A La Selva

A quick calculation teaches me that of the last 6 days I have spent 60 hours "on the road" on my way to the Bolivian jungle ...

Near Iguazu there is a 3-nations point of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. In the morning I had to go through Brazil to enter Paraguay, which I managed to do without being stamped out of Sambaland. The bus just steamed into Punta del Este, Paraguay and I was in hurry anyway. Yes, Too bad I didn't fill up my backpack with contraband.
From then it was a ripoff taxi ride to the terminal and 'hop' into the bus for Asuncion, Paraguay's capital.

Arrived at night and had a nice walk around during the day, although it was pretty hot. If I had the time I would have stayed a bit longer to get to know it better. I was playing with the idea of taking a boat up the Paraguay river, but there were too many unknowns and, for the ones who don't know yet, time is running out even for Señor Hans - my return date has been set ... boohoo I know :-(

So I took the 24 hour straight-through-the-Chaco bus the following evening. The part of the Chaco we crossed was a impenetrable wasteland of dry low bushes and scrubs. Bolivia and Paraguay actually fought a war over it in the 1930s (Paraguay won on penalties). I was stamped out of Paraguay at 3am by a border guard who just crept out of bed - the beds of the border guards were in the same office, two others were still in lala-land.

On to Santa Cruz then, Bolivia's second city. Finally arrived there the next evening and with two Frenchies from the bus (the only other gringos) we managed to get into a lovely hotel with super comfortable beds, a small swimming pool and satellite tv in the rooms (towards the end of his trip Señor Hans is not doing things as much 'on the cheap' anymore ... )

The next day was for scouting out the town with Adrien and Marie, but slowly for it was getting hotter by the city. I felt at home right away, being back in Bolivia; lively chaos and fresh strawberry juice: an unbeatable combination. We walked around the city center and the market a bit, sat in the square and afterwards I made full use of my fortunate connection with earth's orbit by watching Barcelona-Milan (Champion's League) and my team River Plate vs Corinthians from Brazil for the Copa Libertadores (we won 3-2).

But the next evening it was 'on' again. A night bus brought me the following morning to the town of Trinidad and after a three hour wait (used wisely for my third south american haircut and marveling at the numerous motorbikes buzzing around the town) the next bus was already leaving. This bus had to cross three rivers by 'ferry', but I doubt that is the proper description of the leaking random collection of wooden planks. Somehow, the bus didn't sink and we sped westwards at a steady pace. At the end of the afternoon we had to swap for a spartan little minivan, which doubled in height after all the luggage was put onto the roof. This made the thing extremely unbalanced and excruitiatingly slow ... we finally hobbled into the town Rurrenabaque, the goal of my 6-day Odyssee, at 1 in the morning ...

And tomorrow, Señor Hans is finally going into 'La Selva Amazonia', jungle beware !

Argentina - Impressions

Although a bit of turbo traveling the last few days have taken me through Brazil (30 minutes), the entire width of Paraguay (eating "kroketten" in Asunción halfway) and deep into Bolivia (can I say I love being back in Bolivia?), Argentina is still on my mind.

It is true, the people smoke a lot here and even the hardiest of bus travellers will get enough at some point of the ridiculous distances ... but this is a small price to pay to see the country where even the taxi drivers and border guards are friendly, where the Meat surpasses anything you have ever eaten, and where the magnificent wonders of nature wreak havoc with your perception of our planet´s natural beauty - and I´m not only talking about the girls ... ;-)

Argentina ... five times I have entered and left it, spending almost 8 weeks within its borders to travel 11500 bus-loving kilometers. In a country of friendship I have made a few of my own. Entering with Monique, running into "against-all-odds" Martijn again and my renewed adventures with agents Maartje and Sander, followed by 42 degrees pool time with Jim and Mel. In Patagonia, having roast lamb with Dominic and Ayel, and glacier-time with northern maidens Anna och Luise. Studying penguins with Frank and Patricia before meeting up again in Buenos Aires with Maartje and Sander, skating in the parks with true Porteño Santiago, and further exploring the city in the lovely company of Deborah, Daniela and Karima, before getting wet with Jenn of the jungle.

But no more babbling ... it´s picture time !

Esteros de Iberá y Iguazú - Impressions

The Falls

There was one last adventure to be had in Argentina for Señor Hans, the "Catarates" or Iguazú Falls. On the bus from San Ignacio, I encountered an elusive but lovely creature that was to be my partner in attacking this water thing. It was the one and only "Jen of the Jungle", world-famous in San Francisco and around.

Have you ever had one of these moments, that you are just walking and chatting with someone, not paying too much attention to your surroundings, and then for some reason you suddenly look into the right direction and whatever you see hits you like wave, forcing you to stop whatever you are doing and just watch with you your mouth hanging open for 10 minutes ?

