Update 24

The town of Tigre sits on the edge of the humongous delta area where the Parana' River splits and the small tributaries eventually drain into the bay near Buenos Aires. The small canals through the area carve out hundreds of small islands where many have built homes. About 15,000 people. There's lots of all types of boats going back & forth. We first rode the large "tourist'" boat to give us a taste. Next day we kept searching until we found the local boat. A helpful lady who spoke English sold us tickets for the boat that goes down smaller tributaries picking up & dropping off passengers. Think of a public bus that picks up/drops you off at your door! We even stopped at a school to pick up kids & teachers. Most the kids were loading onto a bus boat hooting and hollowing & glad to be going home. The boat drivers efficiently pulled up to a dock & a kids on the back would jump off & wrap a rope around the post, then help people & their packages & water jugs get on or off. The homes we passed were a mix bag of really new mod, old & well kept up and the others in various stages of deterioration . Almost all had boats & docks. Imagine living where the only way to town was by boat. Our boat ride was a bit over an hour & we got dropped at a resort built in 1892 & was in fair shape…but it looked like no one but us & another couple were visiting. We were greeted by the lady who sold us our boat tickets! She'd come in her speed boat stopping to pick her son up at school on her way. She got us started on a hike that led to a small lake. The trail was built on a man made mound with swamp & lowland all around it…and no mosquitoes! I'm going to tell Michigan mosquitoes there's a perfect environment for them here! The mounds had been made to drain land for planting fruit trees and very productive until floods started in the early 1950's. When we got to the lake…as brown as the river…we headed back. We'd packed a lunch in our trusty cooler which we enjoyed as we sat on the dock and visited with a couple from Denmark. The stop & go ride back made me appreciate where I live…on the water, with a dock & boat…and a car in the back yard. This is our last night so we just hung out in our nice Airbnb & watched the sunset as we mulled over our trip & geared up for our trip home. Home. That word makes my heart skip a beat.

Update 24

The town of Tigre sits on the edge of the humongous delta area where the Parana' River splits and the small tributaries eventually drain into the bay near Buenos Aires. The small canals through the area carve out hundreds of small islands where many have built homes. About 15,000 people. There's lots of all types of boats going back & forth. We first rode the large "tourist'" boat to give us a taste. Next day we kept searching until we found the local boat. A helpful lady who spoke English sold us tickets for the boat that goes down smaller tributaries picking up & dropping off passengers. Think of a public bus that picks up/drops you off at your door! We even stopped at a school to pick up kids & teachers. Most the kids were loading onto a bus boat hooting and hollowing & glad to be going home. The boat drivers efficiently pulled up to a dock & a kids on the back would jump off & wrap a rope around the post, then help people & their packages & water jugs get on or off. The homes we passed were a mix bag of really new mod, old & well kept up and the others in various stages of deterioration . Almost all had boats & docks. Imagine living where the only way to town was by boat. Our boat ride was a bit over an hour & we got dropped at a resort built in 1892 & was in fair shape…but it looked like no one but us & another couple were visiting. We were greeted by the lady who sold us our boat tickets! She'd come in her speed boat stopping to pick her son up at school on her way. She got us started on a hike that led to a small lake. The trail was built on a man made mound with swamp & lowland all around it…and no mosquitoes! I'm going to tell Michigan mosquitoes there's a perfect environment for them here! The mounds had been made to drain land for planting fruit trees and very productive until floods started in the early 1950's. When we got to the lake…as brown as the river…we headed back. We'd packed a lunch in our trusty cooler which we enjoyed as we sat on the dock and visited with a couple from Denmark. The stop & go ride back made me appreciate where I live…on the water, with a dock & boat…and a car in the back yard. This is our last night so we just hung out in our nice Airbnb & watched the sunset as we mulled over our trip & geared up for our trip home. Home. That word makes my heart skip a beat.