Category Archives: 2005:Rio to La Paz

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

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After a night on the Death Train we arrived at our Santa Cruz hotel at about 09am. Most of us took some time off to get some rest, a shower or to enjoy the hotel pool. Around 11am David and myself left the hotel to get some water and to have a look around town – our plan was also to get some food sooner or later (only food we had that day so far consisted of the small breakfast served aboard the train).

Santa Cruz is the economical center of Bolivia – and its richest and most populated city. Main industries include oil, gas and agriculture. Santa Cruz also hosts Bolivia’s main gateway to the world – Viru Viru International Airport. However from a tourist perspective there is not too much to do and see in Santa Cruz.

After our short city tour we met with John and Wayne and had some food (burgers). I went to bed afterwards as I did not feel well; I woke up 4 hours later totally wet from my own sweat, still feeling weak, but better than before. At least I felt fit enough to join in for group dinner at a pseudo-Mexican restaurant (the food was rather tasteless compared to real Mexico and my favorite Mexican restaurant back home).

El Trem del Morte

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We left the Pantanal and we left Brazil. The border crossing was more than obvious, the paved street suddenly became a dirt road and the buildings on the Bolivian side looked run-down compared to Brazil. After the border formalities we got continued to the train station of Corumba. Ultimately it turned out, we were at the wrong train station (the booking agent got everything wrong, they quoted the wrong time and the wrong station) – consequently we needed a quick transfer to the correct station and ended up with five persons in a taxi (plus according number of backpacks…) for an interesting 20 minute taxi ride. The train was actually waiting for us at this station (we made up about two thirds of the first class car); we boarded quickly and the train journey started.
While we did not use the actual Death Train, our train at least used the same tracks on our 14 hours journey. The seats and seat arrangement were rather nice, however the ride itself rather bumpy and uncomfortable – I’d rather have a Chinese hard sleeper train…

Pantanal – Canoe & Boat Ride

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For this second day in the Pantanal the group had to split into two parts once more. The usual approach would have been that everyone makes up his/her mind and either the groups are arranged in 5 minutes or the tour leader assigns groups. However Leo made the mistake of mentioning this the evening before, so Amir quickly started to create tickets and raffle off the places for the morning boat ride (choice was boat ride in the morning and canoe in the afternoon or the other way round).
Anyhow in the end I was rather happy not having won in this draw – it turned out that my group had a covered boat for the boat ride later in the day (by this lowering the probability for sunburn), we also did see more capibaras – and we did not have Amir with us 🙂 …

So we did go ahead and enjoyed a canoe trip in the morning – after lunch followed by the boat trip around the two rivers – including a chance for a swim in Rio Vermelho.

Bonito

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We arrived late at night (01:30) in Bonito after a long bus ride. Consequently the briefing about our options in Bonito did not start before 11:00 in the morning of the 27th. Various options were on offer, starting with the visit of the cave of the blue lagoon, to rafting (no real rafting, more like going down a river with 3 waterfalls) to snorkeling in the Prata river.
I went for the rafting and snorkeling option. I left my camera in the hotel, as both options involve loads of water… so there are only a few pictures here 🙁

Rafting was scheduled in the afternoon of our first day in Bonito, so I spent the time after the briefing by discovering the town (together with several others who did not mind going to the cave of the blue lagoon). At about 14:00 we (group of 7 or 8) got picked up at the hotel and transferred to the starting point of the boat tour. We started off together with another boat of Brazilian tourists and quickly started a water fight against them (which we – I would say – lost…).

On the way downstream we passed three water falls with up to 2 to 3 meters; we also had the opportunity for a swim in the clear water (although I would not call it swim, it was more a getting wet, as we were not allowed to take of the life jackets). After our return the question was raised what food to go for – finally we ended up with Jacare (alligator) – which was too salty for my taste…

Most of the group spent the second day in Bonito doing the snorkeling in Rio de Prata option. After a transfer to the starting point we got the needed equipment (wet suit and snorkeling gear) and got transferred to the edge of the jungle with a truck. From here we had to walk (about 2-3 km) before we arrived at the place to enter the water. The water was crystal clear, view of up to 15-20 meters, plenty of fish and other things to watch around. We followed the stream of the river to the place where it merged with Rio Formoso (about 1.5 hours, 3 km) – it felt like swimming in an aquarium.

