Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, Santa Fe



Sunday 23 July to Wednesday 26 July 2006

(I have just arrived back in Buenos Aires. Hopefully I will have a little time to catch up. Please pardon all of my typographical and spelling errors! )

I actually did sleep a little on the bus to Santa Fe. Though, it was fitful as I worried about missing Santa Fe. We were scheduled to arrive at 0600, and were pretty much on time. Once again I had no accommodation reserved. But I managed to freshen up a little and get some breakfast at the bus terminal while I waited for the sun to rise. I was wearing shorts, which had been fine for Resistencia, but definitely not for Santa Fe! The Santa Fe bus terminal is pretty good. There is a tourism office that was open at 0700 on a Sunday and another office were you can enquire about bus schedules which bus companies go were. Often you have to go from company to company to figure out who goes where and at what time - a major pain! The only strike against Santa Fe's bus terminal is the lack of bag storage on a Sunday. The lockers were not designed with backpackers in mind.

My first choice for a bed was the Hotel Emperatriz, which had a decent write up in both my guides - usually a good sign. And I was in luck, they had a comfortable room with TV and a bathroom for A$41 (US$13.50) a night. The place was clean and the staff friendly. Many of the city's hotels are close to the bus terminal and most are in charmless, ugly 1960's shoe boxes. The Emperatriz, however, is in a old Spanish style house and has more charm then the rest of the other hotels put together. It is also close to the bus station and close to commercial centre.

I had a very relaxing three days in Santa Fe, which is not exactly a backpacker stop. The city has a population of just over half a million and is the capital of Santa Fe Province. It is therefore the centre of political power. However, Rosario, 200km to the south, is much larger and is the commercial and financial heart of this wealthy province.

Santa Fe is notable for being the city where Argentina's constitution was drafted in 1852-53. There are a number of little museums, which kept me going for a couple of days. And I had fun just exploring, as I always do. I was very lucky with the weather. The first two days were bright and clear, though certainly not shorts and t-shirt weather, even in the midday sun.

The pedestrianised portion of the Av. San Martin, which roughly runs north-south, is where you will find the shopper. If you continue a few blocks south past the end of the peatonal you find yourself in the Plaza 25 de Mayo, the civic centre of the city. Many of the city's historic buildings are in this area. The photo below is of the Casa de Gobierno, the offices of the provincial government.

Once again the local tourist office gave me a very useful little brochure that lists all of the city's museums and galleries and pinpoints their location on a city map. This lived in my back pocket. On Sunday afternoon I started with the Museo Etnográfico y Colonial "Juan de Garay" that houses a collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts unearthed in the area. It then gives some of history of the founding of Santa Fe. The original Santa Fe as founded by Juan de Garay in the late 1500s was located about 80km northeast of the current city. However, the Spanish settlers found the area to be inhospitable and moved the city to its current location in the mid 1600s. I have often received a very warm reception when I have visited many of these small provincial museums. And this museum was no exception. The Argentineans are generally very curious and interrogate you in the friendliest way: where are you from, are you on holiday, what do you think of Argentina, where have you visited, where are you going next etc.

To pick up where the Museo Etnográfico (see photo below) leaves off I went around the corner to the Museo Historico Provincial "Bgdr Estanislao Lopez", which charts the city's history from the 17th Century through to the 20th Century with various articles such as furniture, clothing and other personal effects from the city's powerful citizens.


Looking at my watch I figured that I could probably squeeze in the Museo de Bellas Artes (every provincial town has one). The collection principally consisted of 20th Century Argentinean paintings are sculpture. In the main hall hung various proposed designs for a new judicial annex, many from the local architecture school. There appears to have been a competition.

Monday 24 July 2006

I thought I would get a proper start by taking breakfast at the café Las Delicas, which was mentioned in both my guidebooks. Breakfast for Argentineans usually consists of just coffee. I went for the "desayuno completo", which usually includes a coffee or tea, a very small glass of fresh OJ and a couple of "medialunas" (croissants, literally half moons). A$8.50 (US$3.75), it was quite a bit more expensive than most cafés, like the one at the bus terminal. For one visit to this old time, traditional establishment, I could spare the funds. The pastries are so buttery that they melt in your mouth. Clearly not much has changed in this place, right down to the urinals manufactured in Stoke-on-Trent, by Johnson Fireclay of Cliffe Vale. I know, I notice the oddest things!

I thought I would check out the Granja La Esmeralda, which is advertised as an "experimental zoo". It was a beautiful bright, but cool morning, and still there were mosquitoes around the zoo. I was the only visitor, not surprising for a Monday. But, it created a sense of neglect. Not that the animals appeared neglected. They had much more space than their relations in the zoo in Corrientes. However, their conditions were not great. At least the carpinchos looked content with their lot.

That afternoon, I stopped by the Museo del Convento de San Francisco. The convent dates from the late 1600s. I tried to photograph the roof of the church, which is original and made of Paraguayan cedar and is held together using wooden spikes. A hall in the convent was used for the signing of the Argentinean constitution in 1853.

