South American Adventure - Day Twenty Three, Friday 14th March 2014

We have to say goodbye to Iguazu today.  What a bun fight in the reception to check out – there was several people all checking out at the same time, and some people were just not polite.  If they weren’t the next in the queue, shove and then you are!  Just not my thing – let them get before me.  What goes around comes around!  Our driver from yesterday was there waiting to take us to the airport.  What a lovely man he is.  He said that there is one direct flight to Rio and one to Sao Paulo, and they virtually go at exactly the same time.  Must have been a man that set that timetable up!

I got to the front, eventually, and none of the tours were on the bill, neither was the transfer to the airport.  Well done for sorting that out and going over and above what they had to.  On the way to the airport I complained to the driver that we had seen no jaguars or pumas.  He got his ipad out, and showed us a video that he had shot the other day of a jaguar out the back of the hotel by the pool.  He saw it in his car headlights, stopped the car, wound down the window and got about a two minute video with his iphone.  Who needs a Nikon!   Just a shame that we hadn’t seen one in the flesh.  Never mind – always next time!

We got to the airport and most of the people we had seen in the reception were now in the queue to check in.  Oh what joy.  It was only a small airport, but not as nice as the other small airports we have used in the past three weeks.  We had to check in at one of the self service check in machines – had to get help in the end.  Just getting used to Spanish, now the Portuguese element has thrown a spanner in the works.  We drop the bags off at the TAM checkin desk – and the girl charges me excess baggage!  First time this trip.  Probably got a jobsworth – 55 Brazilian reals, just over £15.  Not too bad.  Looking at all the check in counters, ours was sending people over to the excess baggage window all the time.  Just picked the wrong one.  We got to the gate in loads of time though – but must have been daydreaming as we nearly missed getting on the flight.  That’s the trouble when all the announcements are in foreign.  They called it in English to start with, and then all the other announcements were only in Portuguese.  When we looked the Sao Paulo flight was boarding, and our gate was closed.  A quick run and we made it – just!  Paul had to check with the air hostess that we were on the right plane – they just pointed in the general direction of about three planes and we got on one of them.  It was OK – it was the right one.

We took off, and saw the falls in the distance with their mist wafting high into the air.  We could the see the helicopter buzzing around – on the Brazilian side only.  They are very what is mine is mine and yours is yours.  The helicopter is not allowed to go into Argentinean air space, the boat on the Argentinean side is not allowed on the Brazilian side of the river and vice versa.  What a palaver.  What is the matter with sharing? 

The two hour flights went quickly, with only a bag of cheesy biscuits. Not even a box with a proper biscuit in.  I can tell you quite a lot about the in flight catering on Latin American flights now!  We met all the same people at the baggage carousel that were in the hotel reception again – still pushing in.  How rude!  One lady was actually videoing the baggage carousel and the people standing around it – I don’t think I would want to see her holiday video when she gets home.  It is probably six hours long and very boring!  The bags arrive, and we go to the exit – will there be someone there or won’t there?  Yes, there is!  Yippee. Doesn’t speak a word of English though.

That didn’t stop him telling us what everything was on the way to the hotel.  A bridge that was still in construction was definitely nearer to meeting in the middle than when we passed it three weeks ago.  Back to where we started on 20^th February, and on the final leg.  How it has gone so quickly.  The carnival in Rio has been and gone whilst we have been away, but the stands are still in place, and all the signs are still there.  There is a broken down float at the side of the road – not sure if it has been abandoned, or waiting for next year!  Another hot day – it is forecast for 32 degrees this weekend.

We check in to the Copacabana Palace.  Magical from the outside (although it reminds Paul of the Grand in Brighton and the bombing of Maggie Thatcher) and magical from the inside.  The only trouble is it is full of people.  And children.  It is heaving at the rafters.  We went to the pool to get a drink and decide what we are going to do for the next three days, and it is packed.  Oh dear.  I am used to space – here they have packed in as much as they can.  When we got back up to the room there was a lovely bottle of Moet Champagne on the table – with a card welcoming Mr Ballard.  Must have delivered it to the wrong room – sorry Mr Ballard, your loss is our gain.  Will enjoy that!

We went for a stroll along Copacabana Beach – it was completely dark now and the moon almost full.  The beach was transformed to a sports academy – football nets virtually the whole way along or volleyball.  There were hoards of youngsters and older people playing football – in an organised manner, not just higgledy piggeldy.  Can see some of the future Ronaldinho’s here.  We walked all the way along – people were displaying their wares, there was fast food places and candy floss for sale.  A glorified Blackpool – but with better weather.  All of the hotels had the same bland look from the outside – huge and impersonal.  I think we have the best of the bunch.  We stopped to have something to eat at one of the pavement cafes – pleasant enough but nothing special.  It was good to people watch.

When we got back to the hotel, the card that came with the champagne had been changed to one that said Mrs Bridget – must be for us then!  Won’t feel so guilty now!