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My passport has the stamps to verify it – getting to, from, and around Iguazu Falls in South America is a country-hopping adventure. Set between Argentina and Brazil, these waterfalls are what some claim to be the most spectacular in the world, and even though I clearly haven’t seen every waterfall in the world, I will probably have to agree. I feel like I saw literally hundreds of falls within the two national parks where the falls can be seen. One park is in Foz Iguazu, Brazil, while the other is set in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. About a 20-minute drive from one another, both parks allow visitors to walk through jungle-enclosed pathways and open-air bridges, showing utterly amazing views and angles of the many waterfalls. Meaning “Great Watera” in Guarani, the national language of Paraguay, Iguazu is also extremely close to Paraguay as well.

Pedro and I have been trying to plan a trip to these falls pretty much since we started working in Uruguay. When Pedro’s sister decided to come visit us in Uruguay, we found the perfect opportunity to all go together, along with our friend Juanita. We thought it would be simple as Iguazu is relatively close to Uruguay – but many barriers forced us to be extremely persistent in planning and figuring everything out with the trip. Firstly, as an American I needed 2 visas – one for Argentina and one for Brazil. I already have an Argentine visa, but after gathering about 10 documents to apply for my Brazilian one, the consulate finally approved my application. Secondly, as flights were outrageously expensive, we had to get creative about transport. The impractical Uruguayans don’t allow rental cars outside the country, so we made tons of calls and research to see where we could leave our car in the north of Uruguay, where we could then get a taxi to the bus station in Argentina, what bus we should take for 12 hours to get to Puerto de Iguazu, and finally where we should catch a taxi to finally make it to our hotel in Brazil from Argentina. It actually ended up working perfectly because not only did we save money on airline prices, but the 12-hour overnight bus to and from Iguazu served as two hotel room nights as well (we should be travel agents, for real). Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the buses – they provided “cama” seats that turned into beds, played movies the whole way, served two meals and wine, etc…it was like the first class of a plane! We had opted to stay in the Brazil side of the waterfalls as none of us had ever been in Brazil and wanted to experience a little of the culture there.

Brazil side of Iguazu

The first day we headed straight to the park in Brazil to see the falls from the “Brazil side” after a short double-decker bus ride through the park. We were dropped off at the entry point to the pathway where you can see the falls and the first glimpse of the cascades was probably my “high” of the entire trip! You are somewhat blown away when you see the immensity of the waterfalls and the sheer amount of them! We paced through the trails stopping to take pictures every 2 seconds because literally every view was photo-worthy. There are even pedestrian bridges that jut out into the water so you can get as many up-close and personal shots as you want.

The second day was designated for Argentina! I have gotten mixed reviews on which side – Brazil or Argentina – is better to see the falls from, but they are actually both pretty different. Argentina has more of a “nature trail” feel to it – you have to hike a while to get to the viewpoint of the falls, with wildlife leading you the entire way. The waterfalls are also extremely stunning and even though it was a grey day, we managed to take equally as many photos as the day before – minus when we were on our boat tour. Our 20 minutes boat ride brought us literally underneath the falls and we were completely and utterly soaked. I was screaming the whole time and could barely see anything because water was continuously flooding our boat, our laps, our heads, and our shoes the whole trip!

Perfect Rainbow!

Before leaving for the trip I knew that the waterfalls would be picturesque, astonishing, and unrivaled. What I didn’t realize is how much I would love the Brazilian culture. Like I said, it was wonderful to stay in a hotel on the Brazil side. We entertained ourselves making fun of the Portuguese accent and learning Portuguese phrases (the only advice I can give in learning the twang is to speak Spanish with your throat – does that make sense?) The hotel had a nice outdoor pool; our nights were such a pleasant change from those in Uruguay – we could actually sit outside without sweaters, pants, and boots – instead opting for shorts, dresses, and Brahma Brazilian beer. The food in Brazil was also exceptional; every morning breakfast equaled feasts of fruits and dozens of tropical fruit juices. The sweet and salty breads were also unique and addictive – our favorite is a popular snack throughout Brazil named “Pao de queijo” (cheese bread) and is found all over the place – SO good! Nice people, beautiful backdrop, good food, fun language: pretty much everything you want when visiting a foreign country, no?