Tuesday 25 July 2006

My third day in Santa Fe started out foggy and generally gloomy. I managed to get to the Museo Religioso Colegio Inmaculada, in the Jesuit school, which also includes the Iglesia de la Compañía that faces the Plaza 25 de Mayo. When I entered I found a man sitting a desk in a large room haphazardly filled with exhibits and displays cases. My suspicions were confirmed when he told me that much of the building was closed for renovations. But, he was keen to take me around the rooms that were set up if I was interested. Of course I was!

What was on display was fascinating. I found two rooms containing various pieces of lab equipment dating fom the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Most of the apparatus here were used to demonstrate fundamental principals of Physics, such has machines to generate electrical current. Apparently, Santa Fe was at the vanguard of scientific research in Argentina during the 19th century thanks to the Jesuits. One of the rooms also contained a small armoury of about 30 rifles. The students at the college were exempt from military service, but they were taught how to fire a rifle. Being from the privileged classes, they were not the most popular group in town either. I wish I had taken some photos. I think I must have been too engrossed by it all, and at the same time, trying hard to understand what my guide was saying. He could not have been nicer.

I made my way back up San Martin, the pedestrianised street, and found the two other museums I wanted to visit: the Museo Municipal de Artes Visuales and the Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City). Both were quite interesting and did not require more than an 30 minutes. I was once again treated to a personal guided tour at the Museo de la Ciudad, which covers the last 100 years of the city's history. It contains a complete mock-up of a traditional barber shop and has a space where Santafesinos (the locals) can display things they have produced.

The fog has lifted, leaving behind a grey sky. The only part of town that I had yet to explore was the costanera, the area along the river. I noticed on the city map, what looked like a railway terminus, though it was not labelled. It was on the way to the river and so worth some investigation. The "Ferrocaril Nacional General Belgrano" must have been a grand station, like the kind you would find in a European capital. Now, it was in a very sad state, completely abandoned, with corrugated iron covering its large windows and entrances. This has not stopped the homeless from getting in and inhabiting the station, however. It would have been foolish of me to have attempted to enter the building, so I walked around its perimeter to its platforms. Under the broad canopy I could see a small fire burning a couple of figures seated around it. I tread very carefully across low, but thick grassy carpet covering the tracks. It was evident that this was also where much of the city's population of stray dogs live. By this time the sun was starting to break through. I was worried that I might catch something unpleasant if I hung around, so I continued toward the river.


Santa Fe’s riverside walk was similar to those I had found in Posadas and Corrientes. I walked until my legs got tired, almost to the northern extremities of the city and took a bus back into the centre. As I had visited one of Santa Fe’s railway stations, I thought I would check out the other station shown on my map. Ferrocarril Bartolomé Mitre is located to the west of the city centre and is fairly basic looking in comparison to Belgrano. However, I learned that there is a functioning rail service that runs from here to Buenos Aires once a week. You would not think so by looking at the station. Santa Fe’s original French built, renaissance styled, central railway station was torn down replaced by the modern, functional bus terminal in the later half of the 20th century.

Wednesday 26 July 2006

I was in two minds over where to go next. I was toying with the idea of travelling to Montevideo, Uruguay. There were a few buses a week that made the trip from Santa Fe. Or I could stick with my original plan – continue down the Paraná River to Rosario, Argentina’s third most populous city. If you have read my previous posts you will know which route I chose.

Photos from Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz (to give it its full name) can be found here.

Mercedes - Corrientes - Santa Fe

Friday 21 July 2006

In my last installment mentioned the 0400 mini bus departure. It actually arrived at 0350, but I was up, showered and ready. This time the bus was full of locals. The smarter tourists had either driven themselves or were taking the 4x4 service to Posadas. We arrived as dawn was just starting to break.

I had two transport options from Mercedes: catch the 1045 bus back the city of Corrientes or the 1900 (approx) bus direct to Santa Fe. The Santa Fe bus arrives at about 0300, which did not thrill me. So I chose Corrientes, which I had skipped on the way down. Both my guide books stated that there was not much in the way of budget accommodation in Corrientes, and this is exactly what I found. The Gran Hotel Tourismo may ave been the best option at A$60 a night (US$20), but they were booked out. I ended up at the Orly Hotel, located in the commercial centre. This hotel was more expensive still, at A$87.50 (about US$30), for a small room with a single bed, mini bar, TV etc and breakfast. It would do.

I found Corrientes to be quite similar to Posadas in many ways, though, possibly more attractive architecturally. I also got the sense that culturally there was more going on here. There is "peatonal" (pedestrianised street) through the centre, which is always nice change from the narrow streets choked with traffic and the crowded, narrow sidewalks (where you are often forced into the street). The city was clearly concerned with its appearance. The plazas and little parks around the centre were well maintained (the Parque Mitre, by the river, and surrounds could do with a little attention). Orange suited teams walked up and down the peatonal, constantly bending over to pick up every last scrap of rubbish. Couldn't they give these guys those tweezer-like implements that most street cleaners use?

