantastic! I really loved the place. The city has wide tree lined boulevards, beautiful buildings, lots of squares, markets and very friendly people. The city is on the Rio de la Plate (river) and the weather is much cooler. It`s a real change from 40 degrees and 100% humidity. Here it`s probably 30 degrees with a cool sea breeze. It`s quite a windy city, and the weather reminds me a lot of Cape Town in the summer. It cools down a lot at night.

We stayed in the centre of the city on San Jose, parallel to the main boulevard in Montevideo, Ave 18 de Julio (bizaarly some of the street names have numbers in them). We walked along Ave 18 de Julio, did some shopping, walked to all the main squares, walked along the Sarandi Pedestrian Mall (full of street markets and open air cafes), and went to the Mercado del Peurto (port market - really a meat market). We visited all the main squares - Plaza Fabini, Plaza Independencia (with the original city gate, and the Torres Garcia museum - famous Uruguayian artist), Plaza Constitution (with the Metroplitan Cathedral), Plaza Zabla (gated square with a monument to Zabala, the city founder), and Plaza Cagancha (with the peace and concord column). I just loved the plazas and their names.

I also did lots of shopping in Montevideo. I bought 2 tops, a pair of earings, a silver bracelet, and 3 prints for $60. We had lunch at an outdoor cafe, and dinner at a grill house. All in all, Montevideo was superb. I am shocked to say that I highly recommend it.

We took a 2.5 hour bus ride to Colonia del Sacramento this morning. This is our final stop in Uruguay before we head back into Argentina on an hour`s ferry to Buenos Aires (tomorrow). Colonia is just across the Rio Plate from Buenos Aires. We spent today walking around Colonia. The main area to see is the Barrio Historico (old quarter). It`s really a lovely old town with cobbled streets and beautiful old buildings.

We walked around all the streets of the old town, walked up the lighthouse, went into the Iglesia Matriz (claimed to be the oldest church in Uruguay - wasn`t very interesting), saw views of the very brown Rio Plate, and had lunch at a lovely outdoor cafe. The town has a very peaceful feel to it, and is very pretty.

We are staying in a lovely Pousada (guesthouse) with a deck on the roof overlooking the river. Tonight we will probably go out in the old town, and then head back into Argentina. I´ll write again after Buenos Aires. I am so excited for BA - I`ve always wanted to go there! Hopefully it will not disappoint.