AGN International has taken the opportunity that as its 2008 World Congress was celebrated in a very exotic place, Argentina, to organise a 1 week Pre-Congress Tour visiting closeby unforgettable locations. After the success of the one organised for China in 2005, this year has also been extremely successful and members are looking forward enjoying the next one.
The Tour kicked off this year in the exotic city of Rio de Janeiro. The group of 50 delegates and companions were welcomed by Erico Canarim, the international contact partner of the AGN firm in Brazil, at the welcome buffet on Friday the 19th of September. The group flew in from 17 different countries to take part in an adventurous and memorable week.
On the first day of the tour, the group enjoyed a jeep city tour racing them to (literally) the highlights of the city. Breath taking views were enjoyed from the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ Statue on the Corcovada Mountain - one of the Seven Wonders of the World. On the return to the city, our jeep convoy had to pause while gunshots rang out close by – a local turf war, but luckily no AGN participant was harmed. After a typical Brazilian Feijoada buffet lunch at the oldest coffee house of Rio – the Colombo Restaurant – the group continued on to the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Even the vertigo sufferers went up in the cable car, knowing that caipirinhas would be served half way up. After a meaty Churrascaria dinner the group was entertained by a Samba Show.
On Sunday the 21st of September, the group left for the town of Paraty. They learned about the historical importance of this town during the 17th century in Gold Trail in Brazil in a walking guided tour. The following day, like conquistadors, the group flew the AGN flag on a two-masted schooner ship and sailed the waters of Sepetiba Bay. After a dip in the crystal clear warm waters of the bay the group enjoyed a lunch on Kontiki Island, a small island with only a restaurant on it.
But just as everyone thought they had seen the best part of the tour, they continued on to Foz do Iguaçu, located by the three country border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay –surely the Eighth Wonder of the World. The group visited the Iguaçu waterfalls and some even braved the Macuco Boat ride. Once high and dry the group split up to visit either the impressive Itaipu Dam or the beautiful bird park. The evening was concluded with a dinner and a folklore show with performances from all over Latin America.
On the final day of the tour, the group crossed the border to Argentina to visit the spectacular Garganta Del Diablo; the Argentinean side of the falls. It was worth the early morning start watching the torrent of water flowing over the falls. It was then time to leave for Buenos Aires and look forward to the AGN 2008 World Congress.
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