The river provides a good opportunity for a walk. Corrientes is on the Rio Paraná, the same river that starts up at Iguazú, passes Posadas and the Yacyreta Dam and then flows south by Rosario to its delta on the Rio de la Plata, just west of Buenos Aries. I found the tourist information office by the river and not at the Plaza JB Cabral as my guide books had shown. They loaded me up with brochures. Interestingly, many of them were bilingual, in Spanish and Guaraní. The Guaraní are the indigenous people of the region. A little further on was the tiny and rather sad jardin zoologico (zoo), which I caught just before it closed at 1800. Photos of Corrientes can be found here.

Saturday 22 July 2006

Now that I had a feeling for where things were, I filled my Saturday morning with cultural activities. I started with the excellent architectural brochure in hand that maps out several short walking tours. I began at the Plaza 25 de Mayo, which is the civic centre of Corrientes and is said to be (according to Lonely Planet) one of the best preserved plazas in Argentina. It certainly was visually attractive and practically deserted. There was one lone police man standing diagonally opposite the Casa de Gobierno. At the centre of the plaza was the man who makes regular appearances in plazas across Argentina, General José de San Martín, El Libertador, riding his horse, right arm extended. He is also becoming a regular in my photo album. San Martín was a key figure in the Argentineans' fight for independence from Spain between 1812 to 1816.

Next I located the Museo de Bellas Artes, or fine arts museum. Unfortunately, most of the galleries were closed for renovation. The lady at the front desk and the guard in blue and gray military fatigues were very apologetic. The one gallery that was open had an exhibition titled "Rembrandt Examinado" (I'll let you work that one out).The show contained contemporary Argentinean artists' interpretations in painting, sculpture, photography and video of some of the Master's works. The building itself was quite interesting. It was built by one of the provincial governors in the 1860s. Much of the material used in its construction came from Europe. At least this is what I understood.

I walked the block and a half to the provincial historical museum only to find that it too was closed for repairs - roof work. Time to head across the Paraná to Resistencia. With a little help I found the bus stop for the "Chaco-Corrientes Directo" bus and A$1.50 and 25 minutes later I was in the centre of Resistencia. It was just after midday and the city was quiet. I made a half-hearted attempt to look for accommodation. But, after wandering around for half an hour with both my packs, I came to the conclusion that the best option was to investigate my transport options at the bus terminal. I bought a ticket for the 2235 bus to Santa Fe, ate a "hamburguesa especial" (includes cheese, ham and a fried egg, as opposed to the "comun" which is just the burger) and found a place to store my bag for A$1. I had seven hours to play with, so I thought I would do a little more exploring.

Resistencia is known as the city of sculptures. There are said to be over 300. The centre for the city is clustered around the Plaza 25 de Mayo (also featuring our favorite revolutionary general on horseback). The afternoon siesta was in effect, and so the streets were deserted and just about everything was closed. I have found that most provincial cities and town strictly observe the afternoon siesta, which lasts from 1300 to 1700. This did make for a good opportunity to wander the streets in peace.

There were plenty of sculptures of all sizes, scattered randomly around the city. I found a sculpture of some description at almost every intersection. The more affluent neighborhoods appeared to be on the northwest side of the Plaza 25 de Mayo along with many of the bars and eateries. After a few hours I felt that I had made the right decision. I had seen pretty much all I had wanted to see and found the colectivo (local bus) back to the long distance bus terminal. The trip to Santa Fe takes about 7 hours. Photos from Resistencia are here.

Pellegrini - Mercedes - Corrientes - Resistencia - Santa Fe - Rosario

I have actually recently arrived in Rosario, famous for being the birth place of Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Rosario is about 300km northwest of Buenos Aires. But I have skipped ahead. I am a week behind with the blog and the photos. But, there are now descriptions for all the photos that I have uploaded.

Some notes about using the "Flickr" web site (My Photos), just in case you did not know.

- There are really three ways of viewing the photos. (1) You can view each photo set as a slide show, but you do not get to see the descriptions. Click on the text "View as slide show" on the top right of the page when you open the photo set. (2) You can open a photo set and browse through each photo one by one. When you open the photo set, just click on a photo (try the first one), and view whichever photos in the set you want. (3) Or you can view all the photos in a bit of a jumble by clicking on the link "rn7532's photos" which appears somewhere on every page.

- When you view a photo you can actually view it in its original size (usually 1024 x 768). Either click the "All Sizes" icon above the photo or the "See different sizes" link in the column to the right of the photo.

Flickr is a pretty neat way of sharing photos, so explore.

