UNESCO - Iguaçu National Park, Brazil

Which side of  the famous falls to see, when you have one day only and a hole in your pocket? I cannot remember why exactly, but we've chosen the Brazilian side...We've actually peeked into Argentina from Paraguay, with a candid intention to snoop around for a week or so...but then we realised the prices have gone up two- and threefold from our last info (read: 2yo-guide) so we just sweeped the north to get to the falls and continued back (can one do so?!) to Paraguay. A shame it is, but then again we wouldnt have seen that much anyway, and a separate trip (Arg, Uru, Bra, S.Chile) is definately necessary and planned for the future!!

Another great view of the Iguacu Falls, this time from the forum i.e. the favourite RR. Thank you Anita/hanitles for reminding just me how gorgeous these falls are! And the stamp reminds me of another memorable day on my trip, visiting Itaipú Dam.:D

Toucan In Pantanal, Brazil

From La Paz on we have taken a somewhat irrational route heh. The decisions were made along the way - all I really knew is that I wanted to see some native animal (wild)life. So I read the Pantanal is a heaven on earth in that sense, but from Paraguay side its both cheaper and less touristy. We've taken a train to the Brasilian border as my friend was so certain we can catch a ride on Rio Paraguay from there - though it wasnt mentioned anywhere! :P We came to Corumbá and found nothing of the sort - only blank looks and ads for the Brasilian Pantanal touristy tours. So we moved on south to Pedro Juan Caballero on the border of Paraguay.

I really wanted to send a card showing toucan, this awesome and cool bird that I only used to see in the encyclopedia..! Until that lovely day while waiting for the train in San José de Chiquitos, when i spotted a pair flying over the station. They look so funny when flying! :D

Bolivia and Paraguay...and the rest :)

As usual, falling behind with updates...but the odyssey is almost over, and last thoughts on the postcard world of 'my' South America are in order..!

Bolivia was more of a challenge, and Paraguay was very much so! If you ever go to Bolivia, remember that the main post office in La Paz has postcard shops that are absolutely BRILLIANT, both in choice and price :) can't beat it anywhere else in the country -don't even try heh.

Paraguayan prices were altogether a bit shocking; but as I later found out, not as shocking as Colombia..! The best choice of postcards was in the Tourist Office in Asuncion (well, almost being the only choice!). I have sent a few from Concepcion, where an extremely friendly lady has helped me choose some pretty cool stamps :)))

Colombia...I have sent ONE postcard - it better arrive!

Brilliant postcards, even more brilliant stamps in a gift shop in Cartagena (an absolutelly brilliant town!) I will await the arrival of this one with great emotions...fingers crossed :)

Peru

Yes, Peru...that was a while back! We have crossed to Bolivia, and before exploring the whole beautiful spectrum of it we continued to Paraguay, with our big packs (safely, as we sincerely hope) left in Santa Cruz for our return.

Peru was absolutely wonderful when it comes to postcards! I may have doubted that it can outdo Ecuador in abundance but...the further south we went (to more touristy areas for sure) the harder i had to be on myself, refraining from buying whole postcard stands at a time..! Up north in Trujillo I was encountered with a very helpful lady in the Post Office, who patiently represented all of the stamps she had for sale. Still, I have come accross different ones at other stages of the trip, which has made my personal - postal - part of the whole trip very exciting and enjoyable :)

I have sent postcards to my family from Trujillo, Huaraz, Lima, Macchu Pichu Village and Puno. They are all such diverse places with unique character and image...and the five are the bare minimum that I just HAD TO send! I have also fulfilled a special request for Macchu Pichu card. But the rest I have left for Bolivia.

Ecuador!

And so its been months since i wrote on here...change of circumstances..! I have been working for some weeks in october but the scanner broke down (with a little help from me and my zealous postcard scanning!oops) and i was kinda lost..! And after some more weeks here i am, enjoying my time in Ecuador :) and what a wonderful country it is!

Hm this is supposed to be a postcard blog...let me just add then that there is a wonderful abundance of postcards to be bought around here - but since i'm on a budget i had to forbid to myself any additional sprees as early as during first days in quito...oh well! I have sent three postcards to very dear friends of mine from the postcrossing forum, and three to my family. I hope they arrive in decent time! Lord knows i wanted to send many more but the postage of $2.25 is somewhat worrying...but surely there will be plenty more opportunities in the countries to come! Tonight we travel to Peru - see you there!!!