24,25/4/2014 Andresito to Puerto Iguazú
D75, T5, Av15.29, Max52 27,334, 1844
Fine and glorious,
Departmentos July Horacio Quiroga 679
After a couple of relaxing days here, the number of fine days in a row now 4.
I decided to take Ruta 101 to the Iguazú falls.
Alfredo and Raquel had asked me to come and see them in their house at Wanda.
The thought of being able to ride through the national park and take 60km off the trip was too great.
I contacted them to thank them.
I back tracked to the roundabout some 7km from town and headed right.
It was a gravel road for the first thirty km. From there it was the red damp clay like dirt.
Once the park was entered , riding truly was tranquil, in places the branches of trees and bamboo almost provided an archway down the road in places.
Bird life though not visible was abundant.
Colourfull butterflies were in large gatherings getting nourishment from carnivore dung. One group was all over a snake carcass.
Traffic was almost non existent.
I was lucky to be able to take this route.
Once the aggregate disappeared the smooth packed red clay prevailed.
In places, it sounded like a paint roller on wet paint as my wheels tracked through it.
Just a drop of rain and it would have been treacherous down the hills.
The terrain was easy going and shadey which was where the sticky patches were.
The Cocos or Pindó is endemic here, hence its presence everywhere.
Upon reaching the intersection with Ruta 12, I turned right onto asphalt and was soon turning right again to enter the Iguazú Falls park and viewing area.
I was reasonably excited to be here.
This will be one of the highlights of this trip.
I left the bike with the guys who were controlling the entrance to the carpark.
The fee to get in was 200 pesos. I was unusually hungry and bought a drink, empanada and ice cream at inflated prices. Care? I did not
Once inside the well facilitated park, it was a walk to the train that dropped people off at the various viewing areas.
My first stop was at the Garganta del Diablo, the biggest cascade. There was an extensive walkway system taking people across parts of the the river Iquazú Superior.
Once out at the viewing area, the view, the noise, the mist and the huge amount of sensual stimuli was unbelievable.
This natural wonder was truly a sight to behold.
Just so much water. Everywhere you looked there was a waterfall of note just on its own.
The platform got you up really close and personal. There was even one flow of water beneath us, on its way into the misty abyss.
From here, I took the train back to Cicuito Superior upper trail.
I had to to woken up on the open air train. I was really worn out.
It had been a big month to get here and the sight of the falls was so soothing, that it was a natural wonder made it more so.
The view at the second stop was one of a waterfall fantasyland.
There were cascades everywhere and all this was intermingled with lush contrasting green vegetation. This and the blue sky with the occasional cloud rendered all before me as surreal.
That it was more than a predominantly water scene one could not even imagine a more beautiful dynamic, peaceful, wonder of nature.
Taking the train back to the entrance, it was now 1700 and getting a bit dark.
I thanked the guys for looking after the bike and headed into Puerto Iguazú.
The road was baby smooth asphalt it was a nice early evening ride.
I wanted to camp, stopping at a couple of large tourist complexes , neither offered camping.
In town coming in on Av, Victoria Aguirre, I stopped and talked to a guy sitting outside a cafe.
He took me just down the toad and around the corner by the Supermercado Tio Juan and introduced me to friends who had a little two room hostal.
It was perfect, self contained and comfy.
In Andresito I had a dose of haemorrhoids, I had cream for them and had used it.
The rest there had helped them heal.
The ride here was no problem so it was great to have put this problem behind me.
Haemorrhoids and bike seats are not a good combination.
The night was spent in the room just relaxing and studying route maps north of Paraguay.
I am really not sure what route to take and will just have to get local knowledge as I move away from main roads.
26/4/2014 Puerto Iguazu, AR and Foz do Iguasso, BR
I decided to have another day here and visit the falls from the Brazil side.
Plus the accommodation was great.
I bought fruit and nuts to take with me. Some of my last pesos were changed into Brazil Reales. 4.67 pesos were needed to buy one Real.
A local collective was taken to the Argntine aduanas, here i was stamped out while the bus waited.
When we got to the Brazil aduanas, I was given a ticket and the bus left.
In the office whilst getting my Brazil entry stamp.
I asked the woman about how I would get on being in Brazil for more than 3 months.
She said I maybe able to get a visa extension with the federal police when I cross from Paraguay later.
Once this was, I caught another bus to the central terminal in Foz do Iguassu.
Listening to all the people around me speaking in Portuguese made me none the wiser, understanding none of it.
