Explorers in Ybycui

We took a family excursion day today--I know, not the most romantic way to spend an anniversary, but we really needed a fun family day. We had been seeing signs for a national park about 50 km from us, called La Rosada a Ybycui Parque Nacional. Sounded like a fun adventure, so off we went first thing this morning. (WARNING TO MY DIAL-UP READERS: If you click below to read the entire post, we've got lots of pictures.)

We got to the town called Ybycui and although charming, it had no signs of a national park. It did have a sign ABOUT a National Park, though, and we squinted to make it out, as it was quite faded. It told us to turn right... where? No right turn was available at that time. We took a chance and took the next right, which looked like the road to nowhere.
The whole trip was quite beautiful, with rolling hills and pastures, cows and horses and sheep, quaint little cottages, groves of coconut and eucalyptus trees, and small mountains in the distance. Nevermind the tremendous potholes or livestock on the road. A constant threat here. My husband takes it as a challenge, like some kind of video game where the SUV dodges the large steers and humongous holes in the sort-of paved roads. Only amusing to him. Well, I shouldn't say that--the locals sitting on the side of the road in their lawnchairs (watching the grass grow?) seem quite amused, as well.


So we finally made our way to the park entrance, paid our little fee, and realized we were the only people enjoying the historical ruins of the first iron factory in the Americas. The eerie glow in the picture to the right is from a little skylight.

Afterward, we ventured down a few footpaths to lovely overlooks. We kept saying that it seemed like we were at Table Rock, with the paths winding through hilly woods beside a stream most of the way. Thankfully, most of the paths were beneath the shade of the huge trees.


There were so many butterflies swarming us that we had to constantly shoo them away.


Then we stumbled onto the jackpot. I rounded a corner, and ta-dah!

WATERFALLS!
We had the place to ourselves and really were glad for the cold, cold water to cool off in. Camille was ever so happy to take the pictures, so she'd have an excuse to say, "Stop splashing me!" We had to drag Caroline out of there, begging for just "a few more minutes!!" Fairly romantic after all! What a great day!

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