After I left the falls, the rain cleared up. Actually, when I returned to my hostel, Ricardo said it hadn't rained at all in town. Anyway, I rested a bit and decided to go see the Tres Fronteros monument. The mouth of the Iguazu River, where it dumps into the Parana River creates the border to the three countries, Paraguay, across the Parana River, and Brazil and Argentina on either side of the Iguazu River. Each country has their own monument to the "Tres Fronteras". I was in Brazil, so I went to the one on the Brazil border.
They have a program in the evenings where they give the history and some cultural background of the three countries through interpretive dance. They have elaborate costumes and talented performers.
You can see each of the monuments from each country. Brazil and Argentina are the two countries that have programs. Paraguay only has the monument. The monuments in Argentina and Brazil are obelisks in a park with programs and food and drink service, souvenir stands, etc. The Paraguayan monument doesn't have a park, but it does have a few more things than the obelisk.
The river was beautiful under such an interesting sky.
After a good night's rest, back at the hostel, I decided to spend my last day in Foz do Iguacu walking around the town, including making my trek to Paraguay. There is absolutely nothing in Paraguay except shopping. I brought everything I need, and even if I needed something, I have no space in my luggage for it! All I wanted was the stamp in my passport. So I caught the bus from my hostel to the main bus terminal and located the bus to the Friendship Bridge, connecting Brazil with Paraguay. Google Maps doesn't support public transportation in Foz do Iguacu, so guess who missed her stop!! When I realized I had missed my stop, I got off at the next one. A parts house let me use their wifi so I could call an Uber back to the bridge. I got to the bridge, crossed the street, and headed across. I stopped at immigration and stamped out of Brazil, and headed across the bridge. Everybody else just walked across. Immigration didn't care. I got to the other side of the bridge and went to the immigration office and handed over my passport. She scanned my passport and handed it back. No stamp. I asked for the stamp, and she said they don't stamp anymore. So no passport stamp for me, even after walking all the way across! I have pictures, though, so there is evidence I was in Paraguay!
Coming back across the bridge, I had to pass through Brazilian customs. The woman thought I was crazy to have walked across the bridge and back without purchasing anything!
After that trip, I was hungry, so I took the bus back to the terminal. Ricardo had recommended a churascarria that he thought was one of the best in the area. I told him I wanted to compare the meat in the two countries to see which was better. So, I went to the place he said was the best, Bufalo Branco. It was absolutely delicious! Texas de Brazil and Fogo de Chao are good, but they don't hold a candle to the real deal! There are more selections that go around. They even had grilled onions and chicken hearts that made the rounds! And the desert bar was included!
After such a good meal, I walked a little bit to the bus stop and road back to the hostel, where I repacked my bags so I could get up bright and early to cross the border from Brazil to Argentina.
No comments:
Post a Comment