In the beginning Silver fever Parana Iguazu Buenos Aries Andes 4,200 Metres Humahuaca Rio De Janeiro Samba Uruguay Montevideo Chile Valpraso Santiago Different views Curanipe Curanipe village Chile beachs Trupane Volcano Antuco Los Angeles Belgrano

Then it was off to a dinner night tour and Samba evening. We were picked up by a bus and then were taken to a restaurant with two others so we four joined together for dinner. It’s strange how you can meet perfect strangers and immediately enjoy each other’s company. The food was good the company excellent and we were having fun together. Before long it was time to go. Back on the bus the tour consisted of picking up other passengers from various hotels.

Because we had struck up a friendship in the restaurant we had decided to hang out at the show together, but there was a twist. The guide announced that the bus was going to two different shows and the people on the bus would be split. Anyway as luck had it we ended up all going to the same show and joined by four others, two from Chile and two from Florida.

The Samba show, here we were all eight of us sitting up front at one table. We had a good bunch the four of us Carole, Isabelle, Rhondda and I were already in great spirits and the couple from Chile were catching up, while the folks from Miami were a little more restrained. Anyway the couple from Chile caught up fast in the fun area which sort of drew the Miami couple along.

So the show started and what a show. It was an extravaganza of bodies and costumes beyond belief, the caipirinhas tasted much nicer than we had in Argentina but after one I stuck to beer.

Then the freaky part of the show started. Initially and the lead male dancer tried to get some girls from the audience to join the dancers on stage but the girls declined. This guy then commenced to drag male members of the audience from our table onto the stage to join the dancers as our table was at the front and next to the stage. First up was the American followed by the man from Chile and then the man from New Zealand.

So heres yours truly about to make a fool of himself to all in sundry. As you can see I went screaming.

Yep! Heres me having fun attempting the tango. 

Well it looks like we both had fun. They were wonderful people and the lead man met us after the show.

Wow what a show it was over all too soon and as the bus travelled around dropping off passengers at the various hotels we swapped email details with Carol and Isabell. As you can see they are a wonderful couple of people.

So Thursday came and after some further sightseeing around Rio we flew back to Buenos Aires and arrived late again to Antonio waiting at the airport.

We took this photograph of Rio on the way to the airport, as it appeared most people lived in this type of housing. 

Friday the four of us were of to Uruguay by boat across the River Plate. We arrived at Colonia del Sacramento but unfortunately it was for a transfer to the bus. As you enter the port you pass some wonderful old Spanish forts and the area is very nice. So it was onto the bus and on our way to Montevideo travelling along a beautiful tree lined highway through the rolling farmland.

Once again poverty is everywhere.