Argentina part II

The "Good Air" capital would only be Raul's host for a number of hours. He claimed he had to get back to Bolivia to see his girlfriend Paola and get a job, but the truth was, Mireya was landing in Buenos Aires the next day and he was too scared to confront her after we ditched her.

At least he got to catch up with Gina who'd just flown in from Colombia and we all had a farewell steak. Steaks here are famous the world over for being the best. I can report this is no Myth.

The short time Raul was is in Buenos Aires (notorious the Americas over for being full of snotty, uptight, vein peoples), was long enough for him, and Gina, to quash this miscast. The people were the friendliest we'd come across. In trying to relay this back around Latin America people would only say that it's their recent economic crisis which has humbled them. These people of course have never been to Argentina.

With Raul gone, we copied 3 million people and relaxed in a cafe to catch up and see who had been cheating on who etc.

Ever demanding and wanting the control, I decide for once to let Gina do the reading and figure out a sightseeing plan. Though I did have one stipulation (of course) and that was Evita's grave.
She took me to El Caminito, birthplace of Tango, where aspiring young Tango artists "busk" their dance on the streets. In one restaurant where I thought I was heckling the accordian player who made jokes between dances, I was made to get up and do some moves with the resident dancer.

Mireya flies in so we go looking for steaks and Tango shows. The norm in Bs As.

All of us big fans of Argentine rock legend Fito Paez, we make a day trip to his birthplace Rosario. This town is also famous for being the birthplace of revolutionist Ernesto "Che" Guevarra. We visited his house when it ocurred to me that it would be nice to buy a t-shirt of the hero here, rather than in Cuba. The little known fact of his upbringing in Rosario meant having to hunt for shop which actually sold one.

Easily recognized as one of Earth's top ten natural wonders: IGUASSU; lay await at the end of an18 hour bus journey. It had surprised me back in the capital how few people I had met in hostels who were including this stop off in their travel plans. I guess cooped up for 18 hours on a bus is not everyone's thing.

On the border of Argentina and Brazil (and very close to Paraguay) Iguassu is a set of spectacular waterfalls with "The devils throat" a gigantic thundering waterfall as the centre attraction. It can be best summed by a comment made by U.S. President Roosevelt's wife "Poor Niagra".

Another friend Fernanda had taken a 15 hour bus ride from her town in Brazil to meet up with us. Together we walked around the national park which aside the water thrills was teeming with wildlife. We saw many exotic birds like toucans and hummingbirds. There are panthers but sadly we didn't see any.