Iguazú and Iguassu and Iguaçú Falls

Up next are the falls that lie on the border of Argentina and Brazil, taller and twice as wide than Niagra Falls, serene environment filled with hundreds of waterfalls that spread into a horseshoe shape, plants, trees, insects, animals, and beauty like this that cannot be found anywhere else in the world! Let me introduce to you, Cataratas del Iguazú y Foz do Iguaçú!


Foz do Iguaçú


Cataratas del Iguazú

This is a place where I believe that all should come and see the beauty of the falls. This is a place for all; from families to friends to backpackers. I truly believe that I can write and write about how amazing these falls are but it is not the same as actually experiencing them for yourself.

***MY OPINION: You don't need a tour guide for this experience. We didn't go on any tours here and we didn't miss anything that would have been mentioned in a tour. Save your money for water!***

We saw all the important falls and animals such as Garganta del diablo (Devil's Throat), Circuito Isla San Martín, Salto Bossetti, Circuito Superior, Río Iguazú, Circuito Inferior, Salto Chico, Sendero Macuco, La Ventana, Dos Hermanas, Amazona vinacea (which is very hard to capture!), coatis, lovely spiders, tarantulas, butterflies, bugs that will most likely not be found in the US, and of course cannot forget to mention the beautiful rainbows that you are supposed to look out for while there! It only takes two days to see the falls from both sides; Argentina 8 hours and Brazil 2 hours. The weather wasn't too bad. They say to see the falls in the Spring or Fall, but I can't think of any bad reasons why not to see them in the summer. Yes it was a little hot and humid but it wasn't not bearable. Maybe just bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug spray though I don't think the mosquitos really bite there. I survived there without a single bite, in the falls and in our area where we were staying.

Here are a few pictures taken from both sides:

Brazil








Argentina











Now for the Argentina-Brazil border argument. You will not go and leave the falls without hearing, at least once, someone's opinion about which side has the better view. My opinion, after viewing both sides, is that I enjoyed the Argentina side better. Brazil is more for the view of the falls and Argentina, has the closeness to the waterfalls. The views in Brazil were nice but in Argentina, I really enjoyed being closer to the waterfalls and overall I felt the views were nicer on that side. The pictures even came out better in Argentina. Now I'm not saying that Brazil wasn't nice because it was really nice; this is just my opinion! I will say that I like how you get a closeup of Garganta del diablo on the Brazil side while in Argentina, you see it up higher and not as close. See, I can be fair and show I'm not playing any favorites!

Besides the falls, we spent time mainly on the Argentina side of the border in a neighborhood near the cataratas del iguazú. I don't have any pictures of the area but we stayed at a hostel, in a room with 6 other people. And surprisingly, it didn't feel crowded at all! Our little neighborhood was pretty much deserted. There weren't many people out (and yes, this was on a saturday). We again didn't have to worry about those drivers who are rushing to get to their destinations when I'm sure they don't care if they are late or not (It's an Argentina thing to be late for everything; it's normal. Still I don't see why they have the need to drive so fast!) Anyways, the shops and restaurants were nice. I wasn't feeling too well and really didn't eat much so the only picture I have to show that is food-related is a banana split.


Three scoops of vanilla ice cream (I was given the option to choose my three flavors) laying on a split banana, topped off with whipped cream, a green mint syrup, and cherries. It wasn't the best I've ever had but it was just good enough to cure my craving!

Cuisine there, in general, is similar to that of what we had in Buenos Aires and Mendoza, and pretty much like the cuisine offered throughout Argentina. I may have regretfully not gotten the olive oil in Mendoza but this time I made sure to buy my favorite black tea before we left for our Brazil adventure.

And before we left Foz do Iguaçú for Manaus, I ordered a hambúrguer e batata frita that was served in between regular sliced bread, not buns. The hamburger was okay, nothing unusual. Quick bite before we got on the plane! And of course also had a bowl of helado de vainilla y helado de coco topped off with white sprinkles and mini meringues. The coconut flavor of the ice cream reminded me of why I am in love with everything the coconut has to offer!


I also grabbed água de coco, one of my favorite drinks, before we headed to the airplane. And quickly took a picture of one of the sandwiches at the café because I thought it was cute how they cut out hearts out of the turkey and cheese slices for the sandwich..creative!



Time to head off to Manaus and the AMAZON, the most exquisite and mysterious place in the whole world!




A little rain in São Paolo didn't spoil are fun because we were in BRAZIL and were pretty soon going to be in Manaus!

