14. Ups and downs in Iguazu

Argentinean side - By Pierre
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- Iguazu is situated on a three fronteers point, between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. We chose Puerto Iguazu, argentinian side, much cheaper than Foz do Iguazu in the Brazilian side. The streets in the old city are composed by broken red rocks. This is original but quite annoying to drive or to walk in the streets (believe me).
Güira Oga Park - A zoologic place to preserve Iguazu park
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- Victim of the tourists' inflow, the savage caracter of Iguazu Park's faune is endangered. Güira Oga zoologic park was created to restaure savage life to those domesticated animals (koatis, aras, armadillos, ...).
- After entering the park in a tractor (see challenge), I had the opportunity to take some pictures of those endangered species that Güira Oga wants to reintroduce in Iguazu Park. (Check the gallery below: beware, it's cuuuute!)
Meeting the Yryapu indigenous.
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- After hitting the road under a parching sun, I finally reached the Yryapus. Living around Iguazu falls centuries before the arrival of conquistadores, they are still "owners" of their lands.
- At the entrance, big problem: I had no money left and I couldn't get a word of what they were saying. I think they wanted me to pay the entrance...
Typical day between Yryapu
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- I tried to fall into conversation, but the language barrier was very huge. No problem: using hands, it works! On the roof of the first house I saw a man and his pregnant wife trying to give him a big tin plate. I instantly proposed to help, letting the woman rest on a old garden chair with her 2 children. No language problem when it's about to work, we installed the tin plate on the roof of this extension.
- After I just realised that his house was 30 square meters and because of the arriving baby, the family needs this 15 square meters extension. For 5 people. And their belongings were not new at all. It looks a bit similar to a ghetto or a favela where people use recuperation materials to build house. But here they are owners, they had a big garden, they are living inside the community and don't care about money. They just care about today and tomorrow, no more, and they continue to live happy.
Valerio
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- Valerio, a young boy I met at the entrance of the village, came back to me and continued with me the visit of his village. What a chance for me!
Agriculture
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- Inside the community, the food is crucial so the agriculture. The Yryapus plant a lot of fruits and vegetables. Pineapple, papaye, corn,... They also have beef. It allows them to live in a relative autonomy.
Indigenous market
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- Last step of the visit: the market. The Yryapus do a lot of stuffs (amulets, gadgets, bracelets...) to sell to tourist.
What to keep in mind
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- I discover a community that looks happy, composed of a lot of children. There are 90 houses and 600 inhabitants. My first impression was "oh gosh, how poor they are!" But after visiting, I understand they are finally living a bit like us (they have some radios, smartphones, water tanks, cars, motorbikes, they play soccer), they have a school, Valerio has been to Buenos Aires. They just give less importance in money. Another way of life.
Tupa Mbae resist
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- On a former "right of building" panel, I saw this sign written by another indigenous community (there are 3). Funny!
Lost between two countries
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- Following the way, I took some shortcuts and arrived in the Duty Free Area between Argentina and Brazil. Today I left Brazil once, and entered in Argentina twice!
Three borders sight.
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- Here is the place where we could see Paraguay (on left side of the river), Brazil (right) and Argentina (here).
2 rivers
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- El Rio Iguazu (brown on the right side) flows into El Rio Panama...

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