Anyway, let me update you on the past seven days... (more comming in a moment)

Los Esteros del Iberá, Corrientes Day Two

20 July 2006

Pablo, our guide for the walk, collected us from the Casa Luna at 0830 in his very antiquated Citroën 2CV. We drove across the rickety bridge to the park ranger's office from where the walk starts. Two more had joined us, an American girl and an English guy, who had come just for the morning to do the walk and boat excursion. A little path through a small section woods had been created, ensuring that no one strayed off into the wilderness. Pablo spoke in Spanish, translating the occasional word into English for some animal or plant. The highlight of the one and a half hour walk was the sighting of a colony of monkeys who were very curious about our presence. Pablo was able to draw them out with specific animal calls. The photo below is of Pablo clutching his maté and thermos while driving the 2CV. This is a pretty common sight in these parts. I will write something about mate later.

While we waited for the two new arrivals to be collected for their boat trip, mountain cat appear from the woods. It passed by two carpinchos grazing. They took on an aggressive posture and half heartedly chased the cat off. They knew it was no threat. It brushed passed my leg as it headed for the ranger's station. For such peaceful looking animals, it was interesting to see their reaction to the cat. I do not think this cat was going to start playing with a pair of 50kg rodents! The cat was clearly quite used to its human neighbors. It happily hung around us for awhile.

After lunch the French ladies were collected by a 4x4 pickup truck, which was taking them to Posadas. I thought the road from Mercedes was poor. The 'road' to Posadas is longer and can only be traveled by 4x4. When there has been some rain, it is impassable. If I had not raced up to Iguazú to do the full moon tour, I would have come through Iberá first and taken this option. Even at something like AR$70 per person for the 4x4, it makes a lot of sense. Otherwise you have to go back to Mercedes, then up to Corrientes and then across to Posadas, which is a good day's worth of bus rides.

But, I had another night in Pellegrini because the only bus back to Mercedes leaves at 0400! The reason for the horrifically early departure is to allow the residents of Pellegrini to go into town to do whatever business they need to and then take the bus back at 1300. So for the remainder of the warm and sunny day I relaxed by the lake and finished Bruce Chatwin's "In Patagonia". I then set off and explored the colony of Pellegrini until the sun set (and the mosquitoes became vicious).

I first headed to the little tourist hut on the main road, where I was amazed to find they had a decent brochure with a town plan. The plan made the place appear to be a lot more built up than it actually was. Pellegrini is laid out in a grid, like all other Argentinean towns and cities. However, many of the blocks are grassy fields with horses and cows lazily grazing. The dwellings, by and large, are fairly basic. The exceptions to this are the couple of small but very comfortable resorts. Despite its price, the Casa Luna was not one of them. There are a few simple "hospedajes" where one can stay cheaply as well as some medium priced hostels. There are also couple of "comedores", which are basic restaurants.

During the day two Argentinean families arrived at the Luna. Early in the evening, Alejandro, our host at the Luna, asked me if I minded eating with one of the families. Of course not! I sat at the head of the table with Walter, a man of about 70, his younger wife and his five of his grand nephews and niece. Walter was of German parentage and worked for most of his life with BASF, the German chemicals company. He is now retired and runs a large cattle farm with his six sisters, not far from Mercedes. Of all the Argentineans that I have met, he was probably one of the easiest to understand. He spoke very clearly and quite slowly, though, I do not think for my benefit. It was an interesting dinner!

Photos of Iberá and Carlos Pellegrini can be found here.

Los Esteros del Iberá, Corrientes Day One

I am currently in the city of Santa Fe, in the Province of Santa Fe, which is about 550km south and a little west of Corrientes. I am on the return leg, heading towards Buenos Aires. But first, let me tell you about my 36 hours in Los Esteros del Iberá. I know little, if anything, about wildlife, so please forgive my ignorance!

19 July 2006

The ride to Carlos Pellegrini, the little community on the edge of Los Esteros del Iberá was slow going and a bone shaker. Pellegrini is only 120km from Mercedes, but road is not paved. The driver was a young woman, who could not have been more than 20, her recently born baby and her mother. She seemed to struggle with first gear, grinding it often. I sat in the back, so I probably got the worst of the bumps. (I was later informed that the road was recently renewed and has never been better.) Also in the minibus were an older Australian couple from Melbourne, two French women from Chamonix and an Argentinean family. We left Mercedes shortly after 1300 and arrived at 1630.

My accommodation was in a new lodging built by the lake called La Casa Luna del Iberá. I paid US$100 for an all inclusive (meals and tours), two night package. It turned out the the French women and I were the only ones staying at the Luna. The others had not booked accommodation and went off to see what they could find (something I thought of doing and in retrospect should have).

We hardly had time to drop our bags when we were told that the boat tour was leaving. "Why could we not do it tomorrow?" I thought. We would not get much light. As there was no one else staying at the Luna, it was just the three of us and our guide, Fabian. And I soon realised that this was the probably the best time of day to see and hear the wildlife in the wet lands.

