Sunday, July 26, 2009

Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires and everything in between



Well the Last 3 weeks have been both boring and fun, going back and forth all the time. Mainly because I'm lazy and a lot of people I know were not here after I got back from my trip to Iguazu Falls. It started out with Swine Flu stopping school for I think a week before the real school break was to start. A few days before the break would have started I went to Restistencia for an AFS trip to Iguazu Falls and the Province of Misiones . The Pic above is our group at the falls. I will put down a list of links at the bottom of this post to my Facebook Photos where I have put all of them up, uploading a lot of photos to Blogger is difficult at best. They should be open, I've set the albums to everyone, tell me in the comments if it doesn't work.
The trip started in Restistencia, I went down with my family and went to dinner with them and to a computer store before meeting up with the other students around 9PM or so I think. Some of the other students were from Thailand, New Zealand, the US, Germany and Sweden I think, hope I didnt forget anyone. We had our own bus and spent the night driving, talked for a few hours, played some games, watched I think only a U2 concert, no one was really watching that or cared for it. In the morning we were somewhere in Misiones, I think near Wanda. We stopped at a hostel I think for food, they had a gift shop next to it also. Then we went on to a Mine of some sort, mainly had Amethyst rocks opened for viewing and some calcium deposits. The second and first gift shops we went to had mainly rocks and a lot of Amethyst.
Next we went to our Hotel in Iguazu, I was happy to lay down on a bed finally. All the guys were in one room and the girls in 2 others. It had a pool, computer, and TV and that was about it. After we got settled we went back out and went to the point where the Iguazu and Parana rivers meet, there is a big blue pole sort of thing marking it. Then we went into the city, went to eat, and then to the hotel. Later we went back out to eat and then a bar.
The next day we got up and went to the Falls. Going down trails, then on a little train and then on a large walkway that goes all the way to the large falls at Iguazu National Park, within 20 feet of where the falls go over. Then photos, then back out and on the train back to where a lot of trails come together. Next we went down the other paths that go to the other smaller falls all around the park, in 2 trails. After that we had Lunch, I had Papa Fritas. Then down another trail that goes towards the river and the boats. After some photos next to one of the falls, that photo up top, we headed to the boats for the ride right up to the falls, like the Maid of the Mist. I didn't know that the boat goes under one of the falls so I got soaked from head to toe and my shoes too, and I didn't have an extra pair. Next the boat went down river maybe a mile or 2 and stopped and we went up into the forest a little to take a ride on a big truck looking at the forest. We got back to the main area where there are shops and an ATM and I got some money and a new shirt to wear. After some time there we went into the city and to the Duty Free shop. They had lots of alcohol, cigs, clothes, electronics and such there, and I dont think many of us got anything. I bought some sandals since my shoes were wet and then we went back to the hotel. At the hotel me and one of the other students jumped in the pool once, and it was maybe 50 degrees and then I went to change clothes. Later we went to eat dinner, and then went to a bar for an hour or 2 and talked and had fun.

Next day we got up and then went south to an Aquarium, not by american standards. And then to a like camp or something where we had to go through a maze to get food. Everyone made it through and I was second and then it took like 10 minetes for the last person to get through. I went a second time and almost bet them to the finish. Then we all went again and I was first with another guy right next to me. I was really tired after that and I had fallen in the mud once because it had just rained and I was in sandals. Later we ate chorizo con Pan, which is sausage with bread and chicken. After eating we sat around talking, tried to start a football game and then took some photos of the group. Then it started raining and we went to Posadas.


When we got there we just went into the hotel and then it started raining A LOT. We went to have dinner in the hotel and then later went to a Bar. It was fun going to the bar because it was poring outside and there were like little rivers in the streets. Plus we went to one place and they didnt have any tables so we had to go back out in the rain and go to another. Later after an hour or 2 we went back to the hotel and went to sleep. The next day we left and went back to Restistencia and we waited for buses home.
The next week or so I didn't do much because not many of the people I know were around. Although I did get to go on my family's boat one day and that was pretty cool. And then a week or 2 after I got back from the trip I went to Buenos Aires. I liked that a lot.


I went there for some Spanish classes with some Spanish course exchange students that are staying in Buenos Aires. I liked the classes and talking with them a lot, the only people I have really had a lot of fun all the time with here had been other exchange students. I also got to go to McDonald's and a Mac store for a new iPod cable. Also a music store to get a CD I have wanted, although they didn't have some of the newer music I wanted to get. I also stayed with a family in one of the city's around Buenos Aires. Then on the last day the classes finished early and I got to go walk around the city a bit, get money, and I went to a book store and got 4 books. Then I went back to the AFS office and then to a bus and to Formosa. And when I got here I had a package with shirts and magazines and my yearbook, so that was nice.
So I just made a Giant post for what I think is no one reading this, so how about some comments? Don't prove me right on my thinking that my mom is the only person reading this, and I find it redundant since I email her stuff all the time.

Ah, and Links....