Iguassu Falls, Argentinean Side. My photos.

At Iguassu Falls Park you have gates for "walking over the falls", where you can have views like this one. Excellent idea to put the bridges! Thanks for the genius that did it! :D

See you Canaima! See you Venezuela! Canaima: 6th. Part.

After the great experience of walking behind a waterfall, we went back to the camp by the lake, again in canoe; somebody had brought it to the shore close to Salto el Hacha. First we went to the shore in front of the one we were, Ericka wanted to leave us to swim a bit there… but! As we were starting to go out of the canoe, some Germans complained about this idea, they said for them it has no reason to swim again here, as far as we have done it at the river. :( I have no idea why they shouldn´t want to swim there as well, you see, ok, we have already swim at the river and it was great enough, yes, but this time it was at the lake watching the waterfalls! A completely other story! The point was the ones not willing to swim where the majority so, we all had to lose it! :(

Going back to the camp we went again as close as possible to the waterfalls:



Once at the ranch, the food was already waiting us. We had a very Venezuelan menu: grilled chicken that was so delicious!, potato salad, another salad (sorry! I forget which one!), soft drinks and water. We can eat all what we wanted. All this very well seasoned with tropical music! :D When we finish we had time for rest a bit, just that, again, nobody told us how long it would be or if we could go to the shore of the lake or something. We stayed there, got dressed again, went to the souvenir shop but we haven´t buy anything, you see, from my point of view all seemed to be “made in China” and it´s not about having something against it, but when I travel and buy souvenirs, what I want is to buy things made at the country I am. On the other hand, the prices were completely Europeans. Some Venezuelan friends had already told me that Canaima is a place where just tourist can go, due the prices, very high ones for them. You see, the point is that for tourist the price is not so high, and this is a place that deserves to be visited, so…

We had been also talking with a Spanish there that told us he was the owner of the shops there. After a while Ericka told us that we should wait a bit more but we could do it at the shore of the lake if we wanted. We did it and it was a precious moment, we had been reenergizing us watching this wonderful landscape:



It was time for going back to Margarita, flying over Salto Angel… but! It was so cloudy! :( snif! Snif! Snif! And you see, for me the price was worth enough in case we watch Salto Angel as well! Stop! This deserves an explanation! Of course this travel was great! It was impressive enough to walk behind a waterfall and to swim watching tepuis, of course, and I do recommend this travel, but you see, the cost was around 350 US$ and was just a one day travel. And yes, I know, you can´t blame anybody for having a cloudy day, but, I do think the pilot should tried to fly over Salto Angel at the morning as well, maybe we would watch a bit more then. But well! Anyway it was a marvelous experience and this is part of what we saw going back to Margarita:



That night, already in Margarita Island, we din the 4 together and after that Esther, Rosa and me (Curro was so tired), said good bye to the island in “our own way”. We had been playing Scrabble with Esther while Rosa learned a bit how to play pool, we went to dance a bit to the disco, we went to watch the moon from the shore of the beach and finally we were talking a bit, at the side of the swimming pool, with some of the Scrabble friends that were still there.

Btw: somebody asked me why I haven´t comment a lot about the Dunes Hotel in Margarita Island. You see: the hotel was ok. Not excelent. Not fabulous. Just ok. The place in general, ok, a lot of swimming pools, a lot of activities to be done, a nice beach… about the food of the different restaurants, well, it was ok, I wouldn´t remark anything, actually, when the thematic dinners (where they make the food accordingly of different countries), we said it should be the “free version of the Hotel Dunes” of the food of that country, because the dishes weren´t even a bit alike the ones they suppose to be. So, we eat very well, yes, just nothing to remark and when it´s like that, I don´t think it´s worth to talk about that in my blog. Would I recommend that hotel? It depends. First of all I had no time to meet other hotels there, so I can´t tell if you can find better options or if this was the best one. Would I recommend Margarita Island as a tourist destiny? Uf! So difficult to say! Actually not. If this is for the beach: I had seen betters. Resorts: I had seen betters. But Canaima is a great place really worth view, better for going for several days.