Once on the commuter bus to the falls, it was a 30 minute stop start ride.
Locals were disembarking all the way.
Once at the park a ticket was bought. About 40 reales, here through turnstiles, an open air double deck bus was taken into the park and viewing areas.
On the way in my set was next to a Swiss woman.
We got on well and decided to spend the day together.
Once disembarked.
We were both totally blown away at the sight before us.
The view from this side enabled one to get a whole vista of the spectacle.
The closer we got to the Garganta the more breath taking the experience got.
It was great to be in the company of someone to share this experience.
Regina and I took so many photos.
Near the Garganta we took a cat walk out into the mist.
Here the experience was one for every sense to be stimulated. The view, the noise, and the physical experience of the lovely refreshing mist.
It was to the point where you got quite wet.
Many people had plastic ponchos on, in my mind only robbing themselves of the full physical experience.
Here we took the risk and used our cameras.
All this was one of the most magical, awe inspiring, natural wonders I have ever seen.
It was, as said before almost surreal in its majesty and different vistas with just the slightest turn of the head.
The etching in my mind from this wonder will be deep and permanent.
In saying all this, I feel if you don’t have much time to see this spectacle. The Brazil side for me was the gave a more broader perspective of the falls.
The AR side was more up close and personal at the Garganta.
Though, a visit here, if time permits would most definitey take in visiting both sides.
I caught a taxi back with Regina and a British couple she had hired it with.
We decided to meet for dinner at 2100, in the meantime a great sleep was had back at the room.
My last night in Argentina was spent fine dining in The Reuda restaurant with great company over a huge to die for perfectly cooked steak, in reduced Madeira wine sauce and fried veges.
This and a Mendoza red.
Not looking at the time, we finally finished up after midnight.
It had been a fantastic day. We both agreed it was fortunate to have met each other and to have shared the falls experience.
D75, T5, Av15.29, Max52 27,334, 1844
Fine and glorious,
Departmentos July Horacio Quiroga 679
After a couple of relaxing days here, the number of fine days in a row now 4.
I decided to take Ruta 101 to the Iguazú falls.
Alfredo and Raquel had asked me to come and see them in their house at Wanda.
The thought of being able to ride through the national park and take 60km off the trip was too great.
I contacted them to thank them.
I back tracked to the roundabout some 7km from town and headed right.
It was a gravel road for the first thirty km. From there it was the red damp clay like dirt.
Once the park was entered , riding truly was tranquil, in places the branches of trees and bamboo almost provided an archway down the road in places.
Bird life though not visible was abundant.
Colourfull butterflies were in large gatherings getting nourishment from carnivore dung. One group was all over a snake carcass.
Traffic was almost non existent.
I was lucky to be able to take this route.
Once the aggregate disappeared the smooth packed red clay prevailed.
In places, it sounded like a paint roller on wet paint as my wheels tracked through it.
Just a drop of rain and it would have been treacherous down the hills.
The terrain was easy going and shadey which was where the sticky patches were.
The Cocos or Pindó is endemic here, hence its presence everywhere.
Upon reaching the intersection with Ruta 12, I turned right onto asphalt and was soon turning right again to enter the Iguazú Falls park and viewing area.
I was reasonably excited to be here.
This will be one of the highlights of this trip.
I left the bike with the guys who were controlling the entrance to the carpark.
The fee to get in was 200 pesos. I was unusually hungry and bought a drink, empanada and ice cream at inflated prices. Care? I did not
Once inside the well facilitated park, it was a walk to the train that dropped people off at the various viewing areas.
My first stop was at the Garganta del Diablo, the biggest cascade. There was an extensive walkway system taking people across parts of the the river Iquazú Superior.
Once out at the viewing area, the view, the noise, the mist and the huge amount of sensual stimuli was unbelievable.
This natural wonder was truly a sight to behold.
Just so much water. Everywhere you looked there was a waterfall of note just on its own.
The platform got you up really close and personal. There was even one flow of water beneath us, on its way into the misty abyss.
From here, I took the train back to Cicuito Superior upper trail.
I had to to woken up on the open air train. I was really worn out.
It had been a big month to get here and the sight of the falls was so soothing, that it was a natural wonder made it more so.
The view at the second stop was one of a waterfall fantasyland.
There were cascades everywhere and all this was intermingled with lush contrasting green vegetation. This and the blue sky with the occasional cloud rendered all before me as surreal.
That it was more than a predominantly water scene one could not even imagine a more beautiful dynamic, peaceful, wonder of nature.
Taking the train back to the entrance, it was now 1700 and getting a bit dark.
I thanked the guys for looking after the bike and headed into Puerto Iguazú.
The road was baby smooth asphalt it was a nice early evening ride.
I wanted to camp, stopping at a couple of large tourist complexes , neither offered camping.
In town coming in on Av, Victoria Aguirre, I stopped and talked to a guy sitting outside a cafe.
He took me just down the toad and around the corner by the Supermercado Tio Juan and introduced me to friends who had a little two room hostal.
It was perfect, self contained and comfy.
In Andresito I had a dose of haemorrhoids, I had cream for them and had used it.
The rest there had helped them heal.
The ride here was no problem so it was great to have put this problem behind me.
Haemorrhoids and bike seats are not a good combination.
The night was spent in the room just relaxing and studying route maps north of Paraguay.
I am really not sure what route to take and will just have to get local knowledge as I move away from main roads.
26/4/2014 Puerto Iguazu, AR and Foz do Iguasso, BR
I decided to have another day here and visit the falls from the Brazil side.
Plus the accommodation was great.
I bought fruit and nuts to take with me. Some of my last pesos were changed into Brazil Reales. 4.67 pesos were needed to buy one Real.
A local collective was taken to the Argntine aduanas, here i was stamped out while the bus waited.
When we got to the Brazil aduanas, I was given a ticket and the bus left.
In the office whilst getting my Brazil entry stamp.
I asked the woman about how I would get on being in Brazil for more than 3 months.
She said I maybe able to get a visa extension with the federal police when I cross from Paraguay later.
Once this was, I caught another bus to the central terminal in Foz do Iguassu.
Listening to all the people around me speaking in Portuguese made me none the wiser, understanding none of it.
Once on the commuter bus to the falls, it was a 30 minute stop start ride.
Locals were disembarking all the way.
Once at the park a ticket was bought. About 40 reales, here through turnstiles, an open air double deck bus was taken into the park and viewing areas.
On the way in my set was next to a Swiss woman.
We got on well and decided to spend the day together.
Once disembarked.
We were both totally blown away at the sight before us.
The view from this side enabled one to get a whole vista of the spectacle.
The closer we got to the Garganta the more breath taking the experience got.
It was great to be in the company of someone to share this experience.
Regina and I took so many photos.
Near the Garganta we took a cat walk out into the mist.
Here the experience was one for every sense to be stimulated. The view, the noise, and the physical experience of the lovely refreshing mist.
It was to the point where you got quite wet.
Many people had plastic ponchos on, in my mind only robbing themselves of the full physical experience.
Here we took the risk and used our cameras.
All this was one of the most magical, awe inspiring, natural wonders I have ever seen.
It was, as said before almost surreal in its majesty and different vistas with just the slightest turn of the head.
The etching in my mind from this wonder will be deep and permanent.
In saying all this, I feel if you don’t have much time to see this spectacle. The Brazil side for me was the gave a more broader perspective of the falls.
The AR side was more up close and personal at the Garganta.
Though, a visit here, if time permits would most definitey take in visiting both sides.
I caught a taxi back with Regina and a British couple she had hired it with.
We decided to meet for dinner at 2100, in the meantime a great sleep was had back at the room.
My last night in Argentina was spent fine dining in The Reuda restaurant with great company over a huge to die for perfectly cooked steak, in reduced Madeira wine sauce and fried veges.
This and a Mendoza red.
Not looking at the time, we finally finished up after midnight.
It had been a fantastic day. We both agreed it was fortunate to have met each other and to have shared the falls experience.
 Park entrance, riding bliss
 At the crowded dining room
 BR side
 Great company for the day, Regina from Zurich
|
 Smooth as a silk when damp, slippery as ice when wet
 Great access to the falls AR
 Coati, South Americas Racoon
 BR side
|
AR side
A visual and acoustic banquet, BR side
What a special place on our planet.
Muchas gracias por todo, Argentina. Fui un tiempo muy especial.
Argentina, from Paso Jama ,high in the Andes, Ushuaia, Patagonia in the deep south, the many mountain passes. Especially to all the wonderful people I met on Ruta 40 in the west of the country, under the shadow of the Andes. The fresh trout, the pampa and the sub tropical north, what a wonderful time was had here.
Thankyou, to all the wonderful people met in the few months here.
A big thanks to the cyclists who I shared time with here, Loic, Kurt, Lucas, Dorothee and Callum my son. Also to others encountered on the way.
