2010-04-04
rodoviaria, Campo Grande
Back from Pantanal. Rode horses, fished piranhas, fed mosquitos, 6-banded armadillos. In 1h bus to Sao Paulo, our last stop in SA.
2010-04-01
2010-03-31
HI Hostel Campo Grande, Campo Grande, Brazil
Back in Brazil after 3 months of travelling in other parts of South America.
On Monday morning applied for a new Brazilian visa at the Puerto Iguazu consulate, and could already pick it up at 1pm. The new visa allows me to stay here for 15 days, which is a bit weird because the consulate usually issues 30-day visas. I was afraid to ask them for an explanation, but 15 days should be enough anyway.
We decided to stay another night in the small and cosy Puerto Iguazu and left early Tuesday morning for Brazil. Entering Brazil went smoothly. Ended up in Foz do Iguaçu. This town offers two attractions:
Took the Special Tour to see the dam. The tour was very well organized, and the guide spoke fluent English and seemed to be knowledgeable about all the aspects of this massive construction and its history. Visually the most impressive part of the dam is the spillway (gets rid of extra water in the reservoir) which was half-open while we were there (it is completely closed for 90% of the year). The spillway rivals the Iguazu falls in impressiveness, but strangely very few tourists were around. People seem to prefer nature to human creation...
At 8pm took a night bus to Campo Grande, arrived here around 10am today morning. Campo Grande did not look that fascinating so been relaxing at the hostel (which has a pool).
Tomorrow will go to the Pantanal for 3 days / 2 nights (maybe will stay one night extra). The activities there include: boat trips, piranha fishing, hiking, jeep safaris, spotlight safaris. The main goal is to see a jaguar. After Pantanal will go directly to São Paulo and spend there our last days on the South American continent.
On Monday morning applied for a new Brazilian visa at the Puerto Iguazu consulate, and could already pick it up at 1pm. The new visa allows me to stay here for 15 days, which is a bit weird because the consulate usually issues 30-day visas. I was afraid to ask them for an explanation, but 15 days should be enough anyway.
We decided to stay another night in the small and cosy Puerto Iguazu and left early Tuesday morning for Brazil. Entering Brazil went smoothly. Ended up in Foz do Iguaçu. This town offers two attractions:
- the Iguazu (or Iguaçu) Falls, i.e. the same falls that we already saw from the Argentinian side, so decided to skip them, and
- the Itaipu power plant, the world's largest hydro powerplant (by some criteria), on the border between Brazil and Paraguay.
Took the Special Tour to see the dam. The tour was very well organized, and the guide spoke fluent English and seemed to be knowledgeable about all the aspects of this massive construction and its history. Visually the most impressive part of the dam is the spillway (gets rid of extra water in the reservoir) which was half-open while we were there (it is completely closed for 90% of the year). The spillway rivals the Iguazu falls in impressiveness, but strangely very few tourists were around. People seem to prefer nature to human creation...
At 8pm took a night bus to Campo Grande, arrived here around 10am today morning. Campo Grande did not look that fascinating so been relaxing at the hostel (which has a pool).
Tomorrow will go to the Pantanal for 3 days / 2 nights (maybe will stay one night extra). The activities there include: boat trips, piranha fishing, hiking, jeep safaris, spotlight safaris. The main goal is to see a jaguar. After Pantanal will go directly to São Paulo and spend there our last days on the South American continent.
2010-03-27
Hostel Las Palmeras, Puerto Iguazú (still here)
Got stuck here until at least Monday, maybe Tuesday.
Yesterday (Friday) tried to enter Brazil, but the border guards found my Brasilian visa not valid, according to them it had expired in mid January, i.e. 60 days after the first entry. The Brazilian consulate in Puerto Iguazú later interpreted the stamps in my passport in the same way. (Btw, did you know that the Brazilian visa allocates two pages, and an entry or exit stamp half a page in your passport.)
I asked them to contact the Brazilian embassy in Helsinki who had issued the visa which I have been interpreting as compatible with my (detailed) application letter (= I plan to travel in South America for a longer period of time with an entry and exit via São Paulo, separated by at least 3 months, i.e. at least two entries, each entry about 3 weeks long but the time between entries at least 90 days), namely that each of the multiple entries that I will make can last up to 60 days. Both the border control and the consulate refused to contact the embassy in Helsinki and offered as the only solution that I apply for a new visa. This is possible during weekdays between 8am and 11am, Friday was already too late, next opportunity is on Monday.
This is humiliating, and costs money (85 ARS = 22 USD) and time (at least 3 days). I've tried to contact various offices to get help (i.e. an apology and a speedier entry into Brazil) but failed, most importantly, the embassy in Helsinki only opens on Monday. Fortunately our round-the-world ticket is flexible, i.e. we can shift the dates of the flights.