We climbed into the boat, which had enough room for at least 15. We first passed by the "guarda parque" (park ranger) to check in. It was good to see that they control the number of boats going into the wetlands. Once we had crossed the lake and reached what looked like some small islands, Fabian shut off the motor and proceded to push us along with a long wooden pole.




With great excitment we soon spotted some yacaré (caiman - members of the alligator family), and then more and more. Everywhere we looked were yacaré, laying completely still, catching the last few rays of sun. Fabian told us that they were not aggressive towards humans unlike their saltwater cousins, and live on fish like piranhas (not tourists). Not dangerous? I remained skeptical. These were yacaré negro.



Being close to sunset there was a great deal of animal activity and noises. The reserve is a bird lovers paradise with over 300 species of water and land based birds. And they were certainly making their presence known. Every so often we would catch sight of a carpincho swimming between the islands. The carpincho (capybara) is a semi-aquatic mamal and the largest member of the rodent family. They graze on the lush vegitation found in the wetlands. Their toes are slightly webbed allowing them to swim. We were also very lucky to see some marsh deer that inhabit the wetlands. Male deer are a lot more difficult to see, but I did spot one swimming between islands. Unfortunately my camera was unable to record this sighting.

It was a most special experience to float along with just the sounds of the wildlife all around as the sun set. There were a few other boats out and often they were not quite so sparing in their use of their motors. But we hung around after the sun had set and the other boats had returned to Pellegrini. Then Fabian landed the boat on of the islands. The French women and I looked at each other, not quite sure what he was doing. When I set foot on the island I experienced one of the strangest sensations. The ground gave way slightly. We learned that these islands were in fact floating. The closest thing I can comapre it to is walking on a mattress. It was springy. I also saw two yacaré laying by the water a couple of meters away. They did not appear to care about our proximity. Fabian left us alone for a moment to go for a quick pee in the bushes. "Only men's toilets available," he joked.

We climbed back in the boat and headed back to terra firma. I understand now why Los Esteros del Iberá cannot be missed. But, when you do come, bring lots of good mesquito repellent - they had a feast!

More photos from Iberá and Colonia Carlos Pellegrini can be found here.

I am slowly getting through the backlog of photos. I have just added photo sets for Posadas and the Yacyreta Dam and Mercedes. I hope to get the photos from Los Esteros del Iberá uploaded soon.

Mercedes, Corrientes

It is another warm and sunny day here, and I am about take a three hour ride in a mini bus to the village of Carlos Pellegrini for a couple of nights. Pellegrini is only 120km from Mercedes, but the road is not paved, so it may be slow going. Though, it has not rained here for a while, so we should be fine.

Carlos Pellegrini is right on the edge of Los Esteros del Iberá. I have bought a package that includes tours of the wetlands, meals and accommodation. All is arranged, thanks to the very helpful group at the HI hostel here in Mercedes. I doubt that I will find Internet access there, so you may have to wait a few days to hear from me.

Mercedes, Corrientes

I had thought about spending the night in the city of Corrientes. But, when I arrived at the bus terminal (intact) just after 1700 I found that there were still a couple of buses for Mercedes. Mercedes is a small town about 240km south of Corrientes, and is the main jumping off point for visiting Los Esteros del Iberá. Los Esteros are wetlands rich with diverse flora and fauna, which take up most of the central part of Corrientes Province - my intended destination on this leg of my tour. It is a part of the country that I have been told I cannot miss.

Mercedes is a quiet little farming town. I decided to splurge on a US$20 a night hotel room at the Hotel Sol. I figured that I would work out the logistics for visiting Los Esteros after a comfortable night's sleep. Anyway, more anon.

Below, one of Mercedes' many crumbling buildings - the Plaza Hotel.

Posadas to Mercedes, Corrientes

Monday 17 July 2006

I left Posadas yesterday and headed for the city of Corrientes, which is the capital of Corrientes Province, 300km to the west. The bus ride took about four hours and was fairly typical of long distance bus travel here - dodgy videos, frequent police checks and plenty of careless overtaking.

The only multi-lane highways are around Buenos Aires. In the interior of the country, the major roads are two lane and can be quite busy. There were two police checks. I had a brief scare during the first when the gendarme (the national police) could not calculate how long I had been in the country. Initially he thought that my visa was set to expire today, 18 July. I had arrived on 18 May and you are permitted to stay up to 90 days. I actually have a month left.



The videos vary from proper, legal DVDs to "camcorders in the movie theater" quality (with the odd head appearing from time to time). I had fallen asleep during "Into the Sun" staring Steven Seagal, when suddenly I was jolted awake. We were running along the verge along the other side of the road. It had appeared that while we were attempting to overtake a line of vehicles, one of the vehicles that we were overtaking did not see the bus and started to pull out. Anyway, that is the last time I sit in the front seat of the top deck!