Imagine this picture filling your entire view and try to hear the roaring of the water.

No ? Well, you just have to come here then, I guess ... :-p

We spent the entire day, walking along the falls ... high up for the panoramic views, then lower down to get closer; and really up close, when we took a boat trip right into the waterfalls - or close enough.

Around the walkways little swinging capuchin monkeys put up a show and tropical birds and butterflies kept themselves busy showing off their bright jungle colours.

The biggest showoff was yet to come though, and it wasn´t Señor Hans for a change. The name of "Gargantua del Diablo" doesn´t really do justice to the actual waterfall. "Overwhelming" starts you up in the right direction, but then at least I should write it bigger ... and in capitals .. OVERWHELMING. That´s better, yes. But, I will say no more of it, just look and try not to get wet.

... you can close your mouths again now ... :-D

Caymans and Jesuits

The contrast could hardly have been bigger. One overnight bus from the bustling millions of Buenos Aires brought Señor Hans to the country town of Mercedes - where Gauchos (Argentinian cowboys) roam the streets - and then one long straight sandy road towards a village with more letters than people, Colonial Carlos Pellegrini.

The streets were broad, with a few rusty cars parked idly, seemingly untouched since the times of Gauchito Gil, the legendary gaucho Robin Hood. Every house had at least an acre of garden around it, where all manner of farm beasties thrived. Gangs of wild-spirited horses ran through the streets and sometimes a little kid or two came biking along.

And everything was quiet ... "It´s quiet here, eh ?", I remarked to the attendant of the grocery shop. It took me a while to find him, because he had his shop inside his house, next to the living room. "Too quiet", he said melancholy, and walked back to his comfy chair.

But I didn´t spend that much time in ´town´, I came for the Esteros de Iberá, the marshes. The next morning I was gliding on a lancha along the floating islands. Caymans were basking in the sun within an arms-length of our boat, one mother had a dozen little mini-caymans on her back. And then the carpinchos ... swimming rodents the size of sheep. Deer could be seen a bit further away and of course the place was teeming with birds, from the tiny red and black ´federales´ to huge storks. None of the animals seemed to worry much about Señor Hans´s presence, an unsettling experience. But the whole thing was amazing.

Although the place was very relaxing, I had to move on. There are only two buses out of town, I was told. The first bus leaves at 4 in the morning ... ah yeah ... and the second ? Well, also at 4 in the morning of course, but it is a bit slower ... (welcome in South America!)

On it was then, early, further up north. My next stop were the ruins of one of the many missions the Jesuit order established in South America in the 17th and 18th century. ... I was seated next to a clean looking young man in the bus who, after a friendly chat and nicely in the theme of the day, couldn´t resist assuring me that Jesus loves me too.
Most of you know that I am not a real admirer of organised faith, but it must be said that of all the disasters of the European colonists in the new world, the Jesuit missions were not so bad, protecting the local Guirani indians from slavery and providing them with a comparitively high living standard.
But, you can read more about all this nifty lore in the customary links on the right pane. (Yippee!)

Argentina is almost done for Señor Hans. There´s only this little waterfall further up north everyone is so anxious about ...

Buenos Aires - Impressions

Buenos Aires

Many of the towns and cities visited on my travels I go to because of a single attraction nearby. I always like to soak up the atmosphere of the places and see what makes people tick that live there, but the reason for going there in the first place would be to rub noses with the local wildlife, marvel at the wonders of natural beauty, or witness the brilliance and cruelty of human ingenuity.

But some towns and cities do not have, and do not need to have that single attraction. They are the attraction. Where Señor Hans is now, there is no ancient ruined city, no breathless mountain landscape, no pinguin colony, no, not even a colonial city center. Just a really huge electrifying city. 12 million people together, riding the uncountable buses, relaxing in the parks, shopping in the most luxurious malls and going through the street trash one block further (not the same persons, mind you). They love to eat their meat and ice cream - preferably after midnight - and have advertisements on their street name signs.

And what does Señor Hans do amongst these city people that call themselves porteños ? For one thing, he can move freely without being noticed. The people here are of all colours and sizes, so he is a traveler no more, he is a porteño tambien ! So, it is biking in Boca - Bay Area style, watching outdoor tango in San Telmo while sipping a orange juice, walking around Puerto Madero sixty-seven times in Swiss company, parading through posh Palermo, and cheering for River Plate on the platea.

Of course I also join the proper porteños in their shopping, going to the cinema and eating the succulent meat ... and some of them even join me. In a country full of friendly people, I met the friendliest of all way back in Salta when the rain was falling and a car was wrecked. Santiago from Buenos Aires helped me out then and we are meeting again here in his home town ... and a special place it is.