Yesterday (Friday) tried to enter Brazil, but the border guards found my Brasilian visa not valid, according to them it had expired in mid January, i.e. 60 days after the first entry. The Brazilian consulate in Puerto Iguazú later interpreted the stamps in my passport in the same way. (Btw, did you know that the Brazilian visa allocates two pages, and an entry or exit stamp half a page in your passport.)
I asked them to contact the Brazilian embassy in Helsinki who had issued the visa which I have been interpreting as compatible with my (detailed) application letter (= I plan to travel in South America for a longer period of time with an entry and exit via São Paulo, separated by at least 3 months, i.e. at least two entries, each entry about 3 weeks long but the time between entries at least 90 days), namely that each of the multiple entries that I will make can last up to 60 days. Both the border control and the consulate refused to contact the embassy in Helsinki and offered as the only solution that I apply for a new visa. This is possible during weekdays between 8am and 11am, Friday was already too late, next opportunity is on Monday.
This is humiliating, and costs money (85 ARS = 22 USD) and time (at least 3 days). I've tried to contact various offices to get help (i.e. an apology and a speedier entry into Brazil) but failed, most importantly, the embassy in Helsinki only opens on Monday. Fortunately our round-the-world ticket is flexible, i.e. we can shift the dates of the flights.
2010-03-25
Hostel Las Palmeras, Puerto Iguazú
Arrived here yesterday after an overnight bus trip from Buenos Aires. Back to the heat, humidity, mosquitoes...
Today visited the (Argentinian side of the) Iguazu Falls. The idea was to be the first tourist of the day to reach the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), the most impressive of the multiple falls in the Iguazú National Park. To achieve that we woke up at 6, took the 7 o'clock bus (10 ARS round-trip pp) to the park, waited there for 30 minutes until the gate was opened (8am) and tickets were started to be sold (85 ARS pp for foreigners). Then took the first miniature train to the Garganta. From the train's end station it is a 15 minute walk over the river to the fall. Some speed-walking was necessary to beat the trainful of people (the train was packed as many people had shown up for the opening of the park). Unfortunately three people where already there, on the final platform over the Garganta. Had they run faster than the train? Had they sneaked into the park before the opening time? Where they staying at the Sheraton (which is in the park)? We didn't ask...
Then visited the series of falls, viewable from multiple platforms above and under the falls. All the tourists had arrived by then, walking around was therefore slowed down and it was impossible to take photos with just the falls on them.
The falls are impressive (although maybe not as much as the Victoria Falls), the highlight of the day however was a group of coatis who were stealing food from people at the restaurant area. Coatis are incredibly cute animals, so people have been feeding them (although this is violating the park's rules) making them brave and thus turning them into pests (although still cute).
Finished the day in the park (closing time 5pm) with a walk on the Macuco trail to the Arrechea falls. As this trail is longer (3km one way) and less interesting (it goes through the forest full of spiders and butterflies but no waterfalls), it is also less touristic. Below the Arrechea falls is a natural pool which offered a refreshing swim.
Tomorrow will cross the border to Brazil, visit the Itaipu power plant and then go on to the Pantanal, hopefully with an overnight bus.
Today visited the (Argentinian side of the) Iguazu Falls. The idea was to be the first tourist of the day to reach the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), the most impressive of the multiple falls in the Iguazú National Park. To achieve that we woke up at 6, took the 7 o'clock bus (10 ARS round-trip pp) to the park, waited there for 30 minutes until the gate was opened (8am) and tickets were started to be sold (85 ARS pp for foreigners). Then took the first miniature train to the Garganta. From the train's end station it is a 15 minute walk over the river to the fall. Some speed-walking was necessary to beat the trainful of people (the train was packed as many people had shown up for the opening of the park). Unfortunately three people where already there, on the final platform over the Garganta. Had they run faster than the train? Had they sneaked into the park before the opening time? Where they staying at the Sheraton (which is in the park)? We didn't ask...
Then visited the series of falls, viewable from multiple platforms above and under the falls. All the tourists had arrived by then, walking around was therefore slowed down and it was impossible to take photos with just the falls on them.
The falls are impressive (although maybe not as much as the Victoria Falls), the highlight of the day however was a group of coatis who were stealing food from people at the restaurant area. Coatis are incredibly cute animals, so people have been feeding them (although this is violating the park's rules) making them brave and thus turning them into pests (although still cute).