Ituzaingó, Corrientes (90km west of Posadas)

Sunday PM 16 July 2006

One of the various brochures I collected from the tourist office for Corrientes Province was about a massive hydro-electric dam called Yacyreta (pronounced like 'Yasyreta'). Since I had exhausted the sights of Posadas during the morning I thought the dam might be worth a visit. Free guided visits are given of the site. Yacyreta is located near the settlement of Ituzaingó, which is on the Paraná River about 90km west of Posadas. Getting there is fairly straightforward as it is just off of the main road between the city of Corrientes and Posadas. There are long distance buses which stop there about every hour.

Ituzaingó reminded me of some of the Australian mining communities I have visited. I guess what I mean is that the place had a desolate feel to it. As you can see from the photo below, this part of town is very green. I found street after street of identical looking houses. Everything appeared quite uniform and tidy.

Yacyreta was a highly controversial project that goes all the way back to the early 1970's. I say "all the way back" because it is still not fully completed. It was a joint project between Argentina and Paraguay and suffered from serious corruption, delays and went well over budget. It also has had a significant environmental impact (as all dams do). I think that many of the people who lived where the lake formed by the dam is now, were relocated to Ituzaingó. The two countries carry a massive debt for this project, running into US$ billions. Nestor Kirchner, the Argintinean Prisdent is currently visiting Paraguay, and I know this issue is on his adgenda.

I guess it is no wonder that the company that runs the site is doing a big PR push, having the free guided tour. And, of course, they frequently stressed the positive environmental benefits of hydro-electric power as well as the special environment safe guards they have introduced to, for example, allow for fish migration. The tour started with a 15 minute video and then was followed by a 45 minute bus tour of the dam. From a pure engineering point of view it is hard not to be impressed by the scale of the of the project, the dam itself, and the hydro-electric plant. We were told that the plant could generate enough electricity to satisfy more than 25% of Argentina's power demands. This seems like a heck of a lot to me! Whether this is currently possible, I am not sure. But for an electrical engineer, it was all fascinating none the less.

The photo above shows the outside of the generating hall, and below is inside the building. There are 20 generators with a total capcity of around 2700MW

Posadas, Misiones

On Sunday morning, 16 July, I found the city to be mostly deserted, which made it ideal to explore. The sun was out and it was shaping up to be a warm day. Since being in Misiones I have only been wearing shorts and a t-shirt - a nice change from the cooler capital!

The province's tourism office had set up a tent on the Plaza 9 de Julio, and it is there that I headed to first. There was a camera crew shooting a video. And as much as I tried to avoid then, I got snagged for an interview on what I thought of Misiones (in Spanish of course!). They will probably have to add subtitles or over dub my voice as my Spanish was so poor.



Posadas is on the Paraná River, and the old part of the city is located near the port. I comparison with the modern centre, this area is very attractive. And in minutes I found myself by the river. It looked like they had upgraded the river side walk recently. There were plenty of joggers and cyclists out enjoying the morning.

Posadas, Misiones

Arriving in an new city is always disorientating, and it does not help when they located the bus terminal outside of town. In this case the terminal is on Routa 12. But, with some help I found the stand for the colectivos to the city centre. Once again I had not booked a room, so with my guide books and my city map, I worked my way down the list of hotels with one star of less.

The city is quite modern, and my first thought was, "Why did I stop here?" I was quickly exhausting my list. My Footprint South American Handbook has proved to be quite reliable so far, and the last place on its accommodation list was the Residencial Misiones. "Residenciales" are generally quite basic and this one was no exception. Despite its shabbiness, I took the last room. For AR$25 a night, it did not match El Descanso in San Igncaio, but it had to do. Francisco, from near Mental in Switzerland, was looking after the front desk and gave me the lay of the land, marking up my city plan with various symbols.


Once I had settled in I started to explore the area. Most of the action in Posadas is centered around the Plaza 9 de Julio. I was happy to see that the place was quite lively. The atmosphere was festive now that it was dark. The city had arranged some free concerts and kids' shows in the plaza.

San Ignacio, Misiones

If you ever need to stay the night in San Ignacio, El Descanso is the place for you. It's "no-frills", but the rooms have a private bathroom and they are clean. At AR$20 (US$6.50) a night, it is good value.

Now why have I come to San Ignacio? This part of South America was full of Jesuit missions. This includes Paraguay and Brazil. And these missions gave their name to this Argentinean province, Misiones. The ruins at San Ignacio are said to best preserved. San Ignacio is also on the main highway, Routa 12, up to Iguazú, so it is an easy stop to make on the bus.

The day was rather gloomy, but at least it was not raining. I checked out of El Descanso (they kindly looked after my bags) and headed to the ruins. I did not quite get there at 0700 when they open, but I was there before the crowds. I joined a guided tour (in Spanish), which I struggled to follow as the guide did not speak all that clearly. But, I persevered. When I the tour broke up, I went for a wander on my own. Most of the visitors stuck with the tour and then left, which meant that few explored far off of the main circuit. It felt like I had the place to myself. There is a set of photos of San Ignacio here.


