The Silent "I"

South America: From Argentina to Easter Island

February 4, 2004

On February 4, 2004, we left the swanky Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires for for another all-day travel excursion to our next destination: Easter Island.  This was the place we had originally planned to visit, and Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires were merely "side trips" in the World According to Frank.

We took a Lan Chile flight to Santiago, where we caught another flight to Easter Island.  In Santiago, we had to pay a $200 "Reciprocity Fee," which was charged to all Americans landing in Chile due to the US Customs charging $200 for Chileans coming into the US, so it was their way of saying, "Right back atch, George W. Bush."  If I recall correctly, this was a cash-only transaction, so be sure to carry sufficient funds to cover this if you go to Chile. $600 later, we were able to board our flight onward to Easter Island. 

Other than the reciprocity fee, Santiago Airport was well laid-out and easy to transfer through.   Near our gate was a small play area with a playhouse, and Alexander had a great time playing there, especially when other kids showed up and wanted to play with him.  

Our flight was comfortable and took about three hours from Santiago to Easter Island (or Isla de Pascua in Spanish, called Rapa Nui in the island's native language).  The flight was completely full, but many of the people on the flight were going on to Tahiti, so we were among the few deplaning at the tiny airport in Easter Island.

It was dark when we arrived, but the folks from the Taha Tai Hotel were there to pick us up.  We boarded a large van with a family from Japan.  The Japanese family didn't speak English, but seemed to speak Spanish fluently.  That didn't deter Alexander from trying to speak to them in English, tossing in a "konichiwa" and "gracias" here and there.  They smiled and nodded.  As we exited the airport, Alexander noticed one of the famous stone statues we had come to see and exclaimed, "A moai! Look! A moai!"

This seemed to charm the guide from the hotel, and she seemed to be a little astonished that a three year old knew the correct name for the statues.  All the prep work we had done before the trip and reading to him about the moai and Easter Island really paid off. She then told the group that we would see many moai during out stay on Easter Island, and to always keep our eyes open for more moai sightings. 

We checked in to the Taha Tai, to a small, clean room in what looked like a nice version of a Best Western, nothing terribly fancy, but comfortable and welcoming. The young staff members were friendly, and taught us to say "irolana" which is an all purpose greeting, similar to "aloha" in Hawaiian.  Unfortunately, the airconditioning in our room conked out about an hour after we arrived, so we settled in for a somewhat sweaty night in the balmy, tropical night.

We had arrived at last at our dream destination:  Easter Island.

Buenos Aires: Where's the Beef?

 

February 3, 2004

One of the things Argentina is famous for (besides Eva Peron) is the incredible beef.  We had read about the steakhouses in Buenos Aires, and being big time carnivores, we couldn't let a day in Buenos Aires go by without trying a steak.  We had both read about La Estancia Restaurant in various guidebooks, which the website calls "A Hearth Burning in the Heart of Buenos Aires."

When you walk in, you see a large asador or circular fireplace with various kinds of meet roasting on tall spits surrounding glowing coals in the middle.  I've read that there is a floor show in the evening, but we arrived early (probably 6:30) and were the only ones in the restaurant.  Argentines tend to eat dinner later than we do, which was probably a good thing since we didn't know how Alexander would fare if we had to wait a long time for dinner.

Our waiter was a portly gray-haired gentleman wearing a jaunty neckerchief and a white apron.  He didn't speak much English, and we didn't speak much Spanish, so we just pointed and smiled and hoped for the best. He was friendly, and ruffled Alexander's hair and patted his shoulder every time he came to the table or passed it. 

A Boy in Buenos Aires for Photo Friday

These are two of my favorite photos of Alex from our trip to Buenos Aires. In the top one, we stopped at a fountain, and he decided to examine the water.  He looks so studious and contemplative in this picture, like a scientist examining a specimen up close.

In the photo below, he ran through a flock of pigeons in front of the Casa Rosada.  The joy of being a little boy in a big world is evident on his face, and in the lightness of his step.

For more joyful and inspiring travel photos, check out Delicious Baby's Photo Friday this week.

Argentina: Star Quality in Buenos Aires

       

Casa Rosada or The Pink Palace, in Buenos Aires, Argentina

February 3, 2004

After our amazing stay in Iguazu Falls, it was time to explore another part of Argentina.  After an early morning flight from Puerto Iguazu, we checked into the Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires was a short stop on our itinerary, but we decided to make the most of it.

Buenos Aires is a mix of old-world European charm and Latin intensity. I was struck by how ridiculously good-looking the people were, from the hotel desk clerk who looked like she just stepped off a runway in Milan, to the average Joes (or Juans) reading the newspaper in the park who could have been Antonio Banderas' long lost sibling.  We've been all over the world, and I don't think I've seen this many gorgeous people per capita anywhere else, even Beverly Hills (where the looks tend to be generated by surgeons rather than genetics).  There was something unique and interesting about all of the faces we encountered.

After checking in, we walked to Plaza General San Martin, a nearby park with some ancient metal play structures that Alexander could play on while I nervously looked on.  The equipment looked like the kind of metal structures I remember from when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, with chipping paint (probably lead), and hard, unforgiving concrete underneath.  This equipment made me appreciate litigious American parents who have pretty much made sure that playground equipment is as safe as possible. 

Luckily, Alexander had fun without managing to kill himself or give his mom a heart attack.  Alexander had a great time playing on the slides, monkey bars, and running around, after spending the morning in airports, planes and taxis.  Sometimes, a boy just needs to run free.

Iguazu Falls: 5 Fun Things to Do with Kids

If you're fortunate enough to visit Iguazu Falls with your kids like we were, there are some things that are not-to-be missed.  Here's my list of five things to do with kids at Iguazu Falls:

1. Hike the trails in Iguazu National Park, Argentina: Most of the main trails on the Argentina side are well marked and paved. There are three main trails, or Circuits to walk. The Upper Circuit offers panoramic views of the falls, and takes about 30-35 minutes. It is easily accessed by people with mobility impairments, and kids should have no trouble keeping up.  The Lower Circuit takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete, and includes stairs and catwalks.  The Green Trail is a quick 10-15 minute walk to the beginning of the Upper and Lower Circuits.  Be sure to stay on the trails, since there are snakes lurking, and you don't want to come face to face with an anaconda without being prepared!  Many of the trails have brick pavement that you could push a rugged stroller over.  Be sure to bring water, sunscreen, and insect repellent along for the journey.

Argentina: Iguazu Falls Farewell

February 2, 2004

After our day in Brazil viewing Iguazu Falls from the other side, we had a relaxing day at the hotel.  It was our last full day at the falls, and unfortunately, I didn't feel that well.  It may have been a combination of the heat, humidity, and different drinking water, or just being exhausted from the travel.  We decided to spend the morning letting Alex splash around at the pool after breakfast.

I mentioned in an earlier post, that the pool was circular and a series of concentric circles getting deeper toward the middle.  The pool was not terribly crowded, and Frank and Alexander happily splashing around the outside, shallow part, and swimming across.  An elderly German man waded in on the opposite side, and evidently didn't realize how deep it got, and slipped under water.  Before I knew what was happening, the lifeguard on duty was out of his chair, dove in, and fished the sputtering, flailing German out from the bottom of the pool. The man didn't lose consciousness and was grateful for the rescue, as he coughed and wheezed on the sidelines.

Argentina: Three Borders Monument (Tres Fronteras)

This post is part of a retrospective series on our trip to South America in 2004.  In this episode, we drive back from viewing Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side to our hotel in Argentina.

February 1, 2004

After exiting the Bird Park (through the Gift Shop, of course) and noshing on a traditional Brazilian snack of ice cream and cookies, we hopped in the car with our tour guide, Edson, and drove back across the border to Argentina.  There was no hassle re-entering Argentina, although we had to give the guard a "tip," a common practice at certain borders. And by "tip" I don't mean, "Don't drink the water," but cash, pesos, moolah, dinero, or whatever the currency happens to be.  Anyway, as long as we weren't subjected to body-cavity searches, I  was not too upset by the process.  I'm not sure the customs officials would have cared for what they found in Alexander's pull-up diaper, which came in handy for long car-rides, and was our secret weapon against overly intrusive border crossing guards.

Edson drove us to the town of Puerto Iguazu for a look around.  It was a quiet place, with most shops closed on Sunday.  It felt like a mixture of a German hamlet and a Mexican border town.  The town had some quaint European-style buildings, painted in pastel colors bleached out by the sun.  A few skinny dogs roamed the streets, but otherwise, there was not much happening. The entire town looked like it was taking one long siesta. We drove on through and didn't stop, since there was not much worth stopping for.

Frank wanted to go to the Three Borders Monument or Tres Fronteras, an historic marker with a view of the place where the rivers meet to form the borders of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraquay.  I was completely paranoid about this little stop, because I had read a review on TripAdvisor that said, "DO NOT GO TO THREE BORDERS! This place is a tourist trap full of drug-addicted children who will rob and kill you!"

I didn't stop to think that if this were true, the writer would be both broke and dead, so how would he have had the wherewithal to write his opinion on TripAdvisor? Unless, this were his dying wish, to have this warning placed for all to see.  It was a warning in ALL CAPS, and you just don't get more serious than that, right?

Anyway, I was wary of the place, and didn't quite like the notion of hanging out with drug-addicted children ready to pounce and force Alexander to start downing tequila at age 3, like Drew Barrymore or Mackenzie Phillips.  Edson assured us that it was quite safe during the day, but at night it got a little seedy with teens hanging out with nothing better to do.  Kind of like the neighborhood skate park. Or in our town, Starbucks.

Alex fell asleep in the car, so I decided to stay in the car with him while Frank and Edson went to take pictures of the Monument.  There was a beat-up sedan parked nearby, with a man and three kids inside.  I was looking out the window, eyeballing the sedan and holding Alexander's head in my lap. Suddenly, the door on Alexander's side flew open, startling me.  Standing there was a little girl of about seven, in a raggedy green dress and flip-flops, holding a cardboard box, and asking me questions in Spanish, pointing to the box in her hands.

Oh, my God! I thought. A drug-addled child has come to rob and kill us. With God as my witness, I will never doubt TripAdvisor again!

I threw my body over Alex and slammed the door shut, saying, "No gracias! No No No!"

Alex stirred a little, but didn't wake up. The dejected little girl hung her head, and went back to her car. I looked around the car for a weapon, or an blunt object I could hurl if her gang of street urchins decided to try to tip the car over. If Edson had left the keys in the ignition, I had every intention of laying down some rubber and leaving the two men to fend for themselves, so long as my baby was safe.

A few minutes later, the little girl got out of the car and approached Frank & Edson with her box.  They both shook their heads, Edson shooed her away, and she retreated.  I rolled down the window when the girl was out of sight, and asked Frank what was in the box, fully expecting the answer to be either heroin or hand grenades.

"Cookies," he said.

Cookies? I just slammed the door on a Girl Scout?

"What did you think she was selling?" Frank asked.

"I dunno," I shrugged sheepishly.

As a former Girl Scout, I was certain that I would be stripped of every badge I'd ever earned, except the "Paranoid Tourist" badge. Today, I earned that one.

Photos by Frank, because I would not get out of the car.

Brazil: Iguassu National Park (Cataratas de Iguassu)

February 1, 2004

After making it through the fingerprinting and mug shots at the Brazilian Customs Office, we hopped in the car with our tour guide from Iguassu Falls Tours, Edson, at the wheel.  We drove through the beautiful countryside with farms and thick rainforest on either side, with a few buildings and houses punctuating the deep green landscape. 

As Edson drove us through the scenic farmland and rainforest and spoke lovingly of growing up in the area, moving away for his education, then coming back to the place he knew best.  He taught us to say "obligado" instead of "gracias" for "thank you" while in Brazil. We pulled up in front of the entrance to the Brazil Iguassu Falls National Park, where there was a terrific visitor's center and gift shop.  Alex liked the map of Brazil showing where all the National Parks were.  Who knew there were so many?

We paid the park entrance fee, and did a little browsing in the shop. Edson told us he would bring us back on the way out of the park, so we didn't buy anything, just looked at all the nicely made knick-knacks, masks, and t-shirts with colorful embroidery on them.

We drove deeper into the park, where there are several lovely hotels, and parked at the Tropical Cataratas Hotel, and got out for a walk.  At the entrance to the trail down to the main viewing platform, we spotted another coati (called a quaxti in Brazil), walking around, probably looking for snacks.   He seemed unruffled by the busload of tourists around snapping pictures, and fairly tame.  At times, he looked annoyed, looking at people with a glare that said, "If you're not going to feed me, get the heck away from me."

I don't think it would be a good idea to try to pet one of these critters, but it did seem like they weren't particularly ferocious.

Photo Friday - Argentina: Iguazu Falls

This week's Photo Friday is a picture I took on the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls in 2004. It was an amazing experience to stand on the precipice looking into the rushing water and the rainbows continually forming in the mist.

For more inspiring travel photos, check out Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

Argentina: Iguazu Falls, The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo)

After a refreshing swim in the circular pool at the Sheraton, we decided to take a walk down to the see Iguazu Falls up close.  Iguazu Falls National Park is on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.  The falls are part of the Iguazu River originating in Brazil.  There are 275 waterfalls, spanning a little over a mile and a half, that make up the system of waterfalls that separate the upper Iguazu from the lower Iguazu River.  In 2006, the falls dried up for a time due to drought, but I have read that they are back at full force again, as they were in 2004 when we visited.

Behind the hotel, there was a well-marked, paved path down to the entrance to the falls. Along the way, there were signs showing a stick figure of a man on the path, with snakes on either side of him, threatening to strike at any second.  From what I could gather, the signs said something like "Stay on the path or you will be eaten by snakes!"  I wouldn't let Alexander put even a baby toe off the path, and we hurried on to the entrance to the park.

Along the path to the falls, we encounter a giant iguana and a coati, a mammal that looks like a cross between a raccoon, a monkey and an aardvark. I suppose it was the product of some weird jungle hybridization or an evolutionary joke. 

The walk was about a kilometer, but it seemed like it took forever, particularly for Frank. Alexander would be happily walking along, then suddenly decide he'd had enough of this walking thing and go on strike.  Frank would be the dutiful dad, and pick him up and carry him on his shoulders.  I was the dutiful sherpa, carrying our various backpacks, camera gear and accoutrements.

We walked down the path and past an abandoned building that had been part of the old hotel.  In a circular clearing, a few craftspeople had set out blankets with beautifully woven bags, little jaguars and toucans carved out of wood, flutes, and other native crafts.  Before he end of our stay, we bought several bags and wallets for Christmas gifts for family members, and a couple of carving for Alexander. A woman was sitting with the bags and weaving new ones as we browsed. It wasn't the typical "Made in China" souvenir stand we were used to, and I think we bought more than we should have because everything seemed so original and unique.