Iguazu 2

The day started with a trip to the Hummingbird Park which was right across the street from my hotel. I actually had a difficult time finding it because it turns out the “park” is actually a woman’s back yard. She was very friendly and let me in although technically she doesn’t open till afternoon. We sat on the benches watching the birds and chatted while she fed her baby. It is one of the most serene places on Earth and well worth the 10 Pesos she charges.

From there I walked to the port. Correction: I walked at least 1 kilometer in the wrong direction and then to the port. Turning left at the port I trekked another kilometer or so along the bank of the River Iguazu until reaching Hilto Tres Fronteras, where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil all meet up. The views are stunning.

In the afternoon, I rode out to Iguazu Forest in the afternoon for hiking, ziplining, and rappelling. Everyone on the trip was great, though I hung out mostly with Elizabeth, an Argentinean researching adventures excursions for her travel company, and Zainab, a wild Aussie chick you’d never believe was a neuroscientist back home. Hiking back to the truck after the rappelling, we spotted a massive waterfall. Without thinking Zay and I ran in. Elizabeth finally jumped in too, and when the guides noticed we weren’t with the group anymore one of them was sent back to find out what had happened (we told them Zay fell and I jumped in to save her, though that didn’t much explain why Elizabeth was drenched).

During the drive back to town we stopped at a Native village where they sell handmade trinkets. The homes are all small wooden huts with no electricity or running water, and the people eat giant ants as a delicacy. They believe the ants are good for the brain.

Pictures from Iguazu