Foz do Iguaçu

 Foz in Portuguese means mouth of a river and Iguaçu in Tipi-Guarani means great or big water. This designated UNESCO world Heritage site features over 275 falls. This morning Gabriel a guide for G-Adventures took us on a tour of the Brazilian side of the falls. They are absolutely magnificent. We were hoping to go for a helicopter ride and to the bird sanctuary but a heavy rain prevented that so perhaps tomorrow or the next day. I think the only way to describe the falls is visually. What would be the words to describe such a spectacular sight? Roaring, gigantic, plummeting, green, mist enshrouded?

Dennis speaks…

Today we visited Iguassu Falls and it was spectacular. If you look up largest waterfalls in the world you have to be more specific. Height, length, volume? We’ve now seen three that qualify in some way: Iguassu, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and of course, Niagara Falls somewhere in North America. 😢 We can’t say United States anymore without bringing up many questions, expressions of horror, etc. We’ve seen all three. They were all fantastic but Victoria Falls would top my list. 

We had planned on a helicopter ride over the falls today but rain set in and squelched that plan so we’re shooting for the day after tomorrow.

Tomorrow we’ll again see Iguassu Falls but this time from the Argentine side. Two countries, Argentina and Brazil border it and Paraguay touches it as well.  

Stay tuned for more information on the helicopter ride if the weather permits. Until then, contanto—(so long in Portuguese). Impressed? If not, “voce pode beijar minha bunda.” That’s “you can kiss my a—s,” also in Portuguese. 🤭

An Exhausting Entrance into Iguassu Falls

 Thinking we needed time for the airport lines we left our Mendoza hotel at 12:30 AM for a flight leaving at 3:15 AM to Rio de Janiero. We arrived at the airport, went straight to the Trip Store to buy a luggage tag and get my bag to be checked wrapped. When I picked it up in Mendoza after arriving from Ushuaia, the tag was gone and the zipper was broken. Dennis fixed it but I didn’t trust it. Finally we were on the plane and soon sleeping until… Flying in this part of the world at this time of year seems to often  produce unexpected white knuckle turbulence. It has happened on all of our recent flights. Dennis still prefers it to bus travel. Once in Rio we were told we had to recheck our luggage, redo security, etc. etc. But finally after about 18 hours we were in our hotel. Our G-Adventure starts tomorrow.

Today we walked about in the city of Foz do Iguaçu. And then booked a dinner cruise on the Iguazú River and the Paraná river. As we arrived music was coming from the boat. Very soon people began leaving the boat some dressed almost entirely in white with dashes of blue and many in colorful patterned outfits. Two Catholic priests joined the leave taking also dressed in white cassocks. They were all taking part in a religious river celebration, the Festival of Our Lady of Navigators. It is one of the largest religious festivities in southern Brazil. The Catholic Church synced it with the Afro-Brazilian celebration of lemarjá, goddess of sea and water.

Once we boarded, the cruise was very relaxing. Both rivers flow through red clayed banks filled with dense emerald, olive, sage, lime green trees and undergrowth interrupted at times with a cascading waterfall. Fishermen and picnickers dot the banks. The breeze cuts the sticky heat.

The food on the catamaran was scrumptious. Sorry, I just can’t use delicious again but it was. Not only did it taste good but it was beautiful. 

Finally the sun began to set behind the trees and it was time to get back to the hotel and get organized for tomorrow.  

A word from Dennis…

Yeah, the plane ride from Mendoza to Iguassu Falls, Brazil via Rio De Janiero was a doozie! Eighteen hours with a 7 hour layover in Rio. Sound exotic? Ahh, nope. That’s a lot of butt time and the older I get, the less padding I have back there. 

There were a few hiccups when we arrived here but between G-Adventures and Cindy, they worked out and we’re happy. 

As she said, the cruise was very relaxing and perfect following a long day of travel.

And on we go…🙂