Finished the day in the park (closing time 5pm) with a walk on the Macuco trail to the Arrechea falls. As this trail is longer (3km one way) and less interesting (it goes through the forest full of spiders and butterflies but no waterfalls), it is also less touristic. Below the Arrechea falls is a natural pool which offered a refreshing swim.
Tomorrow will cross the border to Brazil, visit the Itaipu power plant and then go on to the Pantanal, hopefully with an overnight bus.
2010-03-22
Hostel Inn, San Telmo, Buenos Aires
Arrived in Buenos Aires two days ago, after sunset. Landing at the Jorge Newbery airport in the middle of the city was impressive with the city lights extending to as far as eyes could see. Took the bus 45 (1.25 ARS pp.) and checked into a random hostel (Telmotango) in San Telmo.
Yesterday moved into Hostel Inn (a HI hostel) a few blocks from Telmotango. It was raining till the evening, so got soaked wet while exploring the antiquity market around Plaza Dorrego and the pedestrian-only streets between Plaza de Mayo and the Obelisco. In fact, it was raining so heavily that the "superclassico" football match Boca Juniors vs. River Plate was called off after 10 minutes of play.
Then met Tobias and sampled various Argentinian meats and beers till 2 o'clock in the morning.
Plans for today:
Yesterday moved into Hostel Inn (a HI hostel) a few blocks from Telmotango. It was raining till the evening, so got soaked wet while exploring the antiquity market around Plaza Dorrego and the pedestrian-only streets between Plaza de Mayo and the Obelisco. In fact, it was raining so heavily that the "superclassico" football match Boca Juniors vs. River Plate was called off after 10 minutes of play.
Then met Tobias and sampled various Argentinian meats and beers till 2 o'clock in the morning.
Plans for today:
2010-03-20
Hostel Patagonia Pais, Ushuaia
Preparing physically and psychologically to leave Ushuaia for Buenos Aires by plane this afternoon. Thank God by plane, otherwise it would be a rough more than 48 hours bus ride. Today the 200 years of anniversary of Argentina starts here in Ushuaia and a few huge sailing boats arrived to the port from all over the world to participate. This morning we will take a look at them and maybe also visit the prison museum here.
Yesterday we had a nice day hike in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. It resembled a Nordic forest in Europe. Finally we have seen the typical autumn mushrooms there which I missed so much in Torres del Paine. It was strange to have the many berries over there without the mushrooms. Here the landscape was not that awe inspiring as in Torres del Paine, but still was very nice. The highlight was to pass by a beaver colony. It was on a small creek and all the trees on the shore were chewed down by these creatures and they made small dams out of them on the creek. Unfortunately we did not see the beavers themselves. But we have seen quite many birds (Magellanic woodpecker, kelp goose, sea gulls, cormorants, skuas, chimango caracara, ringed kingfisher etc.) and Kaarel's favourites, the rabbits. Some of them were very tame and we fed one some apples.
We reached the southernmost point of our trip in the park there.
Yesterday we had a nice day hike in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. It resembled a Nordic forest in Europe. Finally we have seen the typical autumn mushrooms there which I missed so much in Torres del Paine. It was strange to have the many berries over there without the mushrooms. Here the landscape was not that awe inspiring as in Torres del Paine, but still was very nice. The highlight was to pass by a beaver colony. It was on a small creek and all the trees on the shore were chewed down by these creatures and they made small dams out of them on the creek. Unfortunately we did not see the beavers themselves. But we have seen quite many birds (Magellanic woodpecker, kelp goose, sea gulls, cormorants, skuas, chimango caracara, ringed kingfisher etc.) and Kaarel's favourites, the rabbits. Some of them were very tame and we fed one some apples.
We reached the southernmost point of our trip in the park there.
2010-03-18
Hostel Patagonia Pais, Ushuaia
Yesterday arrived here after a 12h bus ride from Rio Gallegos. The bus crossed 2 borders --- Argentina-Chile (this took long as the Chileans always scan your bags for plant and animal products) and Chile-Argentina --- and on the ferry the Strait of Magellan.
Ushuaia is another tourist-oriented town. Today will go and look for the feeling of the "end of the world", e.g. I'd like to take the GPS and go as far south as possible and amidst snowy mountains find a remote hut where a few remaining naked Yamana Indians drink 55-degree vodka. Unlikely that this will happen, so will probably just do laundry and look for a cheap flight to Buenos Aires.
Ushuaia is another tourist-oriented town. Today will go and look for the feeling of the "end of the world", e.g. I'd like to take the GPS and go as far south as possible and amidst snowy mountains find a remote hut where a few remaining naked Yamana Indians drink 55-degree vodka. Unlikely that this will happen, so will probably just do laundry and look for a cheap flight to Buenos Aires.
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