Happy Birthday To Me!

I just turned 26 in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.  This is the north east tip of Argentina, were the Parana River separates Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.  People come here to see the waterfalls, which of course are magnificent.  It is pouring rain outside and thunder is booming!  I am sitting at the Hostel waiting to depart for the 18 hour bus ride back to Rosario.

Yesterday we walked around the national park and saw the waterfalls and I took lots of pictures that are pointless to post here but if you are wondering here is a nice one that the internet has already.  Anyway, it was beautiful, there were some cool animals in the jungle surrounding the park, monkeys, and toucans, lots of butterflies, some french girls at the hostel even spotted a crocodile!

I saw one guy smoking a cigarette and when he was finished he chucked it over the guardrail right into a smallish waterfall we were all looking at.  It ruined my mood for a little and I felt strong urges to tear his face off, which I resisted.  I really truly honestly can not understand.  BAFFLED!  There were even little garbage bins all along the trails!  Also, there were these little raccoon/anteater hybrid looking things that have gotten used to pestering people for food which you are CLEARLY NOT SUPPOSED TO FEED.  Of course people feed them, some girls were feeding them nuts in the food court area, which was bad enough, but when I saw a lady on one of the trails bend down and give one a piece of her chocolate candy bar...  GRRRR.  =(

Anyway, the park is beautiful, the waterfalls are humbling, and the bus ride is going to be long.  But, buses are THE way to travel around this country.  They are great.  You get a large, comfortable reclining chair with plenty of foot room and an elevated foot rest, and they feed you!  The 18 hours it took to get here were really quite painless, and with the right toys (iPad equipped with games and movies, and a cozy sleeping bag) its even enjoyable!  They do provide you with a pillow and blanket, but we all know my sleeping bag is pretty much my most prized possession.  The food is not great so packing some healthy snacks isn't a bad idea either, but thats pretty much to be expected of food provided by public transit.

Ok, packing up and heading out.  Again and again and again...  =)