Map of World - Click a place Brad's been

March 2016 - Screw the Renovations, Let's go on Vacation! Iguazu Overdose, GREAT!

March 2016 we began to bring our little apartment back up to snuff for a few weeks and then it was time to recharge my Argentina visa...so let's go on vacation!  Only catch, it was going to be a bit of a ride...to Brazil!
Screw the Renovations!

As mentioned in February we shifted over to Jessy's other apartment and began to do a few little upgrades and space utilisations to help make life easier.  A few photos to capture what and how I had to do it, Example; cutting a piece of wood with out a proper saw!

Repair of patio covers, just needed a little TLC and
JB WELD (which didn't work, ah crap).

Refurbishing the foot stool

Bathroom fan - needed to smash
this open with picture frame hammer

Hanging Spice rack 

check out how I cut this 2 x 2 post

Hammock hanged, yes!

Bathroom cabinets are expensive.
Luckily we got this from our renters!


Off to Brazil (Brasil), a dream/plan of mine that was delayed due to the fact that I had a fear of switching from Spanish to Portuguese was made a reality when I decided it might actually help my Spanish to learn a little Portuguese.  Originally I wanted to go to Brazil in 2012, but my visa application was rejected because I had only 4 months left in my passport at the time.  This was odd to me considering the visa was only for 3 months and I was silly enough to pay $100+ dollars for the privilege to enter their country.  A few years later receiving my Italian passport meant I was "free" to enter Brazil without a visa.  Oh and Jessy knowing a lot of Portuguese made this dream/plan a reality.

Ready...
But first a few stops in Argentina on the way in our 4000 km circular trip back to Buenos Aires as seen at the top of the page.

Day 1 - Concordia, Traffic, Moto Malfunction. (400 km more or less). Being the Thursday before Easter meant TRAFFIC, lots of people and likely tough to find expensive accommodation all weekend like $75 USD for a room in a family home in Federacion about 50 km from Concordia for example.

Why Brad, why?  Unfortunately my 90 day visa was due on the 24th of March so we were pushed in to this mess => 1) Bumper to Bumper Traffic for 50 km from Buenos Aires to the Hwy 12 turn, 2) Car accident and 3) Border lines.  Luckily with a moto we skipped most of the traffic, but it is still stress weaving in and out for 1 hour.  As for the border lines, we skipped the first most obvious stacked up border, took a look at the 2 hour line at Paysandu the second border and then went up to Salto still without a proper lunch nearing 4pm.  Plus the starter switch on the moto decided to act up causing more delays.

A day that should be about 5 straight forward hours started at 8am and ended about 5 pm.  Less fun than expected, but we made it.
Even the  moto traffic was slow on the side of the road.

"Look dude, I know my car is too
small to pull a boat, ah but what can
you do"

Is this a Moto gang?

Semi Truck on fire

One happy girl found the only
spot in town for $50 with Breaky!

Day 2/3 - Posadas, Rain! (600 km).  A long desolate road that was even less fun as we drove in to Rain that lasted the last 400 km, half of which was tough to see potholes lined highway.  If it wasn't for Jessy I would have stopped 150 km short of our goal and slept in this gas station, haha. Thanks for the push.

Poor girl didn`t even have rain pants!

Some wet feet






These guys were just crazy!  Riding from BA to Iguazu falls in one day on a small motorcycle in the Rain!  Good on ya!!  Btw, that's 1350 km in one day!!!

Two up for 1350km with rain?!

Two days in Posadas while the rain passed by.  A cozy enough spot and the first time I had used Airbnb (a site that let's regular home owners rent their homes for short term accommodation which on further exploration reveals hotels use this site as well).  Of course being Easter weekend my options were limited, but we did pretty well nevertheless.
One cold little lady
That's better

Poor guy locked down for the night

Image navigating a baby carriage or shopping cart

Guarani Strongman -
Andres Guacaruri

Dogs are always cute until they don't shut up!

Spray painting the world around him.

Our host's mom, Monica who lived
a few blocks away and was helpful.



















































Day 4/5 - Puerto Iguazu and the Argentina side of the Falls (300 km). Left the light rain of Posadas for a 20 min medium rain then finally sun and cloud the rest of the way north to Puerto Iguazu.  C3/4R7T2/3V5.

Yeah, sun!

The guy on the back of this 125 cc moto was about 1.96 m!
Hard working Triple Frontier Security

The Triple Frontier, I think watching the video will help put it in perspective

Argentina says Hi Paraguay and Brasil


Airbnb accommodation #2.  Cheap and cheerful enough.  $21/night with a 3 flush minimum toilet.

Our host Maria and granddaughter



Recommendations: La Dama Juana restaurant in Puerto Iguazu.

Iguazu Falls - Argentina Side.  A perfect day for my return to the Falls.  I recommend going to the park early morning and taking the train to the Throat first.  Then tour your way back for about 4 to 5 hours.


Here's how it looks. 




They didn't have these signs 5 years ago.  Must have been
some serious incidents.
Still looks pretty good



I took this photo while walking by.
No edits!

At the middle stop heading for the
Throat

600 m of walking bridge from the train stop.

The Throat!

The Falls bring out the spirit

The old view point

The Butterflyman

Fun police.



In the middle of the park on the lower path you go right through this single fall which is the best recipe for cooling off on a hot day!

Double Rainbow!


