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Buenos Aires
After a week of partying in Salvador we head south again to BA.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3938/...99f57a3e_b.jpgScreen Shot 2014-11-09 at 11.12.43 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3953/...126f42c6_z.jpgScreen Shot 2014-11-09 at 11.13.20 AM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The bikes finally see the light after 4 months in Martin’s garage. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5603/...c29a049c_c.jpgDSC05790 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Thank you so much also to Pia and Ramiro!! https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7518/...53b0a133_c.jpgDSC05794 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Touratech Bueno Aires
While we were having fun on the town the bikes were getting some work done at Touratech Argentina. Thanks so much for the great job!
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3949/...470558bc_c.jpgDSC05793 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7580/...19b7fc15_c.jpgDSC05872 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5615/...c80a5ea6_c.jpgDSC05873 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
To Iguazu
Leaving Bella Vista we were escorted to Gualeguaychu in 223 km by Pia and Ramiro. This is a nice town on the river that in February is THE spot for Carnival in Argentina.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/...426a55e2_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-14 at 5.41.28 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7531/...154b6458_o.jpgFILE1550 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
From here we headed north again to Federacion after 256 km. On the way the forest gets more jungle like with palm trees. This town is a “hot spot” for thermal spas. We found a nice quiet place to stay away from the main action, but in walking distance.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8646/...1eaa76fb_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-14 at 5.45.30 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7536/...e7d324f9_c.jpgFILE1559 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
We decided for a long 500 km day to Posadas, where we found a nice place near the main square. There is lots of action here and it was great to sit at a café on the street and watch the people going by.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5605/...e2970a20_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-15 at 8.25.08 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7480/...efeb27c9_c.jpgFILE1609 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Capiovi
The object of the 3 days drive north was to get to Iguazu National Park in a further 325 km.
We had met Fernando at the Moto GP in Rio Hondo Argentina and he was so kind to invite us to see his town Capiovi on our way thru. It is 120 km north of Posadas. He and Gloria and his parents showed us around. It is a very quaint town with a German immigrant heritage. The place was all decorated for Christmas. They took us to the mini falls for a cool break from the 32 degree heat. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/...5e882aba_c.jpgDSC05883 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/world_wide_ride/15822989495" title="DSC05879 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7547/15822989495_d932145d51_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="DSC05879"></a> https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7575/...c2717cce_c.jpgDSC05881 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/...cec61d55_c.jpgDSC05876 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Iguazu Falls
Arriving at the park in the late afternoon was great, since the light was awesome for the photos and the bus hordes had already left. We opted not to go for the day to Brazil since we decided in the heat the hassle was not worth it.
The first glimps of the falls. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5606/...6c6e7bec_c.jpgIguazu Falls 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7555/...5f0c7249_c.jpgIguazu Falls 6 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5609/...ced6ce0e_c.jpgIguazu Falls 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7504/...7936d22b_c.jpgIguazu Falls 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
There are lots of walkways over the falls, but because of the massive volumes of water in October the 2 best view points on the isla and at Devil’s point (accessed by narrow gauge rail) are closed since the causeways were destroyed.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/...faf4fa0f_c.jpgIguazu Falls 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5603/...e0643ba6_c.jpgIguazu Falls 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7491/...de6bd664_c.jpgIguazu Falls 18 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7557/...a8ddc97c_c.jpgIguazu Falls 25 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7475/...36023cd5_c.jpgIguazu Falls 30 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
From the upper trail you get the best overall view.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7465/...4ce754af_c.jpgIguazu Falls 21 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8599/...44443f43_c.jpgIguazu Falls 22 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr On the lower trail you can get up close and get really wet! https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5615/...c4a4a5f8_c.jpgIguazu Falls 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8627/...0f6f3e6e_c.jpgIguazu Falls 45 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7571/...b7c5579a_c.jpgIguazu Falls 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7496/...57ffd4c5_c.jpgIguazu Falls 92 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7470/...1d78a35d_c.jpgIguazu Falls 88 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7544/...5e4035b0_c.jpgIguazu Falls 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
There was quite a bit of wildlife including a lot of Couti, which apparently are biters!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7509/...4c6a2830_c.jpgIguazu Falls 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7462/...cb6cd81e_c.jpgIguazu Falls 36 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5609/...f5f0b5de_c.jpgIguazu Falls 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/...7717e0fe_c.jpgIguazu Falls 42 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7534/...118b7ab3_c.jpgIguazu Falls 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Sunset over the falls https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5612/...24daa3a6_c.jpgIguazu Falls 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
To Brazil
Heading south again in Argentina saved a lot of miles in Brazil to get to the Canyon routes south of Florianopolis. We headed back down the 14 and then across on the 17 to cross at Bernardo de Irigoyen in 217 km
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8116/...d239cd2e_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-17 at 8.54.34 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Crossing here is easy. You stop at the border and the official will ask you for your TVIP and Title. They will cancel your temporary permit and give you an exit stamp for your passport. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7514/...cb38c72c_c.jpgFILE1724 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Drive ahead to the Brazil Aduana or customs. They did not even ask us 1 question, but just waved us thru. There is no temporary import needed for Brazil. There is no immigration control either. For a country that we need to apply for a visa with documentation including bank statement s and income tax info it seemed pretty lax. You do however have to report to the Policia Federal office about 2 blocks up on your left. Here you fill in an immigration form (in English) and they do check your Visa and stamp your passport for 90 days. I’m not sure how they would know if you did not stop there and what they would do to you if you were eventually stopped. I think it would be easy to make that mistake, since at the actual border they did not tell us to go there or say anything to us at all actually. I had to ask where do we go for immigration.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5608/...b0a87d05_c.jpgFILE1733 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Here we had finally made it to country number 17! We tried to get some Real’s but all the Banco National Machines were not working. Luckily the Supermercado took visa! A helpful local who had given us directions to the bank also told us there were banks and hotels in the town we were headed to 75 km away. WOW Portuguese is so challenging to understand, but the local are so friendly and they really try to help you out. |
We headed out south again to Sao Miguel do Oeste and found a great hotel with English speaking staff. They even drove us over to the HSBC since the Banco National we had found was still off line. We walked the town and managed to get dinner and it was what we thought we had ordered!
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/...4a2d26cb_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-17 at 8.56.23 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr One of the differences between Argentina and Brazil is what “breakfast” included means at a hotel. In Argentina you get a media luna and a coffee…. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7513/...901ab2d2_o.jpgimgres by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7560/...8c02d025_c.jpgDSC05970 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7501/...5abf14ea_c.jpgDSC05974 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7523/...77c0f71d_c.jpgDSC05975 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Curitibanos
The plan now is to head east and south to the “canyon” routes near Florianopolis.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/...7c1d0039_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-17 at 8.11.01 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Today we headed east 414 km to Curitibanos. The last 50 km we experienced the “truck trains” we had heard about. There is no rail system in Brazil so the roads are loaded with truck traffic. They do not seem to manage the weights and the trucks are destroying the road surface. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5616/...0bf74e7c_o.pngScreen Shot 2014-11-17 at 8.58.13 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/...71d4b8a4_c.jpgFILE1773 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8616/...8e17fa31_c.jpgurubici 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
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