I collected my gear and waited in front of the church on the main street for the next bus to Posadas. Posadas is the capital of the Province of Misiones, and, from the few accounts I have had, it is nothing special.

San Ignacio, Misiones

I am not sure that I was all that enthused by my Iguazú accommodation, and I was happy to leave it. It was basically a massive hostel, too big really. But, it was cheap and cheerful.

At 10am I hopped on "El Practico", the colectivo (public bus), and rode to the bus terminal. From there I caught a bus to San Ignacio. Routa 12 is the main road that runs from Posadas (capital of the Province of Misiones) to Puerto Iguazú, basically following the Paraná River. Five hours and 230km I was dropped of on the highway at the entrance of San Igancio.

By now the sky had turned grey. I walked along the main street praying for the rain to hold off until I found a bed. I thought I would risk turning up in town without a reservation. My backup plan was to catch the next bus to Posadas (only 1hr further) and stay there. I came across old, shaby looking man who asked if I was looking for accommodation. "There is a hostería run by a German a few blocks from here. I can show you," he told me. Well, what the heck, I thought, it was worth checking out.

He told me about the hostería and the town (although he lived 30km away) as we walked along the dirt streets. Most streets in these small towns are dirt. But the dirt in this region is rich in iron giving it that distinctive reddish-brown colour. I have a photo that I will post here when I can. We soon arrived at "El Descanso" (litteraly "The Rest") and they did have one small room left with a bathroom for AR$20 (US$8). Perfect!

I have got my bearings after exploring the town and locating the sight of the Jesuit ruins. And the rain has come. Tomorrow I plan to get the to the ruins, which are more or less in the centre of the town, first thing in the morning to beat the tourist buses from Posadas.

After my long Internet session yesterday evening, I went for a wander around the centre of Puerto Iguazú. It was dinner time and I came across a patio restaurant with live music - two guys playing "folklore" (Argentinean folk music). After I had ordered my "milanesa napolitana" (a schnitzel with cheese and a tomato sauce), a young man came up to me and asked if I would like to join him and his wife as I was on my own. Apparently they had seen me at the Falls yesterday.

Sebastian and Aixa were from Tucuman, in the Northwest corner of Argentina. They were very curious to learn about me and the US and UK. We had a great meal and my Spanish got a real work out! Now I have a contact in Tucuman, which I hope to visit. It can get lonely traveling on your own, but then I probably would not have met all the really nice Argentineans that I have done so far. I have found people to be very friendly and helpful. Anyway, it topped off a great day.

Puerto Iguazú, Misiones

Tomorrow I am heading south and west to explore some Jesuit ruins from which the province of Misiones gets its name. I hope to stay in the little town of San Igancio, but finding a bed could be tricky. ¡Vamos a ver!

The incessant racket from the PC gamers in this internet shop have given me a massive headache, so it is probably time to find some dinner!

Puerto Iguazú, Misiones

This is my last night in Iguazú. I have seen the Falls from all angles, in full sun and full moon. They are spectacular and exceeded my expectations.

I raced up here to catch the special Full Moon tour (Luna Llena) of the Falls. I was fortunate to arrive on the last night of the tour, on Tuesday 11 July. It could not have been a clearer night – absolutely perfect! For obvious reasons they only run the tour a few days each month (when the moon is full). And so this is how I first experienced the Falls. It was both quite eerie and exhilarating, walking along the platform to La Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat – the main Falls) with the grown roar ahead of you. If at all possible, time your visit with a full moon.

The next day, Wednesday 12 July, I covered all three of the main walking circuits around the Argentinean side of the Falls. I was adopted by Oscar, Rosa and their daughter Miriam from Buenos Aires who gave me a fantastic guided tour (and great Spanish practice).



It could not have been a better day – warm, sunny and clear. It was busy, but not completely overrun. I could see everything I wanted to see in the 7 hours I had in the park. There are some adventure boat rides you can take that include a proper baptism under one of the Falls. I’ll save that one for my next visit. But I have a photo showing one of the boats disappearing under the Falls. The park has a good web site at http://www.iguazuargentina.com/.

To get the complete view of the Falls I crossed over into Brazil today. I always find it exciting to cross into another country over land. Perhaps because it is not something I have done many times before. US citizens have to pay US$100 to get a visa for Brazil. I think several countries are taking out their revenge on the US in the way because of how the US makes it very difficult for people from South America to visit. Fortunately they seem to be more welcoming of British citizens and so I did not need to get a visa.

Although the Brazilian park covers a large area, there is only one pathway from where you can view the Falls. And so you only need a couple of hours. However, there are some interesting sounding guided tours through the forest that I did not have time for. I need to save some things for my next visit when I will stay in the Sheraton Internacional Iguazú Resort in Agentina or the Hotel das Cataratas in the Brazilian park for +US$200 a night (compared to my six man dorm at the Hostel-Inn for US$8 a night).

