We were back on the road to meet Tracy’s client in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. This is the same city we took the adoptee to at the end of the TIES trip so he could meet more of his extended family. The plan is a bit different this time though.
I will start by saying the Noah performed flawlessly. Heavy sigh of relief!
Even though we are staying in Ciudad del Este for two nights, the activities are actually in Brazil. It would have been more convenient to stay in Brazil, but there was a very good reason to pass on that arrangement this time through. The client was flying in and out of the Ciudad del Este, with both flights scheduled very, very, very early in the morning. The main route over the boarder into Brazil is unpredictable at best, and can at times create hours of delay. That’s to be avoided when trying to make a flight. I will say the arrangement did make things somewhat comical at times, but more on that in a bit.
We made the airport pickup. Tracy bribed our way out of another police stop, which I feel was somewhat my fault as I suggested she take an illegal turn, not realizing it was illegal. Then we grabbed some breakfast and headed out for the first stop…the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. I was very excited to see this as, you may have figured out from previous posts, the falls are one of my favorite sites ever.
To get to Brazil is is necessary to pass through the market district of Ciudad del Este. This is the district that is responsible for the city’s international reputation as a crime haven. There is much illegal trading going on here, and there can be violence to go along with it. At the very least one should keep a close eye on one’s wallet or purse. By the end of each day the streets are littered with garbage and it’s just not a great area to hang out in, if you get my drift.
It was morning for our first trip through so the primary annoyances were traffic and vendors…everywhere! After a quick stop at the immigration office for passport stamps we crossed over the river to Brazil on the Friendship Bridge.
Even thought it’s called the Friendship Bridge, it’s not very friendly at all. The bridge is incredibly important for commerce between the two countries, but because of the illegal trading the bridge has been fenced in using multiple levels of concrete and metal barriers to stop illegal goods from being thrown over the side to boats waiting below, or as a means to dump cargo (or oneself) if one is being pursued by the police. It felt a bit prison like to me. Traffic on the bridge can also be backed up for extended periods. What’s friendly about that?
We were lucky and made decent time across the bridge. Upon arriving in
Foz do Iguaçu Brazil we made another stop for passport stamps.
Before going to the falls, the client took a helicopter ride which files down the river towards the main falls, Devils Throat. The report back confirmed it was a fantastic view and the flight was worth the $140. I had given some thought to going along, but I have some reservations about the impact the flights have on the natural setting. They are anything but quiet when they buzz by overhead. I don’t like it. So, I passed.
Then we made our way into the park. The paths on the Brazilian side are much shorter than on the Argentina side, but the views were still breathtaking. From this side it is possible to get a clear view into Devil’s Throat at water level. Cool beyond description.
We decided to grab some lunch before leaving the park. The thieving Coati were in full force and one boy’s job was to make noise to keep them away.
There were a few hours to kill between activities, so we crossed back over into Paraguay for naps, etc. And yes, we stopped for a stamp on the way out of Brazil and a stamp on the way back into Paraguay.
We gathered a few hours later and made our way back over to Brazil for the evenings activities. When we stopped for the stamp on the way out of Paraguay the staff had a good chuckle over our back and forth. Tracy flat out asked if it was really necessary to get the passports stamped as they rarely stop anyone at the boarder. We stopped voluntarily, not because we were forced to. Citizens of the two countries can flow back and forth freely, so it’s very possible to just drive right on through. The clerk grinned and said we should probably get the stamps.
The evening event was the Rafain Churrascaria Show, which is a large Brazilian steakhouse with a dinner show. The show is a collection of traditional South American dances performed by a house dance troop, with a bit of comedy thrown in along the way. Entertaining…definitely. Authentic…according to my trusted resource for this type of information (Tracy), not so much. Cheesy…Oh Yeah! The food was good, and all-in-all it was a fun evening.
After the show we crossed the border one last time and made our way back to the hotel. Tomorrow is another early day.
Till then…