Corazones
Thursday, June 8th, 2006It was a great decision to go to Iguazu falls, a 17 hour bus ride well worth it.
On the border between Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, is a bizarre urban agglomeration composed of the cities of Foz do Iguacu in Brazil, Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, and Puerto Iguazu in Argentina. Also at this site is one of the mightiest waterfalls on the planet, the region’s principal tourist attraction.
Also in Iguazu is the world’s largest powerplant, a hydroelectric dam providing 25% of Brazil’s electricity, as well as 90% of Paraguay’s. Impressive statistics, and the structure itself is no less impressive. Not beautiful… the incredible thing is looking at this massive hunk of concrete, and contemplating the magnitude of work, energy, manpower, and raw materials that went into creating it and that continue to operate it.
I visited only the Argentine side of the falls, my second day in Iguazu. On the way to the bus station, I ran into a friend from England I had met in Medellin, Colombia. We went together to the falls, and were utterly stunned by the spectacle.
The following evening I took another bus back to Buenos Aires. I spend Sunday wandering around the city, mentally preparing for my flight home. At 8:20 the plane took off, arriving in New York at 6 AM. I got to Boston at 9:35…
My parents and siblings were waiting for me, and I rushed over to hug them. Farid was there as well. It was good to see him.
That evening, I saw some friends, and the next day my granparents arrived from Florida. The following day my other grandparents drove down to visit from Amesbury.
It was a bit of a shock… I’m home. And EVERYTHING, more or less, is the same. Its as though i never left. I’m not too sad about being back, but not too happy about it either. I dont know what to think yet.
Security. It feels empty here, a bit boring, but secure. That is my impression until the moment. Here I have friends, I have family, I have a house. I can use a car, and I have a kitchen with food in it.
There isn’t so much adventure, except in re-learning a city I knew by heart. I used to feel that these streets were MY streets, and now I’m almost a visitor, almost a foreigner.
Speaking English isnt difficult, but I still speak it like a Latino. I’m proud of that, though.
I can’t stop thinking of my trip. It has been my existence, my life for the last 8 months. There was nothing else. I was always meeting people, getting on buses, learning new cities, partying, seeking adventure, planning, thinking.
And its all over… bizarre. I almost thought it would go on forever.
I wonder if I’ll ever be able to something like this again? I sure hope so.
Neocoltrane