South American Diaries, Part I: The Headache of Border Crossings
I typed this up while on my South American trip last year, and forgot about it completely until I discovered it on my netbook a few weeks ago. It was fairly verbose, so I broke it up into two sections. Here’s Part I! ——— January 5, 2012 It’s been awhile since I’ve traveled solo, and my boots are dusty. When I returned from last jaunt overseas, my mind was sharp and I was up for the next challenge, whether it be logistical, mental, or physical. Tonight, I find myself in Puerto Iguazu, still recovering after a busy 5 days in Rio do Janeiro spent visiting with some great friends whom I haven’t seen in over a year. I’m staying in a hostel called Timbdo Posada, a quiet place around the corner from the bus station. The vibe is good – a comfortable place with an open-air kitchen; it’s a warm summer’s night with a cerveja (in January! I still get giddy about this. Such a Northern Hemisphere-ian). My mind is winding down and I’m trying to regain my composure after a day of adventure of the silly, stupid, and breathtaking varieties. Both Jim (my Australian friend) and I were pressed for time on our respective trips, but decided to make a quick jaunt to Iguazu Falls. After a nearly 2 hour delayed departure from Rio de Janeiro, we arrived in Foz do Iguacu around 5:30p — too late to really do anything at the Falls. So, we sauntered around town, did some research, and came to a consensus that the Argentine side of the Falls the following morning would be the way to go. What’s so silly about that, you may ask? Border crossings. The process seemed simple enough: ask the bus driver to stop at the border to get an exit stamp, get back on the bus, and continue on your merry way to the Falls. What we ended up having to do was more like this: – Wait 10 minutes to catch bus headed to Argentina. ($4 Reals) -Get off bus at Brazil side of border crossing. Wait 20 minutes to get through the line for exit stamp. -Catch another bus, 10 minutes later, heading to Argentina. ($2AR) -Get off the bus, wait 15 minutes for entry stamp in Argentina. (Entry stamp at border crossing = Free! As opposed to flying into Buenos Aires, which will incur a $135 visa fee for Americans). -Ride bus to Puerto Iguazu for 15-20 minutes. -Arrive at bus depot in Puerto Iguazu. Buy another bus ticket headed to Iguazu Falls, almost get scammed by the guy selling the tickets and almost get...
Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires: 2 Week Itinerary
Beginning in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and departing from Buenos Aires, Argentina is a common route tread by travelers, and it’s a fairly manageable itinerary if you have 14-16 days. Personally, I wish I’d had an extra week (at least) to explore Uruguay a little more, but if two weeks is all you can get, it’s better to take it than not…and I did! Rio de Janeiro: 4 days Four days in Rio will give you just enough time to take in the sights, and get a little bit of a feel for the city. You can check out Sugar Loaf Mountain, Ipanema Beach, Copacabana, Lapa (for nightlife), and, you must must eat Brazilian barbecue. (Carretão is a good, relatively inexpensive Brazilian barbecue chain). And then, of course, there’s the Cristo Redentor. Rio de Janeiro Tourist Tip: If you’re going to see Christ the Redeemer up close, especially in high tourist season, go as early as you can – which is 8AM. There are two reasons for doing this: 1. The line to take the train up to the Redeemer is a LOT shorter, if nonexistent. Since the statue is at the very top of Corcovado mountain, tourist access is only achieved by sending trolley cars up the mountain – a journey that takes about 20 minutes, and seating on these trains is limited. When you buy a ticket, you’re given a ticket for the train’s next departure time, which can be backed up for 2 hours or longer if you wait to go later in the day. 2. Jesus’ head is shrouded in clouds and smog by noon. If you wait too long, you won’t be able to get a good picture of/with Jesus, since his head will likely disappear into the afternoon clouds that roll through on a daily basis (in summertime, at least). Where We Stayed: We rented a flat two blocks off Copacabana Beach, which was a perfect central location to several of Rio’s neighborhoods and the perfect spot for New Year’s Eve. Try airbnb to find similar flats. Getting From Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu Falls: 1 day Flying directly from Rio de Janeiro to Puerto Iguazú, Argentina isn’t a cheap flight, as it’s an international flight. It’s less expensive to either take a bus or fly domestically from Rio to Foz do Iguaçu, and then crossing the land border into Puerto Iguazú, Argentina. A note about buying domestic flights in Brazil: Without a CPF ID number (Brazilian ID number), you’ll have a heck of a time trying to book a fairly priced domestic flight within Brazil. I ended up having to get my Brazilian friend to buy the ticket, and then pay her back – but internet research tells me...
A Tale of Two New Year’s Eves
It was a low-key New Year’s Eve this year. Gunner was in town, my roommate made some awesome shrimp, we drank a little bit of Fireball, and stayed home. When my phone alarm finally went off at midnight, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief, like a bunch of old folks – we could go to sleep. What a contrast from how I’d rang in the New Year in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro. Since I never did a proper post…here are the highlights! The Brazilian New Year’s Eve Traditions Brazilians wear white on New Year’s Eve (oops). This was problematic for me, as I’d only brought 5 shirts with me (curse my minimalistic approach to packing!). Fortunately, Raquel came prepared, and had a few extra white shirts in her arsenal. While I get that white represents purity, peace, and a fresh start for the New Year – it did rain for the first part of the evening. Yikes! Lentils bring good luck. Lentils is one the several dishes prepared for a traditional Brazilian New Year’s Eve, and it is believed that the eating of the lentils will bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year. Caipirinhas are the drink of choice. In the hours preceding midnight, my glass was refilled numerous times… it’s a stiff drink, too. Watching the Fireworks – From an AMAZING Condo Right at midnight, from several barges off the shore of Copacabana beach, an amazing 20-minute show of fireworks takes place. Raquel’s friend’s family own a prestigious condo, with the best possible view of the fireworks you could want (especially when it’s raining!). It was like watching the ball drop from a penthouse in Times Square – simply surreal. And, the fireworks were incredible. This crummy little video doesn’t do it justice: Getting Squashed for David Guetta The Rio De Janeiro NYE festivities include a free concert on Copacabana beach, and David Guetta was performing. 500,000 people were trying to get to the stage, and as we forced our way through the densest crowd, more than once I felt my internal organs being crushed. As an American where police and security are always in supply at any kind of public gathering, I was amazed at the lack of any kind of legal presence and the high morale of everyone in the crowd. Raquel said it was a testament to the Brazilian spirit. Stickers on Strangers + Taking Photos… = Stickerbombing? One of Jim’s travel gags is to bring a slew of stickers, and leave them on random objects. Usually, those objects are stationary. While we enjoyed the music of David Guetta, we were...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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