a bit of espionage... (oooooooh)

so, after 9/11, apparently the US got really strict about immigration and tourism, instituting lots of new rules for incoming aliens such as finger printing, photos, strip searches, visa reqs, etc.. (not so bad). this pissed off a few countries who didn’t like to see their citizens get hassled. the 2 that affected us were chile which now has a $100 tax on yanks who fly in or out of the country, and brazil which requires US citizens to have a visa, passport photos and pay $100. the story is this.

iguacu falls straddles the border between Argentina and brazil. most of the cool stuff, the up close and wet stuff, is Argentinean. but, if you want a long view of the falls, you go to brazil. which is no problem for most, but difficult for Americans. who wants to wait for a visa and pay $100 just to spend a few hours looking at waterfalls? we knew this would be a problem in advance, so when we arrived in puerto iguacu, at the bus station, we asked about it. is it possible for me to go into brazil without paying and without problems for few hours? a guy at the bus station: “no problem! just get on a public bus. say you’re just going for 1 day. ok!" well, fantastic! we ask at a travel agency. "dear god, NO!" he tells us. "americans can't go. no travel agency will take you. it’s too big of a risk" ok. we ask at tourist information. "No. a bus absolutely will NOT take you. impossible. the only was is a private taxi so that the Brazilian immigration officers can be assured that you will not stay on in brazil. if you get caught in brazil with no visa you will be jailed and fined $1000US." man on the street: "Americans are beaten with whiffleball bats and forced to count coconuts in Brazilian torture centers" you get the picture. so, in the spirit of adventure, with only the slightest hope i could get a "persona non grata" stamp from brazil in my passport, i decided to throw all caution to the wind, and amy and i got on a public bus.



the bus drove to Argentina immigration. got an exit stamp. and onward toward brazil we go! up to immigrations aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... zoom...right by immigration into brazil. what a rush! a rebel. an insurgent. an illegal alien. i was living on the edge. the CIA needs more operatives like me. i'm tellin ya'. they never knew if i was coming or goin! (thank god).
so what happened? we entered brazil. changed buses, went to the falls, saw the same thing we saw in Argentina but from farther off, got back on the bus, and then waited for the bus back to Argentina. the other bus dropped us off in the wrong spot, so after 2 buses passed us, we walked 10min to the next bus stop, got on the bus, and prayed for no stopping at Brazilian immigration. my heart was beating like an african drum circle as we approached, my breathing slowed to the pace of a 85 year old sunday driver as we slowed down and pulled up to the immigration center, my palms sweat like, well, like iguacu falls as the uncertainty roiled deep within. and then the driver waived to his friend and took off back into Argentina. a quick stamp in and i was back in the clear!
why all the melodrama? you try being an international man of mystery. it’s not as easy as i make it look!