Highlights from the road

the fun continues in a smallish (relative to other cities here) down the coast and inland a bit from Rio - Foz Do Iguarco. Tomorrow we're off to see falls that according to the reports are taller than niagara and bigger than victoria. or maybe it was the other way around. either way it sounds dramatic. but that's tomorrow. today we're having a chill day in town - laundry, internet, and sweet sweet sleep.

we've just spent a couple of neat jungle days in Curitiba. Day 1 was taking an old train through the mountains (stunning views) and arriving in a small town where we decided to tube down a river. you know you've left north america when there's no waiver in sight and you're handed a tube, helmet, life jacket, and a couple pieces advice in portugese - something about feet first and walk the section just after the big rock. As kirk said "finding a big rock in the river is like finding a guy in a suit in new york". some serious rapids and i expect lower water than usual as we took a bit of a beating. As kirk's first time down a river in any kind of flotation device he fared very well. His butt however is another story...

Next day was taking the train to a national park for some jungle hiking. We were the only ones to get off the train at this stop so we knew we were in for some fun. The rain had made hiking up impossible so the park warden set us off on a slightly different route. he walked with us the first 15 minutes and then gave us instructions for the rest. the trail was the path used before roads and trains in the mountains (this park isn't accessible by road). some serious hiking with a lot of elevation traversed. Two river crossings which were fun on the way out and even more fun on the way back in the pouring rain. train picked us up on the way back and we arrived in the bus station kinda wet, muddy, and so so hungry. found dinner in the bus station as nothing close by but they had just what we needed. and the waitress understood kirk's clucking and waving of his arms to mean that he wanted chicken. Frango seems to be the word for chicken but sometimes it also means ham - making for some interesting meals.

speaking of interesting meals - i finally caved and agreed to eat peanut butter for lunch. it's cheap, nourishing, yada yada. When we went to open it at our picnic spot we discovered it was caramel. nothing like a caramel and banana sandwich to fill the spot!

next stop punto arenas...