I have photos from both sides of the Falls in the usual place (just in case you forgot). I am not sure how to articulate just what a spectacular sight this is. Those photos do not do it justice. You will just have to come and see them for your selves!

Puerto Iguazú, Misiones

I have uploaded some photos from my fantastic day at the Iguazú Waterfalls, which you can find here. I'll write more tomorrow after I have made it over to Brazil to see the show from there.

Puerto Iguazú, Misiones (para Las Cataratas de Iguazú)

After a rather restless 12 hour overnight bus trip, I have made it to Puerto Iguazú. For overnight bus trips you can go what is called “cama” which is like flying business class. The seats almost go horizontal and you are served some food and drink. It was not so bad for my first overnight bus trip!

Puerto Iguazú is the Argentinian base for visiting the Iguazú Falls. The town itself is fairly modern and not all that attractive. It is certainly touristy as you would expect. And it´s shorts and t-shirt weather, which is a welcome change from Buenos Aires. I am staying in a rather large youth hostel called the "Hostel-Inn" on the main road between the town and the Falls. It´s cheap and cheerful and should do for 3 nights. Tonight I am taking a special full moon tour of the national park anf the Falls, which should be a treat.

Colón, E.R.

I have had a very relaxed and pleasant stay here alter the crazy intensity of Buenos Aires. The main attraction of Colón is its proximity to the Uruguay River. It is more of a summer destination when the multitudes flock to its beaches. The river is known for its pure, crystal waters. Currently it is the winter school holiday in Argentina, and so there are a few people about. But the place is pretty quiet, which makes it a very peaceful place to explore.

On my first day, Friday 7 July, I took a 2 hour river safari with the very affable Charlie Adamson of Ita I Cora tours. Charlie is half Scottish, half Swiss German, but was born in northern Argentina. He runs all types of nature safaris in the area. His web site can be found at http://www.itaicora.com/. The river safari costs AR$30. We visited two islands in the Uruguay River, Isla San Francisco and Isla Queguay Chico, both of which are in Uruguay territory. Both are covered in dense rain forest. From the photos you will see that low water level has exposed some large sand banks crisscrossed by all kinds of animal tracks. Charlie prepared this little group photo of us on the bank of Isla San Francisco.

During the afternoon I lounged around in Colón’s thermal baths. The outdoor baths are a 15 walk north along the river from the town centre. There are various thermal springs in the region. These are nothing special.

On the walk home I bumped into Charlie who invited me to an asado (BBQ) at his house that evening. He mentioned that if I brought a bottle of wine that I should try to find one that was more than AR$5 (just under UK£1 or US$1.70). Good advice! The Danish couple from the river safari, Charlie, his wife Gaby and I dined very well while his three sons tore around the house. Charlie is definitely quite a character and speaks with what I would guess is a somewhat colonial British accent. Their two year old son captivated us all with this collection of polished stones. Though, it appeared that he was more fascinated by the young, blond Danish woman.

On Saturday 8 July I hopped on one of the long distance buses heading north and rode the 50km to the Parque Nacional El Palmar. The bus left me off on the main road across from La Aurora del Palmar (http://www.auroradelpalmar.com.ar), which is 1500 hectare preserve by the national park. You can visit for the day or stay in one of the site’s railway wagons that have been converted into cabins. I opted for a guided horse ride with Roco as my guide. You can also go canoeing and trekking in their 4x4, each costing AR$20.

Colón, E.R.

After spending three days in Colón, I have found it to be a very relaxed and charming little town. It is a good place to stop in for a couple of days, to break up the long trip north. The population is around 19,200 and the town, like most in Argentina, is set out in a grid. A map of Colón can be found here. I turned up at the one HI affiliated youth hostel without booking ahead. Fortunately, I had the place to my self. Marcela, “la dueña” (the owner) was welcoming, helpful and full of information. There are a couple of photos of the hostel and around and about Colón the photos page.

Colón, Entre Ríos, Argentina

Now that I have left Buenos Aires and set off on my travels, I figured that it was about time I started putting up some posts. Buenos Aires had really grown on me and I was beginning to feel quite at ease in the city. However, my Spanish is now at a decent enough level that I have the confidence to start exploring. I meant to add some posts of my impressions of BA. I will try to do so and put some photos online as well.

I have just arrived in Colón, in the province of Entre Ríos (between the Uruguay and Paraná Rivers). It was a 5 hour bus trip, so I would guess that we are about 350km north of BA. Colon is on the Uruguay River. I am heading up to the Iguazú Waterfalls in the northeastern corner of the country. However, I thought that I would break the journey up and see what was in between.

The principal mode of long distance travel in Argentina (and South America) is by coach. They have let the British designed rail system disintegrate to almost nothing. And there are no deals as far as plane travel goes. From what I understand the buses are generally are cheap, efficient and relatively comfortable. I would say my first Argentinean bus trip bears this out. But there are many more kms yet to cover. ¡Vamos a ver!