Living Abroad Makes You Crave The Weirdest Things

This past weekend José and I had to make a quick trip to Argentina because with my Paraguayan tourist visa I can only stay in the country for 90 days at a time, so off to Posadas, Argentina we went. Friday night we spent the night in Encarnación, a city about 2 hours south of where we live and just across the border from Posadas. 

Encarnación is the third largest city in Paraguay, and its home to the one of the best "beaches" in this land-locked country, a popular summer get away spot for Paraguayans. It is one of my favorite cities in Paraguay. Whenever I visit one of the bigger cities in Paraguay (Asunción, Encarnación, Ciudad del Este) one of the main things I look forward to is ... food! One of the things I struggle with most while living in a different country is food. I miss things like bagels and cream cheese, IPA beers, Maryland blue crabs, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and good sushi. Living in another country also makes you crave the weirdest things, like Burger King, a place at which I rarely eat in the United States. The second I knew we were going to Encarnación all I could think about was a double bacon and cheese Whopper and onion rings.

Saturday we headed across the Paraná River to Posadas, only a quick 10 pesos ($1.25) bus ride from Encarnación. We spent the day eating wandering the city, relaxing in plazas, drinking Argentine beer and taking advantage of the spectacular exchange rate, 1 peso equals 12 cents American. Let's just say José had to keep me in line when it came to shopping or I would have walked away with the whole mall.

 *all less than $20!

It's One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World for a Reason!

It is so hard to describe Iguazu Falls in words. Pictures don't even do it justice. It is just one of those places you have to see for yourself! It is breathtakingly beautiful; I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all.

Panoramic view of "La Garganta del Diablo" (Devil's Throat)

It takes the whole day to wander around this massive national park, with numerous paths to take and several waterfalls to see. It would definitely help if you look at the maps and plan your route ahead of time you don't want to miss out on anything. 

These waterfalls were called "2 Hermanas" the "2 Sisters"

We also ran into a bunch of animals on the way. Some times they were a little overwhelming, in the rest areas where they were food you better keep an eye out. At one point I was walking down a path, eating a bag of chips and I noticed a monkey trailing me from the corner of my eye. Decided it would probably be a good idea to stop eating at that moment!!

These little guys are cute but pesky. Definitely need to keep an eye on them.

These buggers are called 'Coati" - they look kind of like a mix between a raccoon and an anteater. They will steal your food too so watch out!

Overall, Iguazu falls definitely lived up to the hype! We stayed in the town of Puerto Iguazu at a lovely hotel called "Hotel Jardin de Iguazu" -- they were super helpful and even have people who will  take you, at affordable prices, to the falls and will pick you up when you are done. 

Next stop on the Matney family adventure : Encarnacion , Paraguay and the Jesuit Ruins