Brazil by Bus

I wanted to post some pictures of my two bus rides in Brazil. One was from Foz do Iguacu, in southeast Brazil, to Brasilia, in central Brazil (27 hours). The second was from Brasilia to Salvador, in northeast Brazil (24 hours). The scenery was really impressive all the way. Busses are the best way to go to really see the country.

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The bus to Brasilia:


Early on in the bus ride:


Still Early:


Stopping for construction long enough to stretch my legs (day 2):


Passing through the city of Goiania:


Stopped at Churrascaria's for both dinners (but I brought my food):


Sunset night 2 (close to Brasilia):


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Beautiful beginning to bus ride 2:


A large valley is turning into a Savannah outside of Brasilia:


Very savannah like:


Turning into more of a jungle/palmtree forest, with some small lakes:


Flattened out with mountains in the distance:


Imnpressive rock formations start:


More Rocks/forest. This area is a national park somewhere within 6 hours of Salvador:


Flattens back out with new mountains:


I threw this in here because the clouds are really cool looking:


Turned back into forest outside of Salvador (still inland but approaching the coast):

Iguazu Falls, Brazil, Argentina,

So after my fun, lawless/carefree border crossing from Paraguay to Brazil, I ended up at my hostel in the city Foz do Iguacu around 10am. There were only two other people there, who had also just arrived, 2 girls from Tasmania. They were getting ready to go to the falls at that instant, so pretty much I dropped my stuff and we walked to a bus station to maximize the day. Caught a local bus to the bus terminal, switched busses there, and about an hour later, we were at the entrance to the Iguazu falls, on the Brazilian side.

Basically, we spent 2 or 3 hours walking some trails for different view points of the falls. The falls are as impressive as the reputation that preceeded it. They just keep going. On the Brazilian side, there was a catwalk that basically went into the middle of a large group of falls, so you could get a better sense of how intense they are. There is a large island in the middle of the falls that houses thousands of vultures. Aside from that, it is basically in the jungle. Pictures speak for themselves.


Brazil Side:


Brazil Side:



Brazil Side:


View from Brazil:


Falls Brazil side, overview of one 'part' of the falls:


Since the falls border Argentina and Brazil, both countries have a park which they have developed to see the falls. They say you should really go to both sides because they present a different vantage of the falls. More or less, it is true. Since I needed to cross the Argentinian Border to get to the other side, and taking busses would have taken 2 or 3 hours, I paid the hostel owner to shuttle me there. Got my exit stamp from Brazil, entry stamp from Argentina, proceeded to falls.

On the Argentinian side, you get up close to lots of the falls. They have catwalks that hover basically above the falls, at the point at which they are dropping. I think I preferred the Brazil side. It gave a better overview yet still got to get close. Anyways, spectacular indeed.
Hostel owner picked me up in the afternoon to head back. Head to Argentinian border. Get exit stamp. Head to Brazilan border. They won’t let me in! We explained the situation for a good 20 minutes. The silly officer told us that the Visa was valid for 90 days from the day you first arrive in Brazil. I landed in Brazil February 11th, so 90 days is up. They told us to go to the consulate. No remorse.

That left me with my bags in Brazil, and just my day pack on me. We tried to go to the consulate in Argentina, but it was closed and wouldn’t open until the morning. So we went to a hostel a few blocks away. Luckily, the hostel owner (of the hostel I had been staying at in Brazil) was nice enough to have his son come back about 3 hours later to bring my stuff. Although, I also had to pay my bill to them.

So then I got up early the next morning and made sure I was at the consulate when it opened. Nobody in line, great. Went in, started talking about what happened. This guy seems to have a different opinion and tells me he wont give me a visa and that my visa is valid. Tell him to give me a paper or something in writing, but he says no, and tells me to explain to the border people that it is valid (which is what I did the other day!).

So decided to give it a second go. Took a bus to the Argentina border. Got stamped out. Continued to Brazilian border, got off bus. This time, went inside the office instead of going through the pull up drive stalls. Not too crowded, always a good sign…hopefully the border officials will be nice. Hand over my passport (not the same official as before), she spends about 5 minutes doing whatever, and stamps me in. Great! Conclusion: Brazil has no clue what their policy is. Quite the contrary to Paraguay, who just doesn’t give a crap.

In the end, basically cost me a wad of cash for all the extra hassle, plus some stress. I was still able to make it in time to catch the bus I am taking to Brasilia. 27 hour bus ride here I come!

Mona Lisa is hiding in Paraguay, the sign says so:


Argentinian side:


Argentinian Side:


Argentinian Side:


Creatures:


Creature in tree:

Ciudad del Este Foz do Iguacu Border Crossing

So I left nice an early from Ciudad del Este to negotiate the border.

I opted to walk as opposed to take a bus. It was about a 10 minute walk through the shack shopping stalls on the main street in Ciudad del Este to the beginning of the bridge. There was a big building on one side marking the beginning of the bridge, Paraguayan customs and migration I’d wager. I read and heard that they don’t police this border at all. I also read, whether it is true or not, that the Paraguayan officials may try to extract something from you. Nonetheless, I decided to go without my Paraguayan exit stamp. Kept walking, walked past only a few officers waving cars through, and walked the bridge to the Brazilian side. By the way, the views were spectacular from the bridge.