Up next, a recap of Argentina. And keep your eyes peeled for the AMAZON because it is something you won't want to miss!

Tentar alguma coisa, pelo menos uma vez e mais se você realmente gostar dele!

Magnífico Mendoza

So next up on my South America journey was Mendoza, Argentina. This adventure was added into our plans at the VERY last minute---which I am so glad we were able to do. This is where our "life changing" journey started. It did start in Buenos Aires but in Mendoza was where we really learned about ourselves. For instance, I learned that I am WAY TOO ambitious for my own good. I pretty much got over my fear of falling. I would love to go repelling again BUT I still will not jump out of a plane! That's ok! Being 5000ft high up in the Andes mountains is breathtaking, life altering, and I am still at a loss of words of how to express my genuine feelings about this journey. Give it time. I loved the history lesson of Mendoza from the wineries--to the olive oil--to the Andes--one of the most well known, beautiful mountains in the world.

Without further adieu, let me introduce you to Mendoza.........

It all started with a 14 hour bus ride to Mendoza from Buenos Aires.

the FOOD.


the dulce de leche. A popular dessert in Argentina. Now I'm not really a caramel or sweets fan; tend to not eat too much sweets (yes I love flan and I know caramel is involved in this dessert), but this was actually not bad. Not too sweet and not too sticky; just right. I would recommend that you at least try this dessert or something similar once while you are in Argentina.


pizza. it is just special here. give it a go.


Nicole's Ravioli. Another Italian dish. She enjoyed it and the flavors. No complaints.


I am shocked that they burned the sugar in the process of making this dessert. I won't write down where not to go only because the other dishes were good and the waiter was pretty much letting us sample different dishes from the menu for free. Probably wanted to keep us there for awhile only because it was a Sunday and there was no one out but us.


milanesa. So delectable. It was here, at this restaurant in the middle of the Andes at the Hot Springs when I realized that the serving portions here in Argentina are huge! I was only able to eat half of this before I got the signal that I was full. Props to the chef!

ANDES Mountains time!

We trekked up 5000ft in the Andes. The most amazing experience of my life. I really cannot find the words to express my feelings on our day spent in the beautiful mountains. I really don't think any of my pictures do it justice. We also repelled down the mountain for a total of 63m (though I really think that it was more). I have that HUGE fear of falling and heights and I survived it! I think it was quite funny at this point because I would be so excited to do it and then when it was my turn and the closer I got to the edge the more terrified I was! Then when I actually was doing it, I don't think I have ever felt that kind of peace in my life. It was a thrill, an adrenaline rush, that "repeller's high". And the feeling of touching the ground after doing it just felt amazing. I don't think I have ever been more proud of myself that day than at any other point of my life. I am SO ready to go repelling again! Anyone know of any good spots? Anyways, I really recommend that you find out how to do this tour and go on it. It will be a turning point in your life.

We did have an issue when we first arrived in Mendoza. We planned to do the High Mountain, trekking and repelling, and the wine/olive oil tour. Anyways we had to change things around, keep the wine/olive oil tour and choose between the High Mountain or the trekking and repelling. I had to make the decision about which one I wanted to do. What you discovered from my last entry was that I can't make decisions...concerning food or some other things for that matter! Well, I wanted to do both! I couldn't choose which one I wanted to do, which is a SHOCKER because I knew what was involved by doing either tour and for some strange reason, I chose the trekking and repelling. We were able to put Horseback riding into our schedule though I didn't do it.

I don't know why I chose that over the High Mountain because of the huge fears that I have. I can't even hop the rocks at the beach because I'm afraid I will fall between the cracks but I think I can trek up to 5000 ft in the Andes AND repel down some of it!?? I'm NUTS. So trekking up the mountain was actually fine. The weather was cold but once we started moving, we warmed up pretty quickly. The path then started to narrow! Holding a big water bottle and carrying repelling equipment up the mountain on a narrow path is pretty darn dangerous. Fortunately one of the guides carried my water bottle the whole time trekking up the mountain and on our way down it. Once we reached the top of the mountain, it was like the world had stopped for a moment. I was in awe of the beauty of the Andes and the view was breathtaking.

Then down the mountain we went. Now that was scary! I slipped once, which I was okay with because if anything, I'm shocked I didn't fall off the mountain or do some damage to my body! I did get a pretty cool scar on my right shoulder though. I definitely have stories for my kids and grandkids! :-P So in the end, I definitely made the right decision in choosing this tour. Maybe I am too ambitious. But for most of the time, everything almost always turns out a-ok. I just have to learn to think things through before I make my decisions and stick to it! SUCK IT UP!