The whole gang on our boat excursion in Argentina!

Colombians and an American ventured to one of the most sought-after tourist sites in the Americas; we had the time of our lives not only because of the sights but because of each other. We all clicked really well and made the trip an unforgettable one. I’m going to have to bring up an old adage that is perfectly cheesy but perfectly fitting for this particular trip: It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. And that, damas y caballeros, is the most intriguing, captivating, and addictive element of travel.

Los Padres en Sudamérica!

It’s Saturday morning and just a week ago I was enjoying copious amounts of coffee, croissants, cheeses, and meats in a quaint, 3-room bed-and-breakfast in Colonia, Uruguay with…. MOM AND DAD! Yes, they made the 12-hour plane ride down to South South America, for a week vacation in Argentina and Uruguay! The anticipation of them coming was almost as exciting as their visit – would dad fit in our tiny car we dub, “La Abuelita” (Little Grandmother)? Would the cab drivers completely rip them off when we weren’t there? (We intelligently solved that problem by having Pedro write personal Spanish letters for Mom and Dad to give to them before a ride) Would Mom find at least one souvenir for everyone in the family? Could we keep up with Dad and his love for Argentine/Uruguayan meat? Just a few of the preliminary questions I pondered before their arrival…but everything went VERY smoothly. We laughed, sight-saw, drank and ate our hearts out, practiced a little Spanish, and just had a great time!

The trip started in Buenos Aires, and Pedro and I had been there for the weekend before the parents arrived on Monday morning. My second time in the most happening city in South America, I fell in love with it even more. I think it had something to do with coming from relaxed and small Montevideo, but I was continuously amazed at the size and energy of the city – at 1pm party-hoppers were still moving club to club from the night before!! After picking up mom and dad at the airport we headed stright to the hotel in downtown and then cabbed it to El Caminito, my favorite touristic spot of the city where Tango originated and still defines the neighborhood today. We enjoyed a welcoming drink, ate lunch, and enjoyed some live outdoor tango shows. Despite their jetlag, mom and dad were up for more city exploring, and we checked out the Casa Rosada (President’s house), Plaza de Mayo, and leather markets. We finally found a working ATM before hitting the shops, and Mom was so relieved she yelled as running from the ATM to the cab “I’VE GOT MONEY!!!!” We died laughing as the taxi driver looked at her aghast explaining to Pedro that she really shouldn’t do that in downtown Buenos Aires.

Dad got an Argentinean OFFICIAL jersey in wonderful Carolina blue, and Mom and I searched for good jewelry and leather deals! The night started with a little Fernet, the liquor of champions in Buenos Aires – a little like Jagermeister, the minty liquor is just not good the first time you drink it, so we swallowed it down with the spirit of “well since we’re here, I guess we HAVE to try it…” But dad actually liked it, I’m sure! Next we headed to “Siga la Vaca”, an all-you-can-eat meat restaurant perfect for trying a little of everything. We ended up spending a little longer in there than normal, because we felt bad leaving any leftover wine (we were pleasantly informed that yes, a bottle of wine does come with each person’s meal, not just a glass). However, the next day on the rocky ferry I was regretting the Argentine’s affinity for heavy wine-drinking and late meals…Pedro and I call it the “meat hangover” and it is just not fun.