At the merge point we had the option of swimming on for another kilometer or to take a boat to the end point – of course I opted for the swimming option. At the end point the normal procedure would have been to go onto the truck again and get back to farm for lunch and some rest. However the truck did not come (for whatever reason).

Back to Brazil …

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We had to be ready and packed somewhere between 09:00 and 10:00 to catch a bus to the town of Pedro Juan Caballero and the border to Brazil. I can only talk about myself – while I was able to have breakfast and also to get my stuff done in time, I still did not feel too well. And the following bus ride did not make it better; we ended up on an old bus without air conditioning, the temperature was way above 35 degrees (yes, Celsius), the bus ride itself took just 8 hours (including a stop at some dodgy restaurant). However the landscape passing by was rather interesting, a pity our visit to Paraguay had been pretty limited to Asuncion…

After our arrival in PJC we had to get our exit stamp for Paraguay – and an entry stamp for Brazil. With the border being open we first had to visit the Paraguaian immigration office – to then transfer to the Brazilian police at the other side of town to get into Brazil – in total we needed more than one hours.
After the border formalities we got a transfer from Ponta Pora to Bonita – another 5 hours in a van (don’t forget the 8 hours on the bus before…), where we arrived around 01:30. In between we had a stop for dinner at around 23:30 – everyone was tired, most of us not open for heavy food (or heavy conversations) – I personally would have preferred a bed at this point in time… At least the food was good (maybe not for David, who got forgotten and ended up with a doggy bag…).

Around Asuncion

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After a good night of sleep in the Asuncion Palace Hotel we got picked up by Marco (who spoke a remarkably good English – and an even better German) for a day trip around Asuncion.

First stop on our tour was a museum of indigenous with an option to shop at an attached handicraft shop. Afterward we drove over to the main square of San Lorenzo to have a view at the church. This church has been built with support by Germany, according to Marco it is a copy of a church in Düsseldorf. Next stop on our tour was at beautiful Lake Ypacarai, before we drove over to a restaurant for buffet lunch and some time at the pool to relax.

In the late afternoon we got a chance to stock up on nanduti (Paraguayan lacework), before being transferred back to the hotel we visited a museum of mythical figures, which was a bit strange, including one figure with its penis five times wrapped around the body … all fairly weird.

Iguazú Falls – Argentinian Side

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Our second day close to the Falls; we left the hotel in the morning and drove over to the ‘Three Frontiers’ memorial on the Brazilian side, where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil come closest – still separated by water though.

After about 20 minutes we continued to the border post between Argentina and Brazil, making our way into Argentina as day-tourists – – so no stamp in my passport

We arrived at the park on the Argentinian side about 30 minutes later; here we got a short introduction to the options available; most of the group opted for the “Grand Adventure”, which included an orientation walk, a trip through the jungle and a boat ride under the falls, which turned out to be the best shower we ever had (the most forceful in any case) … Also lunch has been planned in nicely – and Argentinian beef is really the best around 🙂

Iguazú – Brazilian Side

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In the afternoon we got closer to Iguazú Falls, with the heliport being the first stop. Those ones, who were eager to spend 60 USD for a 10 minute heli ride got up into the air, me being one of them 🙂 It was my first ride in a helicopter – – and the views were amazing.

After the heli ride we went over to the bird park on the other side of the street – to see those birds in cages, we were about to see in nature in the Pantanal anyhow… – I personally would not go there again.

From the bird park we continued to the Cataratas do Iguaçu National Park, i.e. the Brazilian side of the waterfalls.