That was our last night in Venezuela, the next morning we went back to Madrid.

See you Venezuela! I wish I would go back there again! :D

Walk behind a waterfall, like the Last of the Mohicans! Canaima: 5th. Part.

We walked to Salto el Hacha after swimming at Carrao River. The road was a bit hard, even having some steps that help to climb, but they were a bit high, but there was a handrail as well.

Here some videos of the road for you to see a bit of it:



This one was coming back from the waterfalls, but here you can appreciate a bit better the difficulties of the road:



Once at the waterfall, Ericka (our guide), explained us that the floor of the road behind the waterfall was rock, so we should take care about what we wear at our feet. The soles of our shoes weren´t appropriated, so she recommended us to wear just socks or even nothing instead of our shoes. I used my socks, but I should say that in case of knowing this in advanced, I would choose ones with a discreet color! ;P Curro decided to use his shoes, no matter if weren´t the appropriate ones.

Mr. Julio, a Pemon that had been with us during the whole tour, was carrying a big plastic bag for keeping there all our belongings that we didn´t want to get wet. No way to take the cameras with us… but! I had a waterproof single use camera! You see, maybe it seems silly, but I had been checking in internet and seems it´s not so common and actually I think the point here is that at the travel agencies don´t give advice of it. Actually I had one due the swimming with dolphins experience, they didn´t allowed us to take our own pics… but was wonderful to have it here! :D We got bad habits using digital cameras: to have the chance of checking the pic after taking it, so if it´s needed to repeat it, you just do it… or to take a lot of pics, almost with no limits, that was a problem because we just forgot about it till we had just few pics left! :/

Special recommendation about the camera: this is the kind of experiences that won´t have a lot of times in your life, unless you live close to a place like this, of course! ;) So, if you give a lot of value to the point of having good photo memories and you had decided to take a waterproof single use camera with you and you don´t want to have a bad experience, would be better if you take with you several cameras and take several pics of the places you like most. Even Kodak people recommend that: “Water pictures are a bit unpredictable, so take extra pictures to increase the chance you'll get several that you like.” Source: Kodak.com We were so lucky, all the pics were ok, but if I would have my digital one I would repeat several of them. Also the quality is not excellent. I don´t know if this depends on the kind of camera you choose, the one we used is a very good one (no, hehehe, we haven´t choose it! It was the only option we had!). Anyway, based on this experience, I recommend it to you, is this one:




We start to walk behind the Salto de Hacha. I was quite excited! Ok, ok, we all were! :D I don´t know if I had already comment this in another post, but I have the habit to go close to the guide… and I have no idea why I have the bad luck that my companions usually go at the end! But this time I tried to go close to Rosa and Esther at least, just that not always.

The first almost we all did was to go under a small waterfall, like if we would being in a SPA, actually I told to a couple of German ladies that were close to me at that moment “a good massage, eh?” and one of them replayed: “yes! And for free!” and I thought “well, free, free… we are paying a lot for this tour!” but haven´t told them that, I had no plans to spoil that perfect moment to anybody! ;)

We continue walking and it was marvelous! You can feel the force! The vitality! I went close to Rosa exactly in a moment where she was starting to shout out loud for joy! So I joined her! Hehehe. Yeap! The Germans surely got shocked! ;P

The wall of the hill that was behind the waterfall was 100% rock with a bit of moss. You should take care about where to step (but actually the Ericka´s trick about wearing socks worked perfectly, anyway you should take care about that), take care about your head and also where to touch. I´m not trying to get you scared about doing it, it´s just that in a moment that I was ahead of them, enjoying the beauty of the place and in a moment I turned back and Esther and Rosa were helping Curro… that was with the head bleeding!! He had banged it with a part of the wall! I was really worried because he was bleeding a lot. In seconds I imagined what we should do to take him out of there in case he can´t go by his own! He also felt down when we were going back… due the shoes! Of course! You see, afterwards I had been thinking and I got the conclusion that maybe the place was so romantic and bucolic that he felt the need of giving his own touch to the tour! ;P