Next was Montevideo, my home! I really enjoyed this part of the trip because it was great for my parents to understand and see my lifestyle; they stayed in the hotel where I live, saw my semi-dorm-style daily life, and walked around my neighborhood. We all tried Uruguayan beer and Tannat wine (the grape made in Uruguay) and enjoyed some of my favorite restaurants; I made them try chivitos, dulce de leche ice cream, parmesan cheese dip, and of course, meat!! Their favorite thing however was the alfajor, the infamous and delicious cookie sold everywhere in Argentina and Uruguay. We took them to a store where they could buy the cookies in bulk, and the astonished cashier asked me, “Do your parents know what alfajors are…?” Aka they should before buying 10 boxes…The store owners offered us free coffee and cookies as I don’t think they had ever had such good customers. That same day we walked around Mercado del Puerto, the most touristic spot of Montevideo by the main port of the city, and enjoyed lunch in the big warehouse-type restaurant that specializes in duh, meat, and Medio & Medio – the wonderfully easy idea of champagne and white wine mixed together (Another of Mom’s favorites!)

Coast of Montevideo!

So you may be thinking, did they just eat and drink the whole vacation? Well NO, and yes…Mom said moving from restaurant table to restaurant table is all part of the deal, right? The tradition continued as we road-tripped 2 hours to Colonia, Uruguay, on the Northwest coast of the country. We stayed in a 3-room bed-and-breakfast run by an old Argentinean man named Freddy, and was the perfect “last stop” to relax from the more fast-paced sightseeing! Mom and Dad had a wonderful back patio on their room, so both days we enjoyed Uruguayan wine in the nice weather. We played games laughing the whole time (wine came out of Mom’s nose – haha not really but almost) and we couldn’t help but feel at ease in the European style B&B, decked out in funky furniture and imaginative paintings. We toured the small, cobble-stone city at our own pace, climbing the lighthouse, checking out old ruins from Portuguese and Spanish invasions, and souvenir shopping the days away. The perfect way to describe Colonia is quaint, and honestly the bars, cafes, tea houses, and restaurants are the main attraction of the small town. One of our favorites was “El Drugstore” where we cheers-ed (salud!) to our last night together. The staff was so nice – we asked if they had nachos and they felt bad they didn’t – so brought us some spicy mayonnaise and saltines instead…inventive!

Cute Colonia

It was a true breath of fresh air to have visitors come, especially family! Certainly a vacation for us too; their trip took me out of my day-to-day life abroad and helped me realize once again that I am living a very foreign lifestyle! Sometimes I forget after being away for so long that I have actually made living abroad comfortable and familiar.

Don't Cry for me Argentina

Ok, so I know my blog titles are getting a little cliché and corny, but one of the things I was most excited about when headed to Argentina was seeing “La Casa Rosada”, where Eva Peron aka Evita sang from in Madonna’s biographical movie about the famous first lady of Argentina. Also on my list of things to do was to visit Evita’s grave in El Cemeterio de la Recoleta. Growing up listening to the Evita sound track on the way to soccer games in my mom’s minivan may have something to do with my slight obsession of the charismatic Argentine. But this was not the only reason I decided to take a few days off from work to fly to the city of Buenos Aires…

My good friend from home, Ashley Craddock, is living in Mar del Playa, Argentina for a few months and so we decided to meet up in Buenos Aires for a few days of exploring in the European-influenced capital. For some reason, I have always been fascinated by Buenos Aires, and it has been on the top of my “must-visit” list for a while now. Working in South America gave me the chance to finally see what it is all about, and five days of sightseeing proved to be the perfect amount of time. Ashley and I stayed in a typical backpacker hostel in the neighborhood of Palermo, one of the trendy areas with a plethora of shops, restaurants, hotels, and apartments.

When I first arrived, I felt a definitely similarity between Buenos Aires and Madrid, Spain. There is significant influence from Europe in Argentina, and the architecture of the buildings along with the personalities of the people made me feel as if I was back in Europe. Also surprising in a Latin country was the attitude of the citizens of Buenos Aires. Most people I met definitely had a sense of superiority and when they asked me where I lived and I answered Peru, they would give me a weird look and shockingly ask, “But, WHY?!” as if it was the least-developed, unpleasant country in the world. I had heard that the Argentines were somewhat like this (the royalty of South America), but it was interesting to experience it first-hand.

Our days were filled with metro-ing to different districts of the city:

La Boca: Where “El Caminito” is located – a funky, bohemian district of the city filled with different-colored houses and buildings reminding me of a Dr. Suess book. Tango is a popular event here as well, and outside of many restaurants and cafes were various Tango performances. Ashley and I walked around and shopped at one of the trillion jewelry and art stands, and also sat to have a café con leche and alfajores at the famous Havanna café. An alfajor is a layered cookie dominantly sold in the South of Latin America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay – and you can even find some in Peru) and I can safely say it is my favorite foreign desert I have ever had. They come in all flavors, sizes, and brands, and 1/5 of every single corner store and food stand is rows of the different kinds. We also walked past the famous Boca Juniors stadium (Boca Juniors and River Plate are the two most well-known futbol teams in Buenos Aires, causing a huge divide and rivalry between the two teams’ fans).

El Caminito!

Puerto Madero: A newer district of Buenos Aires, where the famous “Puente de la Mujer” bridge is located. Supposedly the bridge is supposed to represent a couple dancing Tango, and in a modernistic, suggestive way I guess it does? See for yourself below…

We walked around the beautiful and modern harbor of Puerto Madero, where there are also many famous Argentine beef restaurants. We parked at one located right on the water, and enjoyed buffet-style the various meats and other foods of Argentina. I tried all different kinds of beef and even chinchulines (guts of veal). When in Rome…

Plaza de Mayo: This Plaza is where the famous Casa Rosada is located, the political building of the President’s offices (and where Evita sang from). “Plaza de Mayo” gets its name from Argentina’s revolution in May 1810 which led to the country’s independence. It is also the site of the “Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo”, or the mothers of the desaparecidos. During Peron’s governance, those suspected to be part of anti-government activities were taken by the government, tortured, and killed. The mothers of the “disappeared” Argentineans use Plaza del Mayo as a congregation spot to show pictures of their murdered children to exhibit how corrupt the military regime of that time was.

La Casa Rosada

San Telmo Market: A huge outdoor market that only operates on Sundays, the San Telmo is the perfect place to find handmade jewelry, art, food stuff, furniture, and other Argentinean souvenirs. Although it was rainy when we went, we still enjoyed walking around and bargaining for everything from bracelets and Mate cups. “Mate” is a special type of tea typically consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay. Our friends whom Ashley knew from teaching invited us over for Mate and “facturas” (pastries) after San Telmo. Basically you fill the Mate cup with dried leaves of yerba mate and add hot water yourself to the leaves every time you pass around the cup. After slurping up the soaking water, you pass the cup to the next person for them to do the same. It’s also bad luck to say “gracias” while passing the cup, and it took me about three passes to remember to not instinctively express my thanks. A truly hospitable tradition, Mate and facturas on a rainy Sunday afternoon served as the perfect way to experience another Argentinean tradition.

Cementario de la Recoleta: An ironically beautiful and peaceful cemetery located in the middle of Buenos Aires, La Recoleta houses the graves of most famous and historic citizens of Argentina. Eva Perron rests here, and flowers and notes still cover her grave from the hundreds of visitors that come daily.

Ashley and I also managed to have some fun nights out in one of the liveliest cities on earth. One night we went to a Tango show at a tucked-away bar called “Bar Sur”. Only us two and a group of Brazilians were there to watch the dancers, singers, and musicians, and the dancers invited us to the dance floor to learn some Tango moves. Sensual and passionate, Tango originated in Buenos Aires at the end of the 19^th century and since then has been an iconic past time in the city. We also attended the “Bomba de Tiempo”, a loco drum show that occurs every Monday night in downtown Buenos Aires. Somewhat like a rave concert, the drummers of the group perform a huge show as young partiers dance to the beat and drink huge plastic cups of Quilmes beer. Four nights of going out in Buenos Aires left us just a little exhausted.

Tango!

Moral of the Argentinean story is that I wish I could have been in the country longer – there are so many more cities and regions to visit there. Good thing I was forced to buy a 10-year visa upon arrival….