Brazil - A quick skip to crossed the border for the first legitimate time using my Italian passport also for the first time.  I made sure all the paperwork was in order for the moto, had a 3 month tourist visa and we were good to go.  Thanks Italy and Great Grandpa Costa!

We made it to Brazil

Foz do Iguazu full of Moto taxis.  May be I could make a
few extra bucks.  Bumble already has the right colours.

Let's go there!

Itaipu Dam - Wasting no time at all and without booking a place for the night we headed straight to the biggest power generating Dam in South America shared between Paraguay and Brazil serving 85% and 15% of those country's power needs accounting for about 40 million people.  Oh and it's one of the 7 Wonders of the World in the 20th century.  

A video to take all of the Dam in and my awful pronunciation of Itaipu.  Total tourist.

That's just cool!  Tribute to
upcoming Olympics


Tough to fit the whole thing in a photo with out a chopper.

It's big

20 power generators, 1 per cylinder
that you see here.

120 m drop, just like Star Wars



One side is Brazil, the other Paraguay.  The staff and
computers are in Portuguese and Spanish, respectively.

Generator










































A video to give the feel and sound of one of the generators.  Sound protection really should be offered.
Our great guide Juan who speaks
3 languages and does 4 tours per day
No idea how guides continue to stay
peppy and fun.  Good on them



Temporary Rest and Relaxation at Melisa's Garden - WOW!  I Highly recommend this spot for only $25/night including a fantastic breakfast which is standard in Brazil btw.  Lovely owners and check out that pool!  So good we decided to stay 2 nights which also give us an opportunity to see the Brazil side of the Falls and Parque das Aves (Bird Park).  And catch up with Rodolph the head of the Horizons Unlimited Moto Club Chapter in Foz do Iguazu which was started and run by a Canadian couple and a link on my blog.

Yes!  and the dolphin is a filter for the pool

4 hammocks, 1 post!

Great breakyfast and comfy garden





















Iguazu Falls - Brazil Side.  Another great day for the Falls and my first time seeing it from Brazil now that they let me in the country.  A different experience than Argentina feeling more touristy having line ups for photo look outs and only one path to use, but with a great finish and excellent views.

A video of the great view everyone talks about from the Brazil side.

Hi Tourist



Strange animal...s

"So, we wait here for 25 min to take a photo..."

"Hold it high, he'll never get it..."

"How much was the rain pouch?"

"Who wants a rain jacket?"


Most people bought or used rain jackets for the bridge out to the Throat of the Falls, but on a 29 deg C day that's just crazy talk.

Refreshing!



Parque das Aves.  Totally recommend this place and a great retreat after the touristy Falls.  Enjoy.





The old punk rocker?

Always reminds me of Miami Vice intro.

It's like a bird hiding its face in a
another beak



A lot of love in this park

OH SHIT

Would have snagged this, but where am I going to put it...
Outstanding 

Natural performers

When they aren't performing



Good thing they don't eat and crap at the same time
says the green bird

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome



No love here, but I did it anyway!

For this video please image "Let's get in on, babe" or other romantic music as these two turtles make love!
"I'll just snuggle in to my lunch
while I watch the sex show"



1000 km to Florianopolis (stayed the night in Campos Novos 650 km in to the journey to Floripa). The main road to Florianopolis from Iguazu is full of road tolls, as much as $50 USD for motorbikes.  Screw that!  So, we went the road less travelled, right?  Not really, the road less travelled turned out to be full of trucks, I mean full!  And man was the road crap too.  Pavement with lots of potholes for the first 350 km on BR-163 (C5/6R4/5T5V6) and BR-280 (C6R4T5/6V4.  Finally some where after CLEVELANDIA (yeah that name actually exists) we were greeted by a much better road, BR-282.

Could be fun, or total shit, haha.

Some major event happening

And not a line for tickets to a
Rock Show, some political thing as
Brazil's economy has plummeted.

Obviously he was distracted by the line of people too

This style of pool comes in
Enormous sizes too.  No idea how
they transport the big ones.

Stuck behind a cop for 30 km.  Due to much stricter speed
laws I had to wait it out, not like Argentina. 

The view for a lot the morning

WTF?

Oh it's Geraldo Carlos, who ever that is.  Cool set up though



Seems a little better, must be near Clevelandia

Nice style


Very quotable video of "nowhere" in particular.

"Nowhere"


BR-282 to Campos Novos C6R7T3V6, very nice mountainy with smooth curves and lots of green.

Heavy truck passing on the uphill corner.  Perfect, yeah right.

Nice mountain road



Saw both ends of this rainbow, this side won the better view

Alright, enough of all this shit!
Where's the beer??





























Other stuff

Checking out Vecinos monthly free music show, this clip gives insight to the atmosphere.

The main ladies who started this
"Vecinos" event on a street corner
years back.


I tip my hat to this fighter who takes
about 20 min to walk a block due to
hip problems or what not.

La Abadia San Benito in Las Canitas

Guess what this is?!

Geez buddy, that seems dangerous.

Wow, why does a clean moto
run better?

Great design, NOT!  In order to pull this oven out to clean
or what not you must remove the top and burners to
disconnect the gas line.  Uff!

An even cheaper dentist, $25 cleaning
Apparently nobody likes Obama

Wow.  "Ah, I'm not getting cut again!"

More Butterflyman

Daredevil

Giving candy to a baby