Ericka told us this was the place where the waterfall escene of The Last of the Mohicans had been filmed:



Once at the final of the part we can walk in, it was a space where we can took out the cameras without getting them wet (you should take care anyway). Here the video:



It was a real pity to have to go out of there; I was with a strange mix of vitality and inner peace, a strange mix, yes, but… a great one!! :D

(To be continued)

Enjoying the beauty of Canaima. Canaima: Third Part.

Since we arrived in Canaima I was levitating! That green! That bright in everything! I even had ask my fellows if it was something that someone else had put in my coffee or if they also have been watching everything more brilliant and with more color… but they said I was right.

The small ranch at the resting place was already ready for the lunch and part of its atmosphere was tropical music at the background.



Ericka, our guide, recommended us to wear the most comfortable cloth we had. It was a perfect day thinking about the light and weather, but as far as it´s at the Venezuelan jungle, we could swept a lot after walking a bit, her recommendation, as far as the plans were including to swim in a river, was about being just in swimming suit. They had small rooms for us to change the cloth and even places to leave our belongings. The ranch had a house in front, with some baths, the mentioned rooms and afterwards I discovered also a shop there. Both buildings were at the middle of the jungle. So, being at the ranch, all you can see was the house, the way to the airport and the vegetation… so! It really wondered me a lot to discover we were just few steps from the lake with the beautiful waterfalls we saw from the plane! :D

We went to the shore of Canaima´s lake and while we were enjoying the view, Ericka was explaining us about the place, its settler, the Pemons and about the laws that protect the place (just Pemons could buy lands there, something that from my point of view is quite good, btw), about the vegetation, the animals, that the color of the lake was due the tannin… just that I was levitating so much watching that marvelous place, that I really don´t remember a lot, I´m afraid.

We navigated at the lake to the other shore in a dugout canoe, going as close to the waterfalls as possible. I like to take binoculars with me to this kind of places, it´s always great to appreciate a bit closer them.



We walk a bit in Anatoliy Island, they, the Spanish people, Germans and Americans were quite impressed by the vegetation, for me it was quite alike Guatemala, which is always great for me.



(To be continued.)

From Orinoco´s delta to Canaima. Canaima: Second Part.

The landscapes from the air, going from the Orionoco´s delta to Canaima were just great! :D



The Savannah, viewed from the air, precious! The Tepuis: impressive! And to watch the waterfalls while landing… amazing!! I felt in a dream! :D



In the same airport we found a small handcraft market, the guide told us we have just one more place for buying handcrafts, so we stayed a bit watching there. After that we went to a ranch that was at the same time the place to eat and the place to rest a bit.

Here a video for you to also enjoy it, just I should say it has no comparison with watching it right there.



(To be continued)

Iguassu Falls, the Argentinean Side. Argentina: 6th. Part.

Iguassu is just… wonderful!!!! As I mentioned at the previous posts, I had been at Iguassu falls 2 times, I´m talking about the experiences at the second one, when I went with my friends Montse, Patxi and Topo in 2008. We had gone thru the Brazilian first and also Topo and I did a Helicopter Tour.

Most of the waterfalls are located at the Argentinean side and they had built a lot of gates for doing walking tours around and over the different falls. So, to go there means to walk a lot and also to climb a lot of steps (better if you take that into account) ;)



Our first visit was to the Devil´s Throat:



At the lunch time Patxi and I played Scrabble at the park! :D



After lunch we did the Adventure Tour, that is sailing, at the river, they put you as close as possible to the falls:



In 2004, the Adventure Tour was before the lunch time, I had the good luck of being seat at the side of a French boy that after sharing that great experience together, invited me to lunch! :D



Back in 2008, after the Adventure Tour at the river, we had a Jeep Tour:



And after that we continued walking thru the park, the wonders weren´t already over!



