THE waterfalls, Argentine side, May 2011

We had to stay another night in the Paudimar Hostel in Brazil, as Richard came down with a fever and we had to go to the doctor. I won't tell you how much the cab fare, consultation fee and medicine came too - thank heavens for travel insurance is all I will say! The doctor didn't seem very good either. He asked a few general questions and then said: 'I don't know what it is really, I will give you some antibiotics'. Never mind the A1 poster next to his desk, which said; 'Got a fever? It could be malaria'. He didn't even ask where we had been! Anyway, apart from a slightly upset stomach and tiredness, Ricard seems to be on the road to recovery and he managed to visit the best side (in my opinion) of the falls.
The Brazilian side does have the grand overview, and a few short walkways, but the Argentine side is much more complex with a huge system of walkways and nature trails. You need at least one day there as opposed to a few hours to see the Brazilian side.

This is us with our nursing friend 'Jungle Jan'. She is from Washington State and we had a great time playing Yahtzee with her. She is also one of the few people that has heard of one of our other travelling games 'Pass the pigs'.
We say 'Hotdog' to Jan, who is about to go and do some volunteer work in Missouri to help with aftermath of the tornado.

The border with Argentina and Brazil, with Paraguay in the background.

This one hurt. I was egged on by our river and forgot how high the barriers we were jumping from were. Oh, the ankles and the bottom!

The edge of the park.



A coati (member of the raccoon family) in it's natural state, a rare sight here, most are scavengers now.

 

The big one, 'The Devil's Throat'.

It was all too much for a recovering Richard!

Foz do Iguacu, Brasil - May 2011

After a gruelling 24 hour bus journey, we arrived in Foz do Iguacu and had to take three buses to get to the HI Paudimar. The journey was worth it though. A sprawling complex in the countryside with a swimming pool, hammocks, bar and restaurant.  
On arrival, we complained that the bus was too cold to sleep and the reception man replied; 'Ah, yes, you must have travelled with Pluma, everyone complains about the temperature of their buses'. Spot on.

Just as an aside, before we get to Foz, these photos were taken in the play area at a service station on the way. It was more like a theme park. Slightly better than one at home.

 Foz do Iguacu

 I don't think these photos need any explanation.

The pool/bar/restaurant at the HI Paudimar.

Today we got the outrageous overview from the Brazilian side of the waterfalls and tomorrow we will head back into Argentina for the third time this trip and get a close up view of the falls. Both of us have been here before (Richard many, many times) but you can not fail to be impressed. They are so amazing, the power and noise is incredible, swifts are circling round and dipping in and out of the spray and you end up soaked. AMAZING.

As Phil Collins Would Say; 'Another Day in Paradise', Rio - May 2011

The modern metropolitan cathedral.

An art installation.
You can go inside in groups of three and have your brain waves tracked and 'synched' with the other people. 

Ipanema Beach and the iconic tiled floor of Rio.

Richard was a bit worried about the sun.

We met our friend Marcella, whom we had met in Montevideo, in Lapa.
Our first 'Carioca' friend.

The following morning we went for a walk in the Santa Teresa district before we caught our overnght bus to Foz do Iguacu. We only got as far as the tiled steps, installed by a Chilean artist -it was far too hot and humid. The installation is on-going, and you can send the artist a tile and he promises to put it in.

The Santa Teresa convent.

Her Name is Rio and She Dances on the Sand - May 2011

The tram to our humble abode on the hillside in Santa Teresa.

Not quite the image of the 'Girl from Ipanema' they had in mind when they wrote the song, but hey-ho.

And definitely not this white faced girl either!

Although we are coming to live here, we had to do some touristy things. Our trip to the top of Pao do Acucar, Copacabana in the background. 

A secret squirrel lunch.

At the Copa, Copacabana...(yes, I know it's not the one in the song).
Sir Paul McCartney played two nights in Rio - we just happened to be on Copacabana Beach when he left his hotel for the airport. We saw him waving from his posh car. That may be a misleading comment. We did see his arm waving, but we didn't see his face...

This is the beautiful hostel we are staying in, built by a famous Brazilian, feminist writer, Julia Lopez D'Almeida. 

  

This is the gorgeous breakfast room and the comfy white sofa we spend our evenings on.



We visited our new school today, to meet the bosses (extremely nice) and to have a look around. I won't put lots of photos on the blog, but just as a taster, this is the swimming pool. It also had a carved water melon in the dining room, which I was very impressed with!