Brazil, Birds, helicopter and falls – 12 April

Last night we decided to ditch the Macuco cruise we had planned as we think it’s similar to the boat ride we did yesterday. We swapped it for the Parque de Aves. This was easily arranged by Mary, via What’s App at drinks with Iemanja, the tour co, with confirmation from Ripioturismo.

We were ready to be picked up at 7:30 – Emmanuel and driver Lucas were a little late. We were joined by Eric and Kim a US couple from the hotel then went to collect another family from the Mercure hotel – which is located in the forest which had been sold off by the native people who still live in villages in the jungle on the other side of the road.

Today we cross the border to Brazil. This required a stop at Argentinean side for Emmanuel to take our passports, then again with our COVID certificates at the Brazilian checkpoint, a few hundred metres down the road. We actually got a stamp in the passport for Brazil, it seems passport stamps are becoming rarer and rarer. This took a little while at each stop but we just sat on the bus while Emmanuel did the paperwork.

The first stop was the Helisud for our helicopter ride over the falls. Ten minutes that went in no time.

While we were waiting our turn we photographed a family of burrowing owls that were sitting beside the road.

The flight was good. We had two young folk from the Channel Islands with us.

Our crew let me into the front seat, which was a bit special. I was shooting photos with camera and phone and trying to just look. Superb views over the Devils Throat part of the falls and the water coming from the rivers above.

Back to meet the others on the bus and off to see the falls from the Brazilian side. Very well organised- we were dropped off and we then got our tickets and boarded a panoramic bus, to the falls balconies.

While queuing to get in Emmanuel was making his Maté tea. He took the time to step us through his ritual. He has quite a rigid approach to it. So good to learn and understand. Yerba Maté is a herb tea which is prevalent everywhere we go. People walk around with a thermos and maté cup filled with the Yerba maté tea leaves and sip it through a Maté filter or straw. The cups are made from many materials – traditionally a gourd. They sip it all day regularly topping up from the thermos.

From the bus we walked about one and half kms above the Iguazu River with magical views across to the falls on the Argentinean side. There were several viewpoints and lots of people jostling for the perfect pouting selfie. We got our photos and then a panoramic elevator back to the top to meet Emmanuel and the others and have some lunch before heading to the bird park. Our US friends were off to tour the hydroelectric dam above the falls.

Emmanuel came with us to the Parque de Aves and and we saw many different birds, but we really wanted to see the toucans. At one point Emmanuel indicated we were about 50% around and he needed to pick the others up so he left us which gave us some extra time – we had about 30 minutes. So we raced through the parrots and butterflies and owls and macaws to find the Toucans with about 10 minutes to see them and meet Lucas at the bus.

Then we repeated the morning process in reverse to get back across the border. Us waiting on the bus while Emmanuel got us processed.

Our US friends Eric and Kim were fascinating – they are in their 70’s and 60’s and have sold their house and most of their worldly possessions and travel in their RAV 4 around the US. They have some things they couldn’t part with in storage and stay in bnb’s and other accommodation for a month or more to live like the locals wherever they can. They are in Sth America for a couple of months. Kim did a four month exchange here in Buenos Aires when she was 15 so they’ve visited with her host family and come up to Iguazu. Next they are off to Salta for a month.

Once back in Argentina it was off to the hotel for poolside drinks and we ventured out around to the local area where we we had spied a few eateries. We needed a bank for kitty cash so found that first and stumbled across more of the city centre.

We picked a place with a cool looking bbq affair on the street. The English speaking waiter – Nicholas- explained that it is an all you can eat. We get our own salad and then they keep bringing a range of different meats and sides to the table, mostly on skewers that they carve at the table. We had steak, pineapple, pork sausage, ribs, mustard chicken, empanadas, plus sides of rice, refried beans and potato chips and another type of chip we couldn’t work out and more on offer we just couldn’t make room for. Once again, so much food, beautifully cooked and a bit different than anything we’ve seen or had. The whole street was eateries and weird little stores. Lots of wine shops plus others selling olive oil and stuff.

We then needed a bank again as our earlier withdrawal of cash went on ‘cash only’ dinner.

Then we spied the Patagonian Brewery, so instead of heading home to pack for an early flight, we enjoyed a Patagonian Gingko G&T and beer for farewell drinks.

Steve peels off tomorrow and heads to Galápagos Islands via Brazil, Colombia and Quito and we head to Buenos Aires with a 6:30am pick up.