Iguassu Falls, Brazil and Argentina

We have enjoyed spending the last 4 days at Iguassu Falls on the Brazil/Argentina border.  We spent 2 days on the Brazilian side and 2 on the Argentinian.  It`s absolutely boiling hot with 100% humidity, but can´t complain about some good sunny weather!!  It`s funny because every evening there seems to be a massive thunder storm, and the whole town almost gets washed away.  We realised after being caught out twice!  Before and after the storm it`s really nice to sit outside and eat in the warm.

The Brazilian side of the falls was beautiful and gave us an overview of the whole place.  There are great views and you can get up close to one of the huge falls.  However, the Argentinian side is more spectacular.  The photos don´t do it justice but we have tried to show how great it is.  I heard a rumour that it`s 8 times bigger than Niagra Falls, which says it all really.  They’re has been so much rain recently that the falls are really flowing at the moment, which adds to the spectacular show.

Also on the Brazilian side we went to a bird sanctuary, which was interesting for a bit… saw lots of birds strangely enough!

On the Argentinian side (today) we decided to set off on a 7km trail through the jungle.  It was all well and good except for feeling like we were in an oven and being eaten alive by mosquitos.  Poor Dave has several huge mountain bites!!!  You should have SEEN the ants – I have never seen such big insects! They would deck English ants.  (Seriously the ants were as big as worms and the flying insects as big as birds) Excuse my complaining, the trail was actually quite nice, we just underestimated the number of bugs we would find!!  Unfortunately we didn’t see any jaguars which Dave was disappointed about, but we did see this big guinea pig, loads of butterflies (of so many sizes and colours it was like conffetti), some reptile lizard things and odd fish… oh and those massive ants.

After the trail we got a speed boat through the falls.  It was fantastic!!  We got absolutely drenched, but in true British style were very prepared with various water proofs.  The Americans were giving us strange looks when we put them on beforehand in the intense heat, but then they got soaked and we laughed!!!  After we got to look down “The Devils Throat”, which is basically where loads of waterfalls come together and you look straight down it, but all you can see is white mist, birds diving in and out of the mist and some rainbows!

Off to Buenos Aires tomorrow!

Rio and the sun came!

The football match on Sunday night was really good.  We saw Flamengo vs Vasco.  It was funny because we weren´t given a choice who to support.  We had to support Flamengo and on arrival at the stadium our guide took us to get red and black stripes painted on our faces!!  As expected, the stadium was really cool.  Huge and the crowd like to chant and bang drums continuously (seemed louder than Wembley!).  They set off flares all the time and stuff, which is amusing.  Their health and safety rules are very different to ours, but we still felt safe.  Our team won 1-0, so that was cool!

Monday was still rainy.  It wasn´t too bad though so we walked right along Ipanema beach and back, which is beautiful, even in the rain.  We also explored the Ipanema residential area, which is much nicer than Copacabana.  Got ourselves an ice cream!!

Today was fantastic because the sun finally shone down on us and improved the city by 100%… We went on the beach this morning, which was lovely.  Dave swam in the FREEZING sea, which is always cold no matter what the weather is like!  Then in the afternoon we visited the Christ the Redeemer statue, which is much bigger than we thought it would be with great views from the top.  Afterwards we went to a weird, but cool cathedral in the centre of Rio, followed by the road where ´Carnaval´ is held and the ´Sugar Loaf´.  You can see that we made the most of the good weather.  All in all a great day, but I have a little sun burn now despite coating myself in cream over and over again!!!

Supporting Flamengo at the Maracana

Carly… Man Utd or Flamengo?

Flares at the Maracana

Dave at the beach

Dave going for a dip in the South Atlantic

Christ the Redeemer

Dave joining in the Carnaval

Carly & Dave going up to the Sugar Loaf

Rio from the Sugar Loaf

Copacabana

Ipanema at sunset

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

After a long couple of night flights, we arrived in Rio yesterday morning.  I must say we weren´t expecting it to be quite so cloudy and rainy!  In fact it was like we had arrived at a British holiday resort, minus the arcades!!  No, to be truthful, it is still nice and warm (30 degrees), but just very rainy all day.  It´s meant to improve as the week goes by.

We visited Copacabana beach yesterday, which was cool.  Spent some time watching the crazy surfers on the massive waves!  Then we went to a delightful fast food restaurant called ´Bobs´ – Claudia I´m sure you know what I´m talking about!  We were enjoying our burgers and then noticed that everyone else who was eating there was homeless!!  Their English was still way better than our Portuguese!!!!

In the evening we discovered an amazing buffet restaurant, where you can eat as much as you like and pay by the kilogram!  Delicious food – the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten (and that is saying something!).  I know this post seems to be all about food, but it´s been raining and we have had no choice but to eat loads!!!

I must add that the airport here was a bit crazy.  On arrival you have to go up 3 floors to get any cash out.  Everyone obviously needs to do this as they don´t have Brazilian Reais to hand!!  Then we got in the taxi with the fastest driver I have ever met, with no concept of road lanes!  We survived though!  The time has also been very confusing.  The air hostess told us one time and the hostel told us an hour different.  Luckily we checked on the internet just now, because the clocks changed last night and we didn´t know!  So we are 3 hours behind you, as opposed to 4 yesterday!

This afternoon we are going to the Maracana football stadium to watch two Brazilian teams play.  Should be good!

Fingers crossed for some sun – we want to lie on the beach!  I think we were spoilt with good weather in Ecuador and Peru!

Still beautiful in the clouds!