I could have continued into Brazil as well without a stamp due to the fact that nobody wanted to stop me, but that is a really bad idea especially for when I exit Brazil in a month. I proceeded to the first building I saw that said Immigration, in Portuguese (thankfully similar to Spanish). Anyways, went in, talked to them in Spanish, and pointed me in some other direction to a larger building. Crossed the highway, went up the stairs, and found the stalls for immigration. I was a bit worried about them not giving me a stamp. I didn’t have my yellow fever card that you are supposed to need. Anyways, they didn’t ask for anything and stamped me in.

Unlike Ciudad del Este, Foz do Iguacu, the city on the Brazilian side of the bridge, is about 2 miles from the bridge. I had mostly Paraguayan currency on me plus a little Brasilian change I found from February. I briefly walked a few blocks to look for a money changer, but no dice. Walked back to the bridge exit, and to the hordes of moto taxis. Negotiated a price to the bus terminal, where I was to get picked up by the hostel, and hopped on the back of the motorcycle. He gave me a helmet. Phew, it was pretty fun! I was had my backpack on and was holding my handbag solid with the other hand, so that left my other hand to grip the seat. 7 or 8 minutes later, topping about 40 mph, we arrived at the terminal. I gave him to 10,000 guarani bills (Paraguayan currency, roughtly $2). But he didn’t have change. So I took one bill back, and handed him the 1 Real coin (85 cents) I had. I just find it hilarious that I rode on the back of a $3 moto taxi with all my luggage then paid in two currencies. Anyways, was able to place a call to the hostel in the tourist box in the terminal, and the hostel actually picked me up.

Mission Complete.

Looking back up into the beginning of the shopping shacks of Ciudad del Este at the beginning of the bridge:


Managed to snap a few shots of the junk heaven:


Looking back at the Paraguay entrance from the bridge:


View 1 from bridge:


View 2 from bridge:

Ciudad del Este, Paraguay

Glad I came here. Glad I’m leaving.

Took a 5 hour bus ride today from Asuncion to Ciudad del Este, on the border with both Argentina and Brazil. Ciudad del Este has many reputations. One being the center of South America for all things false. Fake electronics, fake cell phones, really anything you’d like. It is known for shopping galore, the Brazilians cross the border every day to buy stuff in Ciudad del Este and head back.

It also has some, be it true or not, reputation as possibly being a dangerous city. Maybe just because it is hectic. A funny rumor is that bin laden lives here. Actually, I did a few google searches and there was a NY Times article in ’98 and ’02 about Al Qaeda having a cell here. Weird. Anyways, I got in the afternoon, and checked out the center area. Literally there are stalls lining the streets selling everything. Most of it is garbage (in my opinion).
I forgot my outlet adapter for my laptop in Asuncion, though. Thank god I was headed to Ciudad del Este, land of cheap street shopping. It took me no more than 15 minutes browsing the cell phone and electrical knick knack stalls to find an adapter that fit, and cost all of $1. Some vendors thought I was crazy and recommended I just cut off the third ground plug…no thanks (not that the electricity is grounded here, but still, I’d like it for when I go back).

Onto foodstuffs. Ciudad del Este is also known for having a ton of Asian people and Arab people, and thus having decent food in these respects. I decided before I got here I was going to have a stab at some Paraguayan Chinese food or Paraguayan Lebanese food. Unfortunately it was starting to get dark before I went out to eat, and I didn’t want to walk around here after dark, so I thought I might just pick up some street food. Well, I saw some guy washing some vegetables in a bucket of water that was brown, so that nixed that idea immediately. I couldn’t find an Asian place, but I found a place with some sort of combo Lebanese Paraguay food. Basically, I ate a lomito, but the meat was cut and cooked a bit different, and wrapped in a tortilla instead of a bun…served with French fries. Love it.

Other random notes. For being such a crappy city, I had to pay $30 for a hotel room. They don’t have hostels here. Probably could have found something cheaper if I really wanted to, but I’d prefer to feel safe haha.

Tomorrow I’ll walk over the bridge to Brazil, about half a mile away. The city is Foz do Iguazu. We’ll see how that goes. I’ll spend the next few days checking out the infamous Iguazu falls before flying to Salvador, Brazil. Pretty excited for a return to shorts weather, brazilian beaches, and 80 degrees (not that it really ever got below 50 degrees in my entire trip, but hey).

I don’t have any pictures of Ciudad del Este. I really didn’t want to bust my camera out in the street, felt a little uneasy doing that already looking like a tourist/gringo.

Other than that, I am totally glad I came to Paraguay. I had two really different but great experiences staying in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, and couchsurfing with a family in Asuncion. Paraguay is a cool little country that has a lot more to offer than I would have thought.

They had a barbecue on my final night in Asuncion! With the family, Hugo, Mirtha, dad, and Claudia (minus Eduardo):


Barbecued Appetizers: Chorizo, Morcilla, Mandioca (not a big fan of the last 2)


Everyone:


Hugo cuts one of the cuts of meat:


Learning how to grill Paraguayan style:


Edu playing the guitar (and singing):


Played the harmonica at their request (even though I stink), but Jackie, the spaniel, decided that she didn't want me to play. Smart dog!: