Iguazu Falls... Well..... another planet compared to the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires. But first the last couple of days in BA.

When I ¨spoke¨to you last I said we were planning on taking in a soccer game and a tango lesson/show both of which were awesome!! Not surprisingly my expectations played a part in the enjoyment I got out of each experience. First on the list was the Tango show. Admittedly I was a little aprehenssive about this one, with my lack of coordination on the dance floor and Robs knee I thought we might be in for a bit of a downer. SO we were given our voucher and an address which we found after riding the oldest subway in the southern hemisphere (in a good way, beautiful old wooden carrages) When we gave our name to a small man standing out front of a narrow doorway under a loanly sign ¨Tango¨swinging out front we were a little concerned when he shook his head and rambled something that were interperated as ÿour names arn´t on the list¨ Luckily our vouchers got us through the doors. Affraid weéd be the only ones there we were greated with the nevous smiles of a myriad of different couples all in the same boat. Our small, energetic dance instructor soon got us up and loosened up by explaining the at of attracting the fairer sex for a dance with the wink of an eye and a nod of the head which I did my best to demonstrate when pulled from the crowed. My volluntered pray, a nice English girl, did her best not to burst out laughing with the rest of the class when I approached in my best unintentional ¨robot¨swagger. Needless to say that shattered the ice and the class went really well. Rob and I both happy with our performances after partnering a few not so coordinated class mates. The dinner and show that followed were both awesome. With smoke, lights, singing and beautiful dancing in close quarters with the diners. A few more days and a few more k´s around the city revieled more beautiful buildings and a better understanding for the bus system (75 cents Oz could get us where ever we wanted to go) We also saw a great open air trapiez/tango show on one of the evenings.

Having planned to see a soccer match starting one of the countries 2 biggest teams, The BOCA Junors at their home ground. We had all but given away the hope due to scarcity of tickets, but at a %900 mark up we were able to get hold of the hens teeth and I was able to sport the Boca jersy I picked up in the legendary city (Boca) several days before. When our guide came to pick us up from the Hostel he was quick to explain that while we were still going to see the game, there were some ¨complications¨that was making the whole expidition a little more dificult then it has been in the past. First he explained that due to the hightened security we were to bring as little as possible, and to refrain from bringing large expenssive cameras, also to hold off from taking pictures until were were well inside the stadium. We found out later that the pat downs and bag searches may have had something to do with a woman being killed outside the stadium apparentlñy for wearing the wrong colours. The ¨complications¨turned out to be a lack of transportation available for the 8 of us he picked up from the hostel. So, given a piece of paper with an address and a phone number to use if we ran into any trouble 4 of us (out of the 8) were hussled into a taxi and sent on our way. We were dropped off across the street from a pizza place where we waited for a few anctious minutes with a baechested man waving a boca jersy above his head and rambling something to us as he pointed in the direction of the stadium. OUr guide soon arived with the other guests and took us to the Pizza place. As we sat down contimplating the menu for our pre game feed our guide rushed back into the resturant and hurried us back out into the street where we again watched a group of men yapping into mobile/walkie talkies apparently trying to get us transport into the game. Long story short we arrived at the gates(via another series of taxies) and appart from being only short 2 tickets we approached the stadium.

After the cloak and dagger build up that played out like something from the book I had just finished reading we made it through the gates with out too much hassle with other members of the party clicking away on their digital cannons, doing nothing to conceal our gringo tourist status. Getting to our seats well early we watched as the crowed builded in size and volume. The small section of the stadium put aside for the fans of the visiting team did well to compete against the other 80% of the crowed armed with never ending drums and any number of different chants that we could only howel along with as we waved our hands in a chopping motion. While we weren´t in the section with the rowdiest and most vocal fans we deffiantely got a taste of the passion that goes with South American football.

So our 9 days in the big smoke, I think, was deffinately enough to see all we could managed without getting lung cancer and we caught our last city bus for 75 cents Aus to the airport (compared to $15AUS in a cab) wher we made a break for the clean tropical air of Iguazu.

The pictures (wehn we post them) will tell the story better then my limited vocubulary will ever do, but after hearing many unprovoked reports that the Argentinian side is FARRR better the Brazilian side, we changed our resevation to one of the few remaining rooms available in another YHI. This has turned out to be a great random move. The Hostel Inn Iguazu is great. It once was a casino so is a full resort style set up with hukçge landscaped pool area with Cabaña bar serving tall colourful drinks to small colourful bikinis. There´s great food and plenty to do here at the Hostel so we´ve neglected the nearby town, but from all accounts we´re not mising much. The ¨Cataracus Iguzu¨(the iguazu falls) are amayzing!! we´ve spent 2 whole days trecking around the national park that takes you to every angle to view the power of millions of litres of beautiful water spilling over countless falls of varying ferosity every second. A far far cry from anything witnessed in our home land thats for sure.We´ve also been back under the light of the full moon to see the falls in quite literally, a whole new light¨,

So today is a day of rest for Rob Fi and I. Fi has gone for a leasurly hoarse ride through the near by forest to see traditional local villages, while Rob and I have occupied the same spot by the pool ALLLLL day hangin out with the good friends we´ve made here, and reading our books. Perfect

Tomorrow we´re back to Santiago to hang out with Dad for 5 days before Fi flys back to the real world and after that Rob and I are going to check out Pichilemu, Chiles most famous wave (pumped).

Take care all and stay tuned

Alex