Meeting Monkeys and Coati

As astounding and unforgettable as the actual Iguazu Falls were, if you ask the girls what was MOST memorable about our trip, they would probably list three other things: the wild monkeys, the coati, and the bathtub and shower in the hotel. The girls miss being able to take baths on the boat, and they loved taking advantage of the tub in the hotel. The shower, fittingly, was a deluge that felt like the waterfalls we’d witnessed, especially compared to our ‘navy’ showers on the boat.

None of us had ever seen monkeys in the wild before – there were dozens of capuchin monkeys playing in the trees, jumping from branch to branch, picking fruit off to eat. They had no qualms about being in the middle of all of the people, either.

Which is the real monkey?

Looking like a cross between an anteater, a cat, and a raccoon, the coati were everywhere. If we thought the monkeys were unafraid, the coati were downright brazen.

They have learned that bags and backpacks often carry yummy treats, and they have no problem with rummaging through your open bag. We watched one steal something right out of a woman’s bag, run away and start eating.