Day 13: No need to be Hostel....(ba dum ts!)
This was to be our last stop on our tour: Iguacu. After our flight had been delayed from Sao Paulo we arrived in Iguacu, yet going through another time zone. The airport itself was small and compact and the regulations for travel were not as strict here. It had more of a quaint feel to it which I enjoyed. Once we stepped outside the airport, all of us got the full blast of heat and humidity that would plague some us for a few days. I am more of a cold weather person so this provided me with a small feeling of uncomfortability. We were immediately greeted by Joelton, the owner of the hostel we were staying at. He was almost as interesting of a character as Carlos but was a gracious host none the less.
The first thing we notice about the hostel is the pets. We had the chance to play with the group of dogs with the ‘leader’ of them being named Einstein for his high intellect for a dog… moving right along, the hostel itself was beautiful, a big yard with hammocks, plenty of sunlight, and more of a homey feeling. This was an amazing place to me, not only was it roomy and outdoorsy but it provided me with something I had to manufacture the entire trip: work out equipment. This was the chance for me to continuously stretch and tone my muscles after doing only small exercises to keep them loose. It offered a pull up bar and a punching bag which was more than enough for me to get a decent workout in. To my surprise however this was not the only workout I would receive that day. One of the people staying there was a krav maga instructor who noticed my intense workout sessions and offered me the chance to perfect some of my sloppiness. We started with some boxing techniques which I was in need of learning how to do. I caught on rather quickly and eventually I was in a good motion. Later that day he was actually teaching a krav maga class to some of his students and asked if anyone wanted to join in. No one wanted to get involved in it except me (apparently I am glutton for punishment by pushing my physical boundaries to their limits). I definitely looked awkward but it sufficed for an introductory lesson to a self-defense art form. I was having the time of my life here already.
Later that night we were provided dinner to make and had some fun with music and limbo games. We were already off to a great start and having a blast. I think most would agree that this was one of the best stops…despite the sweltering heat wave.
The first thing we notice about the hostel is the pets. We had the chance to play with the group of dogs with the ‘leader’ of them being named Einstein for his high intellect for a dog… moving right along, the hostel itself was beautiful, a big yard with hammocks, plenty of sunlight, and more of a homey feeling. This was an amazing place to me, not only was it roomy and outdoorsy but it provided me with something I had to manufacture the entire trip: work out equipment. This was the chance for me to continuously stretch and tone my muscles after doing only small exercises to keep them loose. It offered a pull up bar and a punching bag which was more than enough for me to get a decent workout in. To my surprise however this was not the only workout I would receive that day. One of the people staying there was a krav maga instructor who noticed my intense workout sessions and offered me the chance to perfect some of my sloppiness. We started with some boxing techniques which I was in need of learning how to do. I caught on rather quickly and eventually I was in a good motion. Later that day he was actually teaching a krav maga class to some of his students and asked if anyone wanted to join in. No one wanted to get involved in it except me (apparently I am glutton for punishment by pushing my physical boundaries to their limits). I definitely looked awkward but it sufficed for an introductory lesson to a self-defense art form. I was having the time of my life here already.
Later that night we were provided dinner to make and had some fun with music and limbo games. We were already off to a great start and having a blast. I think most would agree that this was one of the best stops…despite the sweltering heat wave.
Day 14: Fall-ing back into the Water (ba dum ts!)
The highlight of this trip was getting to see Iguacu Falls. We started off in the early morning to get a head start on the immense crowds that visit the falls per day. Once at the park itself we got in line for the bus that would take us to the area we could walk to that lead to the falls. While in line Tait was talking to a small group of us about the falls themselves. Curitiba’s raw sewage eventually reaches the falls but it gets filtered out naturally so it doesn’t reach the falls in large quantities.. The falls were formed from a basaltic intrusion millions of years ago , which was then eroded into the columnar structures over time, which are on display today. On our way up to the falls there were plenty of amazing species to photograph and watch through binoculars including skinks, tanagers, white-nosed coatis, and smaller lizards. The falls themselves were a true sight to behold, even better than Niagara Falls in my opinion since I have seen both in person. They were crowded but there was plenty of room to see the falls and get some amazing photos from different angles.
Next we walked down the way to a hotel while following our hostel host. There we met our tour guide who took us to a hiking trail where we encountered another waterfall…and a dead fish. Some of the students went under it and had many red marks from the pounding water. After we had our hike, the gang went down to the river to go paddle-boarding. Seeing the color of the water and me not being a water person in general I ended up staying behind with a few other members of the group. During this time we encountered some butterflies that were interested in the salts coming from our sweat so were constantly landing on our arms to feed. We were also stationed under a hornets nest so it was best that we stay still and not irritate the workers. This was also an opportune time to collect some minerals found in the surrounding area while we waited for everyone to get back.
This would be our last activity before we went back to the hostel to have another relaxing night. Hard to believe that the next day would be the last day of the trip. This day was truly remarkable just being out in nature for a long time.
Next we walked down the way to a hotel while following our hostel host. There we met our tour guide who took us to a hiking trail where we encountered another waterfall…and a dead fish. Some of the students went under it and had many red marks from the pounding water. After we had our hike, the gang went down to the river to go paddle-boarding. Seeing the color of the water and me not being a water person in general I ended up staying behind with a few other members of the group. During this time we encountered some butterflies that were interested in the salts coming from our sweat so were constantly landing on our arms to feed. We were also stationed under a hornets nest so it was best that we stay still and not irritate the workers. This was also an opportune time to collect some minerals found in the surrounding area while we waited for everyone to get back.
This would be our last activity before we went back to the hostel to have another relaxing night. Hard to believe that the next day would be the last day of the trip. This day was truly remarkable just being out in nature for a long time.
Day 15: A 'Dam' Good End to an Amazing Trip
This was to be our last day in Brazil with still one more stop: the Itaipu Dam which is the number one hydro-electric power producing plant in the world. There was a bit of a delay at first getting our tour: most of the group was wearing shorts. This presented a safety hazard because you could not enter the plant without pants. The workers gave spare pants that they had lying around but they were still short, so we were still being delayed while they tried to find more pants for the group. Once the group was situated, we boarded the buses to head over to the dam itself. On our way I saw a true rarity and another new bird to add to my list: the burrowing owl. These owls live on the ground and can be diurnal. These owls were definitely one of my favorite animals I had seen on the trip.
First we went to see the top of the dam to see the vast amount of water that the dam contained (with fish still swimming in it). This area of water was so vast that you could fit New York City into it! Once we took our pictures, we got to take a look at the control room. The coolest part of this was that this was literally on the border of Brazil and Paraguay, even the control room was divided between the two countries. The picture down below shows me standing on the border of the two countries (I guess this means I can cross Paraguay off of my list of countries to see as well).
Our groups split up so we could enjoy the plant and have individual tour guides. Since it was a Sunday only 18 out of the normal 20 turbines were running. Surprisingly they were not so big as expected but intricate and impressive none the less. Once we got our tour of the plant from the inside, we boarded the bus to get a look on the outside. On the way we stopped at a huge sign that spelled out "Itaipu Binational" which we all were inclined to take a group photo in front of. This was to be our last group photo in Brazil. Unfortunately I do not have the picture in my gallery so feel free to visit the other student blogs to see it! The outside of the Dam was truly an amazing site to see and a very fitting end to the academic side of this trip.
Once we arrived back at the Hostel we went to grab some lunch from a buffet that was a little ways away. The walk was definitely worth the amount of food we consumed during that time which had a little taste of home by serving fried chicken, fries, rice, hot dog like slices along with juice and Coca Cola. This was a great moment: all of us sitting down and conversing as a group about the trip, our experiences, and what our plans were when we got home. This was truly a great last meal in Brazil. After we had returned to the hostel for the last time, it was time to get our bags together to go back to the airport. I will never forget my experience at that Hostel (or the excessive heat). It was truly a great end of the trip.
Getting to the Iguacu airport was very simple, most were napping to recover from the intense heat we went through. The check out of Iguacu airport was fairly simple and the plan ride was easy. Once we got to Sao Paulo, it began to storm and our flight was delayed by a little more than an hour (I admit I lost track of time), and so begins the long flight home which felt longer than arriving in Brazil in the first place. I was actually offered the chance to move up to a closer seat because a family really wanted to stay together. I was happier with the aisle seat anyway. Most of the ride I slept, while in between my sleeping I finished up the Harry Potter movie I was watching from the first flight (I just skipped to the scene I was at). The whole trip seemed to fly by so fast (no pun intended…this time) that it didn’t feel like it really happened, almost like a dream. I had the opportunity to travel abroad to see some amazing species I would not be able to see anywhere else in the world, see some amazing sights that only a select amount of people could travel to and see. Overall, it was the people that made the trip, I felt out of place when I began this trip, I was not necessarily close with anyone on the trip besides Tait of course since he is my advisor and professor for a few classes now. Everyone was so upbeat and inviting that it took my mind off of how homesick I became as the trip went further on. I love everyone and I look forward to seeing them in the hallways at school to catch up! Thank you everyone for helping make my first travel abroad experience worth while J. As we landed, it was our responsibility to complete the security checks on our own because Tait had to leave immediately. This was our last experience as a group. This took no time at all and we were getting our suitcases before we knew it. There was snow on the ground which I learned that I had missed after being in the sweltering heat for so long. New York is truly beautiful in the winter. My family friend was there waiting so once I grabbed my bag I said my good-byes and headed out to his car in shorts and a t-shirt. The cold was a refreshing change. Before I left I took one more look at the airport and thought to myself “Yeah, that happened”. This has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I highly encourage anyone who can travel while they are young like me, please do so. This was truly a once in a life time experience.
