Wet, Wet, Wet.

Tuesday 26 November
I seem to have got yesterday's date wrong, the post "Waterfalls" should have read Monday. Not surprising as I have lost track of time.  I haven't seen the news on the TV or newspaper since I left the UK.
Today was our chance to see Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side so we went down to breakfast ready for a quick off.  Breakfast was magnificent as expected and I could not resist having the complimentary champagne. 

 

We had booked the boat and jungle safari with our Argentine guide but she had written out the voucher wrongly and we had to pay all over again, not happy about that as it made a big hole in our reals.  We climbed into a little train for a ride through the forest down to the boat embarkation area.  The guide gave us some info on the local flora and fauna and said that she had seen a leopard last week. We walked the last kilometre keeping a look out for the leopard but no luck.  But the butterflies of all colours and sizes were everywhere again.  At the embarkation dock we were told that we would get wet and so should leave all our belongings in a locker.  It was not advisable to take a camera with you.  Well of course, we thought, that's because they want you to buy the photos they take so I took my phone and Lynn her camera wrapped up in nylon macs.  We wore our swimwear.  Hers me preparing to get wet

The ride in a speed boat up the river was exhilarating, plenty of spray and bobbing about.  As we approached the main area of the falls, the driver slowed down so we could take photos if we wanted to, which we did.  

Then he revved up and we pushed through the rapids towards the falls.  Only he didn't stop.  We went straight into them.  It was like massive continuous bucket of water was tipped over your head.  There was a good 4 inches of water in the boat sloshing round our feet and we looked like drowned rats.  I had to close my eyes as the force of the water made my eyes water.  We exited the waterfall, turned round and went back in.  What with the crashing of the water, Lynn screaming,  me closing my eyes, water up my nose, I half thought I had fallen in.  But it was thrilling.  After another dousing, the driver turned back downstream.  Even those who were completely covered by the long, hooded plastic coats they had bought at the embarkation point, were wet through underneath ....and so were my phone and Lynn's camera. So although we have photos we can't get act them at the moment. As a precaution, we bought the DVD and CD taken by one of the boatmen.  It will be great to relive the ride when we are back in cold weather back home.
We spent the afternoon at the pool.  The loungers were cushioned and the pool boys attentive.  Every so often they came round with perfumed, ice cold face flannels to cool you down.  Then they brought fruit kebabs and finally a little glass of gazpacho. Very civilised.  

After a while I fancied a walk so we set off down the paths towards the Brazilian side of the falls. 

This is the view from our hotel

 From the Argentinian side, you can get close up but cannot see it all, on the Brazilian side you can see the whole breadth of the falls but it's too wide to get on to one photo.

This is the fall that we sailed under.

  We watched a boat approach the falls as we had done and disappear several times into the down pouring and mist of the falls. Lynn had walked enough and went back to the hotel to continue her work on her tan, while I continued to the end of the waterfall trail.  Eventually I came to an observation tower which gave a fabulous view over the falls but you got covered with spray because of the direction of the wind.  So I was got wet again.

Photo from the top of the observation tower.

Photo from half way up the observation tower.

Back at the hotel, it seemed that Christmas had materialised overnight.  The tree had gone up, festive cushions were decorating every sofa, there was a wreath over the fireplace and a life size Santa Claus doll standing next to it.  Seems wrong in this heat.

Not sure about Santa's tank top.