the bad thing about today was that it started very early. in a country that doesn’t eat dinner until 8-11 PM, how is it even possible to have a ride to the airport at 5 AM?! also, since i had the stellar room location of overlooking the main street, i didn’t have a great night sleep. granted, there weren’t gun shots or constant car alarms, but who has trash collection at midnight? i like my sleep, and without enough of it i can be a little cranky. i know, so hard to believe, right?

so…..after getting up at 4:30 AM and repacking (i had to get another bag to leave at the hotel, as the inter-country flights have a limit of 15k weight and i barely made the US 50 lb. limit), taking a quick shower, and pretending to the front desk staff that checking out at 5 AM was perfectly normal, i made my way to the airport. deciding to bypass coffee, i sunk into a comfy chair at the gate and waited to board the flight to Iguazu.

we boarded on time and i promptly fell asleep. i woke up as we were taking off, which as it turned out, was an hour later than planned. who knew?!

i arrived in Iguazu well rested and ready to start the day. again, i do love walking out of baggage claim and seeing a smiling individual holding a sign with my name on it. in this case the individual was Julio, and he took me to the Visitors Center at Iguazu National Park and introduced me to Mario, my guide for the tour of the Iguazu Falls.

and yes, every time i said his name i heard the music in my head and Luigi’s voice calling out, “Mario? little footsteps…..Mario?”. the couple from Rome on the tour with me were thinking the same thing…..you can take the people away from their Nintendo, but can’t take Nintendo away from the people.

also, i knew it would happen, but i wasn’t sure when……..Mario was the one that busted out with, “Don’t cry for me Argentina”, on the walk to the falls. it remained in my head all afternoon……thanks Mario, thanks a lot!

the falls………really, i can’t describe the feeling of being there. they are ginormous, and the sound is so loud, but calming at the same time. they’re just a crazy powerful force of nature, and i am so happy that i was able to see them. as part of the trip we took a Zodiac-ish boat ride so we could experience the falls close up. that was awesome. wet, but awesome.

tomorrow Mario, Luigi, Princess Daisy and i will see the falls from the Brazil side. although i may hear more songs from the Evita soundtrack, i bet it’s going to be a good day!