Cataratas de Iguazu! Say that 10 times fast!

Aug 19th
I just returned home from Puerto Iguazu! Lets start off by saying that this trip was a learning experience in many many ways. We loaded the bus at around 9 pm on Thursday. In the first couple minutes we made friends with some Canadians sitting in front of us. We picked the cama-exectuivo. (executive bed) Each chair folds back to a 55 degree angle, basically a slightly tipped up bed. We received dinner (pictures to follow) and then I fell asleep. I woke up and we got breakfast and coffee. These buses are actually pretty enjoyable for spending 17 hours in one spot. The lady who was serving us was a bit frustrated with the group of English speakers first three rows and was not too friendly (even though we were speaking spanish). We had a long delay and ended up getting there 3 or 4 hours after we were supposed to arrive. This delay was a bummer but we later heard from other kids from our program that they had a 30 hour bus ride to iguazu. We checked into our hostel and went out to dinner. It down poured and we were getting a bit nervous about the weather the next day.
Day 2:
We woke up early to get an early start at the national park iguazu. The free breakfast at the hostel was across the street at a restaurant. I was a bit surprised when I saw the assortments of cakes and pastries! Hostel breakfasts are not usually very delicious but this one was a little too delicious (cake for breakfast?). All the choices basically were bread and sugar or some form of that. We caught the local bus to the park and started exploring after reserving our space on the full moon tour! There are two major paths in the park to view the falls the high and the low. We started out with the low path and then we walked the high path. I was under the impression that we would have to hike through mud and dirt, but these walkways were easier than walking in Buenos Aires. It was a bit strange to see such massive, beautiful scenes swarming with people. We got lunch and then split up to see what we wanted to see. I was set on seeing the Garganta del Diablo (devils throat). I took the train up to the path and then waited while I ate a popsicle for the people to thin out a bit. I slowly walked the paths enjoying my stroll above the water greatly. I got to the garganta and it was immense—and swarming with people. But one of my favorite parts was that the light reflecting off of the mist (I think) made a bright rainbow! I took a lot of pictures and will post some. I just enjoyed the occasional mist or spray of the devils throat and hung out for a while. I meandered back to the train and took it to the visitor’s center where I was to meet mi amiga. We met up and then saw some people from our program. We sat on the hill waiting for the tour of the full moon to start (a tour where they take you to the garganta del Diablo when there is a full moon and then you come back and have dinner). We met up with our german roommates (from the hostel) and enjoyed the moon tour—which was less of a tour than just walking and seeing the garganta in the dark. We then went to the buffet which was delicious, but by this time we had been going since 7 in the morning and I think we both were winding down. We hurried to catch the last bus home, but it turned out to be at 12.30 instead of 12. We came back to everyone sleeping, and also zonked out.
Day 3:
We hadn’t planned anything for the Sunday since we had been too busy doing things on Saturday. I quick jumped up when I heard our roommates get up (since they had planned on going to the brazil side of the falls and I wanted to get in on the action). I booked two spots in the car and we ate breakfast (more cake and more sweets!  delicious but not a very good power breakfast). We stood waiting for the car to arrive and when it did the driver told us he wouldn’t be able to take us since we were American. Our german friends went on their way and we decided what to do. My travel partner wanted to change the bus ticket to go back early but we decided on doing an extreme adventure tour instead. This tour was rock climbing, zip lining, hiking, boat riding, and going down the rocks backwards (not sure what the name of it is called.) It was really fun! We took pictures of each other, so she has all the pictures of me, and I will put a couple up once I get them. On the tour we went to the place in the iguazu river where brazil, Paraguay and argentina meet. I was in three countries in the same day…and in the same hour. We arrived back at the hostel tired, and discovered we had 6 people to a 5 person room. I tried to sort that our and then took a shower. Our new friends invited us to share the dinner that they had cooked and we ate rice with milk and fruit salad. I made a dessert run and came back with a ½ of a kilo of ice cream! Delicious. We then waited around a bit as to not go our too early and ventured to a bar and cuba libre club. It was really interesting to chat with the girls and the cultural differences that they had noticed when they studied English in the states and in England and what they notice here.
Day 4:
Woke up and ate our last delicious breakfast of cake and dulce de leche and all the things that you never should eat for breakfast. I seriously think I gained some weight in iguazu just because of that cake buffet. We packed up our stuff and then walked around the town a bit to buy lunch and get some money. I treated myself to a mate gourd and a bombilla. Everyone carries their thermos and their gourd around. I haven’t seen it so much in Buenos Aires, but in Iguazu mate is everywhere. As I am trying to assimilate as much as possible—and that was one of the things I was excited about I figured it was a good investment ($7.00). We boarded the bus at about 2pm and began the long journey home. We had two little children behind us which worried me at first but they were pretty good until we got just about home, and at that point I was a bit ancy as well. This bus wasn’t as nice as the first one but it was an okay trip. I got in at about 8.30 and took the city bus home. I have unpacked and showered and I guess I am ready to start my week.
I am still unsure about my classes, and this vacation was a nice break from the go go go pace of Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, I felt it again when I stepped off the bus. I am going to find myself some lunch and head on over to FLACSO soon to attend my class (which I am under prepared for due to the fact I didn’t understand much of the reading).
Here my dilemma on choosing classes:
Urban young tribes of Buenos Aires (UBA –Public university—reputation is harder—walking distance from my house) 11-2 on Thursday. (don’t know where the readings are?) one large paper
psychology of personality (UCA—private—supposable more easy—bus ride away) 7.45 -9.15 and 10.15 on Thurs and Fri. (know where the readings are but haven’t bought or done them). Tests I think?