After our time spent trekking and repelling, we headed out to the Hot Springs, which was located in between the mountains. That was where we spent time relaxing after a great trekking day. Filled with people. We had a great time and were able to slow down and relax. There were three teenagers (ages 14, 15, 16) approach us who were so adorable. The boy of the group reminded me of my brother...got homesick...for a second! They tried communicating to us in English while we were communicating to them in Spanish. They were really sweet. Overall it was an amazing day and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in one of the most amazing mountains in the whole world, the Andes Mountains. (It was too bad that we couldn't make some time to cross the Chile border and spend a little time there. We were so close!)












5000ft high in the ANDES!




Go ME!


There's Nicole!










Heading out to the Hot Springs.







Back to some FOOD.


carlito sin jamón. grilled cheese sandwich with no ham. Just a quick, light snack after a long day in the Andes. of course it was accompanied by te con leche! mmm


costeleta de ternera con puré. The best dish that I had in Mendoza. Succulent piece of beef from a calf served alongside warm, chunky mashed potatoes. Mi boca regó antes, durante, y después de la comida.


Nicole's chicken salad. I love that at any restaurant you choose to go to, they never mix the salad together. They have it separated, as shown above, and allow you to eat your salad any way that you want it. How nice.


On the Mendoza Wine Tour. Mendoza is known for its wines and I believe that it is now becoming more known to all outside of South America. This is where the Malbec is born.


Sala de Vendimía. The machine that crushes the skins from the grapes. After this process, it is sent to the winery to begin the fermentation process.

More information on the wines at this winery:

(All red wines.)

Malbec
- the swirl of the wine is not as light as the other two wines.
- the tears tell you the body and quality of the wine. Plenty of tears to see.
- the wine smells and has the taste of berries.
- the color of the wine is lighter than the other two wines created here.

Cabernet Sauvignon
- the swirl is faster than the Malbec.
- Less tears but more body.
- A spicy wine; softer and smoother.
- the color is darker than the Malbec; more purple.

Syrah
- least tears of the three.
- wood flavor
- the color is in the middle of the two.
- dry feeling.

Wedding Wines:

Malbec Roble
- good for 10 years.
- flavors of chocolate, almond, vanilla

Cabernet Sauvignon Roble






Old pressing machine.




Rio Mendoza. Water coming down from the glaciers in the Andes mountains.

Next up on the tour: Olive Oil

The olive oil trees are around 35-150 years old; the best olives come from the trees that are between these years.










bread served up with a drizzle of Mendoza olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes. Green olives were also made available. This was delectable and I very much enjoyed the combination of the flavors. I will always dreadfully regret not buying olive oil during my time there. Will definitely have to make a pit stop here on my return to Argentina and South America.

The last stop on our Wine/Olive Oil Tour.




Here we have organic grapes that will, after the wine process, turn into organic wine. No pesticides. All natural.


2 fermentations occur here.


Caps and labels wine bottles.

75% juice 25% water.





More information on the wines at this winery:

Moscatel de Alejandría, 2008
- white wine.
- light and fruity.
- less tears

Graciana
- red wine.
- wood flavor.
- more tears

Back to the streets of Mendoza.


selva negra; "black forest". Least favorite dish/dessert during this whole entire trip. WAY TOO SWEET. Felt like I was on a sugar high. And I didn't even come close to even finishing it. I gave up. I'll stick to making my own! Watch out for the Café Latte confitería.

There was also horseback riding. But I really don't want to get into it right now. Long story.


Oh of course, I am thankful for the cute driver who offered me some of his yerba maté. Believe everything that you have heard about this amazing drink that Argentina is in love with. And also believe that you WILL NOT find this already made ANYWHERE. You will definitely be able to find everything needed to make this bebida though, so that is good news. (Oh yes, you know I bought the whole set for myself and as souvenirs for my sisters and mom.) This was the only time I was lucky and able to try this drink. He made this to PERFECTION. Just the right amount of maté and sugar. It was oh so good. Definitely no complaints for the first time trying this.



Time to head back to Buenos Aires. 14 hours on the bus again!


Rio desgarado.

Up next is Iguazú Falls (Argentina) and Iguassu/Iguaçú Falls (Brazil). And a recap of Argentina.

La Argentina es el lugar a ser. Venido y experimente este país asombroso. ♥