First we went to see the top of the dam to see the vast amount of water that the dam contained (with fish still swimming in it). This area of water was so vast that you could fit New York City into it! Once we took our pictures, we got to take a look at the control room. The coolest part of this was that this was literally on the border of Brazil and Paraguay, even the control room was divided between the two countries. The picture down below shows me standing on the border of the two countries (I guess this means I can cross Paraguay off of my list of countries to see as well).
Our groups split up so we could enjoy the plant and have individual tour guides. Since it was a Sunday only 18 out of the normal 20 turbines were running. Surprisingly they were not so big as expected but intricate and impressive none the less. Once we got our tour of the plant from the inside, we boarded the bus to get a look on the outside. On the way we stopped at a huge sign that spelled out "Itaipu Binational" which we all were inclined to take a group photo in front of. This was to be our last group photo in Brazil. Unfortunately I do not have the picture in my gallery so feel free to visit the other student blogs to see it! The outside of the Dam was truly an amazing site to see and a very fitting end to the academic side of this trip.
Once we arrived back at the Hostel we went to grab some lunch from a buffet that was a little ways away. The walk was definitely worth the amount of food we consumed during that time which had a little taste of home by serving fried chicken, fries, rice, hot dog like slices along with juice and Coca Cola. This was a great moment: all of us sitting down and conversing as a group about the trip, our experiences, and what our plans were when we got home. This was truly a great last meal in Brazil. After we had returned to the hostel for the last time, it was time to get our bags together to go back to the airport. I will never forget my experience at that Hostel (or the excessive heat). It was truly a great end of the trip.
Getting to the Iguacu airport was very simple, most were napping to recover from the intense heat we went through. The check out of Iguacu airport was fairly simple and the plan ride was easy. Once we got to Sao Paulo, it began to storm and our flight was delayed by a little more than an hour (I admit I lost track of time), and so begins the long flight home which felt longer than arriving in Brazil in the first place. I was actually offered the chance to move up to a closer seat because a family really wanted to stay together. I was happier with the aisle seat anyway. Most of the ride I slept, while in between my sleeping I finished up the Harry Potter movie I was watching from the first flight (I just skipped to the scene I was at). The whole trip seemed to fly by so fast (no pun intended…this time) that it didn’t feel like it really happened, almost like a dream. I had the opportunity to travel abroad to see some amazing species I would not be able to see anywhere else in the world, see some amazing sights that only a select amount of people could travel to and see. Overall, it was the people that made the trip, I felt out of place when I began this trip, I was not necessarily close with anyone on the trip besides Tait of course since he is my advisor and professor for a few classes now. Everyone was so upbeat and inviting that it took my mind off of how homesick I became as the trip went further on. I love everyone and I look forward to seeing them in the hallways at school to catch up! Thank you everyone for helping make my first travel abroad experience worth while J. As we landed, it was our responsibility to complete the security checks on our own because Tait had to leave immediately. This was our last experience as a group. This took no time at all and we were getting our suitcases before we knew it. There was snow on the ground which I learned that I had missed after being in the sweltering heat for so long. New York is truly beautiful in the winter. My family friend was there waiting so once I grabbed my bag I said my good-byes and headed out to his car in shorts and a t-shirt. The cold was a refreshing change. Before I left I took one more look at the airport and thought to myself “Yeah, that happened”. This has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I highly encourage anyone who can travel while they are young like me, please do so. This was truly a once in a life time experience.
Some magnificent shots from our train tour of the Atlantic Forest, I don't think I have seen this much forest in my life!
On our way up to Iguacu Falls, there were plenty of species to see, this area was rich with biodiversity!
The Iguacu Falls themselves definitely cement their place a top the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!
The Itaipu Dam is truly a mechanical wonder with so many intricate technological marvels. It was also nice to mark Paraguay off of my visited countries list ;)