Oh yes! I would love to go back there again! I could say I have visited the falls at all the possible ways to… but… actually I think there´s something missing here: to do it diving, so you can cross them as well! ;P :D

The next day I went again to the hotel´s SPA to have a great massage. The only complain I have about it, is that they allowed kids to be at the Jacuzzi and at the SPA swimming pool… I really can´t understand it, the SPA is a place for relaxing, that means a place for adults… you can´t relax with kids playing around you! :( But well, I had a great time anyway.



That day we went back to Buenos Aires.

Iguassu Falls: Helicopter visit and the Brazilian Side. Argentina: 5th Part.

As I mentioned at the previous part, I went to Iguassu in 2008 with Montse, Patxi and Topo. We arrived at morning, went to the hotel, leave the bags, eat and visited the Botanical Garden of the Hotel. We even had time to rest a bit at the side of the swimming pool before the bus picked up us for going to the Falls, at the Brazilian side.

The bus picked up us a bit late, but actually it didn´t meant a problem and it´s usual in Latin America, I´m afraid.



To go to the Brazilian side from the Argentinean one, means, to cross the border, of course. Always in Latin America that could be something not nice if you do it alone. Please don´t get me wrong. I´m not trying you to be scare about that, but you see, on one side, it´s about the power the person in charge of saying if you can or not to cross the border, it´s about the low payment they have, it´s about a lot of people trying to cross the border carry on things that aren´t allowed… and a lot of other reasons, the point is that depending on the day and the good or bad luck you have with the people you find at the border, that could be something so simple or could be almost a nightmare. You avoid at all the nightmare when you cross a border being part of a tour, the guide takes care of all that is needed, you just have to wait inside the bus/car and to give the guide your passport and your filled out form. So, as far as you can, my recommendation is to take a tour for travels that mean to cross a border in Latin America.

And here another recommendation: if you are visiting Iguassu from Argentina, it´s better if you stay in a hotel at the Argentinean side, the reason: you´ll arrive at the airport at the Argentinean side, from there you should go to the hotel to leave your luggage, depending on the time it will be, after that you surely will have your first visit to the Falls, usually at the Brazilian side, the they after you´ll have the tour at the Argentinean side and at the end of the day you´ll go back to your hotel and the last day you´ll go to the airport, again at the Argentinean side. So, if you do that all staying in a hotel of the Brazilian side, it would mean a minimum of 4 times you crossing the border. If you stay at the Argentinean side, you´ll need to cross the border just twice. ;)

But in case you are going from Brazil, I recommend you the Hotel Recanto.


At the entrance of the Park, at the Brazilian side, you have the option of visiting the Waterfalls by helicopter. I strongly recommend you to do that tour, this definitely gives you a different point of view, but also, just to experience the travel by helicopter is so exciting. I haven´t done that in 2004, I have no enough time to do it, and in 2008 I almost didn´t, due the price… but I finally did it, with Topo, and after doing it, be sure, you don´t think anymore about the price! :D He was in charge of taking pics, I was in charge of taking video… here the results:





You just can have this tour from the Brazilian side, in Argentina they are forbidden due the environmental pollution… and yes, they are right, but, well, maybe if they would propose another option like a balloon tour, but as far as right now this is the only one option, I´m afraid I vote for conserving the helicopter tours, I mean it, IT´S UNFORGETABLE! MAGNIFIC! AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE! :D

After this magnificent experience, we all did the Brazilian Side Tour. Almost all the falls are at the Argentinean side, but you appreciate them better from the Brazilian side, here what you can see from there:



I even interviewed my friends about their impressions of the Falls: :D



At the end of the day, we went back to the hotel, played a bit of Scrabble, of course, Topo and I went to the hotel´s SPA for a while and Topo was not walking but hovering after the great attention at the SPA!! :D