When I was asked if I wanted to go to both Argentina and Brazil to see one of the Wonders of the World, I jumped at it! They were destinations that I had not considered to visit before but I was fascinated to see what they offered. Recently I had been asked by several customers about visiting the Iguazu Falls so this was an opportunity to see it for myself.
We started out by flying with British Airways on their evening flight from Heathrow to Buenes Aires via Rio, taking about 16 hours, but this went surprisingly fast and before I knew it we had landed in South America! The time difference between us is only 4 hours so the jet lag is manageable.
We stayed at the Madero Hotel, Buenes Aires for the next 2 nights, which is situated on the waterfront of Buenos Aires’ Central Business District. There were plenty of cafés and restaurant a short stroll away along the Puerto Madero. The main language in Argentina is Spanish, though schools teach English as a secondary language.
We did a city tour of Buenos Aires which was fascinating as there are many districts in this great city all offering very different experiences. From the Puerto Medero our first stop was the San Telmo neighbourhood where the original residents of Buenos Aires settled. With its beautiful old buildings and churches, cobblestoned streets antique shops and jazz cafes, this area is a must see when visiting. Continuing to my favourite district, which is the colourful La Boca (with a very Italian feel). It apparently was the birthplace of the tango dance.
The famous ‘Caminito Street’ is full of colourful houses and is a busy area during the day - there are plenty of cafes and shops plus street artists to see – it has a wonderful, vibrant atmosphere here, that makes you feel that you are somewhere very special – again when visiting this wonderful City you must not miss La Boca - I loved it!
Then onto another area of the City - Palermo, with its tree lined streets, squares and monuments. This is a quiet area of Buenos Aires that you can enjoy walking around, eating out and shopping a complete contrast to the La Boca, but equally as interesting. One of the highlights for me was going to the elegant district of Recoleta and visiting the Recoleta Cemetery where Eva Peron was buried. Flowers are brought to her tomb every day, and there are an endless number of visitors to see it. This eerily beautiful place is like a city within itself, many pathways lined with over 6000 marbled crypts, some are as big as a house.
In the evening, we were treated to a dinner and tango show at La Ventana, which is a beautiful building in the heart of the old San Telmo. Here, not only can you have a meal and watch some tango dancers and singers, but you can also take a lesson to learn how to dance the tango! A very popular and unique experience not to be missed!
The domestic flight from Buenos Aires to Iguazu was just under 2 hours. We stayed at the Gran Melia Iguazu and our rooms faced the Jungle where you could see the Iguazu Falls in the distance. I loved this Hotel, with its floor to ceiling windows, it felt you were part of the Jungle experience, even having the odd monkey walking past your room!
There is a small train that takes you through the rainforest to the falls, where there is a wooden/metal walkway leading to the best vantage point for a panoramic view. Once you get there – wow – the thunderous roar of the falls and the sight that is in front of you is absolutely incredible, you almost can’t quite believe what you are seeing. The falls stretch for 2.7km, plunging 82 metres into the Iguazu River. We were lucky as between March and May is considered the dry season, and the best time to visit with less rainfall.
Now we crossed the boarder by car to Brazil where we were going to see the falls from the Brazilian side, apparently showing its full scale. The walk was along a 1.5km paved walkway through the sub-tropical forest, until it reaches the bottom of the Floriana falls and this is when you need to put on your waterproofs! The water sprays drench you within seconds – the scale of it is simply breathtaking! When I saw the falls from the Argentinian side, I thought that it was spectacular but this was taking it up a notch again – you actually feel part of it as you are so near.
My next stop was Rio De Janeiro. Taking a connecting flight from Iguazu via Sao Paulo to Rio, we stayed for 2 nights at the Hilton Hotel on Copacabana Beach. We took a city tour to the most iconic landmarks – first to see the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer on the summit of the Corcovado Hill reached by a cog railway.
We were lucky to have a clear hot day as the view from here was stunning – despite the crowds we managed to take some good photos. Being Rio’s most famous tourist attraction, the statue was built in the early 20th Century and is symbolic of the Brazilian people’s faith and is also a national icon. Its 98 feet high and the outstretched arms span 92 feet. Now its classed as a New Seventh Wonder of the World. It is an incredible sight, one that I shall never forget!
Following this we then visited the World famous Sugar Loaf Mountain reachable by two cable cars and again the views from the summit were amazing and a trip that you simply must do when you visit Rio!
My time in these fascinating countries was short, but it gave me an insight on what there is on offer there. In my opinion, taking a tour would definitely be the best way to see as much as you can, learning about cultural history and sights from your Tour Guide who has local knowledge.
I want to thank Cox & Kings for giving me this experience, it was one that I will never forget.
If you are interested in visiting South America, particularly Argentina and Brazil, please call me for more details and I will be happy to help you with your trip of a lifetime!
Fiona Fortune
Portishead
